Home Blog Page 2190

What Kind of Interior Accessories are Mandatory for Jeep Grand Cherokee?

By
SM
-

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a popular SUV because of its all-around excellence when it comes to power, safety, and comfort. 

Besides, it has a quality and stylish interior. But if you want to make your stay inside as enjoyable as possible, there are interior accessories that are a must-have. 

Yeah, you heard that right! So, what kind of interior accessories are mandatory for Jeep Grand Cherokee?

Well, in this article, we take a look at the top 5 most important accessories that your Grand Cherokee should have. Check them out.

5 Jeep Grand Cherokee Interior Accessories

  1. Car Storage Organizer

Using storage organizers in your Jeep Grand Cherokee is a great way to ensure that your things stay in an orderly fashion. This is especially important if you have kids. 

Storage organizers help reduce distractions while driving, which could cause accidents. Also, they allow you to find your items quickly and make it easy to clean and vacuum your vehicle’s interior. 

Generally, when it comes to car storage organizers, they are available in different types. For instance, there are cargo trunk organizers and seatback organizers to keep the back of your Jeep neat. 

Additionally, there are cargo net trunk organizers designed to help keep your groceries, tools, and gear in one place. 

  1. Jeep Grand Cherokee Floor Mats

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is popularly known for its off-road capabilities. However, it also has a luxurious interior. Unfortunately, maintaining its luxurious interior can be challenging, especially if you love off-road driving.

But with high-quality Jeep Grand Cherokee floor mats, you can keep the interior of your vehicle as good as new. These mats are built to offer the best possible protection for your vehicle’s floor by trapping dirt, mud, road salt, and debris. 

The important thing here is investing in the best all-weather mats that are not only durable but also high-quality. More importantly, be sure to check Garage Deed lists for your peace of mind.

  1. USB Car Charger Adapter

Sometimes you may forget to charge your phone. Unfortunately, this can be a problem when you have to use your device to conduct business and your phone battery dies. 

Therefore, to ensure that your device does not run out of power, it is important to have a USB car charger adapter. This way, you can conduct your business on the go and avoid embarrassing dropped calls. 

However, you must get an adapter with a high amp output so you can charge multiple devices at the same time. 

Also Check: Is the Jeep Gladiator a Good Truck?

  1. Car Phone Holder Mount

Driving your Jeep Grand Cherokee while on phone is against the law. However, sometimes situations usually compel people to break this law. 

Unfortunately, being on the phone while driving can lead to people causing accidents. The good news is that with a car phone holder mount, you can enjoy hands-free conversations. 

You see, these phone mounts are designed to hold your device securely when driving. The best part is that most of them are compatible with a wide range of phones.

Simply put, these mounts help ensure distraction-free driving while allowing you to enjoy hands-free music and GPS navigation. 

  1. Car Garbage Can

If you want to keep your Jeep Grand Cherokee’s interior tidy, then a car garbage can is a must-have. You see, it can be frustrating when people leave trash in your vehicle.

But with the best car garbage can, you will never have to worry about dirt being left inside your Jeep. And if you often travel with your pets or kids, a garbage can becomes a must-have interior accessory. 

Just make sure to get the right size garbage bin that will not take up too much space inside your car. Also, get a can that is easy to use, install, and clean up.

Final Words

There are so many awesome aftermarket accessories available for the Jeep Grand Cherokee. However, the above interior accessories are mandatory if you own a Jeep Grand Cherokee. This is because they are designed to enhance the quality of your ride and your driving comfort. 

Read More: Why Are F1 Steering Wheels So Expensive?

How to choose the best automobile and home insurance bundles

By
SM
-
Photo by Thirsty Turf Irrigation on Unsplash

If you are a homeowner and also own an automobile, you may want to consider obtaining your insurance coverage from one provider, commonly known as bundling. Finding the best auto and home insurance coverage can be challenging, as the discounts will vary when you choose to bundle. You may save 10% on your auto insurance premium, but save a larger percentage on your home insurance.

Most insurance companies offer a discount for this service, which usually means lower prices for you. Another advantage is that you only have to deal with one agent to handle all of your insurance needs. Savings will vary by company, ranging from approximately 10% to 25%, and sometimes higher.

Also, keep in mind that your first steps should include researching different insurance agencies and obtaining quotes from each. Working with a local independent insurance agency can be especially helpful, as an independent agent often has access to multiple insurance companies and can assist you in comparing options.

Get Separate Quotes

It is also a good idea to request separate quotes for your home and auto insurance, then compare them with the price you would pay when bundling. And remember, there are other factors that can influence your insurance rates. It may come as a surprise that a poor credit rating will often cause a price increase when your insurance policy renews. A poor driving record will also affect the price you pay.

Your first instinct may be to accept the first policy that offers the best price, but you need to ensure it is not only affordable but also provides the benefits you need.

Make certain that it includes protection for your home, personal property, outside structures, living expenses that may occur, and, if applicable, flood or earthquake coverage. You also need to ensure that the amount of insurance you have is proportionate to your needs.  

Excellent customer service is another issue to examine. Your relationship with your insurance provider can be crucial when you have to file a claim. It is always helpful to take a look at reviews from people who have previously dealt with the company, and their experiences can give you added confidence in your decision.

In Closing

Take all of the above items into consideration when it’s time to renew your insurance policies. And when your policy is up for renewal, or anytime you have a major change in your life, it’s a good idea to re-evaluate your needs so that you can make an informed decision.

There are sites that can help you compare rates from different companies to assist you in your research. If you have an independent insurance agent, they probably have a relationship with multiple companies, so they can often provide you with guidance.

To summarize, bundling your insurance can save you money and can make filing claims simpler and more streamlined, as you only have to deal with one company to handle all your insurance needs. And remember to take time each year to reassess your needs. Major life changes, such as marriage, divorce, and having children, will affect your insurance needs. The best decision is an informed decision.  

ARCA Menards East and West Schedules Announced

By
Official Release
-

Eleven Races Set for West; Seven Slated in East

TOLEDO, Oh. – (Nov. 19, 2021) – The schedules for the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West have been finalized, with seven races slated for the East and eleven set for the West.

The ARCA Menards East season will commence with the series’ ninth visit to New Smyrna Speedway on Tuesday, February 15. The ARCA Menards West season kicks off a month later with a combination race with the ARCA Menards Series at Phoenix Raceway on Friday, March 11.

The highlights:

  • The East season will start with two consecutive races in Florida as Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola follows New Smyrna on Saturday, March 19.
  • Dover International Speedway and Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway will once again host the series on April 29 and May 7, respectively. The concrete one-mile Dover oval will be the fastest track on the East schedule.
  • The East season will conclude with three straight combination events with the ARCA Menards Series at Iowa Speedway on June 11, The Milwaukee Mile on August 28, and the season finale at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 15.
  • Irwindale Speedway and Portland International Raceway will both host a pair of West events, with Irwindale’s set for March 26 and July 2, while the Portland road course events will be June 4 and September 3.
  • Kern County Raceway Park returns to the schedule after a year’s absence on April 23, while Evergreen Speedway also returns on August 20. The race at Evergreen is slated to be the 1000th race in West Series history dating back to 1954.
  • Traditional events at Sonoma Raceway, All-American Speedway, and The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway all return.
  • The West season finale remains at Phoenix Raceway on November 5, part of NASCAR Championship Weekend at the one-mile desert oval.
  • The East races at Dover and Bristol will be part of conjunction weekends with the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
  • West races at Phoenix will be in conjunction with the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and/or the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series; one race at Portland will be in conjunction with the NTT Data IndyCar Series and the other will be in conjunction with the NASCAR Xfinity Series; the Sonoma race will be in conjunction with the NASCAR Cup Series.

The complete 2022 ARCA Menards Series East schedule:

Feb. 15                New Smyrna Speedway                                New Smyrna Beach, FL

March 19             Five Flags Speedway                                      Pensacola, FL

April 29                Dover International Speedway                   Dover, DE

May 7                   Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway               Nashville, TN

June 11                Iowa Speedway                                               Newton, IA

Aug. 28                The Milwaukee Mile                                      West Allis, WI

Sept. 15               Bristol Motor Speedway                               Bristol, TN

The complete 2022 ARCA Menards Series West schedule:

March 11             Phoenix Raceway                                           Avondale, AZ

March 26             Irwindale Speedway                                      Irwindale, CA

April 23                Kern County Raceway Park                          Bakersfield, CA

June 4                  Portland International Raceway                Portland, OR

June 11                Sonoma Raceway                                          Sonoma, CA

July 2                    Irwindale Speedway                                      Irwindale, CA

Aug. 20                Evergreen Speedway                                     Evergreen, WA

Sept. 3                 Portland International Raceway                Portland, OR

Oct. 1                   All-American Speedway                                Roseville, CA

Oct. 14                 The Bullring at LVMS                                     Las Vegas, NV

Nov. 5                  Phoenix Raceway                                           Avondale, AZ

All dates are tentative and subject to change.

Race start times and broadcast schedules will be announced at a later date.

About ARCA

The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly racing all across the country, the organization is scheduled to administer more than 100 events in multiple racing series in 2022, including the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, the ARCA/CRA Super Series, and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.  For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing).

Practice & Qualifying Return With Knockout-Style Format in 2022

By
Official Release
-

NASCAR to Implement Group-Based Qualifying for Three National Series

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (November 19, 2021) – NASCAR today announced the return of practice and qualifying to its race weekends in 2022, with a dramatic knockout-style qualifying format setting the starting lineup for each NASCAR Cup Series race.

The announcement comes after nearly two seasons with race weekends largely held without practice or qualifying – a procedure born out of necessity to reduce travel days and on-site personnel while navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, all events across all three NASCAR national series are scheduled to include qualifying.

“NASCAR is excited to return practice and qualifying to its race weekends,” said Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice president of competition. “We missed seeing cars and trucks on track all weekend long, and so did our fans. We worked closely with our broadcast partners, teams and racetracks to create an exciting, unique qualifying format, while keeping several of the efficiencies that helped our entire industry successfully navigate the pandemic.”

For a majority of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, the field will be split into two groups and participate in a practice and qualifying event that will last approximately two hours. The two-hour window will allow broadcast partners ample time and ability to cover the entire field, bringing wide-ranging, in-depth stories and insight to millions of fans each and every weekend.

During six NASCAR Cup Series weekends, five NASCAR Xfinity Series weekends and eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series weekends, NASCAR will implement an extended practice weekend schedule, which will feature one standalone 50-minute practice as well as a qualifying event.

Daytona International Speedway’s Speedweeks and the lead-up to the DAYTONA 500 will employ the extended practice format for all three series. Busch Pole Award Qualifying for the DAYTONA 500 is scheduled for Wednesday evening, Feb. 16, 2022.

NASCAR Cup Series

Oval Qualifying

  • Group A and Group B will each receive 15 minutes of practice
    • Groups set by odd/even finishing order of previous race
  • Qualifying Round 1 (Group A) – single car, one lap*
    • Top 5 transfer to Final Round
  • Qualifying Round 1 (Group B) – single car, one lap*
    • Top 5 transfer to Final Round
  • Qualifying Final Round (10 cars) – single car, one lap*

* — Two laps at Bristol, Dover, Martinsville and Richmond

Superspeedways

  • Qualifying Round 1 (all cars) – single car, one lap
    • Top 10 transfer to Final Round
  • Qualifying Final Round (10 cars) – single car, one lap

Road Course

  • Group A and Group B will each receive 20 minutes of practice
  • Qualifying Round 1 (Group A) – 15-minute timed session
    • Top 5 transfer to Final Round
  • Qualifying Round 1 (Group B) – 15-minute timed session
    • Top 5 transfer to Final Round
  • Qualifying Final Round (10 cars) – 10-minute timed session

Dirt

  • Two 50-minute practice sessions
  • 4 qualifying races determine the field and lineup for the main race; order of qualifying races based on random draw

Extended Practice Weekends

  • Events:Daytona 500, Atlanta-1, Bristol Dirt, WWT Raceway at Gateway, Nashville, Phoenix-2
  • One standalone 50-minute practice replaces group practice sessions
  • Qualifying procedure is based on the track type, following the procedures above

NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (90 minutes)

Oval Qualifying

  • 20-minute practice for all vehicles
  • Qualifying (all vehicles) – single vehicle, one lap*

* — Two laps at Bristol, Dover, Martinsville and Richmond

Superspeedways, NCWTS Dirt

  • Same as NASCAR Cup Series format

Road Courses

  • All vehicles receive 20 minutes of practice in a single session
  • Qualifying Round 1 (Group A) – 15-minute timed session
    • Top 5 transfer to Final Round
  • Qualifying Round 1 (Group B) – 15-minute timed session
    • Top 5 transfer to Final Round
  • Qualifying Final Round (10 vehicles) – 10-minute timed session

Extended Practice Weekends

  • NXS:Daytona-1, Atlanta-1, Portland, Nashville, Phoenix-2
  • NCWTS:Daytona, Atlanta, Bristol Dirt, Knoxville, Sonoma, Mid-Ohio, Nashville, Phoenix-2
  • One standalone 50-minute practice replaces group practice sessions
  • Qualifying procedure is based on the track type, following the procedures above
2022-NASCAR-Qualifying-Graphic

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series) and three international series (NASCAR Pinty’s Series, NASCAR Peak Mexico Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

PIRTEK Named Official Hose Supplier of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, INDYCAR

By
Official Release
-

INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021) – PIRTEK, the hydraulic and industrial hose service leader and the only brand of its kind in franchising in the United States, will become the Official Hose Supplier of INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Through the partnership, INDYCAR will begin to transition some of its hydraulic hose usage to the PIRTEK brand of hoses and equipment.

PIRTEK also will continue its long-standing relationship with Team Penske’s NASCAR and INDYCAR teams through associate sponsorship and other activation as the company expands its motorsports involvement.

“As PIRTEK USA grows, we are thrilled to add another motorsports property to our portfolio through our relationship with INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, while also continuing to build our long-lasting relationship with Team Penske,” PIRTEK USA President and CEO Kim Gubera said. “We are confident that the evolution in our partnership will have a substantial impact on our franchise network and get them excited to be a bigger part of motorsports. PIRTEK is especially honored to be chosen as the Official Hose Supplier for Team Penske, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.”

PIRTEK boasts more than 500 Service & Supply Centers in 23 countries around the world and has more than 30 years of experience in the hydraulic and industrial hose maintenance and replacement field. Powered by an industry-leading approach to sales and service and backed by a corporate center passionate about its franchisees and customers, PIRTEK offers unmatched service and logistics.

Located in Rockledge, Florida, the PIRTEK USA Corporate Headquarters takes pride in its role as a franchisor and distributor of quality products. As the franchisor, PIRTEK has committed to provide excellent and continuous support to its network of franchise locations. Franchisees receive assistance in areas of marketing, product and technical support, sales, information technology and accounting. The headquarters also serves as a distributor of products with a fully staffed warehouse facility meeting the necessities of its franchisees and customers.

“PIRTEK is a tremendous company with a rich racing heritage,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “PIRTEK definitely complements our paddock’s needs and everything we do. We look forward to their expanded role as they implement and showcase their vast array of products and services to their customers and franchisees through INDYCAR.”

The 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season kicks off with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Sunday, Feb. 27 in St. Petersburg, Florida. NBC will provide live coverage of 14 series races next year, including this race and the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 29.

About INDYCAR

INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The series features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including six-time series champion Scott Dixon, two-time series champion Josef Newgarden, 2021 series champion Alex Palou and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2022 season will consist of 17 races in the United States and Canada and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com.

About Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the world’s largest spectator sporting facility, has been the worldwide leader in motorsports entertainment since opening in 1909. IMS will host the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 29, 2022, the world’s most prestigious auto race. In 2022, IMS also will host two NTT INDYCAR SERIES road races, on May 14 and July 30, and NASCAR Xfinity Series and Cup Series road races during Brickyard Weekend on July 30-31. The Racing Capital of the World also includes USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship and Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli/GT Challenge World Challenge America events. IMS, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit ims.com.

About PIRTEK USA

PIRTEK USA provides the fastest hydraulic and industrial hose maintenance and replacement service through on-site mobile and service centers. The brand has more than 500 franchise locations in 23 countries around the world, with more than 100 located in the U.S. PIRTEK has a one-hour ETA for on-site hose service, is available 24/7 and is a simple solution that minimizes equipment downtime and eliminates the need for customers to leave their job sites or facilities to locate new hydraulic and industrial hoses, as well as hydraulic fittings. WE’LL KEEP YOU OPERATING®. For more information, visit www.pirtekusa.com or follow us at @PIRTEKUSA on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION: DALLAS GLENN ROOKIE OF THE YEAR FEATURE

By
Official Release
-

Dallas Glenn makes most of opportunity in Chevrolet Camaro SS
KB Racing driver earns NHRA Pro Stock rookie of the year award

DETROIT (Nov. 18, 2021) – Living one exit from Pacific Raceways, Dallas Glenn could hear the thundering sound of National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Top Fuel and Funny Cars piercing the quiet summer evening.

Little did the youth from Covington, Washington, know that he would one day be on the main stage. From racing quarter midgets on circle tracks when he was 6 years old to driving his grandmother’s ’68 Chevrolet El Camino at local dragstrips, Glenn found success in a hobby shared by his family.

“My dad won the local track championship in ’05 with our ’55 Chevy station wagon. It’s an all-steel car other than the nose. I started in ’07 when I got in the car. I liked everything about it; I had a knack for it and understood how it all worked,” Glenn said. “I started racing the ’68 El Camino that I still have and race from time to time. I’ve had a lot of success with that.”

More than a decade later and 2,700 miles removed from Washington state, success has followed Glenn on a different platform. Glenn, 30, a longtime crew member for Mooresville, North Carolina-based KB Racing and three-time Pro Stock world champion Jason Line, on Nov. 14 was named the recipient of the NHRA Rookie of the Year.

The award recognizes the top first-year competitor in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series via voting by auto racing journalists based on criteria on and off the track.

When Line stepped out of the Chevrolet Camaro SS at the end of the 2020 season to focus on shop-based race preparation, Glenn was presented the opportunity to get behind the wheel if only on a part-time basis. Primary sponsorship from RAD Torque Systems allowed the program to expand to the full season and into 2022. He’s been a quick study in the car while continuing to turn wrenches on the Camaro.

“He’s a rare bird nowadays,” said Line, who was the 2004 NHRA Rookie of the Year award winner. “He has a passion for the sport that is not often seen anymore. A lot of people want to be race car drivers; that’s the easy part. Dallas can do a lot of things — he’s very talented — and he wants to learn all aspects of it. He’s a hard worker. He’s making the most of his opportunities. It’s fun to watch.”

Glenn earned his initial Pro Stock victory in his fourth start, added two wins and a pair of runner-up finishes. He maintained the quickest reaction time, which included being only the sixth Pro Stock racer to record a .000 time in a final, of all competitors throughout the 17-race season. The rising star finished third in the Pro Stock championship standings.

“I knew pretty early on that Pro Stock was where I wanted to go,” Glenn said. “I had told people for years, even before I got to drive, that I wanted to work on a Pro Stock team and everybody was like ‘OK, that’s great, but what are you really going to do?’ I understand there are not many people who get to do this and the chances of me making it are pretty slim. But if you keep your head down and focus on one thing you can make anything happen.

“KB Racing has a lot of brain power and experience that I’ve been trying to siphon as much as I can; I think I’ve learned a lot over the last few years. I bet we have over 10,000 runs at KB Racing. Pretty much if it’s happened in a race car it’s happened to Jason at least once. If I have a question about anything, he says do this and that. Working on Jason’s car for eight years and watching him drive, I’m sure some of my driving style is like his.

“I have been having a lot of fun in the car. I feel I can get in, not nervous, I know what to expect, I can run through the motions and focus on the finer details. When you get a lot of runs in a car you no longer think about the things you have to do, you can focus on the little stuff and the things you have to do just come naturally. There is a rhythm and routine.”

After some down time for the holidays, preparation for the 2022 season that begins Feb. 18-20 at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California, will be at the forefront of Glenn’s activities at the shop in North Carolina. With the taste of success, new, loftier goals have emerged.

“I’ve been successful and I’m thankful for that,” he said. “I’m really hungry and I won’t stop until I see the No. 1 on the side of the car.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Justin Oakes Wins National SGT Championship Title

By
Official Release
-

8 Weeks of Trans Am Champions : Justin Oakes National SGT

Austin (18 November 2021)- After getting a taste of Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli in 2020 – including his first pole and victory – Justin Oakes put in a full-season effort in 2021.

The Houston driver was rewarded for his efforts, winning six races in the No. 11 Droneworks Corvette to bring home the SGT championship. Oakes won six out of eight starts, was on the podium seven times, and captured seven pole positions. (VIDEO: 8 Weeks of Champions – Justin Oakes SGT – YouTube)

“I’m very happy with the way it worked out,” Oakes said. “Our approach going in being a relative newcomer – this was my first full season in any type of racing – was to follow the lead of my team. The team is the reason for this championship. My crew chief – Louis Gigliotti (son of Trans Am veteran Lou Gigliotti) built the car and runs G Speed – came in with the mindset that we were in it to win the championship, not just to win races. Our focus all along was on the big picture: preserving the car; finishing with as few DNFs as possible; taking it as an annual view, rather than race by race.

“For me personally as a driver, being new, it was all driver development,” Oakes continued. “Doing what I can to minimize risk; performing well; maintaining confidence at each race; understanding my competitors; while learning as much as I can.”

Oakes opened the season by winning from the pole at Sebring. After sitting out Road Atlanta to witness the birth of his son, he won at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca; took third from the pole at Lime Rock, going out with electrical problems in the closing minutes while running second; won races at Mid-Ohio and Road America; swept the doubleheader at Watkins Glen; and dropped out in the closing laps while leading from the pole at Circuit of The Americas.

“The victories were all great for me, but the one that really stands out was July 4 at Road America,” he said. “Basically, no fans were allowed for the first half of my first year of racing, with limited attendance due to the restrictions. But Road America was awesome. It was packed, racing there with NASCAR for the first time. The fans are who really make our sport so attractive, appealing and exciting. It’s fun going out there and driving quickly, competing with the other drivers, but when you have fans along the fence line cheering you on, coming by for autographs and sitting in the car, for some reason that makes it twice as fun. I have a lot of good memories – the first one at Sebring was great – but Road America was a blast.”

Behind the scenes, Oakes was quick to credit his driving coach, Jason Hart.

“Most of my year was spent with my coach, learning how to drive a race car,” Oakes said. “Jason taught me how to drive.”

Oakes also made his TA2® debut in 2021, qualifying ninth and finishing fifth in Nashville’s Music City Grand Prix, driving a Dodge Challenger.

Oakes made his Trans Am debut late in 2021, taking a Corvette he built for SCCA GT-2 to Circuit of The Americas. He intended to compete in GTS, but broke the track record and was protested.

“Instead of fighting with them at my first Trans Am race, we decided to switch to GTX,” he said. “That was our intro to Trans Am, we just wanted to participate.”

Oakes switched motors for the next event, the season-ending doubleheader at Road Atlanta. He won the opening race from the pole, and was leading the finale when he was hit by a competitor three times in Turn 7. That resulted in a broken suspension that ended his race.

For 2022, Oakes is looking to do even more racing.

“We’re still sorting out our plans, working on it day and night,” Oakes said. “It looks like it will be a combination of series. Certainly, I’ll be racing in Trans Am in SGT – I have two cars I have specifically built for SGT. I’m not sure if I’m going to do a full season in SGT, and I also intend to race in TA2®. We had a good result and it was a great experience racing at Nashville. I love battling the TA2® drivers. They’re fun cars and really awesome fan support. On top of that, I also might do some GT series – GT4 and GT3 – I’ve tested a few cars. Being new to racing cars, my goal is driver development. The more seat time I can get with more series and different competitors will build my skills for the future. I plan to race a lot in 2022!”

The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli is one of the longest-running championships in motorsport, and will celebrate its 55th season with a diverse 12-race 2022 schedule that will include multiple road courses, a roval and a street circuit.

Trans Am’s 2022 roster of races will be staged at legendary venues across the United States as part of SpeedTour, IndyCar Series and NASCAR events with the season kicking off at Sebring International Raceway February 24-27.

GRX Loenbro Continues to Build Momentum at Nitro Rallycross Round 3 in Phoenix

By
Official Release
-

Phoenix, AZ – GRX Loenbro driver Steve Arpin kicked off the weekend with quick lap times as he continued his 2021 Nitro Rallycross Championship campaign.

“We had great speed all weekend! Although we still have some more to improve upon, I was thrilled with the consistent speed we had all weekend. The results in the final aren’t what our team deserved for the effort we all gave throughout the weekend but that was on me. I cut the RF tire down and took us out of the race. Overall, we learned a lot and I am excited to keep that momentum going into LA.” – Steve Arpin

Like the previous round at ERX, Battle Bracket positions were determined by P2 lap times. Setting the 5th fastest time in practice session 2, Arpin lined up against Ronalds Baldins for round 1 of the head-to-head battle rounds. Arpin took the win setting up a battle between himself and Fraser McConnell. A close battled ensued and after a perfect Joker Lap, Arpin was able to take the win setting up a battle with Kevin Eriksson for round 3. In Rd3 of the Battle Brackets, a 3-lap back-and-forth battle between the Eriksson and Arpin ultimately ended with Arpin taking another round win setting up a final battle with Travis Pastrana. In the final round of Battle Brackets, fans were treated to an incredible race that saw multiple lead changes. When the dust cleared it was Pastrana crossed the finish line first taking home the Battle Bracket win.

Day 2 of competition kicked off on Sunday with heat races. As Arpin lined for Heat Race 2, a tense battle between himself, Timmy Hansen and Kevin Hansen ensued following the drop of the green flag. As the checkered flag fell, Arpin crossed the line P2, which put him on the front row for Semi-Final race 1. In the Semi-Final a tense battle between Arpin and Robin Larson ended with Steve finishing P2, however a penalty issued following the race secured Arpin a place in the final. In the final, Arpin’s launch set him up to behind Travis Pastrana going into turn 1. A battle for position began between the 8-car field with numerous cars bumping and banging as they entered the long sweeping turn 1. As the top 3 cars took the Joker Lap, Pastrana, Arpin and Hansen battled for the lead. As the pack past the Joker Lap entry on Lap 2, Speed turned off to take the shorter route and was able to take the P2 position pushing Arpin to P4 following a fast Joker. As the field past under the gap jump on lap 3, Arpin and Speed battled for position. Arpin dove inside to run closer to the wall accidentally clipping the barrier with his front right causing a flat. Pulling off the track due to issues with steering following the flat tire, Arpin ended the event in P8.

“Once again we can be happy with our pace. Of course we are disappointed that we didn’t get the result we deserved, but that’s the name of the game sometimes. I’d rather lose out having had good pace and a fair fight than get a result from others bad luck. The track was nice, with some minor adjustments it could be really nice, and Steve is driving better every time he gets in the car, which is very good. We’re making good progress and already looking forward to hunting for the podium again this weekend.” – Jussi Pinomaki

The 2021 Nitro Rallycross Championship continues Saturday, November 20th, and Sunday November 21st at Glen Helen Raceway outside of Los Angeles, CA.

2021 Nitro Rallycross Schedule:
Utah Motorsports Campus, Salt Lake City, UT – September 24-25th
ERX Motor Park, Minneapolis, MN – October 2-3rd
Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, Phoenix, AZ – November 13-14th
Glen Helen Raceway, Southern California – November 20-21st
The Firm, North Florida – December 4-5th
Be sure to follow Steve, Loenbro Motorsport, Grönholm RX HempFusion, SCT Performance and Yokohama on social media:
Facebook: Steve Arpin, Loenbro Motorsports, HempFusion, SCT Performance, Yokohama
Twitter: @stevearpin, @loenbroracing, @hempfusion, @sctperformance, @YokohamaTC
Instagram: @arpin00, @loenbromotorsports, @hempfusion, @sctperformance, @yokohamatire

About Loenbro Motorsports
Owned by brothers Paul and Jon Leach, Loenbro Motorsports is the racing team division of Loenbro, a successful industrial construction and services company. Loenbro provides single-source solutions for industrial customers from coast to coast. Its reputation for exceptional performance and a strong work ethic has helped fuel its growth since it was founded in 1998. For more information, visit www.loenbro.com.

About GRX-SET World RX Team:
GRX, led by two-time World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm, made its maiden full-time foray into the FIA World Rallycross Championship in 2017, having previously run Niclas Grönholm to Finnish Rallycross Championship glory in 2015. Building on that solid foundation, GRX evolved into a full-blown, two-car World RX team with a pair of newly built Hyundai i20s in 2018. Since, the team has scored a best overall result of second in the World RX Teams’ Championship in 2019. The team has also claimed four World RX outright wins, three with Niclas Grönholm in Norway and South Africa in 2019 and Finland in 2020, and with Timur Timerzyanov in Belgium 2019.

MRS GT Racing Heads to Sebring for 24 Hour Showdown with Three-Pronged Attack

By
Official Release
-

Sebring, FLORIDA – November 18, 2021 – Fresh from the WeatherTech IMSA season finale at Road Atlanta, the highly successful Molitor Racing team – MRS GT-Racing – are now making the journey south to Florida for the prestigious Hankook 24 Hours of Sebring. The event is part of the CREVENTIC Long Distance Racing Championship for GT and Touring cars held at the most beautiful venues around the world. This is top class motorsports, and the organizers are to be applauded for promoting such a great schedule in what has been another difficult year.

MRS GT- Racing are fielding three of their trademark high performance Porsche GT3s at the Florida event, which runs from November 19 through 21. The No. 987 car will be driven by the all-American team of Jeff Courtney, Alexander Marmureanu and Omar Balkissoon. The No. 989 car is being driven by Brazilian Raulino and Americans Jeronimo Guzman, Jody Miller, Pedro Torres and Robert Lorndale. Both cars are Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) cars, while the third car is numbered 990 and is a Porsche 911GT Cup (991 Gen II). No drivers have been announced yet for the 990 car but the team is expected to include recent top class driver and Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland race winner Leon Koehler, who makes his Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by the Cayman Islands debut in this weekend’s season-ending triple-header at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. The 22-year-old German, who finished third in the German single-make championship, joins MRS GT-Racing in its Pro class No. 14 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.

We spoke to MRS GT supremo Karsten Molitor this week ahead of the big event, “Directly after our season finale at the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta this week, we`ll move quickly to our next season highlight, the 24 hours of Sebring. “We are very proud to be part of this amazing event, which is organized by CREVENTIC, the specialist in endurance racing worldwide. MRS has been part of this 24-Hour program for 12 years, all starting with the 24 Hours of Dubai which has been a fixed part of the MRS program for a long time.”

About the weekend’s highlights he added, “At Sebring we´re going to compete with two 992 GT3 Cup cars and our driver line-ups are mostly set with US Drivers. We hope that the 992 Cup car will be as reliable as the 991. The track at Sebring demands a lot from both driver and car.”

Reflecting on the year and looking ahead Karsten went on, “This year was our first complete US season which has not been very easy for us. Nevertheless, we´re happy about what we have achieved and proud of it. We’ll continue our US Program and we’re very much looking forward to the 2022 season.”

Opened in 1950, Sebring International Raceway has played host to the Trans Am curtain raiser for some years now and is one of the oldest continuously operating race tracks in the United States. It consists of three tracks: the Full Circuit, the Short Circuit, and the Club Circuit. The full track itself is a seventeen-turn road course with long straights, several high-speed corners, and very technical slower corners. 3.74 miles long, many of the turns and points along the track are named for the early teams and drivers. Due to Florida’s flat nature, there is very little elevation change around the track and little camber on the surface, providing a challenging track for drivers, especially when it rains.

A total of 30 cars will be on the grid for the 24-hour spectacular with 13 entered in the GT3 Class. The schedule has had to be modified for logistical reasons meaning that the night test session now runs from 18:00 p.m. to 22:00 p.m. on Friday, November 19 for a maximum of 1.5 hours. Saturday, November 20 is all action for the MRS-GT team with private testing from 09:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., immediately followed by a 90-minute free practice session. Qualifying is from 14:00 p.m. to 14:30 p.m. with the race itself now starting at 17:00 p.m. on Saturday and running for the full 24 hours. The checkered flag is therefore at 17:00 p.m. on Sunday.

MRS GT Racing is a team with multiple European Porsche Cup wins – now competing in North America. Check out the Molitor Racing website at https://www.molitor-racing.de/ and there is terrific Molitor Racing Apparel available at https://molitor-racing.shop/de/.

Nyck de Vries Set to Test Meyer Shank Racing IndyCar

By
Official Release
-
#06: Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing Honda

Pataskala, Ohio (18 November 2021) – 2020-2021 Formula E Champion, Nyck de Vries is set to test a Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) Indy Car during a one-day Sebring test on December 6th.

The IndyCar test will be the first for the young and accomplished Dutch racing driver.

de Vries got his first taste of sports car racing in 2018 competing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in the LMP2 category. de Vries went on to compete in his first of three 24 Hours of Le Mans the following year in 2019.

de Vries made his Formula E debut in the 2019-2020 season which saw the Dutch driver score his first podium finish at the season finale Berlin ePrix. The following season de Vries won the 2020-2021 Formula E championship after winning races in Diriyah and Valencia as well as a pair of podium finishes in the London double-header.

“First off, I would like to thank everyone at Meyer Shank Racing for the opportunity to test with them,” said de Vries. “MSR is the reigning Indy 500 winner, so it’s an absolute honor to be testing with them. It will be my first time getting to experience any sort of racing and testing in the US. I have been following IndyCar for a while and I’ve always been curious as to what it would be like. Racing in the US is really raw and appealing to me so I’m really looking forward to this new experience and seeing where it can take us.”

As Meyer Shank Racing continues to grow its IndyCar program, team co-owner Mike Shank is focused on the big picture and scouting talent for more future growth.

“Having Nyck come test with us falls in line with the team growing and looking ahead to the future,” said Shank. “There are no set plans as of now for where we see placing Nyck, but it’s important to always be looking for talent. As a team, we’re in the position where we have the ability to now test different drivers and give them the opportunity to be successful over in the States. Nyck has clearly proven his worth in Europe so we are excited to see what he can do in an Indy Car.”

de Vries will be set to test the MSR Indy Car on Monday, December 6th at Sebring International.

1...2,1892,1902,191...6,668Page 2,190 of 6,668