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Chevrolet nitro drivers aim to make more four-wide magic

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Official Release
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CHEVROLET AT CHARLOTTE

What: Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals
When: Friday, April 29-Sunday, May 1
Where: zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina
TV: FS1 will telecast eliminations at 7 p.m. ET May 1

Chevrolet nitro drivers aim to make more four-wide magic
John Force Racing has enviable Top Fuel, Funny Car record in event at zMAX Dragway
DETROIT (April 28, 2022) – Having won two National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Top Fuel races in a row, Brittany Force is enthusiastically looking forward to this weekend’s Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

The driver of the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster will arrive at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina, as the Top Fuel points leader after her April 24 victory at Houston Raceway Park. Her 13th career Top Fuel win followed a victory April 3 in the four-wide event in Las Vegas – the first time she has won back-to-back races.

“Getting back-to-back wins is huge for us, and we’re back in the seat this weekend so we’ll try to do it again in Charlotte,” said Force, who was the No. 1 qualifier and runner-up in the 2021 four-wide event at the track. “All the hard work by our team, for it to pay off with two wins in a row, it’s great for them and I’m really proud of all of my guys.”
Her father – 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force – was also the No. 1 qualifier and won the 2021 four-wide race — 11 years after he won the inaugural four-wide event at zMAX Dragway. Both earned top qualifier honors in the conventional race in July, with Brittany again rolling to a runner-up finish.

Brittany holds the Top Fuel track records, set last May, of 3.662 seconds and 333.49 mph.

“Our Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team is ahead of ourselves compared to our 2021 season, when we had only one win halfway through the season in Topeka,” said Brittany Force, who won at zMAX Dragway in 2016 to become the first female racer to win a four-wide event. “We already have two wins under our belt and are only five races in.

“That sets the tone for a strong season. We are in a good position and currently in the points lead. Our team has had success at four-wide races and we’re looking to make it three in a row this weekend.”

In 2014, Robert Hight won the Funny Car four-wide race at zMAX Dragway, starting a three-race streak of Victory Circle visits. Teammate John Force, who was runner-up to Hight a month earlier at the Gatornationals, placed second. Hight won two weeks later at Houston and defeated teammate Courtney Force in the final in mid-May at Atlanta. Overall, Hight either won or was runner-up in six of the seven races to start the season. He went on to record five wins for the season.

With two wins and a 12-3 elimination round record in the Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS to start the ’22 season, Hight heads to Concord second in the Funny Car standings.

“We’ve had a lot of success at zMAX and we’ll be looking to add that success this weekend,” said Hight, who is tied for most pro wins at the track with six.
The event will also feature drivers of the Chevrolet COPO Camaro in the second round of the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown. Len Lottig drove his COPO Camaro to victory at Gainesville in the first of the eight events.

Chevrolet Pro Stock teams and drivers are idle until the NHRA New England Nationals on June 3-5 in Epping, New Hampshire. Erica Enders, who has won the past two races and three overall in the Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro SS for Elite Motorsports, is the points leader.

FS1 will telecast eliminations at 7 p.m. ET Sunday, May 1.

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC/MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (winner at Las Vegas and Houston; first in points): “Heading to Charlotte Four-Wide this weekend on such a high after back-to-back wins in Las Vegas and Houston. Our Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team is ahead of ourselves compared to our 2021 season, when we had only one win halfway through the season in Topeka. We already have two wins under our belt and are only five races in. That sets the tone for a strong season. We are in a good position and currently in the points lead. Our team has had success at Four-Wide races and we’re looking to make it three in a row this weekend.”

AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (runner-up at Pomona opener): “I’m happy to be back in Charlotte for the Four-Wide Nationals. I’m looking forward to going some rounds and showing what this Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team is capable. We’re striding in the right direction, learning a lot. I’m really comfortable in the car. It’s going to be a successful weekend; I can feel it.”

FUNNY CAR
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time winner of the four-wide format at the track; fifth in points): “I’m not worried about this PEAK team. Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi, they’ll be ready to go in Charlotte.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time winner this season; second in points; six-time winner at the track, including twice in four-wide format): “We’ve had a great start to the season, there’s no doubt about it. These guys have been working hard and we’ve had some consistency. The Auto Club Chevy has qualified well, picked up some little points and we’ve got some round wins on Sunday. We just need to pick it up, turn on those win lights. That’s something I think we can do in Charlotte. We’ve had a lot of success at zMAX and we’ll be looking to add that success this weekend.”
About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries. 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.

Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst Dover NXS Advance

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Official Release
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RILEY HERBST
Dover NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: A-Game 200 (Round 10 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, April 30
• Location: Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway
• Layout: 1-mile, concrete oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 1:30 p.m. EDT on FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst and Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway are an appropriate pair. Herbst is the driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing and Dover is best known as the “Monster Mile”. At a track that can chew up and spit out even the most seasoned racers, Herbst has acquitted himself well on the concrete-clad, 1-mile oval. In four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Dover, Herbst has scored two top-10 finishes with a best result of sixth on Aug. 22, 2020. He has never finished outside the top-20.

• Herbst’s solid runs at the Monster Mile aren’t confined to the Xfinity Series. He also has two starts at Dover in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. In the 2016 and 2017 races, Herbst finished eighth and seventh, respectively.

• Herbst comes into Dover having finished among the top-10 in four of his last five Xfinity Series races, including a run of three straight. The 23-year-old racer from Las Vegas finished seventh in the series’ prior race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway to secure his sixth top-10 in the nine races run this season. He is 10th in the championship standings as he heads into the 10th race of the season.

• The A-Game 200 will mark Herbst’s 86th career Xfinity Series start. His resume includes 12 top-fives and 40 top-10s. His best finish is second, earned twice – in February 2020 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and July 2020 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.

• While still seeking his first Xfinity Series win, Herbst is driving for an Xfinity Series winner. Stewart-Haas Racing owns two Xfinity Series victories at Dover – October 2019 with Cole Custer and August 2020 with Chase Briscoe.

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

You had a solid weekend at Talladega with a seventh-place finish. With six top-10s in the nine races run this year, do you feel like you’re in a better position at this point in the season than you were last year?

“We’re in a better spot this year over last year, for sure. Richard (Boswell, crew chief) and I talked about it at the beginning of the season – that we needed to be consistent this year, and that’s just what we’re doing. I feel like we had a shot there to win at Talladega, but in the scramble at the end, it didn’t work out in our favor. Happy to come home with a top-10, still. Our consistency and hard work will pay off, though. This No. 98 Monster Energy team is a winning team.”

Dover is best known as the Monster Mile. What are your thoughts heading into such a difficult and unpredictable track?

“Dover’s a cool track, but it’s also really tough. You have to be confident there and be comfortable with your car. We got into some trouble there last year with contact early on, but I’ve had good runs there in the past. Hopefully, we can stay out of trouble and be there at the end of it this year.”

Monster Energy has been a big part of your career and you have a great relationship with them. What does it mean to have that support and network from such a big company?

“I’m grateful for my relationship with them and for their support. I was fortunate enough to go to Monster Energy’s 20th birthday party a few weeks ago out on the West Coast. It was so cool to see all of the people from the company and other Monster Energy athletes. Honestly, it’s an honor to be a part of that brand and to sport that logo. It’s something that I won’t take for granted. I’m fortunate to be in the position that I’m in and Monster Energy is my family, for sure. I’m happy to have them on the car again this season and hopefully we can get them to victory lane.”

No. 98 Monster Energy Team Roster

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Riley Herbst
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell
Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: Matt Noyce
Hometown: Oregon, Wisconsin

Engineer: Justin Bolton
Hometown: Latrobe, Pennsylvania

Engineer: DJ VanderLey
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Crew:

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala
Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Fueler: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Jackman: Brandon Banks
Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Road Crew Members:

Truck Driver: Steve Wood
Hometown: Eatontown, New Jersey

Engine Tuner: Willie Pelotte
Hometown: Oakland, Maine

Tire Specialist: Austin Quick
Hometown: Flagstaff, Arizona

Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Dover

By
Official Release
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Dover Motor Speedway
Sunday, May 1, 2022
1-Mile Oval
3:00 PM ET
Location: Dover, Delaware
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (11 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM logo PRN logo

5 KYLE LARSON
Age: 29 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: 7th

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

A FIRST FOR LARSON: On Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, Kyle Larson led 32 laps en route to a fourth-place finish to mark his first ever top-five result in a superspeedway event in the NASCAR Cup Series. The driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 moved up two positions in the standings to seventh and now trails leader and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott by 69 points.

FIFTY (PER)CENT: Sunday’s performance marked the fifth top-five finish in 10 Cup Series races this season for Larson. The Elk Grove, California, native is second in that statistical category, trailing only Ross Chastain who has six finishes in the top five. Along with the fourth-place finish, Larson has a victory at Auto Club Speedway, a runner-up result at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a fifth at Richmond Raceway and a fourth at Bristol Motor Speedway.

MONSTER AT DOVER: In 13 starts at Dover Motor Speedway, Larson has 12 top-12 finishes with 880 laps led – the most he has led at a single track. Last year, he led 263 of 400 laps before finishing second to teammate Alex Bowman when Hendrick Motorsports swept the top-four positions. In 2019, Larson led 154 laps en route to his lone victory at the concrete track.

NOT SO AVERAGE: Larson’s average finish of seventh at Dover is the best all-time of any driver with more than two starts there. David Pearson (8.00), Bobby Allison (9.26) and former Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson (9.66) are the only other drivers to post a single-digit average finish at the Delaware venue.

SECOND BEST: At active tracks where he has more than one Cup Series start, Larson’s 7.0 average finish at Dover is only his second best. In 2021, a pair of runner-up results at Darlington Raceway improved his average at the 1.366-mile track to 5.55.

ANOTHER LEVEL: Larson has also been successful at Dover in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In six starts there, the driver has one win, three top-five finishes and six top-10s. In June 2017, he led 137 laps from the pole to capture the victory at the Monster Mile.

BUSY WEEK: On Tuesday night, Larson won a dirt late model race at Eldora Speedway in Ohio. On Wednesday, he finished fifth in a dirt late model event at Brownstown Speedway in Indiana before traveling to Bristol Motor Speedway for sprint car and dirt late model racing in the World of Outlaws Bristol Bash Thursday through Saturday.

YOUR CAR NEEDS: This weekend, Larson will drive the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. From the convenience of home, customers can select the category, make, model and vehicle packages that are important to them from the nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks and SUVs available at HendrickCars.com. The website also makes it easy for customers to find one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 93 dealership locations nationwide.

WE’RE HIRING: Hendrick Automotive Group is hiring more than 300 technicians at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Interested people can apply at HendrickCars.com.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 26 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 1st

No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

LEADER OF THE PACK: Following his seventh-place run at Talladega Superspeedway, Chase Elliott expanded his lead in the NASCAR Cup Series standings to 21 points over second-place Ryan Blaney. Including a tie earlier in the season, this marks the sixth consecutive week the Dawsonville, Georgia, native has been atop the standings.

CONSISTENCY PAYING OFF: While Elliott and the No. 9 team are still looking for their first win of 2022, they have been a model of consistency through the first 10 races of the season, scoring seven top-10 finishes – tied for most in the Cup Series. Those seven top-10s are also a career best for Elliott through 10 races. In addition, the 26-year-old’s average finish of 10.5 in 2022 leads all drivers.

MONSTER MILE STATS: On Sunday, Elliott is set to make his 12th Dover Motor Speedway start in the Cup Series. The driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 earned a victory at the 1-mile track in the fall of 2018 and has eight total top-five finishes there, his most on any active track. In his most recent start at Dover, Elliott finished third and was part of a historic finish where Hendrick Motorsports swept the top four positions. In his previous 11 starts at the venue, he has accumulated an average finish of 10.5 and led 321 laps.

FRONT RUNNER: Elliott has spent a lot of time at the front of the field this season. He’s led 276 laps and raced inside the top five for nearly 1,000 circuits (977) – third-best in each category behind only teammate William Byron and Blaney. His 1,577 laps spent inside the top 10 are fourth-highest in the series.

GUSTAFSON AT DOVER: On Sunday afternoon, No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson will call his 34th Dover race from atop a Cup Series pit box. He’s collected two wins with two different drivers on the 1-mile track: the first with Jeff Gordon in 2014 and most recently with Elliott in 2018. Along with Gustafson’s two victories, he has 17 top-five finishes, 19 top-10s and 592 laps led.

PIT ROAD PROWESS: The No. 9 pit crew continues to impress and is now ranked second among the Cup Series field this season when it comes to the average length of four-tire pit stops (11.951 seconds). The NAPA AUTO PARTS pit crew is comprised of jackman T.J. Semke, gasman John Gianninoto, tire carrier Jared Erspamer and tire changers Chad Avrit and Nick O’Dell.

NAPA KNOWS DOVER: NAPA AUTO PARTS is back on board the No. 9 Chevrolet this weekend at Dover. It will mark the ninth time that the Atlanta-based company has been the primary partner of Elliott and the No. 9 team at the Monster Mile. NAPA visited victory lane in the fall of 2018 when Elliott led the final 11 laps en route to his first win at the track.

A SHOC ENERGY DAYTONA RACE EXPERIENCE: A SHOC Energy is giving fans the opportunity to win a VIP trip to the Cup Series race at Daytona on Saturday, Aug. 27. One grand prize winner and guest will receive flight and hotel accommodations, tickets to the regular-season finale and a $500 Visa gift card. The sweepstakes is open now through July 15 and fans can enter by texting “ASHOCTRIP” to 97579.

24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 24 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 3rd

No. 24 RaptorTough.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

BEST YEAR YET: After 10 races in 2022, William Byron is off to his best start at the NASCAR Cup Series level. In his fifth season, the 24-year-old driver has scored two race victories, three stage wins, four top-five finishes and eight top-10s with 520 laps led and 13 playoff points accumulated – all career-best statistics at the 10-race mark. He is currently third in the Cup Series standings behind only teammate Chase Elliott and second-place Ryan Blaney.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: Byron has led laps in eight of the 10 points-paying races in 2022, including all eight events on paved ovals. His 520 total laps led are the most in the Cup Series. He has also spent the second-most laps running in the top-10 (1,860) and the most laps running within the top-five (1,396).

TWO-FOUR HISTORY: Byron’s two victories in 2022 have added to the total of his storied car number. Five of the No. 24’s total of 97 Cup Series wins have come at Dover Motor Speedway, all with NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon. If Byron goes to victory lane on Sunday, it will put the No. 24 just two away from the 100-win milestone and will secure the fourth-most wins by a car number at the Monster Mile, breaking a four-way tie.

DOVER DIGEST: In seven Cup Series starts at Dover Motor Speedway, Byron has a best starting position of second that came in May 2019 when Hendrick Motorsports teammate Elliott edged him out for the pole. However, in his last two Cup starts there, Byron has raced to consecutive fourth-place results – his best at the mile-long track and his second-longest streak of top-five finishes at a venue behind only Martinsville Speedway where he has three in a row.

MONSTER MILE MINUTES: Sunday’s race will be crew chief Rudy Fugle’s second at the Cup Series level at Dover Motor Speedway after he scored a fourth-place finish in last year’s event. However, the Livonia, New York, native has eight other starts at the 1-mile track, all in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In those races, Fugle has accumulated one win, two top-five finishes and two top-10s. One of those previous starts was with Byron in 2016 when the duo started on the pole and raced to an 11th-place result.

RAPTOR® TOUGH: Byron will climb behind the wheel of the No. 24 RaptorTough.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Sunday’s event at Dover. The last time he raced the RaptorTough.com paint scheme, he ended up in victory lane at Martinsville Speedway. RAPTOR® is a durable protective coating and bed liner that is designed to tolerate the toughest climatic conditions and can be applied to a wide range of substrates from steel, wood, concrete and plaster to plastics and composites. Resistant to common fuels, UV, scratches and stains, RAPTOR® is available at local paint distributors, auto parts stores and can also be purchased from online retailers like Amazon. For a better look at Byron’s No. 24 RaptorTough.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, click here.

48 Alex Bowman
Age: 29 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 5th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Defending race winner Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available in the Dover Motor Speedway media center on Saturday, April 30, at 9:15 a.m. ET.

HISTORIC MILE: In 2021 at Dover Motor Speedway, Alex Bowman took home his second win of the NASCAR Cup Series season in historic fashion. The driver led 98 circuits at the 1-mile track while leading Hendrick Motorsports to the organization’s first one-two-three-four finish. Bowman’s 98 laps led in that event rank as the fourth-most in his eight-year Cup Series career.

MR. CONSISTENTENCY: Bowman and No. 48 Ally Racing team crew chief Greg Ives had one goal ahead of the 2022 season: be more consistent. Through the first 10 races of the year, Bowman has tallied six top-10 finishes, the most of his Cup Series career through 10 starts. With more time spent in the front of the pack, the Tucson, Arizona, native has also notched 309 points in 2022, ranking him fifth in the standings, 59 markers behind leader and teammate Chase Elliott.

BOWMAN AT DOVER: Bowman, who turned 29 on Monday, will make his 12th Dover start on Sunday. In his prior 11 Cup Series races there, the driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has one win, four top-five finishes and four top-10s with 140 laps led. Bowman is also tied for the most top-fives at Dover since the start of the 2019 season with four.

IVES AND THE MONSTER: Ives has 13 Dover starts as a crew chief in the Cup Series. In those races as the shot-caller, the 42-year-old Bark River, Michigan, native, has garnered one win (May 2021 with Bowman), five top-five finishes and seven top-10s with 150 laps led.

HOMETOWN HERO: No. 48 team rear-tire changer Devin DelRicco grew up 86 miles from Dover in Marlboro, Maryland. The 30-year-old athlete visited the 1-mile venue for the first time as a fan in 2005 for the NASCAR Cup Series event. DelRicco has been with Hendrick Motorsports for seven years and has two NASCAR Xfinity Series championships with JR Motorsports.

PALM OF HIS HAND: Miles the Monster will display the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the palm of his gargantuan hand ahead of Sunday’s race at Dover. For the 2022 season, Ally Financial continues to be the sponsor of the track’s Victory Plaza where fans can see Miles holding the full-size No. 48 Chevy. It also sponsors Dover’s Monster Bridge Suites.

THROUGH 10: After 10 Cup Series races, Bowman has collected one win (Las Vegas Motor Speedway), two-top five finishes (the most of his career through 10 races) and six top-10s. His average finishing position of 11.1 is second only to teammate Elliott in 2022

A MONSTER DAY: Last May at Dover Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports drivers Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and William Byron finished first, second, third and fourth, respectively. It was the organization’s first-ever sweep of the top-four finishing positions in a race and marked only the fourth time in NASCAR Cup Series history that any team accomplished it. At Titusville-Cocoa Speedway in December 1956, Peter DePaolo Racing’s five-car effort became the first to record a top-four sweep and repeated the achievement in April 1957 at North Wilkesboro. Forty-eight years later, Roush Fenway Racing did it in 2005 with four of its five entries at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Hendrick Motorsports is the only four-car team to post a one-two-three-four finish in the Cup Series.

FRONTRUNNERS: At Dover last May, Hendrick Motorsports led 382 of the 400 laps – or 95.5%. It was the highest percentage of laps the team had ever led in a single Cup Series race until April 9 of this year when Hendrick Motorsports led 98.5% of the laps at Martinsville Speedway (397 of 403).

THE FIRST STATE: Dover is one of three racetracks where Hendrick Motorsports has posted more than 20 points-paying wins. The team’s 21 victories at the Delaware venue is equal to its total at Charlotte Motor Speedway and surpassed only by its 27 at Martinsville, which represents the all-time record for wins by any team at a track. Since 2009, it has posted at least one victory there in each season except 2011, 2016, 2019 and 2020. No other team has posted more than nine wins at Dover.

MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: Seven different drivers have contributed to Hendrick Motorsports’ Dover win total: Jimmie Johnson (11 victories), Jeff Gordon (five), Bowman, Elliott, Geoff Bodine, Ken Schrader and Ricky Rudd.

DOVER-TIME: Four Dover races have ended in overtime with all four being won by Hendrick Motorsports: Johnson in 2005, 2015 and 2017, and Elliott in 2018.

STELLAR 2022: In 10 points-paying races this season, Hendrick Motorsports has recorded four wins, which represent its most since 2007. The team’s top-five finishes (12) and top-10s (22) are equal to its 10-race marks from 2021 when it went on to tally its second-best full-season totals in both categories. Hendrick Motorsports’ 930 laps led through 10 races are the organization’s most since 2014 (961) and more than the second- and third-place teams combined. Its seven stage wins in 2022 are equal to second- and third-ranked teams combined.

LET’S DO THE NUMBERS: Since the start of the 2021 Cup Series season, Hendrick Motorsports has recorded 21 points-paying race wins. The total is equal to that of the next four teams combined: Joe Gibbs Racing (11 victories), Team Penske (six), Stewart-Haas Racing (two) and Trackhouse (two). Three other active teams have recorded one win apiece during that span.

NEARING 100,000: Since Hendrick Motorsports was founded in 1984, it has led a record 99,432.14 miles in points-paying Cup Series races. The team is less than 600 miles from hitting 100,000 led at NASCAR’s top level. Last season, Hendrick Motorsports led 5,662.77 miles. Through 10 races in 2022, it has led 974.66 miles. At Dover, the organization has led 7,259 miles. Earlier this season, the team hit another major milestone – its 2,000th top-10 finish in the Cup Series – at Bristol Motor Speedway.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on driving the Next Gen car at Dover: “We had a great result last year in the Gen 6 car. Finishing one-two-three-four I know meant a lot to Rick (Hendrick, owner) and all the men and women at Hendrick Motorsports. I’ve run well at Dover throughout my career and have led a lot of laps there, and I hope that is the case again this weekend. I don’t know how this generation of car will race on the concrete, but I hope we’ll be using multiple lanes on Sunday.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on challenges of new Next Gen car on a concrete track: “The car itself is really going to perform well – I think we have the potential to see a really good race. If we get some warmer temperatures and the groove widens out, these cars should be very racy on a very racy track. I think it could be a lot of fun and a great race for the fans. If it’s super cool and the track is very fast, it could be a narrower groove and much harder to pass. We’ll just need to see how the temperatures are, what the tire wear is like and how the track is taking (tire) rubber, but I think it’s going to be great.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on heading to Dover with the Next Gen car: “All these places, as we go to them for the first time, I’m kind of like everybody else, just waiting to see how it goes. I never would have thought that Martinsville would have gone like it did, so I think we were probably all surprised about that one, but nonetheless, I’m excited to get out there and hopefully it goes well.”

Elliott on the expectations he sets for himself to perform well: “I want to win just as much as everyone else, if not more. I always want to win, and I always have an expectation of myself to want to go and perform. That expectation is the only one that matters to me, and I want to do the job to the best of my ability always, whether you have a win in the bank or not. For me, that doesn’t make me try any harder. I’m going to do my best and see where we end up.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Dover with the Next Gen car: “I don’t really know what to expect. I love Dover. It’s one of my favorite tracks to go to. It’s a lot of fun to race. Obviously, it has big wide surface, and that’s the key to me is hopefully there’s some value in getting up the track and there’s multiple lanes. That’s always, in my opinion, what creates good racing, is the opportunity to have multiple lanes. Hopefully that shows up.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on if he feels like he’s having to re-learn tracks with the Next Gen car: “I’d say every week is a new week. It really is. We look at our old notes for balance and things like that, but even that’s kind of changed. I think Dover’s going to be eye-opening to see how this car gets around, because you know it has way less downforce. Downforce is key at Dover. I’m very interested to see how that feels and how that plays out, because I don’t know what to expect.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what notes he can use to prepare for Dover: “We don’t have a ton of short track notes with the Next Gen car right now, but I think the race at Martinsville gives us a good starting point. That race we saw that track position played a big factor and that maintaining a pit strategy that helped with that was key. I can see that playing a factor again this weekend at Dover. I also think some of our setup notes from last year will still help as well. Plus, with the high banking in the corners at Dover, it translates slightly to an intermediate track in that regard, so we can use those notes that we have as well. We ran well at Martinsville a few weeks ago, and Dover has been good to us in the past, so I think those things give us a good baseline for when we unload for practice.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on returning to Dover after the Hendrick Motorsports sweep last year: “Winning last year at Dover was special. We had a fast race car, fast enough to hold off my teammates and be the one to lead the one-two-three-four charge for Hendrick Motorsports. Being a part of such a unique moment in a season that was filled with these types of moments is something I will always hold close to me.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how he’s preparing to repeat last year’s success: “Dover has been a track that Hendrick Motorsports has historically done well at as well as Alex (Bowman). Our plan is to go back there and continue to build off the confidence and success from the past. Even though it is a different car and tire, we are approaching it the same way we always do; maximizing restarts, pit road times, practice and qualifying to get the most out of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet and look to come out of there with another Miles the Monster trophy.”

Toyota Partners with Ron Capps Beginning with Charlotte 4-Wide Nationals

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Ron Capps, NAPA, Supra, Funny Car

CONCORD, N.C. (April 28, 2022) – Toyota announced today that Ron Capps and his newly formed race team of Ron Capps Motorsports will begin fielding the Toyota GR Supra Funny Car at this weekend’s 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C. The addition of Ron Capps Motorsports will expand the footprint of Toyota Gazoo Racing North America (TGRNA) to three GR Supra Funny Cars competing for the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series championship.

“Ron Capps is a proven champion in NHRA competition and all around one of the truly entertaining and engaging personalities in the pit area,” said Paul Doleshal, Group Manager, Motorsports, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). “The drivers that pilot not only our GR Supra Funny Cars, but all of our TGRNA vehicles in NHRA competition are not only talented behind the wheel, but also as ambassadors for our brand on and off the race track. And we couldn’t be happier to welcome Ron and his team to the family.”

Capps has been a dominant driver in Funny Car competition every time he rolls to the starting line, as the California-native owns the second-most wins in NHRA Funny Car history. The two-time (2016 and 2021) and defending Funny Car World Champion has amassed 68 event titles (67 in Funny Car, 1 in Top Fuel) to date in his career and has made 131 final round appearances (129 in Funny Car, 2 in Top Fuel).

TGRNA provides its NHRA teams with tow vehicles, along with engineering, technology and trackside support. In addition to Ron Capps Motorsports, Toyota will continue to support the GR Supra Funny Cars fielded by DC Motorsports and Kalitta Motorsports.

“For Ron Capps Motorsports to partner with Toyota is literally a dream come true,” said Capps. “One thing I’ve learned pretty quickly as a team owner is how important it is to surround yourself with good people, and nothing exemplifies that more than what I’ve experienced with Toyota already. The commitment, the passion and the history with Toyota goes hand-in-hand with our NHRA fans, and as someone who grew up in the sport, I can’t tell you how exciting it is for me to represent and join the family of Toyota drivers. It’s an exciting partnership for us and being able to debut the NAPA AUTO PARTS GR Supra Funny Car is one of the highlights of my NHRA career.”

Ron Capps joins a TGRNA driver lineup that includes four-time Top Fuel Champion Steve Torrence, three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Antron Brown, U.S. Nationals winner Alexis DeJoria, 2020 NHRA Rookie of the Year Justin Ashley, 49-time race winner Doug Kalitta, 2013 Top Fuel champion Shawn Langdon and 2018 Funny Car champion J.R. Todd.

Toyota drivers have won 138 Top Fuel and 44 Funny Car races along with six Top Fuel and three Funny Car championships during its tenure in the series.

#

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 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 47,000 in North America. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.

Through its 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.

Danny Bohn Teams Up with Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation to Feature Ticks Suck on No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Truck at Darlington Raceway

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Ticks Suck is part of the Cohen Lyme & Tickborne Disease Initiative
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 28, 2022) – To bring awareness to Lyme disease, race car driver Danny Bohn is partnering with the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation to feature Ticks Suck, a public awareness campaign for Lyme and tickborne disease, on the No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST at the May 6th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

Bohn was diagnosed with Lyme disease as a child and has battled symptoms of the most common vector-borne disease in the United States ever since.

The month of May is recognized as Lyme Disease Awareness Month.

“This partnership is very personal to me as the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation is really leading the national fight against Lyme and tickborne diseases,” said Bohn.

“NASCAR fans are active, outdoorsy people, so we hope awareness leads to prevention, or as in cases like mine, recognizing a need for treatment.”

Inspired by Alexandra’s own personal journey with the disease, the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation launched the Cohen Lyme & Tickborne Disease Initiative in 2015 to raise awareness, advance research, and find a cure.

Ticks Suck is the Initiative’s latest national public service announcement campaign that aims to raise awareness of the year-round prevalence of ticks so families can protect themselves.

Important prevention tips and resources if you’ve been bitten can be found at TicksSuck.org.

“We are thrilled to partner with Danny Bohn and Young’s Motorsports and build awareness around tickborne diseases,” said Alexandra Cohen, president of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. “Ticks are found across the U.S. and carry more than a dozen debilitating diseases, so it’s important to learn how you can protect yourself and your family.”

The No. 20 Ticks Suck Chevrolet features a Darlington Throwback paint scheme designed after Darrell Waltrip’s 1981-82 green and white No. 11 Mountain Dew Buick that Waltrip called a “perfect race car” and helped define his career with one of the greatest stretches of racing the sport has ever seen.

Waltrip won 24 races, 18 poles and two NASCAR Cup Series championships in the car over a two-year period for team owner Junior Johnson.

The 33-year-old Bohn has 34 career starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series including three previous starts at Darlington. His most recent start in the No. 20 truck resulted in a top-10 finish at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February.

Before joining the Truck Series, the New Jersey native rose to prominence in 2012 when he earned NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship runner-up, Rookie of the Year and Most Popular Driver honors. Bohn followed that up with the 2014 modified track championship at the famed Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Bohn, who lives in Mooresville, N.C., is coming into Darlington fresh off one of his biggest Modified career race wins, dominating the 200-lap weekly series season opener at Bowman Gray’s quarter-mile flat oval last Saturday night before a packed house.

The Dead On Tools 200 will take place at Darlington Raceway on Friday, May 6th. The race will broadcast live on FOX Sports 1 and air on SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90 and MRN Radio at 7:30 p.m. ET.

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports) and follow on Instagram (youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

For more on Danny Bohn, please visit DannyBohn.com, like him on Facebook (Danny Bohn Racing) and follow on Instagram (@dannybohn) and Twitter (@dbohn659).

ABOUT LYME DISEASE:

The most common vector-borne infectious disease in the country, Lyme disease is a potentially disabling infection caused by bacteria transmitted through the bite of an infected tick to people and pets. If caught early, most cases of Lyme disease can be effectively treated, but it is commonly misdiagnosed due to lack of awareness and unreliable diagnostic tests.

There are approximately 476,000 new cases of Lyme disease each year, according to recent statistics released by the CDC. Even with prompt treatment, about 10-20% of patients go on to experience persistent symptoms.

As a result of the difficulty in diagnosing and treating Lyme disease, more than one million Americans may be suffering from the impact of these debilitating long-term symptoms and complications, according to Bay Area Lyme Foundation estimates.

ABOUT STEVEN & ALEXANDRA COHEN FOUNDATION:

The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation is committed to inspiring philanthropy and community service by creating awareness, offering guidance, and leading by example to show the world what giving can do. The Foundation’s grants support nonprofit organizations based in the United States that either help people in need or solve complex problems.

The Foundation is the largest private funder of Lyme and tickborne disease research in the United States with over $75 million disbursed for groundbreaking studies in prevention, diagnostics, and treatment as well as building essential research infrastructure to catalyze innovation.

The Foundation also spearheads grassroots campaigns to encourage others to give.

For more information, visit steveandalex.org.

Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Dover Motor Speedway

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DuraMAX Drydene 400 presented by RelaDyne
Dover Motor Speedway
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Sunday May 1 at 3 p.m. ET on FS1


AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Action Industries Camaro ZL1

AJ Allmendinger has an average finish of 22.9 at Dover
He has led 152 laps at Dover, more than any other track he’s competed at in the NCS

“In the past, Dover has been one of my favorite racetracks to go to. It’s unique in a lot of ways. Last year, we had a solid run and stayed in the top five for all day. Hopefully we can build on that and try some new stuff this weekend to continue the momentum we’ve had this season. I’m also looking forward to getting back in the Cup car on Sunday with Action Industries. I felt like we learned a few things at Martinsville. I think Dover is going to be really fast with this Next Gen car, so it should be a fun weekend.” – AJ Allmendinger on Dover Motor Speedway


Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

  • Justin Haley has four top-15 finishes in 2022
  • Haley’s one lap led at ATL in 2022 was Kaulig Racing’s first of the 2022 season

“It’s been quite a while since I’ve been to Dover. It’s always a fun, fast racetrack you can move around on. I’m curious to see how the Next Gen car handles the banking on the concrete surface. We’ve spent a lot of time on the simulator preparing. I’m looking forward to getting back to Dover and carrying on our positive momentum”

  • Justin Haley on Dover Motor Speedway

A-Game 200

Dover Motor Speedway

NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)

Saturday, April 30 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1

  • Kaulig Racing will have two drivers (Allmendinger and Cassill) eligible for the Dash 4 Cash at Dover
  • The team has won two out of the last three Dash 4 Cash prizes
  • Kaulig Racing has earned six top-10 finishes at Dover
  • Kaulig Racing has an average finish of 13.0 and has led 39 laps at Dover
  • Dating back to the 2020 season opener, Kaulig Racing has finished at least one car in the top 10 in 74 of the last 75 NXS races.
  • Kaulig Racing has led 185 laps in the 2022 NXS season so far
  • Allmendinger: 137 laps
  • Hemric: 48 laps

Landon Cassill, No. 10 StormX Chevrolet

Landon Cassill will compete for the Dash 4 Cash for the second week in-a-row following his third top-five finish of the 2022 NXS season at Talladega Superspeedway
Cassill has an average finish of 21.2 at Dover across 13 starts

“I’m excited for Dover. I feel like I run really well there in the past and qualified well. It’s always fun to go to tracks that are unique and unlike anything else on the schedule and be able to have another shot to win 100 grand for the Dash 4 Cash.” – Landon Cassill on Dover Motor Speedway

Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Cirkul Chevrolet

Daniel Hemric has an average finish of 6.8 at Dover across six starts
Hemric has three top-five finishes and has led 24 laps at Dover

“As a driver you go to a place like dover and it’s always exciting knowing what you are getting yourself into a place where you are racing the surface and the changing elements throughout the day being concrete its always changing from the driver’s perspective and the team you are always trying to stay ahead of that along with getting one of the most incredible rides inside of a race car you will ever experience going there I look forward to hopefully being able to dig ourselves out of the trenches are in right now there’s no fight in this group and we look forward to the challenge ahead.” – Daniel Hemric on Dover Motor Speedway

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Action Industries Chevrolet

  • Allmendinger will compete for a third Dash 4 Cash Prize in the 2022 NXS season after winning two out of the last three
  • Allmendinger has a win in four consecutive NXS seasons
  • He has an average finish of 12.5 at Dover across two starts
  • Allmendinger has six top-five finishes in the 2022 season so far and is the only driver in the NXS with a top-10 finish in all nine races in 2022

About Kaulig Racing™

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and made the Championship 4 round in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. They will continue fielding three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Landon Cassill, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by AJ Allmendinger. With multiple wins, Kaulig Racing has come to be one of the top competitors on track each weekend. The team made multiple starts in the NCS in 2021 and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The young team has acquired two charters for the 2022 NCS season, with Justin Haley competing as its first, full-time driver in the series. The team’s second entry will be shared by part-time teammates AJ Allmendinger, Daniel Hemric and Noah Gragson. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Rested and tested, Irish Mike’s Racing ready for Laguna Seca

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MONTEREY, CA (28 April 2022) – Irish Mike’s Racing continues its two-car assault on the IMSA Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by Visit Cayman Islands this weekend with a visit to scenic WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for a pair of races.

Conor Flynn is coming off a 10th-place finish in class in his first taste of street racing at Long Beach, driving the No. 95 FlynnCo Cars / Chillout Systems Porsche 992. Competing in the lead Pro class, he took 14th overall in the 31-car field after placing 15th overall and 12th in class on Saturday. He placed 15th in class in both races during the opening weekend at Sebring. The team had a two-day test at WeatherTech Raceway during the break between races and is looking forward to building some momentum as the team adapts to the new 992 platform.

“We made huge steps forward with our brand-new Porsche at Long Beach, in terms of development and learning it for the team,” Flynn said. “We worked on getting the car set up for the track properly at the test. Now we’re super excited heading toward this weekend’s big races.”

The test was Flynn’s first visit to the famed circuit.

“Since it was my first time at Laguna Seca, for me it was a matter of just learning the track,” Flynn said. “I’m happy that the race weekend won’t be my first time, when everyone else has been there before. At the test I learned a lot about the track – the proper gearing and all the turns. It’s a very smooth track, a unique track to drive. It’s a different style for me, someone who’s used to Sebring that’s extremely bumpy.”

It was also his first experience with the famed Corkscrew – a plunging downhill series of turns.

“It’s definitely different from what you see on TV,” he explained. “It’s a unique turn and a lot of fun. On TV you can see it coming up, but you’re in it before you know it when you’re actually in the car. It comes up a lot quicker and goes a lot faster than I thought it would. It’s a really cool turn, once you get used to it.”

Travel cancellations forced teammate Craig Conway to sit out the Long Beach weekend, with the veteran anxious to get back behind the wheel of the No. 97 Diamond Suzuki Porsche. Competing in Pro-Am, he finished 15th in the season-opener at Sebring, and 16th in the second race.

“Craig did really good at the test,” Flynn said. “He adjusted to the track really well with the new car, and he real excited about this weekend.”

The Laguna Seca weekend opens with a pair of practice sessions on Friday, at 8:30 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. (all times PT). Qualifying is Friday at 4:25 p.m. The 40-minute race one begins on Saturday at 11:50 a.m., with race two on Sunday at 8:40 a.m.

hellowater® Reunites with Justin Allgaier and JRM in 2022

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Official Release
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Beverage Company to be the Primary Partner on the No.7 for Two NXS Events

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 28, 2022) – JR Motorsports today announced that hellowater® will make its return to the No. 7 team with Justin Allgaier and JRM for two upcoming races during the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Born in Chicago, hellowater will serve as the primary partner on Allgaier’s Camaro at Texas Motor Speedway (May 21) and Daytona International Speedway (Aug. 26). This marks the second consecutive season that hellowater will be on board the No. 7 Chevrolet.

hellowater is part of Hello Beverages, LLC, a manufacturer of enhanced functional waters, and is designed to deliver quality wellness benefits in digestive health, immune defense, and pH balance. Additionally, hellowater remains affiliated with longtime JRM partner BRANDT Professional Agriculture, and is currently featured on the decklid of the No. 7 BRANDT Chevrolet.

“hellowater is beyond thrilled to be returning to the track for two races with JR Motorsports and BRANDT in 2022,” said Rusty Jones, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at hellowater. “Hydrating the No. 7 team and working with Justin Allgaier last year was a proud moment for our emerging brand and we hope to be celebrating with Justin and the team in Victory Lane at Texas and Daytona.”

Allgaier, JRM’s winningest driver, currently ranks sixth in the NXS standings heading into this weekend’s event at Dover Motor Speedway. Last season, Allgaier earned finishes of seventh and fourth in the two primary races for hellowater at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Watkins Glen International.

“It’s great to have hellowater back on board our No. 7 Chevrolet for Texas and Daytona,” said Allgaier. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to work with Rusty (Jones) and everyone at the hellowater brand and it’s great to see this partnership continue. I can’t wait to get their colors back on the track and see what we can do.”

The No. 7 hellowater Chevrolet is set to hit the track for the first time in 2022 on Saturday, May 21 at Texas. The race will air at 1:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1, the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

ABOUT JR MOTORSPORTS:
JR Motorsports is the racing operation co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame member and 15-time Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kelley Earnhardt Miller and NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick. Now in its 21st year of overall competition, JR Motorsports competes in multiple divisions, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series where it currently fields four full-time teams and earned championships in 2014, 2017 and 2018. The company also races in Late Model competition and owns four championships in regional Late Model divisions and added a prized national title in 2020. To learn more about the organization, its drivers and its sponsorship opportunities, visit www.jrmracing.com.

Tony Stewart Racing: Charlotte Advance for the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals

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Official Release
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Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan
Top Fuel | Funny Car
Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals
April 29 – May 1 | Charlotte, North Carolina

Event Overview

Friday, April 29 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 4:15 p.m. EDT
● Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 7:45 p.m. EDT

Saturday, April 30 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q3): 1:15 p.m. EDT
● Nitro qualifying session (Q4): 4:45 p.m. EDT

Sunday, May 1 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Round 1: 12 p.m. EDT
● Round 2: 2:45 p.m. EDT
● Finals: 5 p.m. EDT

TV coverage on FS1

● Friday, April 29: Qualifying show (7 p.m. EDT)
● Sunday, May 1: Qualifying show, recapping all of Saturday’s action (11 a.m. EDT)
● Sunday, May 1: Finals show (7 p.m. EDT)

Notes of Interest

● The Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals near Charlotte, North Carolina, is the sixth event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ 22-race calendar in 2022. Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) brings its two fulltime entries – one in Top Fuel for nine-time event winner Leah Pruett and one in Funny Car for three-time Funny Car champion Matt Hagan.

● Hagan comes into Charlotte as Funny Car’s most recent winner. The Christiansburg, Virginia-native scored his 41st career win in the 35th NHRA SpringNationals last Sunday at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas. The triumph served as a bookend for Hagan at Houston, as he scored his first career Funny Car win at the track on April 11, 2010. The 35th SpringNationals served as Houston’s final race, as the track has since closed. Soon after Finals concluded, the new property owners began repurposing the drag racing facility into an industrial park.

● Hagan’s win at Houston expanded his lead in the Funny Car championship standing to 60 points over his nearest purser, Robert Hight.

● Shelor Motor Mile, a family-owned car dealership serving the Christiansburg, Virginia, area since 1974, will adorn Hagan’s Dodge SRT Hellcat Funny Car at Charlotte. In addition to a large selection of cars and trucks from various manufacturers, Shelor Motor Mile also has an in-house financing department that can help customers determine a financial plan for buying their desired vehicle. They also make trading-in a vehicle a seamless process and offer a sizable assortment of pre-owned cars. Shelor Motor Mile is owned by Hagan’s father, David Hagan, who will attend the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals with Virginia Tech head football coach Brent Pry.

● Dodge Power Brokers and Direct Connection return to Pruett’s Top Fuel dragster this weekend in Charlotte. The Dodge Power Brokers program serves as the exclusive source for Direct Connection, Dodge’s factory-backed performance parts program, which is equipped with staff trained to deliver a performance-focused customer service experience.

● The Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals will mark Pruett’s 177th career Top Fuel start. It’ll be her 17th overall start at Charlotte and her ninth in the Four-Wide Nationals. For Hagan, the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals will be his 299th career Funny Car start. It’ll be his 23rd overall start at Charlotte and his 11th in the Four-Wide Nationals.

● Pruett is eyeing for her first victory at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. In 2017 and 2019, she advanced to the final quad at Charlotte. In 2015, Pruett raced to a semifinal appearance at the Carolina Nationals. Pruett is seeking her first No. 1 qualifier at the event.

● Hagan has three career wins at Charlotte. Two of his victories came in 2011 and 2014 during the Carolina Nationals. Hagan won the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals on April 21, 2013 (4.071 ET at 315.34 mph) when he defeated Blake Alexander (4.156 ET at 294.56 mph), Tim Wilkerson (5.141 ET at 153.39 mph) and Chad Head (10.525 ET at 67.05 mph). Hagan is seeking his first No. 1 qualifier at the event.

● Hagan was the first Funny Car driver to break the four-second barrier when he completed a run of 3.995 seconds in 2011 at Charlotte. His milestone run was commemorated with a sign on the retaining wall near the starting line.

● The Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals will be a family affair for TSR as team owner Tony Stewart will host approximately 350 people from Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), the NASCAR team he co-owns with Haas Automation founder Gene Haas. SHR is just nine miles north of the track in Kannapolis, North Carolina.

● DYK? Charlotte was the first four-lane drag strip on the NHRA schedule. The ground-breaking took place on Feb. 5, 2008 and a total of 1,876 workers were involved in the track’s construction. Together they worked 636,000 combined man hours and through this tremendous effort, the 13-month construction project was completed in only six months. The first NHRA sanctioned Four-Wide event took place in March 2010.

Leah Pruett, Driver of the Dodge Power Brokers Top Fuel Dragster

After a strong weekend at the last Four-Wide Nationals event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, how much confidence does that give you and the Dodge Power Brokers team at Charlotte?

“It brings just the right amount of confidence to the team to push a little harder in our power window, which will hopefully result in a notch or two lower qualifying position. Lower altitude and cooler temperatures will make for a much quicker and faster four-wide than Vegas.”

Describe the feeling of teamwork your Dodge Power Brokers crew is experiencing now that the NHRA has completed five events this season and you’re able to start gathering more data with each run.

“Expediting our data acquisition has been the goal, and still is, but we’ve gained another focus of data organization, which is a project of its own. That continues to prove we have the right forward thinking brains in our operation.”

What will the feeling of team comradery be having approximately 350 guests from Stewart-Haas Racing supporting TSR at Charlotte?

“For many, it will feel like meeting your half siblings for the first time. I feel there of course will be an extended will to perform well, but no degree of pressure none of us haven’t been under. The cool part is that these guests are racers too and know how difficult wins are to get at any level, so the respect factor over expectations is what really puts the ‘home’ in the homecoming race.”

Matt Hagan, Driver of the Shelor Motor Mile Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car

Having advanced to the finals in four out of the first five NHRA events in 2022, what’s the confidence level of you and the Shelor Motor Mile crew going into Charlotte?

“Rolling into the Four-Wide race at Charlotte is always chaotic. Coming off our win in Houston, we are carrying a lot of momentum this year. We’ve advanced to the finals in four out of the first five events to start the season. That momentum is really hard to get in a Funny car. The consistency comes from our guys on the team and what they do every day putting the parts and pieces together. I want everyone to realize how it’s about our guys, not me as a driver. It’s about Dickie (Venables, crew chief), Mike Knudson (co-crew chief), Alex Conaway (car chief) and everyone that works on the car. Consistency is key and without them doing what they do, we can’t do anything. We have a team we can go out there and win a championship with. We’re making a statement and we’re here to win. Everyone is working hard and we’re ready to win more races.”

What will the feeling of team comradery be having approximately 350 guests from Stewart-Haas Racing supporting TSR at Charlotte?

“It will be awesome to have almost 350 Stewart-Haas Racing guests at the track. It is extremely cool. I’m really excited to meet all of the guys and gals that support what Tony (Stewart) does. It’ll be neat for them to see an NHRA event and all that goes into it.”

What does it mean to have Shelor Motor Mile on your Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car Charlotte?

“It’s really important to me to run my family’s Shelor Motor Mile scheme. It’s my family’s business and we have over 900 employees. We’re going to bring quite a few of them to the race this weekend, so there will be a lot going on. I would love nothing more than to get my dad a win with his new logo and paint scheme on my Funny Car. To be able to bring the trophy back to him would mean a lot. Charlotte is considered my home track because it’s only two hours from my house. Everyone comes out, so I’m sure we’ll sell a lot of Matt Hagan shirts this weekend. It’ll be people on top of people, but I love it and thrive in it. The more the merrier. I love our fan base and everyone that supports us. We’ll have everyone out there that’s supported me from short tracks, all the way up to winning a championship.”

TeamSLR Cruises Up the West Coast to Sonoma Raceway

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Mosack, Wood Conclude Back-To-Back California Swing That Began at Laguna Seca

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (April 27, 2022) – Just a weekend removed from Round 4 of the 2022 Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca near Monterey, California, TeamSLR heads three hours up the coast for Round 5 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. The scenic 2.52-mile, 12-turn road course located in the heart of Wine Country has a strong history with the series that dates back to 1969.

TeamSLR will be fielding two competitors for Sunday’s 40-lap, 75-minute TA2-class race – fulltime driver Connor Mosack behind the wheel of the No. 28 High Point University/Nic Tailor Custom Fit Underwear/Interstate Foam & Supply Ford Mustang, and Jack Wood, a Northern California native and a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular who will pilot the No. 27 Velocity Racing/SLR/M1Racecars Chevrolet Camaro this weekend.

The 22-year-old Mosack, who hails from Charlotte, North Carolina, raced at Sonoma last year when the event was part of the non-points ProAm Challenge series. He started and finished second in the TA2 race behind fellow TeamSLR driver Sam Mayer.

Wood, a 21-year-old from Loomis, California, just outside Sacramento, will be making his third start of the season with TeamSLR. The fulltime driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado for GMS Racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competed at Laguna Seca last weekend, climbing into the top-10 early in the race before a mechanical issue brought an early end to his race day. Wood has raced previously at Sonoma in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, earning a 16th-place finish in the June 2019 event.

Connor Mosack, Driver, No. 28 High Point University/Nic Tailor Custom Fit Underwear/Interstate Foam & Supply/TeamSLR/M1 Racecars Ford Mustang:

After last year’s second-place finish in the ProAm Challenge at Sonoma, what will it take to go one better with points on the line this year?

“I think we’ll have a leg up on the competition setup-wise going into the weekend since we got to race there last year. To secure a win, we’ll have to qualify well because it’s tough to pass, and avoid making mistakes in the race.”

One third of the way through the season, how would you assess your position in the championship?

“We’ve gotten ourselves behind on points early this year with the engine failure at Sebring and the crash at Atlanta. Fortunately, we have the speed to work our way back to the top, but we really can’t afford any more DNFs (Did Not Finish).”

Jack Wood, Driver, No. 27 Velocity Racing/TeamSLR/M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro:

After seeing your race day at Laguna Seca come to a premature end last weekend because of a mechanical issue, does that make you even more determined to get a solid result even closer to home at Sonoma?

“I think it definitely fires the whole team up. We’ve proved multiple times, now, that we have speed. We just need a little luck to go our way and finish off a race strong.”

Sonoma will mark your third Trans Am race this season. What areas do you aim to improve on this weekend?

“I think over the past two races, we’ve found all the pieces. Now, we just need to put them all together in one race and make it happen. I look forward to having a solid race at Sonoma, and also using it to get ready for my Truck Series race there later in June.”

About TeamSLR:

TeamSLR competes fulltime in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli in a multifaceted effort that includes dedicated entries in the TA2 division, customer programs, driver coaching and car construction. Its history dates back to 1985 and covers a wide spectrum of motorsports, including NASCAR, IMSA, SCCA, ARCA and ASA. TeamSLR is a family-owned organization run by Scott Lagasse Sr., and Scott Lagasse Jr., The father-and-son duo have combined to win more than 100 races and seven championships across a variety of series and styles of racecars, from paved ovals to road courses to dirt tracks. For more information, please visit us online at www.TeamSLR.com, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram and on LinkedIn.

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