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Greg Van Alst and Team Upbeat Ahead of Talladega ARCA Rematch

By
Official Release
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TALLADEGA, Ala.: Nestled in his new race shop a few feet from his home in central Indiana, Greg Van Alst and his Greg Van Alst Motorsports team have been readily preparing for Saturday afternoon’s General Tire 200 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

Amid dealing with the eccentric weather of spring showers and winter blizzards since competing in his most recent ARCA Menards Series race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway, Van Alst is ready to escape the wild weather of the Midwest and head to Alabama and focus on trying to earn his first career ARCA Menards Series in just his second start at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.

“I’m excited to get back into the speedway car this weekend,” said Van Alst. “We did not get a chance to show what we were really capable of at Daytona in February.”

And it’s not just Daytona where Van Alst wasn’t able to showcase what his family-owned team was capable of.

Last April at the Southern Alabama race track, Van Alst felt like he was in a prime position to make a move for the lead but was spun by another competitor that abruptly ended his chances of a superspeedway upset.

Returning to Talladega a year later, Van Alst feels his superspeedway program is even better than it was in 2021 and is eager to continue to showcase that in the third ARCA Menards Series race of the year.
“I think we will be even better,” explained Van Alst of his superspeedway equipment. “We keep getting wrecked and every time we do, we repair it to be better than it was before. Without qualifying and the field set by owner points, we are likely forced to start mid-pack.

“No matter what though, I think we will have our work cut out for us. But, if we can find a good drafting partner we will make our way to the front and be in contention for the win.”

No matter where the Anderson, Ind. native starts on Saturday afternoon, should the veteran pull off his first career ARCA win in his 14th career start, the hard work over the past year and a half will have come full circle.

“It would mean everything to win,” sounded Van Alst. “It would prove that we deserve to be at this level and that we can compete against the best in the business from our own backyard shop. Winning is the reason we are here.

“We were one position away from doing it last summer at Winchester and Talladega provides another opportunity for us to try again.”

With finishes of 22nd and 36th respectively in the opening two races of the ARCA season, Van Alst is also looking to Talladega to pull his team from a disappointing start where circumstances outside of the driver’s control have dictated less than ideal finishes.

A win would undeniably turn the team’s world upside down for the right reasons, but if a win isn’t in the cards this weekend, a top-10 would be more than welcomed as the team hopes to run the full 20-race schedule in 2022.

“We are just plugging along the best we can,” Van Alst offered. “Both years I won championships in Late Models started out in a similar fashion. We are not going to give up.

“All we can do is continue to prep for each race the best that we know-how and continue to try to bring the fastest pieces that we can and hope that our luck will turn around.”

Chris Barkdull’s CB Fabricating, a longtime partner with Greg Van Alst Motorsports has boosted its commitment to the team and will continue its role as the primary marketing partner of Van Alst’s No. 35 Chevrolet.

Headquartered in Anderson, Ind., CB Fabricating offers a complete list of fabricating from design, laser cutting, CNC punching, forming, welding, powder coating, and assembly.

Their 26,000-square-foot facility allows them to service the needs of many different industries. Everything from the Automotive, agricultural, aquatic, medical, transportation, electrical enclosures, and much more.

“Chris enjoys competing at tracks like Daytona and Talladega just as much as I do – if not more,” Van Alst sounded. “Talladega is a pinnacle race for our small team and I’m thankful to have the support of Chris and CB Fabricating.”

In addition to CB Fabricating, Top Choice Fence, Norton Transport, KRJ Race Products and Lintz Creative will serve as associate marketing partners for Van Alst’s 14th career ARCA start.

For more on Greg Van Alst and Greg Van Alst Motorsports, please visit GregVanAlst.com, like them on Facebook (Van Alst Motorsports) and follow him on Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).

For more on CB Fabricating, please visit CBFabricating.com and like them on Facebook (CB Fabricating).

The General Tire 200 (76 laps | 200 miles) is the third of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Group practice begins on Fri. April 22 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The series won’t host qualifying, setting the field by 2021 ARCA car owner standings. The 60th ARCA from Talladega is set to take the green flag on Saturday, April 23 shortly after 12:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).

Gus Dean Hunts Second ARCA Talladega Triumph with Venturini Motorsports

By
Official Release
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TALLADEGA, Ala.: Gus Dean is hunting in Saturday afternoon’s General Tire 200 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

The Bluffton, S.C. native is trophy hunting that is as the Venturini Motorsports driver returns to the 2.66-mile superspeedway for the first time in ARCA competition in two years looking to rekindle the magic he showcased in 2016 when he scored his first career ARCA Menards Series victory in an upset victory in just his second series start.

A lot has transpired for Dean since that defining moment in his career nearly six years ago, but the feelings and the emotions of his Talladega triumph feel as if the win was yesterday.

“I’m super excited to get back to Talladega Superspeedway,” said Dean. “It’s one of my favorite race tracks on this earth. It’s very special to me and my family and I’d like nothing more than to do that again with Venturini Motorsports on Saturday.”

The third ARCA Menards Series race of the season will mark Dean’s second race with the potent Venturini Motorsports and with a top-five finish in their debut together two months ago at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Dean is looking to build on that momentum in his sixth trip to the famed-Alabama facility.

“I can’t thank Venturini Motorsports enough for everything they are doing,” explained Dean. “As we mentioned before Daytona, we have been trying to work together for a couple of years and I’m glad that the stars finally aligned.

“Daytona was good. It was nice to finish my first ever race there. The Venturini Motorsports team brought me a race-winning No. 55 Dean Custom Air Toyota Camry, but we were run over by another car under the yellow and it caused some damage and we had to pit and rally from the back.

“We were able to fight back to inside the top-five on the last lap, but just ran out of laps. Hopefully, we can have a mistake-free day on Saturday and return to Victory Lane.”

Talladega has proven to be one of Dean’s best race tracks in ARCA competition. In five starts, he has one win, three top-10s and five top-16 finishes. With an average finish of 8.8, the Late Model standout is eager to approve that statistic in his second ARCA start of the season.

“I’ve always run well at Talladega and I hope that trend continues this weekend,” added Dean. “I had a really good car the last time I competed in 2020 but unfortunately had an electrical issue and it doomed our chances of a victory.

“We’re bringing the same No. 55 Dean Custom Air Toyota Camry that we raced at Daytona and I know what that car is capable of and I just look forward to a fun 76 laps of working with my teammates and getting my first win of the season.”

With just practice on deck and his starting position set by 2021 owner points, Dean knows he does not have the best starting position, but he also knows he’ll have a car capable of getting him to the front.

“Patience is going to be super important on Saturday, especially at the start of the race,” Dean explained. “There are some really good cars starting mid-pack or towards the rear of the field and it’s going to take some patience and just using our heads to negotiate the traffic and then setting yourself up after the modified pit stop.

“Our Venturini Motorsports cars ran well together at Daytona in February and I’d know we can do it again, so I’ll try to get to the front as quickly and safely as possible and hope that we can settle it amongst ourselves for the win. We will just see what happens.”

In addition to Talladega, Dean will return to ARCA competition with Venturini Motorsports at Michigan International Speedway in August.

The 27-year-old South Carolinian is poised to have a busy 2022 season between ARCA, Late Models, Mud Truck Racing and a hopeful sporadic appearance or two in one of NASCAR’s National Series.

“With no championship on the line for me this season, it’s about having fun,” sounded Dean. “Whether that’s competing with Venturini Motorsports in ARCA, DLP Motorsports in Late Model competition or the other racing endeavors we have planned for this season. Of course, the urge to still compete full-time is there, but it takes marketing partners and a lot of financial commitment to make it happen.

“Until we can hopefully put ourselves back into that position again, we’ll take the path that has been laid out before me and make the most of it.”

In addition to Dean Custom Air, Folds of Honor, IMPACT, Kick Industries, TOSOT and WileyX will serve
as associate marketing partners for Dean’s 57th career ARCA start.

For more on Gus Dean, please visit GusDean.com, like him on Facebook (Gus Dean Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@GusDean) and Twitter (@GusDean).

The General Tire 200 (76 laps | 200 miles) is the third of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Group practice begins on Fri. April 22 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The series won’t host qualifying, setting the field by 2021 ARCA car owner standings. The 60th ARCA from Talladega is set to take the green flag on Saturday, April 23 shortly after 12:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).

Dixon Tops 227 To Pace First Day of Indy 500 Open Test

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, April 20, 2022) – Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon led the first day of the Indianapolis 500 Open Test on Wednesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as drivers and teams began preparation for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

Dixon’s best lap was 227.187 mph in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, aided by an aerodynamic tow on the 2.5-mile oval.

The session started 90 minutes late due to morning rain. Testing ended approximately 30 minutes early as a precaution so INDYCAR and IMS officials could inspect the acceleration lane inside Turns 1 and 2 after three drivers spun while exiting that lane during the day, with two of the incidents happening in the last 20 minutes of running.

Cool air temperatures ranging from the mid-50s to low 60s kept speeds high and drivers on their toes as most ran in aerodynamic packs. There were three sessions, with the opening two hours for veteran drivers, followed by a two-hour session for rookies and veteran refresher tests and then an open track for all competitors.

“I think the conditions are always pretty ideal when you run this time of year,” Dixon said. “The car feels really good. A lot of it depends on track placement and how much confidence you have in the car, how big a tow you can get. I guess we lucked out on that today.

“We still have a bit of a test. We didn’t get through too much of it because the session was kind of fragmented, then obviously finishing early. Still a lot of work to do I think for the tomorrow. Maybe we’ll get a bit of a time extension tomorrow depending on conditions. All in all, I think all the drivers were really confident with how the day went and how the cars felt. But I think that’s maybe across the board because of conditions.”

Conor Daly was second fastest overall at 226.985 in the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet. Callum Ilott was the fastest of the seven Indianapolis 500 rookies, third overall at 226.308 in the No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet.

Santino Ferrucci was fourth at 226.182 in the No. 23 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet, while Marcus Ericsson rounded out the top five at 225.341 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

The second day of testing will take place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (ET) Thursday for all drivers. Track action can be viewed live in the U.S. on Peacock Premium, NBC’s live streaming service. International fans can view the test on IndyCar Live!

The INDYCAR Radio Network will provide coverage for the all-cars sessions. The coverage will be on network affiliates, including racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

Global racing stars Romain Grosjean and Jimmie Johnson continued their journeys toward their first Indianapolis 500 starts, turning laps with the veteran drivers since both completed the Rookie Orientation Program during testing last fall at IMS. Formula One veteran Grosjean’s fastest lap was 223.253 in the No. 28 DHL Honda, while seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Johnson’s best lap was 222.255 in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

All five Indianapolis 500 rookies still needing to complete the Rookie Orientation Program – Kyle Kirkwood, Devlin DeFrancesco, David Malukas, Christian Lundgaard and Ilott – passed all three phases of the test today. Marco Andretti completed his refresher test, while two-time “500” winner Juan Pablo Montoya and Sage Karam will finish their refreshers Thursday.

Three drivers – all Indianapolis 500 winners – spun while either on or exiting the acceleration lane from the pits in Turns 1 and 2.

2016 winner Alexander Rossi was the first to suffer the mishap, avoiding wall contact on a spin in his No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS/AutoNation Honda moments after the track opened at 12:30 p.m. (ET).

Four-time and reigning Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves also spun in the same spot during the open practice, careening across the track and hitting the SAFER Barrier in Turn 2 at 5:11 p.m. (ET). Castroneves was unhurt, but his Indy 500-winning No. 06 AutoNation/Sirius XM Honda suffered significant front, right-side and floor damage.

“I didn’t feel anything strange, anything bottoming, I wasn’t pushing,” Castroneves said. “And the rear just spun out. I was trying to control it, making sure I didn’t crash, and it was a very odd situation. Unfortunately, we couldn’t avoid that. It was very unusual.”

Just 21 minutes later, 2018 “500” winner Will Power spun in his No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet in the Turn 1 warmup lane and veered toward on-track traffic. He barely kept his car from entering the oval, and Colton Herta was forced to run above the racing line in Turn 1 to avoid Power, also spinning, nudging the SAFER Barrier in Turn 1 and shearing the attenuator from the rear of his No. 26 Gainbridge Honda. Power and Herta both were unhurt.

Ericsson could have been awarded the unofficial driver of the day award after he deftly darted around the spinning cars of Castroneves and Herta in separate incidents, barely evading a major incident.

“He was going left and right and wasn’t sure, and my brakes weren’t quite locked up yet, so it wasn’t clear which direction I was going,” Herta said Ericsson’s evasion of his spin. “Then I locked them up, and luckily he’s a heads-up driver and got out of the way.”

The 106th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 29 at IMS.

Sainz inks two-year F1 contract extension with Ferrari

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Mario Renzi/Formula 1.

Scuderia Ferrari announced that Carlos Sainz Jr. has inked a two-year contract extension to continue to drive for the championship-winning organization through the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship season.

The news comes as the 27-year-old Sainz from Madrid, Spain, is off to a strong start in his second season with Ferrari, where he has notched two podiums during the first three F1 events this season: a runner-up result at Bahrain and a third-place finish at Saudi Arabia in March. He is currently ranked in third place in the drivers’ standings.

“I am very happy to have renewed my contract with Scuderia Ferrari, Sainz said. “I have always said that there is no better Formula 1 team to race for and after over a year with them, I can confirm that putting on this race suit and representing this team is unique and incomparable. My first season at Maranello was solid and constructive, with the whole group progressing together. The result of all that work has been clear to see so far season.”

Sainz is currently campaigning in his eighth full-time season in Formula One that includes previous season starts with Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren prior to Ferrari. During his first season with Ferrari in 2021, he notched a career-best runner-up result during the Monaco Grand Prix in May, a total of four podiums and 20 top-10 points-paying results as he finished in a career-best fifth place in the final standings.

Through 143 career starts in Formula One, Sainz has achieved a total of eight podiums, 570 points and an average-finishing result of 10.3.

“I feel strengthened by this renewed show of confidence in me and now I can’t wait to get in the car, to do my best for Ferrari and to give its fans plenty to cheer about,” Sainz added. “The F1-75 is proving to be a front-runner, which can allow me to chase my goals on track, starting with taking my first Formula 1 win.”

The decision for Ferrari to retain Sainz means that he will remain as a teammate to Charles Leclerc, the current championship leader who has won two of the first three events this season at Bahrain and Australia. Leclerc is currently competing with a Ferrari contract that also runs through 2024.

“I have said several times that I believe we have the best driver pairing in Formula 1 and so, with every passing race, it seemed a completely natural step to extend Carlos’ contract, thus ensuring stability and continuity,” Mattia Binotto, Team Principal & Managing Director of Ferrari, said. “In his time so far with the team, he has proved to have the talent we expected from him, delivering impressive results and making the most of all opportunities. Outside the car, he is a hard worker with an eye for the smallest detail, which has helped the whole group to improve and progress. Together, we can aim for ambitious targets and I’m sure that, along with Charles, he can play a significant part in fuelling the Ferrari legend and will write new chapters in the history of our team.”

With his new, extended contract official, Sainz is set to proceed towards his quests of winning his maiden Grand Prix event and World Championship title by competing at Imola Circuit on Sunday, April 24, for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Weekend schedule for Talladega

By
Angie Campbell
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During the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2021 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

The NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series travel to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. The ARCA Menards Series will also complete Saturday afternoon in the General Tire 250.

The Camping World Truck Series will have some time off but will return to compete on May 6 at Darlington Raceway.

Brad Keselowski leads all Cup Series active drivers with six wins at the 2.66-mile track and is the defending race winner.

The Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash program continues with AJ Allmendinger, Landon Cassill, Brandon Jones and Austin Hill eligible to contend for the $100,000 bonus.

Friday, April 22

4 p.m.: ARCA practice – Groups (Impound)
No TV

5:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying (Impound) (Single Vehicle/1 Lap/2 Rounds)
FS1/MRN/SiriusXM

Saturday, April 23
11 a.m.: Cup Series Qualifying (Impound) (Single Vehicle/1 Lap/2 Rounds)
FS1/MRN/ SiriusXM

1 p.m: ARCA General Tire 250 – 202.16 miles (76 Laps)
FS1/MRN

4 p.m.: Xfinity Ag-Pro 300
Stages 25/50/113 Laps = 300.58 Miles
FOX/MRN/SiriusXM
The Purse: $1,475,583

Sunday, April 24

3 p.m.: Cup Series GEICO 500
Stages 60/120/188 Laps = 500 Miles
FOX/MRN/SiriusXM
The Purse: $7,420,008

Active Race Winners (10)WinsSeasons
Brad Keselowski62021, 2017, 2016. 2014, 2012, 2009
Joey Logano32018, 2016, 2015
Ryan Blaney22020, 2019
Denny Hamlin22020, 2014
Bubba Wallace12021
Chase Elliott12019
Aric Almirola12018
Ricky Stenhouse Jr12017
Kevin Harvick12010
Kyle Busch12008

Tony Stewart Racing: Houston Advance for the 35th NHRA SpringNationals

By
Official Release
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Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan
Dodge Power Brokers Top Fuel & Funny Car Drivers
35th NHRA SpringNationals
April 22-24 | Baytown, Texas

Event Overview

Friday, April 22 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 7 p.m. CDT/8 p.m. EDT

Saturday, April 23 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 2 p.m. CDT/3 p.m. EDT
● Nitro qualifying session (Q3): 5:15 p.m. CDT/6:15 p.m. EDT

Sunday, April 24 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Round 1: 11 a.m. CDT/12 p.m. EDT
● Round 2: 1 p.m. CDT/2 p.m. EDT
● Semi-Finals: 2:35 p.m. CDT/3:35 p.m. EDT
● Finals: 4:10 p.m. CDT/5:10 p.m. EDT

TV coverage on FS1

● Friday, April 22: Qualifying show (6 p.m. CDT/7 p.m. EDT)
● Sunday, April 24: Qualifying show, recapping all of Saturday’s action (9:30 a.m. CDT/10:30 a.m. EDT)
● Sunday, April 24: Finals show (6:30 p.m. CDT/7:30 p.m. EDT)

Notes of Interest

● The NHRA SpringNationals at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, is the fifth 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’s runner-up finish in the series’ prior event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway put him atop the Funny Car point standings in just his fourth start with TSR.

● Dodge Power Brokers and Direct Connection return to Pruett’s Top Fuel dragster and Hagan’s Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car this weekend in Houston. 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 SpringNationals will mark Pruett’s 176th career Top Fuel start and her ninth at Houston. For Hagan, the SpringNationals will be his 298th career Funny Car start and his 14th at Houston.

● Pruett is looking for her second victory at the SpringNationals. Her first win came in 2017 when Pruett’s run of 3.781 ET at 321.96 mph defeated Steve Torrence (3.787 at 322.11 mph). She has one No. 1 qualifier at Houston, which came in 2018 with a run of 3.680 ET at 326.00 mph and set a new track record.

● Hagan has one career SpringNationals win, which came in 2010. It marked his first career win and it came in his 31st start. His run of 4.390 ET at 247.57 mph defeated Jeff Arend (4.714 ET at 231.20 mph). Hagan has one additional final round appearance at Houston – 2019 when he was defeated by Robert Hight. Hagan is seeking his first No. 1 qualifier at Houston.

● The SpringNationals will be a homecoming for Hagan’s crew chief, Dickie Venables. Venables is a Houston native who grew up in Space City and started racing there with his dad. Hagan will run a special decal to honor Dickie’s father, Richard “Dick” Venables, who passed away on Dec. 29, 2021. In 1960, Dick went to work as an automotive technician for Taylor Exploration. In 1962, he purchased the shop and started Southwest Brake & Wheel Alignment Service. He retired in 2006 after 44 years in business. He had a passion for drag racing, and although it was just a hobby that he and his friends enjoyed, he was a pioneer in the sport. He paved the way for his son Dickie to make a career in the NHRA for the last 40 years. After Dick passed away, his family suggested The Tony Stewart Foundation for those who wished to make a donation in Dick’s name. The mission of the Tony Stewart Foundation is to provide grant funding to well-qualified organizations serving children who are critically ill or physically disabled; animals at-risk or endangered; and drivers injured in the sport of motor racing.

● DYK? The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series will make its 35th and final appearance at Houston Raceway Park when the final pass is made on Sunday of the SpringNationals. Known for its sea-level location along Trinity Bay that creates a race-perfect, oxygen-rich environment, Houston Raceway Park hosted its first national event in 1988. And while the track has seen plenty of straight-line action in the years since, it will succumb to the expansion of Katoen Natie, the Antwerp, Belgium-based international logistics service provider and port operator. The company already has 5 million square-feet of warehouse space adjacent to the facility, but the company is expanding its footprint for receiving, storing and distributing petrochemicals and consumer goods, as well as housing its process engineering and other business units, and that expansion comes at the expense of Houston Raceway Park.

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

With 2022 marking the final appearance for the NHRA at Houston Raceway Park after 35 years, what is your favorite memory from the historic track?

“My favorite memory from Houston has got to be my Top Fuel win in 2017. We beat Steve Torrence, who is now the reigning world champ, in the final on a super-close race. It was on a day where I was at the top of my game and in a groove with that team, and I feel we are at that same level with this new team. This track just exudes memorable experiences – from a semifinal finish in Top Fuel in 2016 at a race I untraditionally attended, with an absent team owner, to No. 1 qualifier in 2018, and heading to Baytown midweek between races for the top-secret, late-night Dodge Demon development test sessions. So many cool personal memories. I’d like to top it off with our first Top Fuel win for Tony Stewart Racing.”

After six full, strong runs at the Four-Wide Nationals in the series’ last event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, what’s the mindset for you and the Dodge Power Brokers team going into Houston?

“It has given us confidence, but some good runs off the trailer will give us even more confidence, with a capital ‘C’. Neal (Strausbaugh, crew chief) and Mike (Domagala, co-crew chief) have a very healthy running engine program and I’m proud of all the hard work my crew is putting in.”

With a day of testing at Las Vegas after the Four-Wide Nationals, did the team gain valuable information it can apply to this weekend’s race at Houston?

“We have an even better understanding of our supercharger inventory after testing, which is imperative with these high-horsepower conditions. Knowing what we have to work with power-wise has been the goal of ‘just needing more laps’. We’re getting there and our confidence is growing.”

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

With 2022 marking the final appearance for the NHRA at Houston Raceway Park after 35 years, what is your favorite memory from the historic track?

“Houston will always have a special place in my heart since it’s where I got my first NHRA win. I got in on a peddle job and won the race on a peddle job. As a driver, it was really special for me because a lot of it was up to me that day to win the race. It was against Jeff Arend and I blew the tires off – left and right and sideways. It was pretty crazy. Obviously, I was still learning how to drive a racecar then. It’s neat to make those memories and reflect back on them. I know this last race at Houston Raceway Park will be special, as well.”

Since gaining the points lead with your runner-up finish in the series’ last event at the Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, what’s the mindset for you and the Dodge Power Brokers team going into Houston?

“Coming off the points lead, three final-round appearances and a win, we have a lot of good momentum going and are in a good headspace. We have a good vibe going. Working for Tony (Stewart) has been great. He is an awesome guy that’s laid back. I can’t wait to get to Houston for the last race there and hopefully pull a win out of it.”

With a day of testing at Las Vegas after the Four-Wide Nationals, did the team gain valuable information it can apply to this weekend’s race at Houston?

“It was nice to get some testing in the Monday after Las Vegas and try some new things. Overall, our team is working hard behind the scenes to try and stay on top. We’re going to go out there and prove why we’re supposed to be here. I feel good about my driving, my lights, and the car that Dickie (Venables, crew chief) is putting together. We have a great team and we’re having fun with what we’re doing.”

What will it mean to honor Dickie Venables’ father, Dick Venables, with a special decal at Houston?

“Dickie and his dad are so special to me. Dickie grew up around drag racing with his dad and I was able to meet Dick several times. In Houston, they would always barbeque and bring ribs over for the team. Dickie’s dad was a super cool guy. I can see why Dickie got into drag racing because his dad loved it so much. Dickie and I sat down at the start of the year. We dedicated this whole season to his dad, not just one race win. We’re hoping we can get him a championship, but either way, we’ll be honoring him. Dick instilled some great qualities into Dickie and they show every weekend on the racetrack. It’s a special race weekend because Dickie is going to have a lot of family at the race. With me getting my first race win at Houston, it would be special to get another win at our final race there to honor Dick.”

Roush Fenway Keselowski Weekly Advance | Talladega I

By
Official Release
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RFK Racing takes its successful Superspeedway program to Alabama this weekend for the first of two trips to Talladega Superspeedway, where Jack Roush has eight wins all-time, including five in the Cup Series.

NASCAR Cup Series Race at Talladega
Sunday, April 24 | 3 p.m. ET
FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

· Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Castrol Carbon Neutral Ford Mustang
· Chris Buescher, No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang

Recently at Dega

RFK has led laps in eight of the last 11 races at Talladega with five top-10s in that span. Buescher is coming off a sixth-place run last fall, one of his two top-10s at the track, while Keselowski is the winningest active driver at Talladega with six victories, tied for second on the all-time list with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon.

Photo Finish at the Line

It came down to the final few inches for Newman two years ago in the fall race, as he finished second behind Ryan Blaney by .007 seconds, the sixth-closest finish in NASCAR history. Newman lined up fifth on the inside line for the final restart with three laps to go. After a four-car group went single-file coming to the white flag, Newman took the lead and led coming out of turn four and through the tri-oval before Blaney snuck to his inside just before the start/finish line. It was a long 188 laps for the entire field as rain set in after 57 laps were completed, postponing the finish to Monday afternoon.

Running Clear Across Alabama

RFK has seen its fair share of success at the Alabama track, amassing 277 starts, eight wins, 44 top-fives and 95 top-10s across NASCAR’s three major touring series. Roush machines have also tallied seven poles, including three in cup action, and have led more than 1500 laps.

Winning in Greenbow

RFK has won in all three of NASCAR’s major series at Talladega. The team won its first race at Talladega in the NCS event in the spring of 1995. Former RFK driver Mark Martin won for the organization in all three series at the 2.66-mile oval.

Most recently, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. piloted his Fifth Third Bank Ford to victory lane four years ago when the NCS rolled through Talladega for the organization’s eighth win at the historic track.

Fastest Chicken in the South

Former RFK driver Mark Martin won the fastest Cup race ever recorded on May 10, 1997 at Talladega piloting the No. 6 Ford. Martin, who held off NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt, started from the 18th position and led 47 laps en route to the victory. The race saw 26 lead changes and had an average speed of 188.354 mph.

Tale of the Tape

RFK has started 218 NCS races at Talladega with 78 top-10 and 37 top-five finishes along with three poles. Former drivers Mark Martin (1995, 1997), Jamie McMurray (2009), Matt Kenseth (2012) and Stenhouse are responsible for RFK’s combined five Cup wins and overall a Jack Roush Ford has led 1519 laps at the 2.66-mile track.

RFK Talladega Wins

1995-1 Martin Cup

1997-1 Martin Cup

1997 Martin NXS

2006 Martin Truck

2009 Ragan NXS

2009-2 McMurray Cup

2012-2 Kenseth Cup

2017-1 Stenhouse Cup

Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Talladega

By
Official Release
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Talladega Superspeedway
Sunday, April 24, 2022
2.66-Mile Tri-Oval
3:00 PM ET
Location: Talladega, Alabama
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (10 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: 9th

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

MOVING ON UP: Sunday night on the dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson won stage one and led 27 laps en route a fourth-place finish. The driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 moved up four positions in the point standings to ninth and now trails leader and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott by 75 markers.

TOP FIVE FOR NO. 5: The Bristol result marked the fourth top-five finish of the season for Larson. The Elk Grove, California, native is tied with Ryan Blaney and teammate William Byron for second in that statistical category, trailing only Ross Chastain who has five finishes this season in the top five. Along with that fourth-place finish, Larson has a victory at Auto Club Speedway, a runner-up finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and a fifth-place result at Richmond Raceway.

’BAMA BOUND: In 14 starts at Talladega Superspeedway, Larson has two top-10 finishes. He posted a ninth-place result in his first race at the Alabama track in 2014 while his best finish of sixth occurred in October 2016.

POLE PLANS: At the most recent superspeedway event, Larson grabbed the pole for the season-opening DAYTONA 500 in February. The pole position marked the ninth in the last 14 superspeedway races with qualifying for Hendrick Motorsports.

PLAYING IN DIRT: On Friday and Saturday, Larson is scheduled to participate in the Florida Dirt Nationals at All-Tech Raceway in Lake City, Florida. HendrickCars.com will appear on Larson’s super late model, uniform, gloves and helmet.

HOME RACE: For the fourth time this season, Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com team will wear their “home” white uniforms at Talladega. Home races occur in markets where there are Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships nearby, and the Talladega area is home to three of them. Be sure to follow Hendrick Automotive Group’s social media channels and visit HendrickCars.com to view the complete home and away schedule.

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

NINE IN: Through nine races in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, Chase Elliott has collected one pole, one top-five finish and six top-10s – which are tied for the most in the series with Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch. His average finish of 10.89 leads the series and his 276 laps led are the third-most in the field.

FOLLOWING THE LEADER: Elliott continues to lead the Cup Series standings with a three-point edge over Blaney. Including a tie earlier in the season, this marks the fifth consecutive week the Dawsonville, Georgia, native has been atop the standings.

‘DEGA DOWNLOAD: On Sunday, Elliott is set to make his 13th Talladega Superspeedway start in the Cup Series. His win at the track in April 2019 was his first superspeedway win at the Cup level. In his previous 12 starts at the venue, the 26-year-old driver has earned the pole position twice – his first start in May 2016, making him the youngest driver to do so at the age of 20, and in October 2019. Elliott has garnered four top-five finishes and led 173 laps in his Cup career at the Alabama track.

LAST SEVEN: In his last seven superspeedway starts, Elliott has scored three top-five finishes – including two runner-up results – five top-10s and led 83 laps. His average finish of 9.86 during that span is best among drivers with more than two starts.

GUSTAFSON AT TALLADEGA: No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson will call his 35th Talladega Cup Series race from atop the pit box on Sunday afternoon. He collected his first points-paying superspeedway victory at the 2.66-mile track on April 28, 2019, with Elliott and the No. 9 team. In his other 33 events at the Alabama-located track, calling the shots for five different drivers (Elliott, Busch, Casey Mears, Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon), Gustafson’s teams posted eight top-five finishes, 10 top-10s, 276 laps led and six pole awards.

SUPERSPEEDWAY STRONG: Gustafson’s resume on superspeedways is impressive with two Daytona Duel victories (2017 and 2018) and a 2019 win at Talladega, all coming with Elliott behind the wheel. His 11 superspeedway poles are most among all active crew chiefs.

PIT ROAD POWER: The No. 9 team owns the third-best average time for four-tire pit stops at 11.902 seconds in 2022. 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 (rear) and Nick O’Dell (front).

NAPA IS BACK: NAPA AUTO PARTS, the Atlanta-based company that has been a primary partner of Elliott in all seven of his seasons at Hendrick Motorsports, will be on board the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend at Talladega. This will mark the ninth time they’ve served as the primary sponsor of the No. 9 team at this track.

24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 24 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 4th

No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media at the Talladega Superspeedway media center on Saturday, April 23, at 9 a.m. local time.

SEASON SO FAR: William Byron is off to his best start in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022 with two wins in the first nine races. He is the only multi-time Cup Series winner this season and it is the first time he has scored multiple wins in a Cup season. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native has four top-five finishes and four top-10s. His 482 laps led are the most by a driver so far and the most he has ever led in a season at the Cup level. Byron has a 14.44 finishing average – eighth-best among drivers – and has spent 1,261 laps running within the top five – the second-most by a driver in 2022. Not only has Byron accumulated twice as many playoff points as any other driver (12), but he has also collected the most points overall in the last seven races (281).

SUPER ON SUPERSPEEDWAYS: Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway will be Byron’s 18th superspeedway start in the Cup Series. In his previous 17 starts, Byron has scored one win (Daytona, August 2020), two runner-up finishes, four top-fives, and four top-10s with 149 laps led. In the last seven superspeedway races, Byron is one of three drivers (Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin are the others) who have scored top-five finishes in three races – tied for the second-most in the series over that stretch. Since the start of 2020, Byron ranks seventh for the most laps led on superspeedway tracks with 61.

TALLADEGA TELL-ALL: Byron will be making his ninth Cup Series start at the 2.66-mile oval when the No. 24 team hits the track Sunday. Byron’s top results at the Alabama-based venue came in October 2020 when he finished fourth and then he followed it up with his track-best second-place effort in April 2021.

DIGGIN’ DEGA: When the Cup Series heads to Talladega this weekend, it will mark Rudy Fugle’s third race at the venue as a crew chief in the top series. In his first Cup start, he helped Byron score his track-best finish of second after leading 12 laps. The duo was poised for another good run in the fall but was collected in two on-track incidents – the second of which ended their race. Aside from those two races, the Livonia, New York, native has eight starts at the sport’s biggest track under his belt (with seven in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series). In those starts, Fugle has accumulated three top-five finishes and five top-10s. One of those previous starts was in 2016 with Byron, where the duo started eighth and raced to a 10th-place result.

THROWIN’ IT BACK: Earlier this week, Axalta unveiled Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet for the throwback weekend held at Darlington Raceway next month. Paying tribute to Jeff Gordon, the paint scheme dons the familiar blue and red flames that Gordon raced during the 2007 season. Byron picked this scheme based on his earliest memories of the Hall of Fame driver. That season, Gordon tied and passed Dale Earnhardt on the all-time Cup Series win list and he also won the spring race at the South Carolina track. For a closer look at Byron’s throwback scheme, click here.

LIBERTY U IS BACK: For back-to-back weekends, Byron will climb behind the wheel of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, this time at Talladega Superspeedway. Featuring a white base with navy flames and red accents, the Liberty University No. 24 will be sure to stand out on track. Liberty University has a long history with Byron starting back in 2014 in the late model ranks. Liberty University has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty University is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in strategic communication, Byron is now in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. For a better look at Byron’s new Liberty University paint scheme, click here.

48 Alex Bowman
Age: 28 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 5th-Tied

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

PLAYING IN THE DIRT: Alex Bowman notched a sixth-place finish in Sunday’s dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 started the 250-lap event eighth after Saturday’s qualifying races. Bowman finished the first stage in sixth and the second stage in 25th after being involved in two on-track incidents. He ultimately bounced back to finish the race in sixth. His top-10 finish puts him in a tie for fifth place in the Cup Series point standings with Kyle Busch – 51 markers behind the leader and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott.

SCOREBOARD: Bowman has tallied the fourth-most points over the last seven races of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. He has collected 243 points from his one win (Las Vegas Motor Speedway), two top-five finishes, and five top-10s in that stretch. Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron (281) and Elliott (279) lead the way in that category with Ryan Blaney (251) just ahead of Bowman in third.

ABOVE AVERAGE: Through the first nine races of the 2022 Cup Series season, the Tucson, Arizona, native has the third-best average finish of all drivers at 11.33. Bowman trails only Elliott (10.9) and Blaney (11.2) in that stat.

DIGGING AT ‘DEGA: In 13 starts at Talladega Superspeedway heading into this Sunday’s race, Bowman has a runner-up result in April 2019, three top 10s (all in the spring event) and has led 46 circuits at the 2.66-mile venue.

BIRTHDAY BOY: Bowman will celebrate his 29th birthday on Monday, April 25. He has spent eight of those years racing in the Cup Series, taking home a trophy in seven races, all the wins coming with Hendrick Motorsports. To date, he has also notched 26 top-five finishes, 62 top-10s, and three pole positions in 234 Cup starts, completing 62,068 laps across all events and leading 1,091 of those circuits completed.

MORE DIRT: Bowman hit the dirt for Alex Bowman Racing in the No. 55 Ally sprint car in Bridgeport, New Jersey, on Tuesday and will make another stop in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, on Thursday before heading to the Alabama venue for the Cup Series event. Bowman is the only car fielded by ABR in both sprint car events this week.

SHOT CALLER: Crew chief Greg Ives has a storied career of success at superspeedways as a crew chief in the Cup Series. Through his 29 superspeedway starts in NASCAR’s premier level, Ives has tallied four pole positions (including the 2020 DAYTONA 500 pole with Bowman), two points-paying wins (Talladega and Daytona International Speedway in 2015 with Dale Earnhardt Jr.) and two victories in the Daytona Duel qualifying races (2015 and 2016 with Earnhardt Jr.). He also led Regan Smith to a NASCAR Xfinity Series win at Talladega in 2013.

THREE TIMES FOUR: Through the first nine-points paying events of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, Hendrick Motorsports has had at least three top-10 finishes in the same race four times. Two of those occurrences have come in the last three races: Richmond Raceway and the dirt event at Bristol Motor Speedway.

POLE POWER: In its history, Hendrick Motorsports has been very strong during qualifying on superspeedways. All four of its current drivers have won a superspeedway pole position in the last six races that held qualifying. The organization has earned 35 combined poles at the big tracks of Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway, which is equal to the second- and third-best teams combined.

THIRTEEN IN THE BANK: With 13 Cup Series points-paying wins at Talladega, Hendrick Motorsports has the most victories at NASCAR’s biggest track. The wins have come from seven drivers: Jeff Gordon (six), Jimmie Johnson (two), Brian Vickers, Chase Elliott, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ken Schrader, and Terry Labonte.

CROSSING 2,000: With three top-10 finishes Sunday on the dirt layout of Bristol Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports now has 2,002 top-10s, making it the first team in Cup Series history to eclipse the 2K mark in that statistical category. The organization holds the all-time record for top-10 finishes at the Cup level – over 600 more than anyone else.

NEARING 100,000: Since Hendrick Motorsports was founded in 1984, it has led a record 99,245.94 miles in points-paying Cup Series races. The team is less than 800 miles from hitting 100,000 led at NASCAR’s top level. Last season, Hendrick Motorsports led 5,662.77 miles. Through nine races in 2022, it has led 788.46 miles. At Talladega, the organization has led 7,799.12 miles.

RACKING UP THE WINS: Since the start of the 2021 season, Hendrick Motorsports has 21 points-paying wins. The mark is most among Cup Series teams in that span. During the same period, all other teams combined have posted 24 victories. Hendrick Motorsports is also the only team to have each of its drivers win multiple times since the start of last year.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how he is preparing for Talladega Superspeedway: “I’ve watched a lot of superspeedway races to see what I can do differently to be in contention at the end of stages and at the end of the race. I just never seem to be in a good position at the end – when I make it to the end. Hopefully, we can battle for stage points and have the HendrickCars.com Chevy near the front toward the end of the race.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on whether he provides superspeedway strategic advice during the race or leaves it to Larson: “A little bit of both. If I see things developing that I can communicate to him to help his decision making in the moment, then that’s 100% my responsibility to do so. But some decisions are just dependent on what he sees on track. My responsibility it to make a fast car that can suck up well, push well, get pushed well, and we need to execute well during pit stops. We need to maximize what we can control since we are limited on superspeedways of where to get an advantage.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at Talladega: “Talladega is one of those places where you just don’t know how your day is going to end up. I think that’s why driving smart and just doing what you can to make it to the checkered flag is the main focus. Your race can change so fast if you’re in the wrong lane or you get caught up in someone else’s mistake. I think if you can avoid those things and finish the race, you’re going to have a decent result.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on Talladega: “A majority of things from Daytona correlate to Talladega, and we didn’t feel like we were as good as we needed to be in Daytona. So we’re going try to take a few different philosophies to Talladega and see if that works. Really, for us, this race will be in the playoffs, so this is a good opportunity to try some things and figure out what you need to do to be where you want to be here in the fall.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his approach for racing at Talladega: “Talladega is quite a bit different than Daytona even though they are both superspeedways. Talladega is a lot wider with more room for racing, but the handling of your car isn’t as important there as it is at Daytona. This race is more about how well you can push someone and how well you can receive a push. You need speed, but you need to be able to work well with others to get good runs to make it to the front and stay there. My approach doesn’t change though. You still want to be conservative at times to make sure you’re there at the end of the race, but you also need to push it early on to know what your car is capable of to set yourself up in the best position in the end. We’ve always seemed to run well at Talladega. We just haven’t always had the results to show it, but that’s part of superspeedway racing.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the importance of Sunday’s race at Talladega: “We had a tough weekend on the dirt (at Bristol), but I’m proud of the effort the No. 24 team put in to keep getting us better as the weekend went on. We can put that race behind us now, though, especially since it’s not in the playoffs. I’m just ready to get to Talladega. This is a race that plays a factor in the playoffs, so it has a heavier importance in the notes we put together. Even though we only get one or two laps on track before the race, we do have some notes to work off of already. We’ll be running the same tire that we used in Daytona so that gives us a good starting point to build off.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his preparation for Talladega: “Talladega has been a place that we have had our struggles at. We ran second in 2019 and have been caught in someone else’s mess a couple of times. So this weekend, I hope that we can change our luck. We have had a couple of solid runs recently. That gives us confidence to go out there, be aggressive and try to get another win this year.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how the team’s consistency in 2022 will help them at Talladega: “I think any time you can put together a string of good runs together, it boosts your confidence. Being able to have a fast car to overcome the adversity we had at Bristol and take home a top-10 result is a testament to the hard work by this team and helps us carry momentum into the next weekend. Talladega is a place we have had fast cars as well, so that helps us as we get ready for race day.”

California Is Calling: Silver Hare Racing Laguna Seca Trans Am Advance

By
Official Release
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Connor Zilisch Joined by NASCAR Truck Series Regular Lawless Alan For Trans Am TA2 Round 4 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

HIGH POINT, N.C. (April 20, 2022) – The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli heads west for a pair of back-to-back events starting with Sunday’s Trans Am SpeedFest at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca near Monterey, California, and concluding just up the Pacific coast at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway with the Sonoma SpeedTour on May 1.

Silver Hare Racing is carrying a pair of its TA2 racing machines for the California swing, one for 15-year-old rising star Connor Zilisch, who’ll be making his fifth career Trans Am start and fourth of the season, the other for 22-year-old Southern Californian Lawless Alan, who’s a fulltime competitor in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2022 and is taking advantage of the Truck Series’ back-to-back off weekends.

Team owner Maurice Hull, who raced at this year’s opening round at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway and the most recent round at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga., scoring the top Masters finish at the latter, will once again step aside from his driving duties to focus his full attention on overseeing his two-car entry at Laguna Seca and Sonoma.

Zilisch, driver of the No. 57 Silver Hare Racing/KHI Management Chevrolet Camaro, continues to show great speed in the highly competitive TA2 class and his ability to learn racetracks with remarkable quickness. In the most recent TA2 round last March 26 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, he qualified third and was running with the leaders in the closing laps before crossing the finish line sixth. He was subsequently issued a 40-second penalty for contact deemed unavoidable in the early laps of the race.

Nonetheless, the 10th grader from Mooresville, North Carolina, remained true to the form he first displayed last fall in his Trans Am debut at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, where he became the youngest pole-winner in series history with a lap of 1:48.905. Last month, on his hometown Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval, Zilisch laid down the fastest practice and qualifying laps, as well as the fastest lap of the race.

As is quickly becoming the norm, Zilisch is expected to be one of the drivers to beat when 45 TA2 entries take to the 2.238-mile, 11-turn Laguna Seca road course for Sunday’s 45-lap, 75-minute race set for a 5 p.m. EDT start. It will be his first in-person look at the iconic hillside racetrack, but he’s confident his countless hours racing on it in the simulator will help him make short work of getting up to speed there in his Silver Hare Camaro.

Alan, a native of Van Nuys, California, will be making his competitive debut in Silver Hare equipment when he straps into the No. 25 AUTOParkIt racing machine this weekend. It will be his first Trans Am event since he drove the full 2019 season with Mike Cope Race Cars and earned TA2 Rookie of the Year honors with his fifth-place finish in the final driver standings. He qualified fourth and finished sixth at Laguna Seca that year for one of his nine top-10s in 13 races.

Zilisch and Alan, who first worked together in January at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway in a preseason Silver Hare Racing test, both competed two weekends ago in a World Racing League endurance event that featured twin eight-hour races Saturday and Sunday at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington. Zilisch drove a BSI Racing Mazda MX5 Cup car in the GP2 class and made an impressive run from 34th place to eighth in the early stages of the Saturday race, but one of his co-drivers was involved in a late-race accident that ended the team’s bid, and also kept it from competing in the Sunday race. Alan co-drove a BMW M4 GT4 entry for Hammer-Motorsports to top-10 finishes both days.

Silver Hare Racing leverages its Trans Am effort to promote its arrive-and-drive program, where aspiring racers and even tenured professionals hone their road-racing skills on some of the most revered tracks in North America. NASCAR Cup Series drivers Daniel Suárez, William Byron, Harrison Burton and Christopher Bell have all wheeled Silver Hare Racing-prepared cars to burnish their road-racing abilities. In addition to top-flight equipment, Silver Hare Racing offers professional driver coaching.

The team offers six, professionally built and maintained TA2 chassis from Howe Racing for both competition and private testing. Silver Hare Racing has a dedicated, fulltime crew and operates out of a state-of-the-art facility in High Point, North Carolina. At the track, two 53-foot Featherlite transporters serve as the team’s base, each outfitted with a lounge and smart TVs for data and video review, as well as for hospitality.

“With NASCAR having so many more road-course races, it’s our goal for Silver Hare Racing to be the preferred team for drivers to get that road-course experience,” said Laura Hull, team manager, Silver Hare Racing. “We want to be that important step in the ladder for the young, up-and-coming drivers like Connor, which we’re doing in collaboration with Kevin Harvick Incorporated.

“It started when they brought him to us for testing at VIR a year ago, and now we’re delighted to have him under contract. That’s how we’re trying to position this. We want people to know we have an arrive-and-drive program, where people who want to run this track or another, we provide the opportunity for them to do that and be successful.”

Connor Zilisch, driver No. 57 Silver Hare Racing/KHI Management:

“This will be my first time at Laguna Seca. I’ve driven it on the sim a bunch. I really enjoy driving it. Lots of elevation, and a driver’s track, for sure, so I’m looking forward to that. And being on a new track is always fun. I’ve heard a lot of good things about it, so I’m excited to get out there and get going.

“It races well (on the simulator). I always have fun whenever I’m racing it. For my friends and I, it’s always one of the tracks that we race at. The Corkscrew (turns seven and eight) is something a lot of people talk about. I’ve seen lots of pictures and videos of old races there and it’s something that’ll be really cool to do in real life.

“I’ve kept busy the last few weeks, coaching a lot. Two weekends ago I did my first endurance race with WRL at Mid-Ohio, which was really cool. We had some bad luck. We blew up a motor in practice, and in the final stint of Saturday’s race, my teammate got t-boned by a Porsche, which put a hole in the gas tank, so we didn’t to race on Sunday.

“The weekend before that, I got called on Tuesday to go race a shifter kart. So I flew down to NOLA (Motorsports Park in Avondale, Louisiana) and got to race a shifter kart for the first time ever, which was cool, as well – something new. Just trying new things, learning as fast as I can, and it was really good. We finished third out of 20 karts on Sunday. One of the guys in front of me was a European champion, world champion, factory driver. I was up to pace with him, but I’d get tired during the race because those things are physical, especially on that track. It was super technical and bumpy. But it was super cool, learning something new and racing against the people I was racing against.

“That WRL race taught me a lot about patience. Hopefully I can apply that this weekend. The 75 minutes we race in Trans Am is actually a lot of time compared to what I’ve been doing. Kart races are 15, 20 minutes. I know that Trans Am races aren’t going to be easy in the middle of the summer, so I’ve been working out and getting better. Hopefully some results can come our way.

“Lawless (Alan) and I met at Sebring when we tested earlier this year. We’ve been keeping in touch. He’s doing well in the Truck Series. It’ll be cool to have him with us this weekend. I’m looking forward to working with him.”

Lawless Alan, driver, No. 25 AUTOParkIt/Silver Hare Racing:

“I’ve run at Laguna Seca once in Trans Am in 2019. That was my first experience there. We were fast that weekend, just made a mistake that took us out of it. We finished (sixth), but it took us out of contention. It’s one of my favorite tracks I’ve raced at in real life, I’d say. It’s just really fun. It flows well, and it always helps when you’re fast there. I had a great time there. The Corkscrew is awesome. Not much else to say about it, other than that I like the flow and all the elevation changes.

“If your car is fast there, you can make opportunities to pass just by rolling more corner speed than somebody else and getting a run down the straight. And all you have to do is brake just a little bit deeper to force them off line and you pretty much have the pass made. It’s not as hard to pass as it might seem.

“I met Maurice (Hull) that year (2019). I was running for Mike Cope, and Maurice would come into our hauler all the time just to watch videos with us. So I’ve known them (Maurice and Laura Hull) since I’ve been running TA2, and this time we’re rolling with them. The cars are fast, which we learned at the test at Sebring, so I’m excited about this weekend.

“The (NASCAR) Trucks and the TA2 cars are so different, but I think it’ll be good racing in a series that I’ve raced in before at tracks that I’ve raced at before, and just being aggressive racing with the guys up at the front in TA2. And I’m hoping that’ll translate into confidence for me in the Truck Series, looking to take some of the speed and the confidence I get in TA2 to where we’re battling up at the front in the Truck Series.”

Maurice Hull, owner, Silver Hare Racing:

“I’m stepping out of the car these next two races to help give our full attention with our staff to support our two young drivers who are moving rapidly forward in their respective careers.

“We should be very fast at Laguna Seca. We spent all our time getting these two cars ready. The dedication of the crew at the shop was very narrowly focused on these two cars and we feel really good about them. We brought (NASCAR veteran) Gil Martin on board as our new director of competition and he’s been working very closely with Derick Jennings and Jeff Holley on our preparation and our game plan for what we’re bringing out West.

“Having the three weeks off since Road Atlanta gave us a lot of extra time to devote to the West Coast races and it’s been very helpful. It’s a long haul out there and back for the crew for these next two races. It’s an endurance test in itself. The goal will be keeping our cars clean and avoiding any problems on the track at Laguna because, if we happen to need to do any major work between the two races, it could put us in a bind.

“We’re running Lawless for the first time these next two races. He’s shown some real talent in the Truck Series. He’s had some great finishes in his first full year in the series. He was TA2 Rookie of the Year back in 2019, so he’s well acquainted in the Trans Am cars. With the additional experience he’s picked up since then in a variety of other series, I’m looking forward to seeing him run extremely well up front. He was quick when we tested down in Sebring earlier this year. If he’s learned anything, it’ll be demonstrated in the racing. It’s one thing to drive fast and another thing to race. It’s huge to be able to run fast and clean and finish well in the race.”

About Silver Hare Racing:

Silver Hare Racing is a fulltime competitor in the TA2 division of the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli. The multicar team has won the TA2 Masters class championship three times (2018, 2019 and 2020) with driver and team co-owner Maurice Hull. Under the leadership of Hull’s wife, co-owner and team manager Laura Hull, Silver Hare Racing provides a variety of services that includes private testing and arrive-and-drive programs. The team offers six, professionally built and maintained TA2 chassis from Howe Racing and operates from a state-of-the-art facility in High Point, North Carolina. For more information, please visit SilverHareRacing.com.

Ryan Huff Hopeful for Back-to-Back Top-10s at Talladega Superspeedway

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Official Release
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TALLADEGA, Ala.: On the heels of earning a quiet top-10 finish in the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February, Ryan Huff invades Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway determined to earn back-to-back top-10 finishes for the first time in his young ARCA career in Saturday afternoon’s General Tire 200.

The third ARCA event of the season will mark Huff’s fifth-career superspeedway start after competing in every superspeedway race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Talladega, respectively since the drop of the 2020 ARCA Menards Series season.

Two years later, the amount of experience and knowledge that Huff has digested has been priceless and armed with the same No. 36 H&H Excavation | Southeastern Services Ford Fusion he wheeled at the “World Center of Racing,” Huff hopes to inch closer to his first career top-five finish.

“Daytona feels like forever ago, so I’m just glad Talladega is finally here,” said Huff. “After our solid start to our ARCA season at Daytona, I’ve been eager to get to Talladega and see if we can get keep the momentum on our side.

“It’s not easy being a small family-owned team out here competing with some of the best of the best in the series, but I think we’ve surprised a few people with our effort and dedication and I believe as a team we are now more than ready to turn our top-10 finishes into top-five efforts.”

With just practice on deck for the teams and competitors on Friday afternoon, the lineup will be set per last year’s ARCA Menards Series owner points and with just two races under their belt because of the Coronavirus pandemic, Huff will start Saturday’s race from deep in the field.

Still, with time trials axed, Huff plans to utilize the one-hour practice session on Friday to make sure his No. 36 H&H Excavation | Southeastern Services Ford Fusion is dialed in to his liking.

“It’s important to make sure we still have the speed in our car from Daytona,” added Huff. “We’ve worked on this car a bunch since Daytona all with the intentions of making it better for this weekend. You just don’t know if all that hard work will pay off though until you get on the track and feel it out for yourself.

“Starting towards the back, I think our main focus on practice is just to make sure the car drafts well and we are able to suck up to that next car in a timely manner. I don’t expect us to run many laps in practice, just enough to make sure the car is OK and then we’ll cover her up until the race.”

As for the race goes, Huff admits their game plan is subject to change but they know in order to finish first, you must first finish.

“We’ll planning to take a conservative approach to the race on Saturday,” added Huff. “It’s important for us to get a good finish and look ahead at the rest of our 2022 season. I’ve learned a lot about how to drive at Talladega over the past two years, but I also learned that having the right drafting partners is part of having a successful race.

“Our goal is to make it to the first segment, see where we are at and then hopefully press the attack button from there.”

This weekend, Huff is excited to continue his relationship with Chris Monez – a veteran spotter in the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity and Truck Series. Monez came highly recommended by a member of his team in 2021.

“Chris has really been instrumental to my success lately in the ARCA Menards Series,” added Huff. “He has been very critical of me, but his guidance and advice is what has evaluated me as a driver and overall just made us a better team.

“With his continued direction, I feel I can only improve my craft on the superspeedways.”

The remainder of Huff’s 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule is still being pieced together, but the Williamsburg, Va. native hopes to have a larger presence in the series.

“We’re still ironing out the details, but we’re hoping to make Kansas our next race following Talladega,” Huff explained. “If everything goes good at Kansas, we’ll take on Charlotte, Pocono and other races during the season.

“We are working hard to be at the track as much as possible this summer and fall, but it’s an expensive sport and we are doing the best we can with the support we have.”

H&H Excavation, a company owned by Huff will serve as the primary partner this weekend at Talladega. In addition, Southeastern Services, Outback Steakhouse and Hawkeye Graphics will serve as associate marketing partners for Huff’s third ARCA start at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.

Since 2020, Huff has 10 ARCA Menards Series starts to his credit with a career-best finish of eighth at Kansas Speedway in July 2020. He earned his first career top-10 finish at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in June 2020. Huff has started a career-best 11th three times. Despite competing in just seven races in 2020, Huff finished 14th in the championship standings.

For more on Ryan Huff, follow him on Twitter (@driverRyanHuff) and like him on Facebook (@driverRyanHuff).

The General Tire 200 (76 laps | 200 miles) is the third of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Group practice begins on Fri. April 22 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The series won’t host qualifying, setting the field by 2021 ARCA car owner standings. The 60th ARCA from Talladega is set to take the green flag on Saturday, April 23 shortly after 12:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).

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