Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Dow MobilityScience Team Show Speed at Michigan International Speedway En Route to 13th-Place Finish
Finish: 13th Start: 26th Points: 21st
“I had fun today. Our Dow MobilityScience Chevrolet was fast all day. A caution just burned us. We had to take a wave around and there weren’t enough laps left in the race to get back up there. We drove from 15th to seventh in Stage 2. We were just too tight at that point of the race. I was completely sideways off of Turn 2 on the last lap battling to get 13th. It was fun, and I have to thank Dow and everyone who is a part of their group for everything they contribute to make our Chevys fast. On to Richmond.” -Austin Dillon
Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Guaranteed Rate Chevrolet Team Suffer Mechanical Issue at Michigan International Speedway
Finish: 30th Start: 6th Points: 12th
“We had a really good Guaranteed Rate Chevrolet today at Michigan. We were a little too tight at the beginning of the race but my crew chief, Randall Burnett, and the guys were making solid adjustments to the car and making it better. It stinks that we had a mechanical problem that ruined our day. That one really stings. I really appreciate all the people at RCR and ECR that worked so hard get us back in the race but it just wasn’t meant to be. We’ll bounce back strong next week at Richmond.” -Tyler Reddick
Austin Hill Impresses at Michigan International Speedway with Top-20 Finish in NASCAR Cup Series Debut
Finish: 18th Start: 31st Points: N/A
“We finished all 200 laps today at Michigan International Speedway, that was the goal and I’m happy about that. To come home 18th in my NASCAR Cup Series debut, I’ll take it. There’s room for improvement and I learned a lot in 400 miles. I tested the limits of my Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet. The Cup cars are fun to drive. I can’t thank RCR, Bennett, United Rentals, Global Industrial, Alsco, Realtree, Chevrolet, and so many others enough for the opportunity. I’ve been dreaming of this day since I was a kid and at 28-years-old, I made my NASCAR Cup Series debut. Overall, it was a fun day.” -Austin Hill
Road trips were synonymous with gasoline-powered vehicles for decades. That is no longer the case today following the introduction of electric cars on the market.
Although electric vehicles have been held back by their limited driving ranges for the longest time, a lot has changed since then. These days, EVs are enjoying steadily-growing popularity. Every new model boasts new and innovative features, including the capability to travel great distances.
How To Plan an Electric Car Road Trip
Since electric vehicles are now considered as performing at par when compared to traditional vehicles, it is possible to go on an exciting road trip with your EV. However, this doesn’t mean that you can or should ignore any pre-road trip preparations. As with all driving adventures, planning is a key element to ensure success.
Below are the steps you should follow to make your EV road trip hassle-free.
1. Plan Your Route
In the past, there were few charging stations for EVs, and this made it difficult for many electric car owners to find places where they can charge their batteries. The number of charging stations has steadily increased since then. If you’re going on an EV road trip, check your route to see if there’s an available charging station, and plan your trip based on this information.
Additionally, you should ensure that your electric car battery is fully charged before you go. There are also many EV locator apps that you can download to your smartphone and use to automatically map your route, so you don’t run out of gas, or in this case, electricity.
2. Maximize Battery Life
If you have done your research and are an experienced EV driver, your driving habits will likely affect the battery life of your vehicle. It’s a smart idea to have a safe driving style when you’re planning a road trip. In particular, you should work on conserving your battery’s energy by being gentle when using the brakes and by being wise when using the temperature and entertainment system settings of your electric car. If your EV comes with an eco mode driving feature, it’s also good if you use it.
Meanwhile, full battery charging can take anywhere from eight to twelve hours depending on how much leftover energy you have upon arriving at the nearest station. This should be included in your road trip plans. Also, given the timeframe for complete battery charging, you’ll have to check your road map for nearby motels where you can spend the night.
3. Utilize HOV Lanes
Use High Occupancy Vehicle lanes, if they are available to save time and energy, although you should check the existing laws of your state regarding this. Some of them, according to Northwest Collision Center, allow owners of electric cars to use HOV lanes, regardless of how many passengers they have, while others have stricter provisions.
4. Have a Plan B
There is always a chance that things will not go according to plan. This is where having a Plan B becomes important. Even though electric cars are becoming more popular, the infrastructure for charging is still not enough to meet public demands. As such, there could be fewer charging stations in the areas where you planned your route. A worst-case scenario is to arrive at a charging station and find that it’s not operational. It is thus important that you have an emergency plan so you don’t end up stranded in the middle of nowhere. For instance, you should thoroughly research ev charging stations in and around Manchester if that’s where you plan to stop, so you have multiple available options.
5. Plan Your Accommodations
If your plan involves a multi-day road trip, you should look for hotels and motels that offer affordable charging options like St Barts Vacation Rentals. This can include free charging. or one that can be added to your total accommodation fees.
6. Check Your Electric Car
Determine if your electric vehicle is ready for a road trip. The battery should be observed carefully, particularly if it charges well and completely. Also, if your EV isn’t performing as well as a gas-powered car, you may want to have it fine tuned to ensure that it will last a two-way journey.
Key Takeaway
While electric cars are enjoying immense popularity, the question in the minds of many is if they can be taken on a road trip. The short answer is yes, but you’ll have to have a plan. Actually, a good road trip plan applies even to vehicles that run on regular gasoline. Otherwise, you’ll be taking your chances, and you could end up stranded if your vehicle, electric or not, suddenly suffers a breakdown.
With EVs, the main concern is the charging of the battery, so much of your plan should revolve around this. Thus, when preparing a road trip, the route you’ll take should be one where there are available charging stations. These are steadily being put up in many places, so all you have to do is identify where they are. Another concern is hotel accommodation, and ideally, you should settle for one that has charging services for electric cars.
Everyone loves traveling. The feeling of being free and away from home, setting out on a journey of discovery, is a divine blessing. It’s an effective way to eliminate boredom and stress. However, the lack of proper planning and an improper vehicle can ruin your trip completely. It’s a known fact that one of the essential things during your travels is suitable vehicles. They will make the entire journey comfortable and enjoyable. To ensure that the right vehicle matches your requirements, you must do your homework when choosing which automobile to purchase and which car accessories to get for your journey.
While there are several vehicles to choose from, below are five of the best that can help you during your arduous travels.
Toyota Minivan
This vehicle has been known for its durability and reliability over the years. The Toyota minivan is one of the most popular vehicles used by families who want to travel far distances with ease and comfort. This car can accommodate as many as seven passengers and has enough room for luggage. Furthermore, you can expand your carrying capacity with a rack similar to the popular Landrover roof rack.
This car also offers roomy leg space for both front and rear seat passengers and comes with an optional DVD player system, allowing you to enjoy your favorite movies while traveling in this vehicle. But the most exciting thing about this car is that it has a strong engine that produces up to enough power to get you to your destination quickly. This vehicle offers excellent comfort and functionality, making it perfect for long-distance and often exhausting trips.
Mercedez-Benz Sprinter
The Mercedez-Benz Sprinter is one of the best vehicles you can use for your traveling needs. This vehicle is known to be one of the most comfortable and durable vehicles on the market today. Its powerful engine makes it fast and efficient in transporting people from one place to another. This also means you will find it easy to drive over rough terrains. The vehicle also has a spacious interior accommodating up to 15 people.
In addition, there’s enough space to carry extra luggage with ease. It also has a sound suspension system, making driving easier on any road surface. The van also has a powerful air conditioning system which makes it possible for people to cool themselves down when they feel hot while inside the van during their trip. The Mercedes Benz Sprinervalso has an entertainment system that allows passengers to listen to music while traveling.
Chevy Express
The third vehicle on our list is the Chevy Express. This is another type of vehicle that can help you during long-distance travel because it has features like excellent comfort, air conditioning, and heating systems that make driving more accessible and more comfortable. For example, this type of van comes with power windows and a door system, making it hassle-free for you to open and close the windows whenever required.
It also has a fantastic engine system with excellent performance capabilities, making it one of the best choices available today when looking for a reliable car that can last long without any problems or defects appearing over time. Also, This van has plenty of space inside its cabin to fit all your luggage without any issues.
Winnebago Travato 59K
The Winnebago Travato 59K is one of the most popular RVs on the market today, and its features are just unique. It is among the few cars that have been designed in such a way that it can offer you the best comfort possible during your travels. This motorhome is an excellent choice for those who want to experience a luxurious journey. This vehicle comes with three slides so you can have enough space to live comfortably while on the road.
It also has a queen-size bed and an entertainment system where you can enjoy your favorite TV programs or movies. Plus, the gasoline engine of this vehicle can give you up to 13 miles per gallon, which is very impressive. This means that if you are going on a long trip, you will not have to worry about fuel consumption.
Nissan NV3500 HD
This car is known as a reliable vehicle, especially when it comes to long-distance trips. Its strong engine and excellent handling make it an ideal choice for your next trip. It has two rows of seating so everyone can be comfortable inside the cabin, plus it comes with an entertainment system and a DVD player so everyone can enjoy their favorite shows while away from home. The Nissan NV3500 HD also has many other great features, such as Bluetooth connectivity.
Conclusion
If you want to enjoy your travel, it is better that you have a comfortable vehicle to do so. There are also different models for various travelers who may have other preferences regarding the comfort and functionality of a car. Choosing the right vehicle for you is crucial for a successful trip. So, a little planning on your part could help you tremendously. The right vehicle can make traveling more comfortable and convenient. So don’t just leave it to chance; take some time to compare and contrast your options to be fully prepared and equipped for your next adventure. Happy traveling!
Betting on motorsport is quite different from other sports because it deals with fast cars, offering you a thrilling experience. If you are new to motorsport betting, you are on the right page. An interview with BetZillion betting expert Tim Harrison enlightens you on how to bet on motorsport, including the tips and strategies involved. You will also learn how to choose the best website to wager your bet.
How Does Motorsport Betting Work?
If you are going to bet on motorsport, you must be ready for a fascinating experience. Usually, only lovers of sports prefer betting on motorsport. As a result, you can enjoy watching your favorite player and still win some money through bets.
The good thing about motorsport is that there are many events to bet on. Formula 1, MotoGP, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, NASCAR, and other competitions exist. A vast catalog of online motorsport betting sites is available on several betting markets. You are spoilt for options.
Generally, motor racing focuses on points scored, winners, and finishing positions. It is always about rounds, leaderboards, time, distance, laps, and other technical aspects. However, these aspects available in the betting market depend on the sport. For example, in Formula, you can wager on several betting markets, including betting on the one to win the next race, to finish in the top 10, to get the most points ahead of the championship, etc.
However, before you can wager your bets, it is vital to know the best strategies to help you get the best out of them.
Best Betting Strategies for Motorsport
Various strategies will help your motorsport journey. Here are some of them.
Bet on the Fastest Lap
Instead of betting on a race’s outright winner, you can wager on the racer to do the fastest lap. While you may feel the racer in the first position will run the fastest lap, it is not always so. Usually, the racer in the first position does everything to keep his position without necessarily trying to run the fastest. The driver will slow down strategically to preserve fuel, tires, and position.
As a result, the racers at the back will continue trying to catch the one in front, and one of them will most likely do the fastest lap. So instead of betting only on the one to win the race, you can bet on the fastest lap. You can also go on a double chance market in this situation.
Bet on Top 10
Another option you can go for to ease you from the pressure of betting on the winner is to wager on the top 10 or sometimes the top 6. Betting on the top 10 affords you more opportunities to get the best out of your bet.
Explore Racing Tracks
Before you wager on motorsport, you must study the race track you want to bet on. Some tracks have plenty of turns, others are full of straight, while some help overtake. It is essential to do your due diligence before you wager on any of the betting markets available. This will give you the chance to make the best betting decision.
Study the Drivers
Just before you jump on betting on a motorsport event, you should study and analyze all of the drivers. This is especially vital if you don’t know much about a race. Check for previous performances, and get an overview of each driver’s history. Review the drivers’ driving styles, and understand whether any of the drivers have a goal like fighting for the championship. This will help you make the best choice of who to wager on.
Focus on Teams’ Strength
Using Formula as an example, expecting a low-profile team to compete on the front foot with a team with well-developed cars could be challenging. It would help if you analyzed the strength of each team to see how well they can perform.
Understand the Weather
If you don’t know yet, then know that weather often affects races, and you must pay attention to how it can affect your bets. Some vehicles will perform well in good condition but struggle in extreme conditions. Usually, rain and extreme heat could affect the grip of bikes and cars. Also, the weather could affect the tire to wear off quickly and a vehicle’s fuel consumption. Knowing the race track’s weather will help you make the best-racing bet decisions.
How and Where to Bet on Motorsport?
The process of betting on motorsport is seamless. You can follow the steps below.
Select a Sportsbook
The first step to a successful wager on motorsport is to select a sportsbook to wager on. Since you cannot wager without a sportsbook, you need to choose from the catalog. However, if you compare betting in the US and betting in Europe or other regions, it will become clear that the markets entirely differ. So you may need to pay attention to the differences in order to avoid making betting mistakes.
Create an Account on the Betting Platform
The next step is to create an account with your chosen betting platform. You cannot wager on a sportsbook without creating an account with the platform. Almost all bookmakers make the registration process seamless, and you will be done within a few minutes. However, you will need to provide details, including your name, email address, and other information, to help the website create your account. Furthermore, some betting platforms will ask you to provide a government-issued ID to verify your account.
Fund your Account
You cannot bet without money, so you need to fund your betting account to wager on the bookmaker. You can use any deposit methods available on the betting platform to complete this process. Most of these simple methods and your payment will be made within minutes.
Select your picks
Once you finish depositing funds, you can choose your picks. Go to the sports section of the website and navigate to motorsport. When you open the competitions available, you will choose the game you want to bet on, and you can select the odds attached to the racer you want to bet on. Betting platforms will allow you to choose as many picks as you want. The more events you add, the bigger your picks are. However, it is less likely that you will win. So it would help if you found a balance as you choose.
Enter your Stake and Place your bets
Once you finish selecting your picks, go to your bet slip to enter your stake amount. After that, proceed to place your bets. You only need to wait for the outcome of the bets from here.
Conclusion
Betting on motorsport is quite different from betting on other sports. You will get more thrills as you wager since it involves fast actions. Different betting strategies could get your wager towards success, which we have discussed in this guide. The most important of them is to ensure you do your due diligence before you wager.
With the start of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs looming, the battle for the final transfer spots to the postseason witnessed a major shakeup as Kevin Harvick vaulted himself into the Playoff picture by returning to Victory Lane after winning the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, August 7.
The 2014 Cup Series champion led the final 35 of 200-scheduled laps as he managed to pull away during a 35-lap dash to the finish and beat pole-sitter Bubba Wallace by less than three seconds to snap a 65-race winless drought and capture his first elusive NASCAR Cup Series victory of the 2022 season in the Irish Hills. The victory was one that placed Harvick’s name above top-16 cutline to make the Playoffs.
With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Saturday, Bubba Wallace achieved the first Cup Series pole position for himself and for 23XI Racing after posting a pole-winning lap at 190.703 mph in 37.755 seconds. Joining him on the front row was Christopher Bell, who posted his best lap at 189.898 mph in 37.915 seconds.
When the green flag waved and the race started following a one-hour delay due to rain, Wallace received a push from Joey Logano to retain the lead through the first two turns while Logano, Bell and Kyle Busch engaged in a three-wide battle for the runner-up spot. Soon after Logano grabbed the runner-up spot, Tyler Reddick bolted his way in a three-wide move between Bell and Kyle Busch in a bid for third place while Wallace proceeded to lead the first lap.
During the second lap, Wallace maintained the top spot ahead of Logano while Kyle Busch engaged in a tight, side-by-side battle with Reddick for third place in front of Bell and Kyle Larson.
Through the first five laps, Wallace was leading by four-tenths over Logano followed by Reddick, Kyle Busch and Bell while Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Erik Jones, Michael McDowell and rookie Austin Cindric were in the top 10. Behind, Kevin Harvick was in 11th ahead of Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Ty Gibbs and Ross Chastain while Noah Gragson, Aric Almirola, Daniel Suarez, Chase Briscoe and Chris Buescher occupied the top 20.
At the Lap 10 mark, Wallace continued to lead by more than a second over Reddick. Meanwhile, Kyle Busch, Larson and Bell were scored in the top five while Logano, who reported debris on the front grille of his No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang, had fallen back in sixth ahead of Erik Jones.
When the event reached Lap 20, the first caution flew due to NASCAR establishing a competition caution amid the rain-delayed start. At the time of caution, Wallace retained the lead by more than a second over Reddick while Kyle Busch, Bell and Larson were in the top five. By then, Logano had fallen back to ninth while being overtaken by Erik Jones, Truex and Hamlin. During the competition caution period, some led by Wallace pitted while the rest led by Bell remained on the track.
When the race restarted under green on Lap 24, Bell and Erik Jones, both of whom did not pit during the competition caution, dueled for the lead until Bell managed to pull ahead on the outside lane. Shortly after, however, the caution flew when JJ Yeley, who appeared to fall off the pace through the first two turns as the field fanned out to avoid Yeley, got hit by Michael McDowell, which triggered a multi-car wreck that involved Aric Almirola, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., rookies Harrison Burton and Todd Gilliland, Ty Gibbs, Kyle Busch and Austin Cindric, who pounded the outside wall head-on and demolished the front nose of his No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang. All competitors involved, including Cindric, emerged uninjured, though big names that included Cindric, Kyle Busch, Almirola and Stenhouse were eliminated from further competition.
Following an extensive caution period, the race proceeded under green on Lap 32. At the start, Bell retained the lead on the outside lane while teammate Denny Hamlin made his way into the runner-up spot over Erik Jones as the field behind fanned out to multiple lanes.
When the first stage concluded on Lap 45, Bell captured his second stage victory of the 2022 season. Teammate Hamlin trailed in the runner-up spot followed by Erik Jones, Martin Truex Jr., Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, William Byron, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Chase Briscoe.
Under the stage break, nearly the entire field led by Bell pitted and amid a flurry of different strategies, Chastain exited with the lead followed by Larson, Blaney, Wallace and Harvick. Back on the track, however, Ty Gibbs and Corey LaJoie remained on the track
The second stage started on Lap 51 as Gibbs and Chastain occupied the front row. At the start, Chastain rocketed his No. 1 AdventHealth Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to the lead on the inside lane. Behind, Gibbs retained the runner-up spot followed by LaJoie, Blaney and the field. Then through the frontstretch and as Blaney took over third place, Erik Jones made a bold four-wide move in a bid for fourth place over Harvick, Larson and LaJoie before he settled behind LaJoie and Larson through the first two turns as Wallace tried to work his way back to the front.
By Lap 60, Chastain was leading by three-tenths of a second over Larson followed by Gibbs, Bell and Blaney while Hamlin, Wallace, Gragson, Erik Jones and Harvick were in the top 10. Meanwhile, Truex was mired back in 11th ahead of Reddick, Byron, Buescher and Bowman while Logano, Elliott, LaJoie, Briscoe and Brad Keselowski were scored in the top 20.
At the Lap 75 mark, Chastain continued to lead by two-tenths of a second over Hamlin, who overtook teammate Bell on the frontstretch while Noah Gragson, who was making his ninth Cup career start, was scored in fourth place ahead of Larson. Gibbs was back in sixth ahead of Harvick, Wallace, Erik Jones and Truex.
Four laps later, Hamlin used the outside lane to muscle his No. 11 FedEx Toyota TRD Camry into the lead. In the process, teammate Bell navigated his No. 20 SiriusXM Toyota TRD Camry into the runner-up spot. By then, Wallace outlasted a four-car battle against Reddick, Erik Jones and Truex to move into eighth place.
A few laps later, Noah Gragson and Ty Gibbs, who was substituting for the injured Kurt Busch for a third consecutive event, pitted under green. Cole Custer also pitted not long with a flat left-front tire.
Nearing the Lap 90 mark, Blaney pitted his No. 12 Menards Ford Mustang under green along with Harvick and Wallace. Byron would also pit his No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 along with Chastain as Hamlin continued to lead. During the pit stops, Chastain was assessed a drive-through penalty for an uncontrolled tire violation when two tires rolled out of his pit box.
Then just as Hamlin pitted along with Larson, Reddick, Truex, Logano, Bell, Elliott, the caution flew on Lap 97 when Cole Custer, who fell off the pace starting in the backstretch, had fire erupting out of the left front of his No. 41 Haas Ford Mustang. Despite the fire, Custer managed to nurse his car back to his pit stall, where he quickly emerged uninjured as his race came to an end.
During the caution period, some like Erik Jones, Buescher, Daniel Suarez, Briscoe, Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Josh Bilicki, Truex, Larson, Byron and Cody Ware pitted while the rest led by Hamlin remained on the track.
With 15 laps remaining in the second stage, the race restated under green. At the start, Harvick and Hamlin dueled for the lead while Brad Keselowski settled in third ahead of Bell and Larson. Shortly after, Bell overtook Keselowski for third as the field fanned out through the frontstretch. By then, Reddick pitted under green as his No. 8 pit crew popped the hood of his No. 8 Chevrolet open to address a mechanical issue, an issue that would eliminate him from further competition.
Three laps later, the caution returned when Noah Gragson spun after he broke a toe link and slapped the outside wall in Turn 2 as he nursed his No. 16 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 back to pit road with extensive damage. Under caution, some led by Harvick and Bell pitted while the rest led by Hamlin remained on the track.
With the race restarting under green with seven laps remaining in the second stage, Hamlin managed to pull ahead with the lead as Suarez muscled his way into the runner-up spot over Keselowski and Larson as the field fanned out through the backstretch and back to the frontstretch. As the field continued to jostle for positions, Hamlin pulled away with the lead.
When the second stage concluded on Lap 120, Hamlin captured his third stage victory of the 2022 season. Suarez settled in second followed by Larson, Bell, Keselowski, Erik Jones, Austin Dillon, Alex Bowman, Byron and Logano.
Under the stage break, some led by Hamlin pitted while the rest led by Suarez remained on the track. During the pit stops, Larson was penalized for speeding on pit road. In addition, Austin Hill, a full-time Xfinity Series competitor for Richard Childress Racing who was making his Cup Series debut, was penalized for having a crew member jump over the wall too soon.
With 74 laps remaining, the final stage commenced under green as Suarez and Bell occupied the front row. At the start and with the field fanning out through the first two turns, Suarez managed to fend off Bell to retain the lead while Chastain rallied from his uncontrolled tire violation that pinned him a lap behind to work his way back into third place ahead of Logano and Austin Dillon. Behind, Harvick overtook teammate Chase Briscoe for sixth while Hamlin started to close in while running in eighth place.
Nearing the final 60 laps of the event, the battle for the lead intensified between Suarez and Bell as both dueled dead even for the lead with Chastain closing in. Despite Bell’s intimidation, Suarez maintained the lead by a tenth of a second while Chastain remained in third and trailing by six-tenths of a second. Meanwhile, Logano was in fourth ahead of Harvick and Hamlin while Austin Dillon was in seventh ahead of Wallace, Briscoe and Gibbs.
Down to the final 50 laps of the event, the battle for the lead continued to intensify as Trackhouse Racing’s Suarez and Chastain battled for the lead with the former leading the latter. Behind, Hamlin overtook teammate Bell for third place as he continued to power his way to the front while Bubba Wallace, who overtook Logano for sixth place earlier, started to challenge Harvick for fifth, which he succeeded during the following lap. Not long after, Austin Dillon and Briscoe pitted under green.
Then with 45 laps remaining, the cycle of green flag pit stops slowly commenced as Buescher pitted. During the following lap, teammates Suarez and Chastain pitted together, with Chastain managing to exit ahead of Suarez, as Hamlin assumed the lead. Harvick would then pit during the following lap.
With 41 laps remaining, trouble ensued in Turn 4 when Chastain, who had just pitted for fresh tires and fuel but a lap behind, made contact with Bell as he sent Bell’s No. 20 Toyota into the outside wall in Turn 4 with Bell’s car suffering significant right-front damage. The incident was enough for NASCAR to display the caution.
Under caution, the majority of the field that had not yet pitted led by Hamlin and Wallace pitted as Hamlin exited pit road first ahead of Wallace, Larson, Bowman and Logano. Back on the track, however, Harvick and BJ McLeod remained on the track as Harvick, who pitted prior to the caution and remained on the lead lap, assumed the lead. Following the pit stops, Hamlin was penalized for having too many crew members over the wall when a crew member leaned over his pit box to catch a loose tire. In addition, Ty Gibbs was penalized for speeding on pit road.
Down to the final 35 laps of the event, the race restarted under green. At the start, Harvick received a push from Larson to retain the lead through the first turn. Despite being pressured by Wallace entering the backstretch, Harvick managed to pull away with the lead while Wallace and Larson dueled for second. Then in Turn 1, Logano, who joined the battle ensuing between Larson and Wallace in Turn 4, washed up the track and forced Wallace wide, which also affected Larson as his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 slid outside of the top 10 and back in ninth while Logano and Wallace battled for the runner-up spot.
With 30 laps remaining, Harvick was leading by more than a second over Logano while Wallace was being pressured by Blaney for third place. Erik Jones was in fifth followed by Bowman, Truex, Elliott, Larson and Hamlin.
Ten laps later, Harvick extended his advantage to more than three seconds over Logano, who had Wallace pressuring him for the runner-up spot, while Blaney and Erik Jones remained in the top five. Meanwhile, Hamlin, who was trying to carve his way back to the front, challenged Larson for eighth place. In addition, Erik Jones was being pressured by Truex for fifth place while Bowman started to close in.
Another two laps later, Wallace dueled and overtook Logano for the runner-up spot as he began his pursuit on Harvick for the lead. Meanwhile, Blaney started to pressure teammate Logano for third place while Hamlin rocketed his way to sixth behind Erik Jones.
Down to the final 10 laps of the event, Harvick’s No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang continued to lead by more than four seconds over Wallace’s No. 23 McDonald’s Toyota TRD Camry while his team owner Hamlin battled Logano for third place in front of Blaney.
With five laps remaining, Harvick stabilized his advantage to nearly four seconds over Wallace. By then, Suarez limped his No. 99 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to pit road after he cut a left-front tire and limped around the speedway for a full lap. Despite the late incident, the race proceeded under green.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Harvick remained as the leader by less than four seconds over Wallace. With Wallace unable to narrow the deficit in a single lap, Harvick cruised his way around the two-mile speedway circuit for a final time and cycled his way back to the frontstretch to claim his first checkered flag in two years.
In addition to snapping a 65-race winless drought, Harvick achieved his sixth victory at Michigan, the second victory of the season for Stewart-Haas Racing and his 59th career win in NASCAR’s premier series. In addition, he became the 15th different competitor to win this season and be guaranteed a spot to the 2022 Cup Series Playoffs after coming into the event trailing the cutline by 96 points.
Photo by Tim Jarrold for SpeedwayMedia.com.
“Just good timing, for sure,” Harvick said on USA Network. “We’ve had several good runs the last few weeks. Loudon, Pocono, where the car ran good and just didn’t have everything work out. Just really proud of everybody on our Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang. They’ve been digging along all year long, trying to make these Mustangs run faster and they haven’t been great this year. Our guys have done a good job in trying to take what we have, maximize it and do the things that we need to do. Really proud of everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing.”
“Everybody who doubted us doesn’t know us,” Harvick added. “They obviously know that we thrive in these types of situations. A lot of things went our way today, which we haven’t had, all year long, have things go our way and things fall our way. There at the end, we pitted, didn’t go a lap down, the caution came out, got control of the race. That’s the thing I struggled with the most today was traffic, the restarts and just having to make up ground. Once I got clear of traffic, [the car] was hunting. It’s been a while. Coming to Michigan, this has been a great place for us. Just gotta thank all the fans. They’ve stuck with us through this little dry spell, so hopefully, we can back to Victory lane again soon.”
Wallace, who started on pole position and came into this weekend in a “must-win” scenario to draw himself into the Playoff picture, claimed the runner-up spot for the second time this season and for his fourth consecutive top-10 result in recent weeks after leading the first 22 laps. The result, however, kept Wallace in 20th place in the regular-season standings as he trails the top-16 cutline by 235 points.
“[I’m] Replaying everything I could have done,” Wallace, who fought tears of disappointment, said. “[I] Should have taken the top on the restart. Thought I could hang with [Harvick] and just got to racing [Larson] and [Logano]. [Logano] did a great job of getting another Ford contract by helping another Ford win. All in all, an incredible weekend. Appreciate my team. Wish we could have gotten Toyota in victory lane. Wish we could have got McDonalds in victory lane again. [The car] was fast all weekend. I will wear this one on my heart for a while. I failed everybody…Hate it. Hate it for our team. Sucks. It was a hell of a job for our team. There were a lot of positives from this weekend, but I’m a person that looks more at the negatives and I need to change that. I want to win so bad and this was the best opportunity.”
Hamlin rallied from his late pit road miscue to finish in third place while Logano and Blaney finished in the top five. The top-three result, however, did little to ease Hamlin’s frustration in having a potential victory slip out of his grasp following his late pit road penalty.
“It’s just frustrating,” Hamlin said. “We’ve had really fast cars throughout the year and Dover comes to mind and Pocono comes to mind and this race comes to mind and a bunch of others. Just cant get a [win] in the column. Hats off to Joe Gibbs Racing for giving me a car that fast and my team for setting it up really good. This is a piece of the puzzle you have to have to win races. Everyone has to do their job to the best of their ability and we just are lacking in one little section of our team that we just can’t hem up…I just hope that we make strides and keep getting better. It’s just frustrating when you have fast cars like our Toyotas did this weekend, there’s just absolutely no excuse for not winning. We’re the ones that have to look each other in the face on Monday and figure out how we just keep doing this. Hopefully we can make it constructive and continue to get better, but obviously it’s disappointing.”
Completing the top 10 on the track were Truex, Larson, Erik Jones, Bowman and Ty Gibbs.
There were 15 lead changes for 10 different leaders. The race featured seven cautions for 36 laps.
With three regular season races remaining this season, Chase Elliott continues to lead the regular season standings by 119 points over Ryan Blaney, 137 over Ross Chastain, 138 over Martin Truex Jr. and 142 over Kyle Larson.
Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain, William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell, Daniel Suarez, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Alex Bowman, rookie Austin Cindric and Kevin Harvick are currently guaranteed spots for the 2022 Cup Series Playoffs based on winning once throughout the regular-season stretch while Ryan Blaney occupies the 16th and final transfer spot to the Playoffs based on points. Martin Truex Jr. trails the top-16 cutline by 19 points, Erik Jones trails by 190 points, Aric Almirola trails by 210 points, Bubba Wallace trails by 235, Austin Dillon trails by 245, Justin Haley trails by 283, Chris Buescher trails by 286 and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. trails by 333 points.
Results.
1. Kevin Harvick, 38 laps led
2. Bubba Wallace, 22 laps led
3. Denny Hamlin, 38 laps led, Stage 2 winner
4. Joey Logano
5. Ryan Blaney
6. Martin Truex Jr.
7. Kyle Larson
8. Erik Jones, five laps led
9. Alex Bowman
10. Ty Gibbs, two laps led
11. Chase Elliott
12. William Byron
13. Austin Dillon
14. Ty Dillon
15. Brad Keselowski
16. Chris Buescher, one lap led
17. Justin Haley
18. Austin Hill
19. Corey LaJoie
20. Chase Briscoe
21. Josh Bilicki
22. Cody Ware
23. BJ McLeod, one lap down, one lap led
24. Ross Chastain, two laps down, 29 laps led
25. Daniel Suarez, seven laps down, 33 laps led
26. Christopher Bell – OUT, Accident, 31 laps led, Stage 1 winner
27. Todd Gilliland, 12 laps down
28. Michael McDowell, 13 laps down
29. Tyler Reddick – OUT, Engine
30. Noah Gragson – OUT, Accident
31. Cole Custer – OUT, Accident
32. Harrison Burton – OUT, Accident
33. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – OUT, Accident
34. Aric Almirola – OUT, Accident
35. JJ Yeley – OUT, Accident
36. Kyle Busch – OUT, Accident
37. Austin Cindric – OUT, Accident
Next on the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the series’ second and final visit of the season to Richmond Raceway. The event is scheduled to occur on Sunday, August 14, at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.
NASCAR CUP SERIES MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY FIREKEEPERS CASINO 400 TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES & QUOTES AUGUST 7, 2022
TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-20 RACE RESULTS: POS. DRIVER 7th KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1 8th ERIK JONES, NO. 43 FOCUSFACTOR CAMARO ZL1 9th ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 11th CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 UNIFIRST CAMARO ZL1 12th WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1 13th AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 DOW MOBILITYSCIENCE CAMARO ZL1 14th TY DILLON, NO. 42 FERRIS CAMARO ZL1 17th JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 31 LEAFFILTER GUTTER PROTECTION CAMARO ZL1 18th AUSTIN HILL, NO. 33 BENNETT TRANSPORTATION CAMARO ZL1 19th COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 SCHULTER SYSTEMS CAMARO ZL1
TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS: POS. DRIVER 1st Kevin Harvick (Ford) 2nd Bubba Wallace (Toyota) 3rd Denny Hamlin (Toyota) 4th Joey Logano (Ford) 5th Ryan Blaney (Ford)
The NASCAR Cup Series season continues next Sunday, August 14, at Richmond Raceway with the Federated Auto Parts 400 at 3 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on USA Network, the NBCSports Gold App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES:
ERIK JONES, NO. 43 FOCUSFACTOR CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 8th
“It was an up and down day for the FOCUSfactor Chevy. We had track position early and got up there towards the top five and just kind of got farther and farther back through the day a little bit. Lost the handle a bit toward the back half of the top ten and thankfully we got that late yellow and were able to make some changes and get a good restart with about 37 laps to go and drive back up to a top 10 finish. So, solid day, had a decent car and just needed to do things a little bit cleaner, little bit smoother and I think we could have had a better finish.”
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 9th
“We just started super deep and played some strategy to get some track position back. We were too tight on the short run. Really too tight on the long run too, but the short runs hurt us a little bit more.
I’m happy to get the No. 48 Ally Chevy is back in the top-10. Can’t say enough about Greg (Ives) and the guys – we’ll keep digging as we close out the season.”
TEAM CHEVY RACE QUICK NOTES
Stage One:
· With a competition caution on lap 20, Tyler Reddick led Chevrolet in the second position in his No. 8 Guaranteed Rate Camaro ZL1. Varying pit strategies along pit road, crew chief Randall Burnett brought Reddick down pit road for fuel and an adjustment.
· Mid-pack chaos ensued on the restart, collecting the No. 47 Kroger Health/SweetLeaf Camaro ZL1 of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Bringing his Chevrolet behind the wall, damage sustained ultimately ended the team’s day.
· Michigan native, Erik Jones, led Chevrolet to the end of Stage One in the third position.
· Team Chevy Stage One: Top-10
3rd Erik Jones, No. 43 FOCUSfactor Camaro ZL1
6th Ross Chastain, No. 1 Advent Health Camaro ZL1
7th William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1
Stage Two:
· Taking the green for Stage Two, Ross Chastain took the lead in his No. 1 Advent Health Camaro ZL1.
· With green flag stops starting to cycle through, an uncontrolled tire during Chastain’s pit stop forced the team to return back to pit road to serve a pass through penalty.
· While the green flag stops continued, Erik Jones had cycled to the top position when a caution flew, allowing the team to pit under the caution.
· There was a strong showing by the bowtie brigade at the end of Stage Two, with six Chevrolet drivers taking the green/white checkered flag in the top-10.
· Team Chevy Stage Two: Top-10
2nd Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1 3rd Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 6th Erik Jones, No. 43 FOCUSfactor Camaro ZL1 7th Austin Dillon, No. 3 Dow MobilityScience Camaro ZL1 8th Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 9th William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1
Final Stage / Post-Race Notes:
· Kyle Larson (7th) led Chevrolet to three top-10 finishes at Michigan International Speedway, three drivers from two different Chevrolet teams represented in the top-10 of the final running order.
· With 23 NASCAR Cup Series races in the books, Chevrolet continues to lead in lead the series in wins (13), top-fives (54), top-10s (102), and stage wins (20).
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.
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.
Elkhart Lake, Wis. (August 7, 2022) — The Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Super Trofeo (LST) stable weathered uncertain conditions at Road America this weekend. They achieved five podiums and, most importantly, extended the points leads of the No. 1 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing (WTR) car in the PRO class whilst the No. 25 Harrison Contracting Company with WTR LST maintained their lead in the PRO|AM class.
Danny Formal and Kyle Marcelli weathered a caution-ridden race in the first half of the double header on Saturday, beating their championship rivals en route to a second-place finish for the No. 1 Prestige machine. They finished third in class in an unpredictable Race 2, beating their championship rivals again, extending their lead at the top of the standings to 20 points.
Jordan Missig and Aidan Yoder moved from 24th place overall to a top 10 in Race 1, securing seventh place in the PRO|AM class for the No. 53 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing crew. A red flag and changing track conditions couldn’t slow them down in Race 2, where they finished a season-best fourth in the PRO class.
Ashton Harrison and Tom Long continued their perfect streak of podiums for the red No. 25 Harrison Contracting Company car on Saturday with another third place trophy, extending their championship points lead. They podiumed again on Sunday, finishing second. They maintained the PRO|AM championship lead with a margin of 2 points.
Randy Sellari showed class-leading pace in Race 1, qualifying sixth and finishing fourth in a hard-fought effort for the No. 3 JG Wentworth with Wayne Taylor Racing AM class machine. He made it two events in a row with a podium in the second race with a second-place result the next day.
The 2022 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series heads to VIRginia International Raceway next for the final domestic round of the season, with Race 1 going green at 2:05 p.m. ET on August 27th, followed by Race 2 at 11:35 a.m. ET of August 28th. Watch live on IMSA.TV or Peacock.
FINAL RESULTS: NA ROUND 4, RACE 1
PRO CLASS, No. 1 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 Kyle Marcelli | Daniel Formal – P2 overall Qualification by Daniel Formal – P1 overall
PRO CLASS, No. 53 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 Aidan Yoder | Jordan Missig – P7 in class Qualification by Jordan Missig – P7 in class
PRO|AM CLASS, No. 25 Harrison Contracting Company with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 Ashton Harrison | Tom Long – P3 in class Qualification by Ashton Harrison – P4 in class
AM CLASS, No. 3 JG Wentworth with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 Randy Sellari – P4 in class Qualification by Randy Sellari – P6 in class
FINAL RESULTS: NA ROUND 4, RACE 2
PRO CLASS, No. 1 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 Kyle Marcelli | Daniel Formal – P3 in class Qualification by Kyle Marcelli – P1 in class
PRO CLASS, No. 53 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 Aidan Yoder | Jordan Missig – P4 in class Qualification by Aidan Yoder – P7 in class
PRO|AM CLASS, No. 25 Harrison Contracting Company with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 Ashton Harrison | Tom Long – P2 in class Qualification by Tom Long – P3 in class
AM CLASS, No. 3 JG Wentworth with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 Randy Sellari – P2 in class Qualification by Randy Sellari – P4 in class
Kyle Marcelli, No. 1 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing LST (PRO) “It was a sloppy weekend in terms of our races. Qualifying went very well from our end as Danny and I got pole for both races, and an extra two points which is huge for the championship. Race 1 was caution filled. I think we had three green flag laps, with one being the fastest lap of the race. We lost a spot in pit lane as a competitor took an aggressive approach and got by us. In the second race today, we got P3 in the class and P4 overall in another strange race with the weather conditions. The start of the race brought us some challenges, with some issues in the front right shock. Even though we had this issue, I felt comfortable to push the car and was able to get the fastest lap of the race. But then the rain came and the way things worked out, it was strange and put us way back. Danny did a great job by getting us a third place finish and extending our championship lead.”
Daniel Formal, No. 1 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing LST (PRO) “Not our best weekend, but not the worst weekend. Kyle and I were able to get two pole positions in qualifying on Friday. Then yesterday was a good day, but I did 38 minutes under caution. I didn’t even get to do a green push lap. I came into the pits for a safety reason because we saw a car have an issue on the track. The team pitted me and another competitor stayed out and created enough of a gap. Kyle got in the car, he kept pushing and was catching the leader and another 20 minutes caution came out. So, yesterday was very stressful.
“Today, Kyle started in the lead and automatically, watching from the outside, I knew something was wrong. Kyle called the radio and said that something was wrong with the front right of the car. He thought it was the steering rack and then he thought it was a shock. Then, when I got in the car, I felt it immediately. The car was way lower on the front right. Braking stability was very hard to manage. It would pull to the right, plus it would skid the right splitter on braking, plus it rained. So, it was very difficult. I’m not sure what happened. We came into the pits, shuffled, and did a great pit stop. The Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing crew did an amazing stop where we went from third to first. At least, that’s what we thought, but when we took the green we were 14th place. I had to climb back up. It was very hard to drive the way it was. The last six laps, I figured out a different racing line than anyone else to try and stop the car, rotate it, and get on the gas. I made up around four or five seconds against the leaders. I finished right behind them in third position. We also extended our championship lead which is the most important thing. I’m super excited to go to VIR in a couple weeks, it’s one of my favorite tracks in the United States and Kyle is extremely fast there. Hopefully we can seal the championship before Portugal.”
Jordan Missig, No. 53 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing (PRO) “Obviously, coming into this weekend, we all knew we were going to have fast cars based on last year, so I was pretty optimistic. Right out of the gate, we struggled a little with the front end of the car, so had to make some changes throughout practice. Once we got to Practice 2, the car felt very consistent and had some speed. After we left Practice 2, I felt we were in the window and where we needed to be just like last year. Going into qualifying, I was on a flier and probably three tenths off of Danny until a red came out when we hit Canada Corner. Because we didn’t get a good lap in, we were shuffled back to 24th for the start of Race 1. Myself and Aidan dug deep in Race 1 and came back to 10th overall and P7 in class. For Race 2, we knew it was going to be the exact same. Aidan did a phenomenal job at the beginning with a dry start to hang up there with the PROs. When he handed the car to me, I was able to gain some spots, but the rain began falling which made it all about survival. Everyone began sliding out all over the place which helped us pick up some spots. We were able to pull off a good result in P4 of our class. Really good job for our team and the best finish of the season for myself and Aidan.”
Aidan Yoder, No. 53 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing (PRO) “This weekend got progressively better and better for our car and there was a lot of learning along the way. Driving around Road America in a Super Trofeo is unlike any other car you could drive around here. There were old habits I had to break and new habits to form. With all the unfortunate red flags and safety cars, I didn’t have a lot of time to develop so going into the races I knew I’d have to dig deep and find it right away. Trying to generate that intensity right away is difficult, but getting in the right mindset is key. We progressively got better through each session culminating in our best finish of the season in Race 2. Jordan did an excellent job. We kept it clean. I’m Looking forward to VIR.”
Ashton Harrison, No. 25 Harrison Contracting Company with Wayne Taylor Racing LST (PRO|AM) “We’re so thankful to finish P2 in our class and P5 overall with how much the weather changed throughout the race. Even with rain tires on at the end, it was very slick out there. We were able to manage the tread of the tires with the various wet spots on the track, which was a challenge. I’m really happy for our Wayne Taylor Racing team and the Harrison Contracting Company Lamborghini to extend our points lead heading into VIR.”
Tom Long, No. 25 Harrison Contracting Company with Wayne Taylor Racing LST (PRO|AM) “What a wild race! We got the car ready for the rain, but it was a dry start so we went back to the dry setup. The Wayne Taylor Racing team did a phenomenal job with our Harrison Contracting Company Lamborghini. It’s tough to pass in this series with how tight it is, but we were able to move our way forward today. I knew we were going to hand Ashton a strong car when we made the switch. It got wild on the in lap for me as it started raining and cars went off everywhere. I kept pushing and got into pit road all good, and had a phenomenal pit stop and Ashton took it home. She did an incredible job with how slick it was on the rain tires.”
ABOUT WTR’S LAMBORGHINI SUPER TROFEO DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Wayne Taylor Racing is a leader in sportscar racing, recognized worldwide for fielding championship winning racing efforts since 2007. In addition to their DPi winning team, the team, under the Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing umbrella, has run a stable of championship winning cars and drivers in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series for over half a decade, forming the basis of their Driver Development Program. Since its inception in 2015, the Prestige Performance with WTR team has clinched seven North American PRO Driver, Team and Dealer Championship titles, fielded the first woman World Finals race winner and became the overall 2017 Champions at the World Finals in Imola, Italy. Their Driver Development program has grown into interim classes like IMSA GTD, as it evolves to encompass a greater variety of skill and experience levels. For more information on Wayne Taylor Racing’s Driver Development Program and how to get involved, contact Travis Houge at info@waynetaylorracing.com.
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (7 August 2022) – Irish Mike’s Racing rebounded in challenging conditions at Road America Sunday to better their finishing positions in Round 6 of the IMSA Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by Visit Cayman Islands.
After finishing 13th in class and 22nd overall in Saturday’s race in sunny conditions, Conor Flynn finished 11th in the Pro class and 17th overall driving the No. 95 FlynnCo Cars/ Chillout Systems Porsche 992 in wet conditions on Sunday.
“All in all, it was a good weekend, and I feel like we made a lot of ground as far as learning how to drive the car,” Flynn said. “We learned a couple of tricks, and this car seems to be all about tricks. We were excited for the rain today. We had a little bit of an issue in qualifying which cost us not be able to set a second-fastest lap, so we started pretty far back, so we’re happy to have been able to crawl our way back up in the rain.”
Craig Conway placed 10th in class and 28th overall on Saturday in the No. 97 Diamond Suzuki Porsche 992. On Sunday, he advanced to ninth in class and 25th overall, missing his season-best finish of eighth in the most recent round at Watkins Glen by only one position.
“We keep making progress with the new car, and that’s what we’re trying to do every session,” Conway said. “I’ve been making forward progress, and that’s our goal, that we just keep moving forward.”
Conway was pleased with his progress racing in the rain.
“I felt like I did a pretty good job, and I was amazed with the aero on this new car and how much of an effect it had in the rain– that took me a while to get used to that. But I was able to build up my level of confidence to keep the speed up,” Conway explained. “I had a couple of good races with a couple of guys. We ended up a little bit ahead of where we started, but at least we didn’t go backwards or go off or do anything to hurt the car.”
Rain or shine, both drivers managed to avoid incidents in the two races, including the Sunday round that started in light rain and ended on a drying track. Both Irish Mike’s Racing drivers recorded their best laps of Sunday’s event on the final lap.
“All in all, both of our cars are clean in terms of not having body damage, although they are really dirty from running in the rain! ” Flynn said. “Our guys are going to be busy cleaning them up and getting them looking great for our upcoming races.”
Next up for the Porsche Carrera Cup North America will be historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sept. 1-3. The season concludes at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta during the Motul Petit Le Mans weekend on Sept. 29-30.
“We’re excited to be going on to Indy, which is a track I’ve raced at,” Flynn said. “We like Indy and then Road Atlanta is another of my favorite tracks. I think we’re in a good spot in terms of learning about the cars to finish the season on a high note.”
For the second race in a row, contact with the No. 36 entry undermines a strong effort by the SCM team
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (7 August 2022) – After getting caught up in another driver’s mistake, Sean Creech Motorsport (SCM) saw a solid result go by the wayside midway through the IMSA Fastlane SportsCar race at legendary Road America on Sunday.
Drivers João Barbosa and Malthe Jakobsen combined to keep the No. 33 SCM Exelixis/Focal One/Alta Equipment Ligier JS P320 in the top three despite rapidly changing weather conditions early in the two-hour and 40-minute event. But midway through the race, the Andretti LMP3 in second position went off course between turns 13 and 14 and came back on track directly in front of Jakobsen, who was unable to avoid. Jakobsen slid into the tires, ending the promising race early for the team. The two cars had tangled on lap one in the previous event, with the No. 36 sliding into the No. 33, ending the day early there as well.
The day had begun with a great deal of promise, after Saturday’s record-setting pole lap by Jakobsen – whose pole time of 1:59.434 was the quickest LMP3 lap of the entire weekend. But with Sunday dawning gray and cloudy, with a significant chance of rain, teams knew that tire strategy and pace in wet and dry conditions would be key – as would staying out of trouble.
Jakobsen took the green under cloudy and cool conditions and within two laps, paced right on the rear wing of the LMP2 car ahead. The pair swapped positions back and forth, with Jakobsen deciding that preserving his Michelin tires – and his car – was the better idea. 25 minutes into the race and with a light rain starting to fall, a full course caution came out for a car into the turn eight gravel. With rain on the radar, the team took the opportunity to change to rain tires, taking on fuel and making the change to Barbosa.
Coming back out in third position, Barbosa did the best he could to manage the rapidly changing track conditions, as the racing line quickly began to dry. A full course caution with an hour and 20 minutes remaining offered the chance to change back to slick tires – and to Jakobsen, who would take the car to the finish.
But shortly thereafter, the No. 36 LMP3 ahead went off in turn 14 and collected a sign, undoubtedly obstructing his view. He came back on track and came across the track as Jakobsen crested the hill and approached at full speed. With the No. 36 careening across the track, Jakobsen had nowhere to go – he attempted to pass on the left but once he hit the wet grass, it was a quick ride into the tires and out of the race.
It was a disappointing end to the day for the entire team, particularly after showing strong pace in the race to follow on the impressive speed that both Barbosa and 18-year-old Jakobsen showed all weekend long.
“The team did a great job with the strategy,” said Barbosa. “But I went out on rain tires with the DPi cars who were still on sticks and got into the wrong position a couple of times and lost some track position. But I knew conditions were changing, I just needed to bring the car back and give us a chance for a good result. But unfortunately, we were involved in someone else’s mistake that really cost us. It’s so disappointing: the team did a great job all weekend, we had a strong car – but unfortunately, we couldn’t show it at the end where it mattered. Hopefully all the bad luck is gone now, on to Petit.”
“It was a good start, though I was struggling with a P2 car in front,” said Jakobsen. “I couldn’t get any free laps but it was okay since we were still in the LMP3 lead. Joao did a good job in his stint, it was tough with the rain ending so quickly. I went out back on slicks and I was getting closer to the No. 36 and he made a mistake and went off in the grass. I thought he was going to continue in that direction but somehow he made it back on track and I went off trying to avoid him. A really disappointing ending, the team did such a great job all weekend.”
“Joao really got the ugly stint, with all the rain,” said team principal Sean Creech. “Not a full wet nor a full dry track, but very slippery. Malthe did a great job but unfortunately, for the team, the crew, for Lance (Willsey, who had been unable to compete at Road America this weekend), it was unfortunate that we were put off by another car for the second race in a row. So now, we get ready for testing at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and hopefully, we can bring home a win at Petit le Mans.”
SCM thanks partners Alta Equipment Company, Focal One and Exelixis for their continued support.
Next up for Sean Creech Motorsport will be Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s season finale – and race four of the Michelin Endurance Cup. The 10-hour endurance classic, set for Saturday October 1, will be broadcast live in the U.S. on PeacockTV, with NBC and USA Network splitting the broadcast coverage. International viewers can watch the entire race via IMSA.tv. IMSA Radio will also be available at IMSA.com.
About SCM
Team leader Sean Creech has competed in a multitude of sports car series from 1990 until the present day, including Group C, IMSA GTP, WSC, Grand-Am, SRO World Challenge, and IMSA. SCM will contest the full WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2022 with João Barbosa and Lance Willsey. http://seancreechmotorsport.com/
About Alta Equipment
An industry-leading material handling and construction equipment company, Alta Equipment is an innovator of solutions, delivering diverse products and unrivaled support centered on building lasting customer relationships. Alta Equipment began in 1984 with a single location in Detroit and has grown to 57 locations throughout the Midwest, Northeast, and Florida.
One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime in the United States. The Focal One® HIFU Prostate treatment offers patients a non-invasive outpatient procedure to target prostate tissue while avoiding the common side effects such as loss of urinary continence and sexual function. The Focal One treatment uses high performance, high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to precisely target and ablate the prostate, allowing patients to quickly return to normal activities.
Nashville, Tenn. (7 August 2022) – The excitement of the second-ever Big Machine Music City Grand Prix did not disappoint as Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) came home with a ninth and 13th place finish on Sunday after an up and down race.
Simon Pagenaud and Helio Castroneves were both on competitive runs as the 80 lap race on the streets of Nashville got underway. Seven caution periods and one red flag slowed the charge, but calculated strategy but the team brought both MSR Hondas to the finish which saw just 15 cars [out of 26] make it to the checkered.
Pagenaud was running second past the midway point after a long series of cautions, and set his sights on the race leader. However, the driver of the No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda began experiencing a mechanical issue in the rear end of the car, with the No. 60 Honda losing drive coming out of the corners.
Despite the issue, the MSR team didn’t give up, constantly looking for ways for Pagenaud to mitigate the issue and bring the No. 60 to the finish. Pagenaud fell to 12th after his final pit stop with 20 laps remaining, and managed to avoid a melee-strewn run to the checkered flag to take ninth at the red-flag delayed checkered flag.
MSR teammate Castroneves made an impressive charge to 13th after starting 26th due to a grid violation. The No. 06 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda charged to 16th when rapidly degrading tires caused a spin for Castroneves on lap 22. Four laps later, Castroneves was forced to come to a full stop when the track was blocked on a restart, causing him to pit for a new nose and thus going a lap down .
Castroneves was quick for the remainder of the event, but could not regain the lead lap, although he was able to get behind the race leader with 25 laps remaining. Castroneves brought home the No. 06 Honda in 13th.
Only three races remain in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, with the next race the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 on August 20 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill.
Team Quotes:
Mike Shank:
“Today was really a grueling race and I have to give it up to the guys, on both cars, for keeping calm and doing everything right. With Simon, we had a top three car today, no doubt. We were struggling with an issue in the rear of the car and Simon just did a perfect job holding onto it for the majority of the race. Helio managed to still come back after getting caught in a few incidents. Overall today was a win for us to finish with both of our cars.”
Simon Pagenaud:
“Around lap 25 we had an issue with the rear end of the car, something was slipping and I had no drive coming out of the corners. But overall getting a ninth place with such an issue for almost the entire race is awesome. Car was a lot go fun to drive. There was a lot of bumping and racing today, and it was a grind. We finished ninth and collected some points for the championship. It’s nice to have a positive after the last few races.”
Helio Castroneves:
“Wow what a race, there were a lot of things going on. We didn’t have the fastest pace, but we had some pace. Unfortunately I called three corners before [I spun] that the rears are falling off and it caught me right on the exit of the corner. We were still able to come back from it. Then there was a traffic jam and I ended up getting caught in the middle of that situation and we lost a lap. After that it was just trying to get to the finish. I can’t believe we finished P13 considering we started last. Have to thank the entire team for great stops and great strategy today.”
