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Mazda MX-5 Cup Title Fight Resumes at Watkins Glen

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Official Release
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WATKINS GLEN, NY (June 20, 2022) – After four years away, the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is back at historic Watkins Glen International. As the halfway point of the 2022 season, this 3.4-mile road course may be the place where championship contenders are filtered out.

Current championship leader Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) arrives in upstate New York as the only driver to win a race at each of the 2022 venues thus far. This consistency has kept Thomas at the top of the points through the first half of the season.

Like most of the Mazda MX-5 Cup field, Thomas has never competed in a MX-5 Cup race at Watkins Glen.

“I have never raced at Watkins Glen International, but I have tested there,” Thomas said. “I enjoy the high-speed banked corners that WGI has, they are unlike any other place we go on the schedule. The most challenging aspect will be mentally processing what is going on around you because there is no doubt that it will be a high-speed chess match.”

With $250,000 going to the champion, the line of challengers looking to usurp Thomas is long. Selin Rollan (No. 87 Hixon Motor Sports) is the closest contender, just 95 points adrift. Rollan is in his fifth season of MX-5 Cup competition and has finished in the top three of the championship each year but is still searching for that elusive championship title along with the significant prize package on offer from Mazda.

Winning a MX-5 Cup championship isn’t just about being fast, it’s about finishing every race. Drivers will need to keep this in mind at Watkins Glen, because teams will immediately travel to Road America next week for Rounds 9 and 10, leaving very little time to repair a damaged race car between events.

“I think drivers will definitely go in with the mindset of trying to have a clean weekend and to have a raceable car for Road America,” Rollan said. “If they aren’t thinking that, certainly the team owners and managers are! I do think it’s going to be tough though because of the high-speed and high-commitment nature of the track. Hopefully everyone will have a clean weekend at The Glen, but it might not play out that way.”

It took him until Round Five to get his first win of the season, but don’t count out Gresham Wagner (No. 5 Spark Performance). The defending champion knows how to play the consistency game well and is only 335 points behind Thomas. At stake for Wagner: becoming the first repeat champion in series history.

Joey Atanasio (No. 43 Formidable Racing) is coming off of a strong performance at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The rookie missed out on scoring his second podium of the season but did lead his first race laps. He currently leads the rookie standings, 125 points ahead of Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout winner Connor Zilisch (No. 72 Hixon Motor Sports). Atanasio, Zilisch and the other rookies are all competing for the $80,000 Rookie of the Year prize.

The stage is set for a pivotal doubleheader this weekend at Watkins Glen. Round Seven is set for 12:20pm ET on Friday, June 24, while Round Eight will go green at 10:00am ET on Saturday, June 25. Both races will be streamed live on RACER.com.

About: The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup champion is awarded $250,000 as the top rookie nets $80,000.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

Traffic flow enhancements coming to Nashville Superspeedway for June 24-26 NASCAR tripleheader weekend

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Official Release
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  • No on-site fees and more parking spaces to help ease traffic flow in and out of facility.
  • Fans encouraged to plan ahead and use WAZE for best route to Superspeedway.
  • For NASCAR ticket information, visit NashvilleSuperspeedway.com or call 866-RACE-TIX.

LEBANON, Tenn. (June 20, 2022) – Fans visiting Nashville Superspeedway for the upcoming June 24-26 NASCAR tripleheader weekend will encounter updated traffic patterns in an effort to lessen travel times to and from the facility, track officials said today.

Collaboration between Nashville Superspeedway’s security and operations teams as well as local, county and state public safety and traffic officials have led to the following ideal routes for vehicles traveling to and from the track, including ride-share service users.

INGRESS

Interstate 40: Vehicles traveling east and west on Interstate 40 (I-40) will approach NSS via exit 235 (SR 840 West). These vehicles will travel west on Interstate 840 (I-840) and will take exit 65, the NSS interchange. Exit 61 (Couchville Pike) will not be open for race traffic. Fans must use Exit 65.
Interstate 24: Vehicles traveling East and West on Interstate 24 (I-24) will approach NSS via I-840. Once on I-840 vehicles will travel east on I-840 and use exit 65, the NSS interchange. Exit 61 (Couchville Pike) will not be open for race traffic. Fans must use Exit 65.
S. Route 231: Vehicles traveling in either direction on USR 231 will exit onto SR 452 and continue towards NSS.

RIDE SHARE

Ride share customers are instructed to travel U.S. Route 231 in either direction, proceeding towards the track via State Route 452. Ride share vehicles will enter NSS at Darrell Waltrip Drive, then proceed to Sterling Marlin Drive and finally drop fans at the intersection of Sterling Marlin Drive and NSS Boulevard. Ride share vehicles will exit the property after turning on NSS Boulevard and proceeding back to Sterling Marling Drive, then to Darrell Waltrip Drive and turning left onto SR 452, towards USR 231.

EGRESS

To limit inbound traffic from Interstate 840, both the east and westbound ramps of I-840 leading to State Route 452 will be closed for one-hour post-race throughout the weekend. Additionally, all infield traffic will be held for a minimum of one hour to allow time for pedestrians to exit the grandstands and find their way back to the parking and camping lots. All traffic departing from General Parking will leave NSS by one of two ways. There will be two coned lanes on McCrary Road leading to SR 452 and continuing towards I-840. There will also be two coned lanes on Dale Earnhardt Drive leading to SR 452 and continuing towards I-840.

Along with the above plans, there are additional new factors that should ease the flow of vehicles throughout the weekend.

  • No at-track parking charge.
  • 2,600 new parking spaces added along McCrary Road, the main access road to Nashville Superspeedway’s campus.
  • More visual message boards in critical locations, with refined/flexible messages.
  • Additional deputies and/or traffic officials at key intersections, including Route 231 and Fall Creek Road, Route 231 and Vesta Road, and McCrary and Vesta roads.
  • NSS has worked closely with the wayfinding app WAZE to ensure proper routing.
  • “Hosting world-class events is always a learning experience, especially for a facility that was dormant for almost a decade,” said Nashville Superspeedway President & GM Erik Moses. “In preparing for our second annual NASCAR Cup Series weekend, we appreciate the efforts of all local, county and state public safety officials to assist us in our traffic plans.

“We encourage all our fans to plan ahead and select the best route for their arrival to our #NASHCAR excitement.”

The full schedule for Nashville Superspeedway’s June 24-26 NASCAR tripleheader weekend includes:

SUNDAY, JUNE 26: Ally 400 NASCAR Cup Series race (4 p.m. CT, NBC)
SATURDAY, JUNE 25: Tennessee Lottery 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race (2:30 p.m. CT, USA)
FRIDAY, JUNE 24: Rackley Roofing 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race (7 p.m. CT, FS1)

TICKETS:
Tickets for the June 24-26 NASCAR weekend start at just $35. Kids 12 and under get in FREE for Friday and Saturday races and for just $10 (all with a paying adult) for the Ally 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, June 26. For Nashville Superspeedway ticket information visit NashvilleSuperspeedway.com or call 866-RACE-TIX for details.

FOLLOW US:

Keep track of all of Nashville Superspeedway’s events by following on Twitter and Instagram or become a Facebook fan.

Sheehan Ready to Roll at Mid Ohio After Season’s Best Finish

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Official Release
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Bow, NEW HAMPSHIRE – June 20, 2022 – After missing the mammoth trawl out West for the two races in California, the most experienced driver in the Trans Am TA2 Class roared back into action at Lime Rock Park the last day when he picked his way through a crowded field to register his best finish of the season in P9. A resilient drive for a team that has seen rough luck and challenges in the highly competitive American muscle car Series.

That driver is former ‘Ironman’ Tom Sheehan, the man behind the wheel of the No. 97 LTK Insulation Technologies Ford Mustang. Next up for Tom and his Damon Racing team is Round 7 of the 2022 Trans Am presented by Pirelli Championship season at the Mid Ohio Sportscar Course. We spoke to the Granite State pilot ahead of the trip to Ohio from his base in Bow, New Hampshire and he was upbeat after such a strong finish at Lime Rock.

“Big trip out to the middle of our season, Mid Ohio. It is a familiar stop and a great chance for us to build on our momentum. Qualifying is going to be important, track position is critical to a solid result. I love the track have had some solid runs at Mid Ohio. We are looking to unload fast and have some fun.”

Located in the township of Troy, Morrow County Mid Ohio Sports Car Course is now in its 60th year of operation and is classified as by the F.I.A. as a Grade 2 circuit. Mid Ohio is invariably popular with the drivers and with no fewer than 15 turns, it presents a terrific challenge for the men doing the steering.

Tom Sheehan’s distinctive yellow No. 97 LTK Insulation Technologies Ford Mustang will be one of 35 cars taking to the track in the TA2 race, up from 28 last year and an indication of the health of the Trans Am scene. Tom and his Mike Cope Racing peers will get first sight of the track late on the afternoon of Friday, June 24 for the optional testing session. Practice for the TA2 teams is now at 11:10 a.m. on Saturday, with qualifying scheduled in two groups between 3:20 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. the same afternoon. Green flag for the TA2 race is at 10:55 a.m. on Sunday, June 26 with the race scheduled for 46 laps or 100-miles.

Fans unable to attend can watch all the action on the Trans YouTube Channel and on the Trans Am App. Highlights will be shown on the CBS Sports Network the week following the race. Check local listings for details.

Keep up with Trans Am driver Tom Sheehan on social media – Facebook page is Damon Racing, Instagram @TomSheehanTA97 and Twitter @TomTA2_97.

For more information on LTK Insulation Technologies please visit the website online at https://ltkinsulationtechnologies.com/

About LTK Insulation Technologies:
Putting LTK insulation jackets & covers to work on your project saves your firm real money and time. The LTK Insulation products are so fast and easy. Installation is as fast as identification. Our carefully designed products line allows; fast, sure fit, 100% clean, no tool installation. Product designed for; balance valves, control valves, flex hoses, in line specialties, couplings, quick connects, unions, zone pumps. Your imagination is the only limit….GOLTK!

Wright Motorsports Enjoys Points Haul at VIRginia International Raceway

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Official Release
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ALTON, Vir., (June 20, 2022) – After entering the Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS event at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) with high hopes and a strong race car, the No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R team Wright Motorsports celebrated yet another podium and a top-five finish, continuing their assault on the 2022 Pro/Am class championship points battle.

“With a second and fourth-place finish, we were able to earn a lot of valuable points toward our goal of fighting at the front when we reach the end of the year,” said Team Owner John Wright. “We love VIR. It’s not only a beautiful circuit with great staff, but it’s a home track for Charlie Luck, and we always have an enthusiastic crowd cheering us on here.”

Luck started race one in sixth place in the Pro/Am class, tucked behind the No. 08 Mercedes of Scott Smithson. An early full course caution kept the pair close, and as the field went back to green, a sizable crash sent cars in all directions. Luck took advantage, settling into third place as the next caution appeared. He ended his session in second place, pitting during the mandatory 10-minute window at the halfway point for the No. 45 to undergo a driver change. Heylen held the position for the entirety of his stint, celebrating the pair’s third top-five finish in six races.

In race two, the roles reversed, and Charlie Luck watched the start of the race from pit lane while Heylen took the green flag from seventh in class in the red, green, and yellow Porsche. Despite being pushed wide by another car on the start, Heylen took second place before a full-course caution interrupted the race. Shortened by yellow flags, Heylen had little time to race, but made the most of his stint, putting heavy pressure on the No. 63 Mercedes of Dirk Muller. He pitted the No. 45 Porsche from sixth place as pit stops began to cycle through, and with 34 minutes remaining, Luck joined the race, aided by the always consistently speedy work of his crew. The expert pit stop leapfrogged two positions as it exited pit lane, joining the race in fourth place. Ashton Harrison led George Kurtz and Luck as the stops cycled through, with just 32 minutes left on the race clock. Luck quickly closed a five-second gap to Kurtz, wasting no time to apply heavy pressure to the No. 04 Mercedes. The two gave it all they had, engaging in a gripping battle for position. The rear tires of the Porsche snapped while Luck charged the Mercedes, resulting in the Richmond native spinning off track. After a masterful save, he rejoined with five minutes remaining, earning a fourth-place finish.

Rounds seven and eight of the 2022 championship will take place at another fan-favorite road course, the legendary Watkins Glen International in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, July 22-24. The event will mark the halfway point in the 14-round season. For more information, visit wrightmotorsports.com.

DRIVER QUOTES

Charlie Luck // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
We got off super lucky today and finished fourth after sliding going into Turn 10 when the rear end just snapped on me. I don’t know if I got over in the marbles a little bit, but I’ve never had this car snap like that, and we went into a 170-mph slide. We were really lucky because the car never dug in, and it never rolled. It could have been catastrophic, so we got off super lucky today. We were running close, with positions one, two, and three nose-to-tail most of the race. The man upstairs looked after us today for sure.

Yesterday we started 10th or 11th and worked our way up to second. I turned it over to Jan in second and I was really happy with the drive yesterday. Franky, I was super happy with the drive today. It’s just one of those things that we’ll look at the video to see what the issue was. Overall, we had a really good weekend to be second and fourth considering where we started. I think we walk out of here and count our blessings.

Jan Heylen // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
Fourth place is obviously not the result we deserve here today. Given what happened at the end to the Acura, we could have had a win here. We lost some points, but that’s part of the learning curve and part of what we’re here to do. It was still a good weekend overall, given where we qualified, still good points for the championship, and we’re going to learn from this and do better at the next one. Great job by the team today on the pitstop; we jumped two cars in pit lane, so it was awesome.

#

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Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

Quarterfinal Performances for Dodge//SRT at NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals

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Official Release
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NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
  • Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Funny Car pilot Matt Hagan qualified his TruHarvest Farms Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat No. 4 on the eliminations ladder for the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Thunder Valley Nationals and came away with his second quarterfinal appearance of the year
  • Hagan’s second round exit came on the heels of his win at the New England Nationals, his third victory of the season, and six final elimination appearances keeping the Dodge//SRT Mopar Funny Car atop the category’s world championship points standings after nine events
  • Cruz Pedregon qualified his Snap-on® Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat in the No. 6 spot for eliminations at Bristol Dragway and advanced to his team’s sixth quarterfinal appearance of the season
  • For her 180th career Top Fuel start, TSR driver Leah Pruett qualified her Mobile 1 Dodge//SRT dragster tenth and advanced to the quarterfinals 

June 19, 2022, Bristol, Tennessee — The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World Drag Racing series made its ninth stop of the 22-event season at the Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway where all three Dodge//SRT supported entries recorded quarterfinal performances.

Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) driver Matt Hagan qualified his TruHarvest Farms Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat No. 4 on the eliminations ladder with a best lap of 4.014 seconds at 318.09 mph and also earned two bonus points for setting the third quickest time in both the first and third session. 

The three-time world champion staged his 11,000 horsepower Dodge//SRT Funny car next to No. 13 seed Phil Burkhart for the opening round, launched first, and began to pull away while his opponent lost traction early in his run. As the TSR machine approached the finish, it too began to lose traction forcing Hagan to ease off the throttle before earning his category-leading 24th round-win of the season.

In his quarterfinal matchup against No. 12 qualifier Alexis DeJoria, Hagan was once again quicker on the draw and in the lead when he lost traction and tried to pedal it a few times to try to stay in front. However, DeJoria was able to take advantage of Hagan’s issues to make the pass and turn on the win lights to end his day earlier than usual.

Hagan’s quarterfinal exit came on the heels of his win at the New England Nationals, the team’s third victory of the season, and six final elimination appearances. The result was enough to keep the Dodge//SRT Mopar Funny Car atop the category’s standings and ahead of his closest challenger, Robert Hight, by 42 points after nine national events.

Sitting fifth in the category standings, Cruz Pedregon qualified his Snap-on® Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat in the sixth place position on the eliminations ladder at Bristol Dragway with a 4.068 seconds at 312.71 mph run and earned a bonus point for running third quickest in the second session. 

In the opening round of eliminations, Pedregon had a quicker start and won a good side-by-side battle with No. 11 seed J.R. Todd to advance to the quarterfinals where he would face No. 3 qualifier John Force. Pedregon saw Force get off the start line first but was gaining ground on his opponent when he lost a cylinder and fell back, marking the team’s sixth quarterfinal result this year.

TSR driver Leah Pruett put her Mobile 1 Dodge//SRT dragster in the tenth spot on the eliminations ladder for her 180th career Top Fuel start with a best lap of 3.867 seconds at 318.32 mph in the third qualifying session. 

The nine-time event winner faced off against No. 7 seed Austin Prock in the first round and took her HEMI®-powered machine straight down the lane with her quickest run of the weekend at 3.835 seconds at 324.36 mph to advance to the quarterfinals where she would be paired with No. 2 qualifier Steve Torrence.

Pruett beat Torrence on the tree but soon saw him make the pass as her ride began to lose cylinders and end her day 

The NHRA is back in action next weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals, June 23-26, at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park near Norwalk, Ohio.

ADDITIONAL NOTES and QUOTES:

Leah Pruett, Mobil 1 Dodge Power Brokers Top Fuel Dragster 

(No. 10 Qualifier – 3.867 seconds at 318.32 mph)

Round 1: (0.070-second reaction time, 3.835 seconds at 324.36 mph) defeats No. 7 Austin Prock (0.063/4.107/298.27)

Round 2: (0.069/3.960/306.74) loss to No. 2 Steve Torrence (0.072/3.891/315.86)

“Some weekends we have a very consistent race car and we get to progress with our ETs (elapsed times) and then sometimes we have a weekend like this where we were on both sides of the spectrum. I think we learned the most about our race car than we have all year. When we smoked the tires in the first round of qualifying on Friday, from an engine standpoint, we were less than powered, which is what we wanted and it shows that our clutch program is too aggressive. We have spent our entire weekend dialing in our clutch program. That’s something that’s been running very well all year and has not been problematic. Our car has been very cooperative when making all of our tuning adjustments. 

“Winning the first round was big and we were able to pick up from our qualifying efforts of an 0.86, but going into the second round, we dropped a cylinder at the step and that is the first time we’ve done that all year, including testing. Between now and Norwalk, we are going to do a deep dive into the fuel-system to see where that is coming from. There are a lot of ways to lose and a lot of ways to win. We’re going to continue to work on our ways to win. There are cars that can drop a whole cylinder and their engines can’t hang on. We dropped a cylinder at the hit and I was still able to hold on to give Steve Torrence a run for his money. We even left the line first and that is a testament to our Mobil 1 motor oil that it gave us every fighting chance we had. Other motors can’t be put to that test. We have a lot of confidence in our Mobil 1 product and Dodge HEMI engine. We’re onto some good momentum and look forward to Norwalk.”

Matt Hagan, TruHarvest Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car  

(No. 4 Qualifier – 4.014 seconds at 318.09 mph) 

Round 1: (0.074-second reaction time, 4.169 seconds at 279.79 mph) defeats No. 13 Phil Burkhart (0.145/7.915/76.96)

Round 2: (0.085/4.914/201.70) loss to No. 12 Alexis DeJoria (0.098/4.068/317.12)

“What an awesome weekend at Bristol as far as fans, friends and family members at the track that’s two hours from my home. There were a lot of Matt Hagan shirts everywhere. It was a really neat experience being able to run the TruHarvest Farms car for the first time in the NHRA and debut it here at Bristol. 

“It was a super tricky race track out there today and these cars are just as hard to pull back as they are forward, and we just had a really fast race car. You have some give and take in life. It’s just one of those things where having a fast race car like that is tough and tricky. I have all the confidence in my guys to roll into Norwalk (Ohio) with our Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat and keep doing what we’re doing. This was a challenging track, but the NHRA did a good job trying to prep it. It’s tough for all teams, so it comes down to which tuner, team and driver can find the right combination to get down the track.”

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

(No. 6 Qualifier – 4.068 seconds at 312.71 mph)

Round 1: (0.049-second reaction time, 4.148 seconds at 302.89 mph) defeats No. 11 J.R. Todd (0.062/4.168/283.25)

Round 2: (0.101/4.177/289.88) loss to No. 3 John Force (0.078/4.096/300.60)

“I enjoy these racetracks that have what I call personality. They have some imperfections, bumps and what have you, but I kinda liken it to NASCAR where you have your road courses and your short track events. It gives a crew chiefs and the drivers an opportunity to kind of show a different skill set. Crew chiefs have to kind of slow things down and figure out where the bumps are, and while the bumps are not bad, they’re enough to upset the car. As a driver you need to be on your game. You need to be on your toes, keep the car in the groove, which is within a few feet left or right and also be ready to pedal the car by getting in and out of the throttle. It’s a challenge and whoever wins this race comes out really earning their keep from a team perspective. 

“We went to the second round quarterfinals after we had a great match up. Seems like we’ve been racing J.R. Todd, a lot. We raced him some twice in qualifying and it’s a championship caliber car and we had to go up against them in the first round. We ran a great 4.14 with a cylinder out at half track and it was a close race. Second round we went against John Force, a long-time nemesis of mine, and he got the better of us there. We actually dropped a cylinder about 400 feet out and that was our weekend. We’re outlasting the competition that is behind us in points and we’re just kind of holding our own there.”

NHRA CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS:

Following the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway

FUNNY CAR (season wins in parentheses)

1.  Matt Hagan (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat): 854 (3)

2.  Robert Hight: 812 (3)

3.  Ron Capps: 748 (2)

4.  John Force: 588

5.  Cruz Pedregon (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat): 507

6.  J.R. Todd: 435

7.  Alexis DeJoria: 434

8.  Bob Tasca III: 420

9.  Tim Wilkerson: 411

10. Chad Green: 373

TOP FUEL (season wins in parentheses)

1.  Brittany Force: 724 (3)

2.  Mike Salinas: 699 (2) 

3.  Justin Ashley: 672 (2) 

4.  Steve Torrence: 653

5.  Austin Prock: 459

6.  Shawn Langdon: 435 

7.  Clay Millican: 430

8.  Josh Hart: 414 

9.  Doug Kalitta: 405

10. Antron Brown: 370

12. Leah Pruett (Dodge Power Brokers): 346

DodgeGarage: Digital Hub for Drag Racing News

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

@DodgeMoparMotorsports on Instagram

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

Dodge//SRT

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

Dodge drives forward as a pure performance brand, offering SRT versions of every model across the lineup. For the 2022 model year, Dodge delivers the drag-strip dominating 807-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock, the 797-horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Redeye, the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world, and the Dodge Durango SRT 392, America’s fastest, most powerful and most capable three-row SUV. Combined, these three muscle cars make Dodge the industry’s most powerful brand, offering more horsepower than any other American brand across its entire lineup.

In 2020, Dodge was named the “#1 Brand in Initial Quality,” making it the first domestic brand ever to rank No. 1 in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS). In 2021, Dodge brand ranked No. 1 in the J.D. Power APEAL Study (mass market) — making it the only domestic brand ever to do so two years in a row.

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

Mopar

This year marks the 85th anniversary of Mopar.

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

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

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

Follow Dodge, Mopar and Stellantis news and video on:

Company blog: blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Media website: media.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Dodge brand: www.dodge.com

Mopar brand: www.mopar.com/

DodgeGarage: www.dodgegarage.com

Mopar blog: blog.mopar.com/

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

Instagram: @Dodgemoparmotorsports, @dodgeofficial and @officialmopar

Twitter: @Dodge, @OfficialMopar and @StellantisNA

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

Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Entries Secure Three Overall Race Wins, One Pro-Am Class Victory and Eight Total Podium Finishes in SRO America Weekend at VIRginia International Raceway

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Official Release
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George Kurtz and the No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 Team Take GT America Championship Lead with Weekend Sweep at VIRginia International Raceway; Michai Stephens and Gavin Sanders Co-Drive No. 34 Conquest Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 to Sunday Pirelli GT4 America Win

DANVILLE, Virginia – Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams combined for three overall race wins, one Pro-Am class victory and eight total podium finishes in a competitive SRO America championships weekend across three racing series at VIRginia International Raceway Saturday and Sunday. The success included a sweep by George Kurtz and the No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 team of the weekend’s pair of 40-minute GT America powered by AWS sprint races. Another weekend highlight was the first Pirelli GT4 America victory of the season for co-drivers Michai Stephens and Gavin Sanders in the No. 34 Conquest Racing/JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 on Sunday.

Kurtz also co-drove with Colin Braun for a Pro-Am class victory in the team’s sister No. 04 Mercedes-AMG GT3 in Sunday’s final 90-minute Fanatec GT World Challenge America race. The victory was the No. 04 team’s second World Challenge win of the year and followed a Saturday triumph last month in New Orleans.

This weekend’s victories give Kurtz and the No. 04 CrowdStrike Riley team sole possession of first place in the GT America championship standings after coming into VIR tied for first.

Kurtz also extended his lead with the team and Braun in the GT World Challenge Pro-Am championship point standings after Sunday afternoon’s victory. The VIR races were the third of seven doubleheader weekends on the 2022 GT World Challenge and GT America schedule.

Stephenson, Sanders and the No. 34 Conquest/JMF team also bolstered their Pirelli GT4 America championship pursuits with Sunday’s win and a second-place finish in Saturday’s first 60-minute race. The No. 34 drivers and team have provisionally moved to second in the Pirelli GT4 championship with four of this year’s seven doubleheader race weekends still ahead this season.

Joining Kurtz, Stephenson and Sanders in repeat visits to the VIR podium this weekend was the co-driving duo of David Askew and Dirk Müller in the No. 63 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. A new for 2022 driver pairing that debuted in April’s season-opening weekend at Sonoma Raceway, Askew and Müller broke through for third-place Pro-Am finishes in both the Saturday and Sunday GT World Challenge races at VIR.

The weekend’s final podium player was the No. 32 Capstone Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 team with co-drivers Cole Ciraulo and Kris Wilson. Both drivers battled with Stephenson and Sanders throughout Saturday’s first Pirelli GT4 race before a third-place finish.

The Capstone team was looking for similar results in Sunday’s final Pirelli GT4 sprint, but Ciraulo was uninjured after a contact incident on lap two knocked the No. 32 out of the race.

Next up for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams in SRO America competition is the Watkins Glen International road course in upstate New York, July 22 – 24. The race weekend features a doubleheader schedule of races for Fanatec GT World Challenge America, Pirelli GT4 America and GT America that will bring each series through the halfway point of their seasons.

George Kurtz, Driver – No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I just love this track. The CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsports team gave me a fantastic car. It was hooked up all weekend. We were able to run consistent laps pole-to-pole. At the end of the day, it’s a team effort and we were fortunate to get the double-win here in GT America. We did a good job of getting through the traffic and gapped our competitors. We had a nice lead Sunday before the safety car came out late, but that made it exciting and interesting in the end. With this track and the Mercedes-AMG GT3, we’ve had success in the past in GT World Challenge and saw a little bit more on Sunday. You just have to hang around, and hopefully you get a little bit lucky. We were super clean and consistent again, and it was a great team win. We’re taking it race by race. Our goal is podiums. If we can stay in contention and be consistent, we’ll hopefully still be in a good spot at the end of the season.”

Colin Braun, Driver – No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “For me, it was the work we did Friday. We worked on our long-run car and worked on tire degradation. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 is super-strong there. We got to second in Sunday’s race and then held position. I knew George would do a great job when he got in, he always delivers, and it’s always a pleasure to race with him and drive for a guy like Bill Riley. I’m really proud of everyone. It was a total team effort. It was super-hot this weekend, and it’s nice to finish off strong.”

David Askew, Driver – No. 63 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It’s our home track now and one I’m really comfortable with. It’s a beautiful track and a real thrill to drive. Here at VIR, it’s absolutely my best drive ever and it was back-to-back podiums, two days in a row. I’m kind of high fiving myself in that area, it’s good for me. I expect the Pros to do their thing, and my Pro is one of the best in the business. He certainly did his thing. We’ve been working super hard, and the results haven’t really showed, but we’ve had pace and we’ve had the ability to get the car on the podium, and now it’s just down to execution. We’ve got to stop doing dumb ‘Am’ driver things and the results will come. That’s what I’ve always believed, you put the work in and leave no stone unturned and the results will come. It’s been a while since we’ve been on the podium, and to do it twice this weekend is an awesome thing.”

Dirk Müller, Driver – No. 63 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Coming here I had a very good feeling. We have been working so hard all year. From my very first day in January, I received such a warm welcome from the guys and everyone on the team. Everybody is working so hard on the two cars. We wanted to be on the podium from the get-go, had tough luck here and there – a few little gremlins – but we came back strong, and we are super happy with the whole performance over the weekend. The cars were nice to drive, and we stayed out of trouble. We had a really strong podium finish yesterday and today was awesome. David just dug in, and we knew what we had to do. Shenanigans were happening everywhere, but we took P3 from today as well with a double podium on the weekend. It’s good for the championship. I don’t even know where we are, but the season is long and here we go.”

Michai Stephens, Driver – No. 34 Conquest Racing/JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4: “It feels absolutely tremendous. We have everybody at Conquest Racing/JMF Motorsports as well as the Mercedes-AMG GT4 platform to thank. Between those tools, they keep the fight alive, and Gavin and I just try to return the favor week in and week out. Looking forward, we’ll continue to compound on the good and eliminate the bad, but we appreciate the competition. It all comes down to it being a team effort. The team has such enthusiasm and love for what they do. So, when you pull into the pit box and know you’re pretty much back at home, it’s like a recharge and a send-off all over.”

Gavin Sanders, Driver – No. 34 Conquest Racing/JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4: “This is by far the biggest win of my career. It just feels so incredible, and I’m grateful for everybody that helped me get here. It’s beyond cool, and to be standing on the top of the podium is something you can’t replicate anywhere else. It’s a big credit to everybody here. There’s no giving up on this team. When it looks like we may be down, we’re definitely not out. I think we proved this weekend that we’re willing to take it to them. This my first time being here at VIR. The Mercedes-AMG GT4 was killer this weekend, everything fell our way, and we were able to make the short-run speed work.”

Cole Ciraulo, Driver – No. 32 Conquest Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “After the Sonoma opener, where we didn’t finish either race, it’s really great to make some progress, especially being with a new team with Capstone Motorsports and the Mercedes-AMG GT4. It’s my first year driving the Mercedes-AMG GT4 and it’s incredible so far, I love it so much. Kris had an amazing start in Saturday’s race, starting in third place and getting up to second and holding that the whole time. We had a different pit strategy than everyone else, we stayed out the longest and waited until the last minute to pit. It didn’t pay off because we did pit and then there was a full course caution. We had a couple of safety car laps and then the restart. We ended up going four-wide into turn one, but I shot down the inside and got around all four and we made it to the podium. We didn’t have the best qualifying for Sunday, so I started toward the back. I had a good start, but it was really crowded in turn one. I kept my line and went two-wide all the way through five. It got a little tight and I just got into the dirt a little and it spun me and backed it into the tire wall. I’m ok, and the car has body damage but minimal suspension damage. We’ll get it back out for the next race.”

Tony Stewart Racing: Event Recap for the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals from Bristol

By
Official Release
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Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan
Top Fuel | Funny Car
NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
June 17-19 | Bristol, Tennessee

Event Recap

Leah Pruett, driver of the Mobil 1 Top Fuel Dragster:

● Earned No. 15 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (12.415 ET at 65.23 mph).
● Earned No. 13 qualifying position in Q2 on Saturday (4.277 ET at 209.17 mph).
● Secured No. 10 qualifying position in Q3 on Saturday (3.867 ET at 318.32 mph).
● Advanced to Round 2 on Sunday:

●  Round 1: 3.835 ET at 324.36 mph, beat Austin Prock (4.107 ET at 298.27 mph).

●  Round 2: 3.960 ET at 306.74 mph, lost to Steve Torrence (3.891 ET at 315.86 mph).

● Currently 12th in the Top Fuel championship standings, 378 points behind points leader Brittany Force.

Matt Hagan, driver of the TruHarvest Farms Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car:

● Earned No. 3 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (4.172 ET at 235.23 mph).

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

● Unable to make a run in Q2 on Saturday due to mechanical malfunction. Following Q2, Hagan was the No. 7 provisional qualifier based off Friday’s Q1 run.

● Secured No. 4 qualifying position in Q3 on Saturday (4.014 ET at 318.09 mph).

● Advanced to Round 2 on Sunday:

●  Round 1: 4.169 ET at 279.79 mph, defeated Phil Burkhart (7.915 ET at 76.96 mph).

●  Round 2: 4.914 ET at 201.70 mph, lost to Alexis DeJoria (4.068 ET at 317.12 mph).

● Currently leads the Funny Car championship standings with a 42-point advantage over his nearest pursuer, Robert Hight.

Notes of Interest

● With an average temperature of 124 degrees, Bristol was home to the hottest track conditions the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series has had this season.

● By winning Round 1 at Bristol, Hagan has 24 round wins this season to lead the Funny Car category.

● The NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals marked Pruett’s ninth start at Bristol. She advanced to Round 2 for the third time this season.

● Hagan lives in Christiansburg, Virginia, located 120 miles northwest of Bristol, making the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals his home race. It was a special Father’s Day weekend for Hagan as he had numerous family members at the track supporting him.

Leah Pruett, Driver of the Mobil 1 Top Fuel Dragster

“Some weekends we have a very consistent racecar and we get to progress with our ETs (elapsed time) and then sometimes we have a weekend like this where we were on both sides of the spectrum. I think we learned the most about our racecar that we have all year. When we smoked the tires in the first round of qualifying on Friday, from an engine standpoint, we were less than powered, which is what we wanted and it shows that our clutch program is too aggressive. We’ve spent our entire weekend dialing in our clutch program. That’s something that’s been running very well all year and has not been problematic. Our car has been very cooperative when making all of our tuning adjustments. Winning first round was big, and we were able to pick up from our qualifying efforts of an .86, but going into second round, we dropped a cylinder at the step and that’s the first time we’ve done that all year, including testing. Between now and Norwalk (Ohio), we’re diving into fuel-system wise where that is coming from. There are a lot of ways to lose and a lot of ways to win. We’re going to continue to work on our ways to win. There are cars that can drop a whole cylinder and their engines can’t hang on. We dropped a cylinder at the hit and I was still able to hold on to give Steve Torrence a run for his money. We even left the line first and that is a testament to our Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil – it gave us every fighting chance we had. Other motors can’t be put to that test. We have a lot of confidence in our Mobil 1 product and Dodge HEMI engine. We’re onto some good momentum and look forward to Norwalk.”

Matt Hagan, Driver of the TruHarvest Farms Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car

“What an awesome weekend at Bristol as far as fans, friends and family members at the track that’s two hours from my home. There were a lot of Matt Hagan shirts everywhere. It was a really neat experience being able to run the TruHarvest Farms car for the first time in the NHRA and debut it here at Bristol. It was a super tricky racetrack out there today and these cars are just as hard to pull back as they are forward, and we just had a really fast racecar. You have some give and take in life. It’s just one of those things where having a fast racecar like that is tough and tricky. I have all the confidence in my guys to roll into Norwalk with our Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat and keep doing what we’re doing. This was a challenging track, but the NHRA did a good job trying to prep it. It’s tough for all teams, so it comes down to which tuner, team and driver can find the right combination to get down the track.”

Next Up

The next event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule is the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals June 23-26 at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.

Chevrolet drivers celebrate Father’s Day with wins at Bristol

By
Official Release
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CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS
BRISTOL DRAGWAY IN BRISTOL, TENNESSEE
JUNE 19, 2022

Chevrolet drivers celebrate Father’s Day with wins at Bristol

• Aaron Stanfield collects second Pro Stock Wally of the season
• David Barton wins Factory Stock Showdown in all-COPO Camaro final
• Robert Hight earns 73rd Funny Car No. 1 qualifier; John Force reaches semifinals

BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 19, 2022) — Aaron Stanfield collected his fifth career Pro Stock victory a few days after his daughter, Oakleigh, was born February 21. On his first Father’s Day, he dedicated his sixth Wally to his father – 2021 Super Stock champion Greg – earned at Bristol Dragway.

No. 1 qualifier Stanfield, making his fourth final-round appearance of the season in the Janac Brothers Chevrolet Camaro SS, defeated class points leader Erica Enders in the third meeting of the Elite Motorsports teammates in the final in seven National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World Drag Racing Series events.

“As a team, we did a really good job today,” said Stanfield, who also won at Phoenix. “It was not a good show in the final round; we had some tire shake. I tried to shift through it, I saw some smoke (pouring from Ender’s Melling Performance Camaro SS) and I just stuck it back in gear and tried to get there. I want to say Happy Father’s Day to my dad. It’s the best gift I could give him. I’m glad we could get it done.”

David Barton of Reading, Pennsylvania, defeated Stephen Bell of Shreveport, Louisiana, in an all-Chevrolet COPO Camaro final among former Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown champions. Daniel Condon was the No. 1 qualifier in his COPO Camaro.

“It worked out well for us today,” said Barton, who moved to the top of the standings through four of eight rounds in his 2022 COPO Camaro. “This category is insanely hard. You’re either smoking the tires or pulling a 200-foot wheelie. It’s hard to find a balance, so this is gratifying.”

Robert Hight earned the 73rd No. 1 Funny Car qualifier honor of his distinguished career, which is sixth on the NHRA all-time list. Hight, driving the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS, lost in the quarterfinals. He remains second in the Funny Car standings.

John Force, driving the PEAK/BlueDEF Platinum Camaro SS, advanced to the Funny Car semifinals from the No. 3 qualifying spot and reached 1,399 career elimination round victories. He is fourth in the standings.

Top Fuel No. 5 qualifier Brittany Force lost traction early in her quarterfinal round run in the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster and fell to Antron Brown. She retains the points lead built on three victories in the nine races. Austin Prock, driving the Montana Brand/ Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster, lost in the first round.

Darren Poole-Adams of Shelby, North Carolina, drove his Chevrolet COPO Camaro to victory in Stock Eliminator, defeating Todd Ewing’s ’67 Camaro in the final.

“I’ve been blessed this weekend. If you look at my stats, they’re probably the worst in drag racing. It just falls into my lap some days,” said Poole-Adams, who picked up his second national event Wally of the season.

L. Scott Libersher of Wilmington, Illinois, was runner-up in Super Stock in his COPO Camaro.

Chevrolet teams are back on track June 24-26 for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. FOX will telecast eliminations at 3 p.m. ET June 26. Erica Enders drove the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS to victory in Pro Stock in the 2021 event at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park. Brittany Force was runner-up in Top Fuel in her Chevrolet dragster.

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT

TOP FUEL:

BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC/MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (No. 5 qualifier; fell in quarterfinals): “It was a tough weekend here at Thunder Valley for this Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team. We got eliminated in round two but, luckily we kept the points lead. We have a quick turnaround and get to head to Norwalk next weekend. We’ll look to make up some points and pick things back up, get our momentum back.”

AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRANDS/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (No. 7 qualifier; fell in first round): “Not the performance we needed today, but it was another good weekend of logging data. This Montana Brand team made gains in the heat all weekend. On a positive note of exiting round one, I was happy with the recovery of the car to get it down the track. I have been working on getting better in that area as a driver and I think it showed today. One of these days that could win us a round. Glad we only have a few days to stew on the loss before getting to Norwalk.”

FUNNY CAR:

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK/BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 3 qualifier; fell in semifinals): “Not a bad weekend, keeping ourselves in the hunt. This PEAK Chevy went a couple rounds, the guys worked hard, we improved through qualifying, that’s all you can ask for. We’ll take a couple days and then turn right around and head to Norwalk and look to get the job done.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier; fell in quarterfinals): “Obviously not the way we wanted today to go. There was more out there for this Auto Club Chevy, but we’ll be OK. We figured things out from qualifying, the track was tricky, conditions were tough. I’m just glad we don’t get a break; we get to head right to Norwalk, Ohio, where conditions will be similar and we’ll be able to get back to where we need to be.”

About Chevrolet

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

Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Bristol Post-Race Report — 6.19.22

By
Official Release
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TOYOTA DOMINATES IN TOP FUEL AND FUNNY CAR AT THUNDER VALLEY
Capps Claims First GR Supra Funny Car Win and Ashley Takes Top Fuel Wally

BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 19, 2022) – After debuting at the first race of the 2022 season, the GR Supra Funny Car was driven to victory for the first time in Sunday afternoon’s event. Ron Capps, who joined Team Toyota earlier this season battled fellow Toyota driver, Alexis DeJoria in the semi-final round and faced Tim Wilkerson in the finals to claim the win.

The Toyota Top Fuel Dragsters worked their way into a domination of the semi-final round in Sunday’s NHRA event at Bristol Dragway. The four dragsters of Justin Ashley, Antron Brown, Shawn Langdon and Steve Torrence went head-to-head with Ashley and Langdon meeting in the final round where Ashley would capture his second win of the 2022 season.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
Bristol Dragway
Race 9 of 22

TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS  —  Race Winner:    Justin Ashley

NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
Justin AshleyPhillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel DragsterRace WinW. 3.824 vs. J. Hart (3.827) W. 3.917 vs. D. Foley (3.942) W. 3.816 vs. 3.873 (S. Torrence) W. 3.813 vs. 3.841 (S. Langdon)
Shawn LangdonCMR Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFinal RoundW. 3.809 vs. S. Massey (4.484) W. 3.853 vs. M. Salinas (3.816) W. 3.847 vs. 3.896 (A. Brown) L. 3.841 vs. 3.813 (J. Ashley)
Steve TorrenceCapco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSemi-FinalsW. 3.943 vs. L. Joon (3.943) W. 3.891 vs. L. Pruett (3.960) L. 3.873 vs. 3.816 (J. Ashley)
Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSemi-FinalsW. 3.863 vs. T. Schumacher (4.401) W. 3.930 vs. B. Force (6.338) L. 3.896 vs. 3.847 (S. Langdon)
Doug KalittaMac Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterRound 1L. 4.065 vs. B. Force (3.844)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS  — Race Winner:      Ron Capps

NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
Ron CappsNAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota GR Supra Funny CarRace WinW. 4.052 vs. P. Lee (6.023) W. 4.031 vs. R. Hight (4.526) W. 4.016 vs. 4.050 (A. DeJoria) W. 3.984 vs. 4.075 (T. Wilkerson)
Alexis DeJoriaBandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny CarSemi-FinalsW. 4.114 vs. B. Tasca III (4.686) W. 4.068 vs. M. Hagan (4.914) L. 4.050 vs. R. Capps (4.016)
J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny CarRound 1L. 4.168 vs. C. Pedregon (4.148)

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Final Result: Race Win

What is the best word you can use to describe today after having the issues in round one?

“GR. That badge isn’t just given out so thank you Toyota. Unbelievable. The NAPA people, I love representing you and I tell you that time and time again. Thank you. I don’t know what to say right now, this is unbelievable. Ron Capps Motorsports – to have two wins already is crazy. I’ve gotten my Dad a few of these trophies and my in-laws, my wife’s family. They’ve given up their whole lives to follow us around this racing circuit and I love them for it. Thank you for everything, I appreciate it.”

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

Final Result: Race Win

What does this win mean to you coming on Father’s Day?

“Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there that make dreams like this possible. I have to take a second and thank Phillips Connect and all that they do to put us in this position. Thanks to VitaC for all the energy we need to come out here and Toyota Gazoo Racing North America, Lucas Oil for letting us come out here. My guys did such a good job with this Top Fuel dragster all day. Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there. We’re very blessed to be here and we’re enjoying it. Thank you.”

SHAWN LANGDON, CMR Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports

Final Result: Final Round

After a great day that included a Super Comp win, there is obvious frustration to come up shy of the Top Fuel win, but what type of momentum does this give you?

“It’s so hard to not be mad about today and I’m not mad. I’m bummed. I wanted that double up so bad. Haven’t doubled up at a national event before and to have the opportunity and just lucky to have the opportunity, but when you have the opportunity there, you don’t want to give it away. All in all, great weekend to have the CMR group on board. We’ve had the last two races where the car has been running good so no complaints there. It’s only looking up from here.”

# # #

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.  

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants.  By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.  With the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

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

Fifth-Gen Ford Mustang: Should You Buy One?

By
SM
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The iconic all-American pony car has come a long way – but should you invest in one of the older models?

There are few things as representative of American Muscle as the Ford Mustang. In production since 1965, this pony car is still a strong seller and remains the fifth-best selling nameplate for the brand. Back in the 60s and 70s, the Mustang was such a success that competitors from Chevrolet, AMC, and Dodge jumped into the fray with their own pony cars, including the Camaro, Javelin, and Challenger, respectively. The Mustang is still one of the most beloved in the segment in the USA, and if it’s your dream to buy one someday, you’ll want to read on.

You don’t need to buy a brand new ‘Stang to enjoy it the way designers intended – there’s something to be said for the Ford Mustang fifth-generation, too, with numerous pre-owned options available on the market. The gen-5 Mustang, codename S-197, was produced between 2005 and 2014, and still makes for an attractive performance vehicle fully worthy of a test drive. 

Under The Hood

The original fifth-gen Mustang was equipped with a naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter V6 engine in the base trims that produced 210 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque. Upper trims, namely the GT Deluxe and GT Premium, got the benefit of a 4.6-liter Ford Modular V8 that packed a 300-hp punch. A five-speed manual and a five-speed automatic transmission were available to send power to the rear wheels via a live axle – the last Mustang of this kind. 

In 2010, the range was facelifted and, together with improvements to the appearance, the V8 received a bump in output to 315 hp and 325 b-ft. The V6 was rather drab and didn’t offer great fuel economy, but Ford only switched it out in 2011 for a 3.7-liter V6 with 305 hp and 280 lb-ft. The gearbox was also changed to a six-speed auto or six-speed manual.

After this massive improvement in the base engine, the automaker felt the need to replace the existing V8 with a 5.0-liter version that was good for 412 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. 

Maintenance And Reliability

As with any used car, the service and maintenance history is vital in determining whether or not it’s a good buy. If you’re perusing a used 5th-gen Ford Mustang, ensure that all the oil changes were done at the right time, including the oil for the limited-slip differential and transmission. Engine oil should have been replaced at least every 8,000 – 10,000 miles, although serious enthusiasts would do it as often as every 5,000 miles. 

Having a clear service and maintenance history is essential since the earliest models were subject to many recalls. By 2014, Ford Mustang recalls had dipped from a high of 10 recalls for one model year, to only four, indicating that most of the issues were being dealt with. Sadly, 2015 model year cars got saddled with nine recalls again. Whichever year model Mustang you’re considering, ensure all the recall work was carried out successfully. 

Things To Check Before Buying

If you’ve found your dream Mustang from the fifth-gen lineup, whether is a coupe or convertible, there are a few things to check before you sign on the dotted line. The following issues were reported across the span of its lifecycle:

  • Paint issues on the hood, ranging from simple flaking to severe corrosions
  • A few complaints were reported for the five-speed automatic transmission 
  • Earlier models had a strange gas tank design that made filling it up a challenge
  • Dashboard gauges could be erratic and unreliable, according to owner reviews
  • Water leaks into the vehicle from the front cowl which can result in electrical issues
  • Car batteries reportedly drained much quicker than they should’ve 
  • Water pump issues seemed worse for the 2013 model year cars and require a close eye on coolant levels

Should I Buy A Fifth-Gen Mustang?

As far as pony cars go, the Mustang is one of the most recognizable and beloved. And, since buying a car – especially one with such an emotional component – is a deeply personal thing, we’d be hard-pressed to say you should, or shouldn’t buy one – because as enthusiasts, we certainly would. That being said, there are a few pointers for which ones you should consider above the rest.

If you’re not looking for this highest output engine, you’ll be quite happy with the V6 base model, but in truth, we’d avoid the earliest models in the fifth-gen range and opt for one of those after 2010. Wed also opt for the V8 since it came with ABS and airbags, and choose the five-speed manual that had the fewest reported issues. While these are our guidelines, as long as you find an example with a clean history, complete service record, and all the recalls attended you, you’ll be quite happy with your purchase. 

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