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Travis Pastrana Crowned First-Ever Nitro Rallycross Series Champion

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Official Release
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SCOTT SPEED AND TIMMY HANSEN FINISH SECOND AND THIRD IN SERIES STANDINGS; CASPER JANSSON WINS NRX NEXT CHAMPIONSHIP

Nitro RX Series Concludes in Thrilling Fashion at North Florida’s The FIRM

(Jacksonville – December 6, 2021) Travis Pastrana (USA)made history clinching the first Nitro Rallycross Supercar championship. The inaugural series culminated Sunday at North Florida’s The FIRM with action-packed, fast-paced racing. After the dust settled, Pastrana’s strong body of work throughout the campaign sealed his win, followed by Subaru Motorsports USA teammate Scott Speed (USA) and Timmy Hansen (SWE).

To kick things off, Pastrana had a special surprise for The FIRM crowd. When he invited NASCAR star Chase Elliott (USA) to join Nitro Rallycross for the Florida finale as a guest driver, Elliott quickly said yes – but had one condition: that Pastrana skydive. On Sunday morning Pastrana made good on his word, jumping from a plane piloted by Elliott. 

Pastrana then went to work, winning a crucial first heat against Kevin Hansen (SWE). Not only did the victory put him directly into the Florida final, it also completed a sweep of his Nitro RX 2021 heats. Speed followed suit, locking in a final spot with a win in his first heat. Elliott then punched his ticket in the semifinal rounds as did Kevin Hansen.

Timmy Hansen set the pace early in the Florida final with Pastrana close behind him. The lead changed hands on the third lap, with Pastrana holding off his challengers until the final lap when he was overtaken coming out of the joker. Timmy Hansen crossed the finish line first followed by his brother Kevin, with Speed taking third.

While today’s race did not go Pastrana’s way, his prior victories in Phoenix and Southern California were enough to win the first Nitro Rallycross Supercar Championship. Afterwards he said, “Thank you to Subaru and thank you to the fans, thank you guys for coming out.”

Pastrana added, “It’s been an amazing year, it exceeded all my expectations as a driver. I want to win as a driver but even more I want Nitro Rallycross to be the best championship out there. Now we have a proven concept. We had the best rallycross drivers in the world, we had NASCAR Cup championship winners like Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott come out. It was a great first year, and I’m even more excited about the future.”

Timmy Hansen congratulated Pastrana on his historic win. “Massive congrats to Travis, not just today for wrapping up the series title but for this whole year. He has been the one to beat at most races and he put this whole championship together, so I couldn’t be happier for anyone.”

2021 Supercar Championship Final Standings:

PositionNameNationTeamSalt Lake CityMinn.PhoenixSo CalNorthFloridaTotal
1Travis PastranaUSASubaru Motorsports USA25+345+250+450+335+2219
2Scott SpeedUSASubaru Motorsports USA30+450+340+145+240+4219
3Timmy HansenSWEHansen World RX Team50+135+145+230+150+3218
4Kevin HansenSWEHansen World RX Team40+140+420+10+445+2157
5Steve ArpinCANLoenbro Motorsports45+210+215+32520+1123
6Tanner FoustUSADreyer Reinbold Racing15+11525–25+182
7Robin LarssonSWEMonster Energy RX Cartel–25+10+11530+173
8Andrea BakkerudNORSubaru Motorsports USA1020–40+1–71
9Fraser McConnellJAMOlsbergs MSE35+230+10+10+2–71
10Kevin ErikssonSWEOlsbergs MSE––0+235+1–38
11Kyle BuschUSA ––35––35
12Cabot BighamUSADreyer Reinbold Racing––30––30
13Oliver ErikssonSWEOlsbergs MSE205–0+10+127
14Ronalds BaldinsLATOlsbergs MSE–––20–20
15Chase ElliottUSA ––––1515
16Oliver BennettGBRXCITE Energy Racing0+1––––1
16Liam DoranGBRMonster Energy RX Cartel–0+1–––1

Supercar Final (North Florida):

FinishCar #NameNationTeam
121Timmy HansenSWEHansen World RX Team
29Kevin HansenSWEHansen World RX Team
341Scott SpeedUSASubaru Motorsports USA
4199Travis PastranaUSASubaru Motorsports USA
54Robin LarssonSWEMonster Energy RX Cartel
624Tanner FoustUSADreyer Reinbold Racing
700Steve ArpinCANLoenbro Motorsports
89AChase ElliottUSA 

After an exciting series of NRX Next racing, it also came down to the finale. All eyes were on Casper Jansson (SWE), who came into North Florida in first place and looked to lock up the series title. Sage Karam (USA) took the checkered flag in today’s race, but it was not enough to catch Jansson in the series standings: Karam finished in second and Martin Enlund (SWE) came in third.

Nitro RX showed that the future of Rallycross is bright. Jansson was thrilled with his victory and said, “This is my first season of Rallycross and I’m really happy. I have leveled up very much and I learned a lot.”

2021 NRX Next Championship Final Standings:

PositionNameNationRC1RC2RC3RC4RC5RC6RC7RC8RC9RC10Total
1Casper JanssonSWE50404525204050503045395
2Sage KaramUSA–302050505040455050385
3Martin EnlundSWE45455045302525403540380
4George MegennisUSA25503020454545204520345
5Lane VacalaUSA40353540353520352015310
6Eric GordonUSA35252535252030251525260
7Conner MartellUSA––––403035304035210
8Kyle SchwartzUSA––––––1515253085
9John HoltgerUSA––4030––––––70
10Simon OlofssonSWE3020––––––––50

NRX Next Final (Round 10):

FinishCar #NameNationTeam
124Sage KaramUSADreyer Reinbold Racing
236Casper JanssonSWEEnlunds Motorsport
360Martin EnlundSWEEnlunds Motorsport
421Conner MartellUSA 
505Kyle SchwartzUSASTS RX
699Eric GordonUSABak 40 Motorsport
79George MegennisUSA#YellowSquad
855Lane VacalaUSADreyer Reinbold Racing

The special Side-by-Side contest featured a star-studded roster competing in off-road UTVs. Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky (SWE) earned the victory followed by Kory Willis (USA) and Robbie Maddison (AUS) in second and third place, respectively. Hailie Deegan (USA) narrowly missed out the podium finishing in fourth place.

Side-By-Side Final (Round 4):

#BibNameNation
119Mikaela Ahlin-KottulinskySWE
217Kory WillisUSA
31TRobbie MaddisonAUS
41Hailie DeeganUSA
515Cody MartinUSA
6615Hubert RowlandUSA
7714Tyler VacalaUSA
826Scottie LawrenceUSA
922Blake WilliamsAUS
944Jordan BerzaUSA

Nitro Rallycross looks to come back even stronger in 2022. For information on how and when to experience Nitro RX’s high-flying action, check https://www.nitrorallycross.com/.

2021 NITRO RALLYCROSS SCHEDULE

Sept. 24-25 // Utah Motorsports Campus // Salt Lake City, Utah

Oct. 2-3 // ERX Motor Park // Minneapolis, Minnesota

Nov. 13-14 // Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park // Phoenix, Arizona

Nov. 20-21 // Glen Helen Raceway // Southern California

Dec. 4-5 // The FIRM // North Florida

ABOUT NITRO RALLYCROSS

Launched in 2018 by motorsports icon Travis Pastrana and the innovators of Nitro Circus, Nitro Rallycross has revolutionized motorsport. With innovative purpose-built courses, banked turns inspired by the wide-open action of Supercross and short-form, head-to-head competition, Nitro Rallycross creates high-impact, thrill-packed racing. NRX’s custom-built permanent tracks – featuring the biggest jumps seen in motorsports – create unrivaled racing excitement. The full-throttle competition is now set to go global, as Nitro Rallycross expands into a full standalone championship series. Looking ahead to 2022, NRX will also add an electric Supercar circuit featuring the all-new FC1-X, the most powerful Rallycross vehicle ever built. For more information, visit NitroRallycross.com.

Nitro Rallycross is part of Thrill One Sports & Entertainment. Thrill One is a next-generation content company that lives at the nexus of sports, entertainment and lifestyle, combining the resources of Nitro Circus, Street League Skateboarding, Nitro Rallycross and Thrill One Media. A multi-media platform founded in 2020, Thrill One is dedicated to creating mind-blowing action sports events and original content, fueled by the most daring athletes, talent and brands in thrill-based entertainment. It also boasts one of the largest aggregate social audiences in action sports, with more than 40 million followers across its multiple brand pages and channels. Visit thrillone.com/ for additional information.

HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour Concludes with Late Drama, Record Closest Finish and Three First-Time Winners at Sebring International Raceway

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Official Release
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  • Alan Benjamin and Brady Refenning Win Group A in Closest Race Finish in HSR Classics History in Boulder Classics 1972 No. 18 Porsche 911 S/T
  • Jim Farley and Billy Johnson Secure Run Group B Victory in RM Motorsports 1978 No. 198 Lola T298
  • Tom Herb and Ryan Dalziel Co-Drive Fall-Line Motorsports 2017 No. 16 Mercedes-AMG GT3 to Smooth Run Group C Win
  • Price Ford and Cody Ellsworth Snag Run Group D Victory with Late Charge in 2016 No. 12 Autometrics Porsche 991

SEBRING, Florida (December 5, 2021) – Late drama, the closest finish in “HSR Classics” history and a trio of first-time winners brought the Sixth Annual Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Classic Sebring 12 Hour, Pistons and Props, presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network, to an exciting and competitive conclusion Sunday at Sebring International Raceway.

Competitors in the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour were divided into four period-correct Run Groups with each taking to the 3.74-mile Sebring circuit four separate times for 42-minute race segments over the last two days. Each overall Run Group winner was presented with a special-edition B.R.M. Chronographes watch commissioned specifically for the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour.

The Group A finish was a record-setting thriller that saw winners Alan Benjamin and Brady Refenning lead the group overall standings for just the final four minutes of the race in the Boulder Classics 1972 No. 18 Porsche 911 S/T powered by Refenning’s 901 Shop.

Refenning finished first in Saturday night’s third round, but the No. 18 never ranked higher than third in the overall Group A standings heading into Sunday morning’s fourth and final race.

The race looked to be well in-hand for the Red Dragon Racing 1963 No. 63 Corvette Stingray Coupe of Jason Sessions and Edward Sevadjian. The Corvette team won the opening two Group A rounds to bring a more than two-minute lead into the finale but were forced to retire when the Stingray dropped a valve in the race’s opening minutes.

The 901 Shop 1967 No. 27 Porsche of Nelson Calle moved into first place after the Corvette team’s heartbreak, but the Group A drama was far from over. With just minutes remaining in the final race, Calle was cruising comfortably to the win when a flat tire sent him to the pits.

The No. 27’s setback was just enough for Benjamin, who finished fourth in the final round, to edge Calle for the overall Group A win by 0.714 of a second, the closest finish in the history of the “HSR Classics” races at Sebring and Daytona International Speedway.

Benjamin previously secured a Sebring Classic 12 Run Group victory in the inaugural running of the HSR race in 2016, co-driving a Boulder Classics 1990 No. 17 Porsche 964 Cup to the Group C title with Robert Ames.

Partnering with Barry Waddell in the No. 18, Benjamin also secured the Group A GT-class victory in this year’s HSR Classic Daytona 24-hour race in late October.

Run Group B also had its share of late-race drama and heartbreak after a race-long battle between the RM Motorsports 1978 No. 198 Lola T298 of Jim Farley and Billy Johnson and the equally quick Phil Reilly and Co. 1974 No. 26 Chevron B26 of Gray Gregory and Ethan Shippert.

The teams split the wins in Saturday’s opening races, and Johnson won round three in the Lola Saturday night, but the Chevron still brought a nearly 10-second lead into Sunday’s fourth and final race.

Halfway through, Shippert was leading ahead of Farley’s Lola when something broke on the Chevron at speed heading into Sebring’s turn seven chicane section. Shippert was uninjured after contact with the safety barriers, but the Chevron team’s pursuit of a fourth-straight HSR Classic Sebring victory was over.

Farley drove out the remaining minutes and crossed the finish line well clear of the competition to seal his first career HSR Classics race win.

Run Group C emerged into a GT Modern (GTM) battle that was ultimately won by the 2017 No. 16 Fall-Line Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Tom Herb and Ryan Dalziel.

Herb and Dalziel went back and forth with the TAG 2016 No. 991 Porsche 991 GT3 of Thomas Gruber throughout the race. Gruber won both opening rounds in his Speed Syndicate-prepared 991 but could never quite shake the Mercedes-AMG GT3 that trailed just seconds behind in both races.

Herb and Dalziel co-drove to Saturday night’s round three victory that, along with a spin by Gruber, allowed them to build a nearly 45-second overall lead heading into Sunday afternoon’s fourth and final race.

Gruber picked up his third victory in the finale, but Dalziel once again was content to cruise just behind in second and defend the No. 16 team’s overall lead with a competitive but controlled pace. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 crossed the finish line just 0.671 of a second behind the Porsche to seal the overall win with a comfortable 43-second margin of victory.

Group D, a showcase of production-based HSR race cars, typically produces some of the Classic Sebring’s best competition and this weekend was no exception. It all came down to a two-Porsche 991 Cup battle between Price Ford and Cody Ellsworth in their 2016 No. 12 Autometrics entry and the similar Kelly-Moss Racing 2015 No. 85 entry of Brent Asplundh.

Asplundh swept Saturday’s opening rounds but a round three victory that night by Ford and Ellsworth put them in front heading into Sunday’s finale. Asplundh charged to his third win in four races but a competitive but calculated run to the finish in third place was just enough for Ford and Ellsworth to take the overall Group D win.

Co-winners Benjamin and Refenning, and runner-up Calle, were joined on the Group A podium by another 901 Shop entry. Refenning pulled double driving duty and, in addition to partnering Benjamin for the win, co-drove to a third place showing with his father, Jack Refenning, and Tom McGlynn in their 901 Shop 1966 No. 241 Porsche 911.

For the second-straight year, Run Group B saw quick and well-prepared Porsche 911s breakthrough for overall podium showings. Damon DeSantis and David Hinton co-drove the Heritage Motorsports 1974 No. 114 Porsche 911 to second while the sister 1969 No. 33 Porsche 911 RSR Heritage entry of Dean DeSantis and Josh Tuggle was third in Group B.

Third place in Group C went to Richard Carlino and Dave Handy in the Sasco Sports 2011 No. 25 Oreca FLM09 Prototype Challenge “PC” car while McGlynn made it two Classic 12 Hour podium showings on the weekend with third in Group D. McGlynn co-drove the 901 Shop 2003 No. 17 Porsche 996 with his son Jimmy McGlynn to the Group D podium showing.

Next up for HSR is a return to Sebring International Raceway for 2022’s season-opening HSR Spring Fling, April 6 – 8, 2022.

Noteworthy

  • Sunday’s farewell and departure of the amazing vintage and historic aircraft that are a blockbuster part of the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour, Pistons and Props, was preceded by the annual Best-Plane and Best-Car awards presentation. Attending pilots and their families select the best race car of the event while participating HSR competitors vote on their favorite plane. The airplane contingent selected the Red Dragon Racing Stingray that almost pulled off the Group A win with Patrick Sessions, Jason Sessions and Edward Sevadjian. The vintage airplane bestowed with this year’s honor was the 1938 Lockheed 12A Junior of David Marco. Originally purchased by Phillips 66 as a corporate aircraft, Marco’s Lockheed 12 is one of only eight still flying today.
  • The no-quit award at this year’s HSR Classic 12 clearly goes to Matador Motorsports. Pre-race favorites to take the Run Group C win with their 2016 No. 3 Corvette C7.R, team owner and driver Pierce Marshall instead found himself helping push the popular yellow Corvette from the pits to the paddock after a mechanical issue just one lap into Saturday afternoon’s first of four Group C rounds. Marshall and retired Corvette Racing guru Dan Binks, a key player in the 20-plus year success of Corvette Racing, quickly went to work on getting the C7.R back in action. Within 10 minutes of determining the problem, Binks was on the phone with his daughter who grabbed the needed parts at his shop in Brighton, Michigan and headed to Detroit Metro Airport for a 6:30 p.m. EST Saturday night flight. Binks and his wife picked up their daughter at Orlando International Airport and were back in Sebring by 11 p.m. EST. The new parts were installed at 7 a.m. EST Sunday, and Marshall went straight out and won that morning’s WeatherTech Sprint race before competing in the final Group C Classic 12 Hour round Sunday afternoon.

About HSR: Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter and Instagram at @HSR_race. A dedicated website for the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA is available at www.Classic24hour.com.

Round 3 Racing Crowned World Racing League Champions

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Official Release
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No. 701 Team Cooper Tires Porsche Cayman sweeps the GP1 with second win at COTA

Austin, Texas (5 December 2021) – The championship battle came down to the final race of the season with Round 3 Racing (R3R) taking the top spot in the 2021 World Racing League GP3 National Championship.

The No. 605 Hagerty Drivers Club Porsche Boxster of Carter Pease, Cole Loftsgard, Dennis Neel, and Jim Ptak represented R3R as they took the top honors at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday. The Hagerty team shined in each outing since joining the lineup at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course where they stood on the podium in both races that weekend.

Pease, Loftsgard, Neel and Ptak went on to combine for another second place finish in Race One at Road America before starting a four race win streak in Race Two at Road America, Daytona International Speedway, and Race One and Two at Road Atlanta to catapult themselves into the lead of the GP3 National Championship.

The No. 605 Porsche returned to the top step of the podium in the 24 Hours of Sebring International Raceway with the help of Sarah Montgomery, Brad McCall and Buz McCall. On their way to earning the GP3 National Championship, the No. 605 team captured the WRL Eastern Championship that was awarded following the round at Sebring.

The 2021 season came down to two eight-hour endurance races at Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Again Pease, Loftsgard, Neel and Ptak pushed the Porsche Boxster in the opening race of the weekend to take second, their ninth podium finish of the season, and cement themselves as the GP3 National Champions.

“2021 was a dream season for the 605, for me personally and the team,” said Neel. “From meeting at Mid Ohio and not knowing my co-drivers, having to learn who they were and having no idea if it was going to be a good season, bad season to multiple podiums and winning a championship is remarkable. To stand on the podium nine times this season is pretty awesome and speaks volume for this program. The entire Round 3 Racing crew has been just incredible, especially Martin, I mean, we wouldn’t be here without him. To pull off what we were able to pull off with a group of guys that came together at Mid-Ohio and a rookie car chief who stepped up to the plate is truly a storybook ending.”

The GP3 title is the first national championship for Round 3 Racing since joining the World Racing League in 2019.

“We said at the beginning of the season that winning a national championship means everything for this team,” said Team Co-Owner Brad McCall. “I’m beyond proud of those four drivers in the No. 605 who put together an incredible season. There were ups and downs from destroying a car to building a new one. It was a total team effort – even the drivers who stood in the No. 605 throughout the season. What an amazing year for the whole team.”

The celebrations at COTA continued for R3R as the No. 701 Team Cooper Tires Porsche Cayman of Loni Unser, Mike GIlbert, and Mo Dadkhah swept the GP1 class with the class win on Sunday.

“After a lot of development, we were able to prove that the No. 701 is a strong contender in the GP1 class,” said Unser. “The first couple of outings we struggled but we knew that with this team in Round 3 Racing that we could get these wins and it feels so good to have proved to everyone that it’s possible. Winning felt easy and right this weekend. I’m on cloud nine.”

The No. 601 Team Sentinel Porsche Boxster of Hannah Grisham, Christian Maloof and James Candelaria had their own hopes of victory as they led for over an hour before a sensor failure required the Porsche to be brought to the garage and fall from podium contention. The No. 601 Porsche was quickly mended and finished the eight hour race in sixth.

The debut weekend for No. 401 Team Hagerty BMW M4 GT4 ended prematurely for Montgomery, Brad and Buz McCall. The Hagerty drivers raced their way to run as high as second before contact by a competitor during Buz McCall’s stint caused terminal damage for the BMW. The No. 401 BMW will be repaired at the R3R shop in Joliet, Illinois before returning to WRL competition to contest the 2022 season.

The 2022 World Racing League begins for Round 3 Racing at Barber Motorsports Park on March 4-6, 2022. The driver and car lineup will be announced later this year.

Top Tips for Best Online Betting Experience

By
SM
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Photo by Jarosław Kwoczała on Unsplash

After years of stigmatization, betting has emerged as one of the ways to have fun in the recent past. Many are not taking part in it, and with that comes new entrants. If you are a newbie or not quite an experienced gambler, you should know that you shouldn’t bet without learning some things. This article gives the tips you will need to guide you in your betting. Following it will determine if you will enjoy or get disappointed. Do you want to find out? Here they are:

  1. Check The Betting Website’s Credibility

For a start, a website’s credibility will determine your experience on the platform. It will help if you check how credible the platform is before you sign up and start betting. Some of the things you will find on a credible gambling website include a review section where bettors leave reviews, security for your private information, certificate, and license from the relevant authorities. All credible online betting websites like fun88 will clearly state their license and mentions SSL encryption software for data protection.

  1. Go Over The Rules Of Playing

Jumping into betting without going through and understanding the rules can mess up your gambling experience. Ensure that you go through the game rules and seek the assistance of the support staff should you fail to understand. Other than that, it would help if you also went through the terms and conditions of the website. 

  1. Play Trials At First

When you are new to a gambling website, it would be best to play the trial games first. These games are free and carry no risk since you don’t need funds to play. These free trials aim to familiarize you with the betting platform and help you understand the games better. By playing them, you will gain confidence as you bet with virtual money and get more experience. 

  1. Avoid Chasing Your Loses

When gambling, there are chances you will get a bad result at some point. You should know that this is normal. It would be best if you didn’t try chasing your losses. Chasing losses refer to the act of betting again in an attempt to make up for the loss you have made. The chances of messing up further are high in such instances. It will help if you take a break and get back once you clear your mind.

  1. Determine Your Strength And Weakness 

Humans have strengths and weaknesses. When you know yours when gambling will come in handy if you are in it for long; when you know your strength, you can predict if it can come with positive results by placing your bet. Knowing your weakness will help you know when to stop. 

  1. Keep Track Of How You Play

Online betting websites like fun88 have a section showing your betting history. The information in this section can help you track how you play. By looking at the statistics, you can determine if you are doing playing right or making mistakes.

Betting is fun, but you should do it moderately. And if you want to have a good experience and enjoy playing, it would help if you followed the tips in this article.

Betting on International Motorsports Online

By
SM
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Photo by Patrick Robert Doyle on Unsplash

During the winter months, we reside in the lull period of the NASCAR Cup. This period can be used as a means to wind down, relax, and enjoy the holidays, or look forward to the next year’s big events. However, some enjoy flexing their racing knowledge and hedging their bets on winning big in racing and this period can be seen as losing a source of income for a couple of months. Looking towards motorsports on an international scale can be a great means to learn, and find the next best thing to hedge your money on.

Where to Look

When looking at just the previous weekend (December 3-5, 2021), these large events took place:

All of the aforementioned list are on an international level. Expanding further, looking towards other racing events starting in January such as World RX Rallycross or in February, (the same time as Nascar) the Indy Pro 2000. This also fails to encapsulate many local events that happen internationally that you can bet on.

Where to Bet

Finding the necessary places to bet on these events is the second piece of the puzzle. For many, the most convenient place in this modern age is on the internet through websites. Inside the United States, all legal betting websites are regulated and protected. It’s also worth mentioning there are illegal sites, and you can use simple google searches to double-check and test the authenticity of any given website. Many of these sites also will corroborate and host wagers on international events.

If you are abroad or live outside of the U.S. there will be different laws and regulations on websites you visit, and it will be equally important to double-check the legitimacy of websites to ensure you will be getting payouts.

Lastly, if you’re new to online betting, or betting in general it’s important to know or refresh yourself on good strategies to ensure better odds for yourself.

Alternative Options

For those that aren’t interested in international motorsports, there are still avenues to seek out wagers and bets through online casinos (responsibly of course) throughout winter. There is a multitude of online betting and casino websites locally or internationally, such as Irish casino sites, you can visit that offer enjoyable games. Some of the games are even capable of emulating racing to encapsulate some of the thrills of real-life race betting. These websites also offer the obvious, such as blackjack, poker, and slots.

The winter period would also be a fantastic time to spend researching and gaining a leg up for the upcoming large 2022 events such as the Nascar Cup. Whether it’s discovering the new tech being employed, or the new team compositions, being in the know is invaluable for making the strongest wagers possible.

Finally, simply just resting and spending your evenings relaxing instead could provide the best benefits of all. Spending some time destressing to gain a clearer mind will result in better mental health, and potentially even better decisions when it comes to wagering your hard-earned money.

Hamilton wins the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, draws championship tie with Verstappen

By
Andrew Kim
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In a race highlighted with two red-flag periods, on-track chaos, controversy and tempers flaring amongst the competitors and teams battling for the season championship, Sir Lewis Hamilton drew himself on equal points level with Max Verstappen after withstanding a late battle and contact with Verstappen to win the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Sunday, December 5.

Hamilton, who started on pole position for the 103rd time in his illustrious career, led the opening 10 laps before a hard incident involving rookie Mick Schumacher resulted with Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas pitting for hard tyres. This gave Verstappen an advantage by taking the lead and opting to have a fresh set of hard tyres on his Red Bull machine as the race was then suspended for repairs in Turn 23 where Schumacher wrecked. 

When the race restarted on Lap 15, Hamilton and Verstappen dueled until Verstappen went off the course and cut back in front of Hamilton, which caused Hamilton to step off the gas as Alpine’s Esteban Ocon went by for second place. Following another multi-car wreck and red-flag period that involved rookie Nikita Mazepin, George Russell and Sergio “Checo” Perez, Verstappen relinquished the lead and settled in third behind Ocon and Hamilton. 

Two laps later, on a Lap 17 restart, Verstappen made a bold three-wide move entering the first two turns to reassume the lead, where he dominated the evening and kept Hamilton in his rearview mirrors. 

Then, the intensity between Hamilton and Verstappen crescendoed under the final 15 laps as Hamilton narrowed the gap between himself and his championship rival. On Lap 36, Hamilton attempted to overtake Verstappen’s Red Bull machine through the main straightaway, but Verstappen went wide in Turn 2 and nearly made contact with Hamilton while refusing to yield. The Dutchman then went off the course, but returned while still leading the race. Then while instructed by his crew to relinquish the lead to avoid a penalty for going off the course, Verstappen slowed and ended up getting hit by Hamilton, with the reigning seven-time F1 champion sustaining slight front-wing damage. Despite the incident, both competitors continued running straight and in the top-two spots. 

Five laps later, Verstappen, who briefly relinquished the lead to Hamilton, reassumed the top spot over Hamilton through Turn 27 and entering the main straightaway. Then, the stewards placed Verstappen on a five-second time penalty for his off-track excursion on Lap 42. Finally, Hamilton seized his opportunity during the following lap and pushed Verstappen wide in Turn 27 to take the lead as he pulled away from his rival, who was beginning to lose the rear tyres on his car.

With no competition lurking behind him, Hamilton was able to nurse his Mercedes back to the finish line and grab his third consecutive victory in recent weeks by nearly 12 seconds over Verstappen.

By winning for the eighth time in 2021 and for his 103rd Formula 1 career victory, Hamilton left Saudi Arabia in a tie with Verstappen for the lead in the driver’s championship standings as he pursues his record-setting eighth F1 title.

“The fight [in this team] is so, so deeply great,” Hamilton said. “I’ve been with this team 10 years. I’ve seen their passion all these year. I don’t think I’ve seen as what they’ve just shown me there coming down the pit lane at the end of the race. It’s on a different level, the energy. We’re all hyped. The fight, it’s spectacular and I appreciate it. It’s difficult to fight with a driver that doesn’t work with the same rulebook, but I tried with everything I had to just keep the car on the track and do it the right way. We persevered as a team and I’m grateful for everyone’s hard work. Who would’ve thought we got to this point, it would be like this. But I felt great. Just trying to keep my head down for next week. I’ll try to deliver the best result we can.”

“I think we are all happy today, but I need to bite my words at the moment because in seven days, there will be another result and I still hope that we are going to be happy as now,” Toto Wolff, team principal of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, added. “We just need to calm down, really prepare well for next week, have a strong racing car like we had today, have no reliability should because if we have that, the championship is gone within a second and then, all the fun today was destroyed next week.”

Verstappen, who wrecked during Saturday’s qualifying session while establishing what would have been a pole-winning lap but was able to line up in third place, led twice for 31 laps and rallied from the late on-track controversy between himself and Hamilton to settle in second place for the eighth time in 2021. Despite falling back into a tie with Hamilton in the driver’s standings, Verstappen currently holds the tie-breaker for the top spot based on winning nine times throughout the season compared to Hamilton’s eight and sets his focus towards the finale at Abu Dhabi and with an opportunity to claim his first Formula One championship.

“Of course, when [the team] told me that I had the five-second penalty, it was not worth fighting anymore because I would never have pulled a gap of five seconds,” Verstappen said. “A lot of action, lot of things that happened. I think ultimately, we didn’t really have perfect pace in the race. Maybe also, the medium tyres were not amazing to the end. I think hard tyres could’ve had a bit more life. That’s obviously easy to say afterwards. There were a lot of moves [with Hamilton]. That five-second penalty, I don’t think is correct, but at the end of the day, I don’t want to talk about it too much because they don’t deserve any word coming out of my mouth.”

“[The team] told me to give the position back,” Verstappen, who addressed the on-track incident with Hamilton, added. “Immediately when I heard that on the radio, I just pulled off to the right to show that I was gonna move over. I braked, down-shift and [Hamilton] just stayed behind me, so I was just looking in the mirror and I’m slowing down and then, I think it was just a bit of a miscommunication where he then ran into the back of me.”

“Frustrating race,” Christian Horner, team principal of Red Bull Racing, added. “I think in the end, we’re probably lucky to get away with second with the damage we had at the back of the car. It goes down to the wire in Abu Dhabi. I thought at the beginning of the year, it would go all the way to Abu Dhabi. Fortunately for all the fans, there’s nothing between [Verstappen and Hamilton]. There’s just one race victory between them, so let’s see where it finish…We got one chance [to win].”

Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas, who started on the front row but spent the majority of the event inside the top five, edged Esteban Ocon at the finish line to grab the final podium spot in his penultimate event with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. With the points, Mercedes increased their lead in the constructor’s standings by 28 points over Red Bull Racing Honda.

“It makes a difference to be fourth or third,” Bottas said. “Esteban had a good race and they were actually surprisingly quick. It was not easy to get him, but yeah, got him just at the end. I just kept pushing. It was worth it today not to give up…It’s gonna be a pretty exciting race in Abu Dhabi.”

Ocon, who made his way up to a podium spot since the Lap 15 restart and retained third place until the final lap, settled in fourth place while Daniel Ricciardo rallied from finishing outside of the points during the previous Grand Prix events to finish in fifth place.

Pierre Gasly, driving for AlphaTauri, rallied from finishing outside of the points during the previous Grand Prix event in Qatar to finish in sixth place followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Antonio Giovinazzi came home in ninth place in his penultimate event with Alfa Romeo Racing while McLaren’s Lando Norris ended up in 10th place.

Finishing outside of the top-10 points-paying results was Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll along with Nicholas Latifi and Fernando Alonso, who pitted late for soft tyres and ended up a lap behind the leaders.

Rookie Yuki Tsunoda finished 14th following an on-track collision and incident with Sebastian Vettel on Lap 23, where he spun Vettel and destroyed the front wing of his AlphaTauri in Turn 1.

Kimi Räikkönen finished 15th in his penultimate F1 event of his career while Sebastian Vettel, who continued following his early incident with Tsunoda, retired late in the event in 16th place due to the damage on his Aston Martin car.

George Russell, Sergio “Checo” Perez and rookie Nikita Mazepin, all of whom wrecked during the Lap 15 restart, retired in 17th, 18th and 19th.

Mick Schumacher retired in 20th place, dead last, following his wreck in Turn 23. 

Results:

1. Lewis Hamilton, 26 points

2. Max Verstappen, 18 points

3. Valtteri Bottas, 15 points

4. Esteban Ocon, 12 points

5. Daniel Ricciardo, 10 points

6. Pierre Gasly, eight points

7. Charles Leclerc, six points

8. Carlos Sainz, four points

9. Antonio Giovinazzi, two points

10. Lando Norris, one point

11. Lance Stroll

12. Nicholas Latifi

13. Fernando Alonso, +1 lap

14. Yuki Tsunoda, +1 lap

15. Kimi Räikkönen, +1 lap

16. Sebastian Vettel – Retired

17. George Russell – Retired

18. Sergio Perez – Retired

19. Nikita Mazepin – Retired

20. Mick Schumacher – Retired

Verstappen and Hamilton are tied for the lead in the drivers’ standings while Mercedes continues to lead the constructor’s standings by 28 points over Red Bull Racing Honda.

Next is the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit, which will conclude the 2021 Formula One season and where a champion will be crowned. The event is scheduled to occur on Sunday, December 12.

Rob MacCachren Wins 2021 BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 In Dramatic Finish

By
Official Release
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Just a few short weeks ago, Rob MacCachren and Luke McMillin were teammates celebrating a victory in Baja. On Saturday, at the 2021 BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400, they were fierce adversaries. But only one could take the victory in the latest edition of the Great American Off-Road Race, and unofficially it was 2017 winner MacCachren over 2020 winner McMillin in a battle that went down to the very end of the day—and included contact between them just miles away from the checkered flag.

“It was an unbelievable race,” an emotional MacCachren said on the podium. “We were just chasing Luke around, and it was materializing into a last lap battle, and the wind slowed down and the dust started hanging really low, which was weird. Sometimes you see the fog and it’s high, but on the dry lake, we couldn’t see the ground. We had a 90 degree left, a 90 degree right, and then my son said ‘that’s Luke, right there.’ We turned the lights off on him and followed him through the speed zone and over the bridge.

“We got in the dirt and some chicanes before the last couple of miles, and I don’t know what happened, but we got into the back of him in the dust and tipped him over. I was pretty bummed about it—we stopped and wanted to help him get back over. He’s the last person I’d want that to happen to. They’re an incredible family and an incredible team.”

McMillin launched alone at the start-finish line in Primm to start the day as the top qualifier, with MacCachren following alongside Harley Letner soon after. When Letner suffered a mechanical failure on the first lap that led to a DNF, most of the day came down to a battle on corrected time between the Baja teammates, with MacCachren looking to keep the gap on course as small as possible.

But just a handful of miles short of the finish, the entire complexion of the race changed. After contact between the two racers as MacCachren caught up, McMillin suffered a spectacular wreck that saw his truck take heavy damage. MacCachren stopped on course, where McMillin confirmed that he was alright and encouraged MacCachren to continue. McMillin was then able to recover to finish third, with Ryan Arciero completing the podium between them.

“I said ‘Rob, if I’m not going to go win this deal, you go get it, you earned it,’” said McMillin, who joined MacCachren on the podium for the post-race celebrations. “There are absolutely no hard feelings.”

Full live timing and scoring (including live unofficial results), as well as the replay of both days’ livestreams, can be found at live.themint400.com.

The Mint 400 has held the title of the toughest, most spectacular off-road race in North America since 1968 when it was first run. Initially, the race was a public relations event promoting the Mint Hotel’s annual deer hunt. but what started out as a hotel promotion soon grew into a legitimate desert race. Since its 2008 revival, “The Great American Off-Road Race” has only gotten bigger and more prestigious, and deeper fields every year only make it tougher to win.

The 2021 BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 concludes on Sunday with the official awards ceremony for race winners. More information on the event for racers and spectators is available at TheMint400.com, or follow the event on Facebook and Instagram.

About The Mint 400
The Mint 400 is the oldest and most prestigious off-road race in America, and is held each March in the treacherous foothills of Sin City. The multi-day event features a massive vehicle parade down the world famous Las Vegas Strip, a two day festival on historic Fremont Street, and two days of grueling off-road racing on a desolate and punishing 400-mile racecourse. Nearly 65,000 off-road and recreational enthusiasts come to watch 500 race teams in 50+ classes from 25 different states and 15 different countries go door to door, while the Livestream coverage is beamed to over 800,000 viewers worldwide. No other off road race allows fans the thrilling experience of watching the top off-road race teams from around the world battle for fame and glory, in a festival setting – complete with a luxury VIP section. The Mint 400 is “The Great American Off-Road Race”!

Danny Cooper Wins 2021 BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 Motorcycle Race

By
Official Release
-

The battle for two-wheel supremacy in the 2021 BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 saw Danny Cooper and Jacob Argubright go head-to-head and wheel-to-wheel for much of the race, but in the end, only one could take top honors. Cooper would outlast Argubright and the Pro Moto Open field for the unofficial victory, completing six laps in just over nine hours.

A total of 115 riders, including more than 30 Sportsman Open Ironman riders who planned to solo the event, took the green flag from Primm at 8AM on Saturday. The Pro Open quartet of Cooper, Argubright, Jesse Canepa, and Scott Moses would launch first. Argubright led early on, but the duo would later trade the lead on course in one of the more impressive battles of the event.

Cooper would secure the top spot for good as Argubright suffered setbacks later in the race, and he would run uncontested in the standings for the second half of the race. The final margin of victory was 28 minutes and 14 seconds, a difference that doesn’t fully tell how closely matched the two racers had been earlier on. More than half of that difference came from the final lap.

Full live timing and scoring (including live unofficial results), as well as livestream and Weatherman radio coverage, can be found at live.themint400.com.

The Mint 400 has held the title of the toughest, most spectacular off-road race in North America since 1968 when it was first run. Initially, the race was a public relations event promoting the Mint Hotel’s annual deer hunt. but what started out as a hotel promotion soon grew into a legitimate desert race. Since its 2008 revival, “The Great American Off-Road Race” has only gotten bigger and more prestigious, and deeper fields every year only make it tougher to win.

The 2021 BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 continues in Primm with the conclusion of today’s Unlimited, Motorcycle, and Youth races. More information on the event for racers and spectators is available at TheMint400.com, or follow the event on Facebook and Instagram.

About The Mint 400
The Mint 400 is the oldest and most prestigious off-road race in America, and is held each March in the treacherous foothills of Sin City. The multi-day event features a massive vehicle parade down the world famous Las Vegas Strip, a two day festival on historic Fremont Street, and two days of grueling off-road racing on a desolate and punishing 400-mile racecourse. Nearly 65,000 off-road and recreational enthusiasts come to watch 500 race teams in 50+ classes from 25 different states and 15 different countries go door to door, while the Livestream coverage is beamed to over 800,000 viewers worldwide. No other off road race allows fans the thrilling experience of watching the top off-road race teams from around the world battle for fame and glory, in a festival setting – complete with a luxury VIP section. The Mint 400 is “The Great American Off-Road Race”!

Round 3 Racing Takes Win and Podium at COTA

By
Official Release
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Austin, Texas (4 December 2021) – It’s a Texas takeover for Round 3 Racing (R3R) as the team took the GP1 class win and second place in GP3 in the opening race on Saturday of the World Racing League (WRL) season at Circuit of the Americas.

The double podium finish marks the 17th and 18th podium appearances for R3R this season.

No. 701 Team Cooper Tires Porsche Cayman (GP1)

The Team Cooper Tires trio of Loni Unser, Mike Gilbert and Mo Dadkhah crossed the finish line first after eight hours of racing to take the GP1 class victory.

Starting on the second row in third, Unser suited up for the race start. With a field of 98 entries, the opening laps brought dense traffic for the young driver to navigate. Unser kept the No. 701 Porsche in the lead group for 29 laps before bringing the car to pit lane to hand over to Dadkhah.

Clean maneuvers by Dadkhah and Gilbert during the second through fourth hours kept the No. 701 in contention as door-to-door racing brought out full course cautions. Strategy calls by team engineer Steve Mason saw the No. 701 Porsche pushed to its full capacity running to the final drops of fuel each stint.

Lady Luck was on the side of the No. 701 Porsche when the competitor ahead received a penalty with 20 minutes remaining. The race control call elevated the No. 701 Team Cooper Tires Porsche Cayman into the lead to secure the class win – the second GP1 victory of the season for Unser, Gilbert, and Dadkhah.

“It came down to that penalty,” said Dadkhah. “I exited pit lane on the tail of the class leader and knew what I had to do. Then (Steve) Mason came over the radio and told me to go into fuel save mode. I kept thinking to myself how I was going to be able to catch him if I had to save fuel and really began to doubt myself. Internally, I told myself to shut up and learn how to drive this track as Mason needed me too. When the yellow came out I saw the leader pass under yellow but didn’t think they had been penalized. When I passed start/ finish (Steve) Mason came over the radio and said you won that race. I had goosebumps. It was the first time in sports I’ve ever cried. It’s unbelievable.”

No. 605 Hagerty Drivers Club Porsche Boxster (GP3)

The No. 605 Hagerty Drivers Club Porsche Boxster of Carter Pease, Cole Loftsgard, Dennis Neel, and Jim Ptak returned to the WRL GP3 podium for the eighth time this season. The second place result is the driver team’s first at COTA.

Loftsgard took the first stint of the day and worked the tools in the Porsche to push the No. 605 two laps past the fuel window of the GP3 class. He then returned to pit lane for a full tank of fuel and driver change. The extended fuel range allowed Loftsgard, Pease, Neel, and Ptak to create a one lap lead to the position behind.

While the race clock ticked, the team behind the wheel of the No. 605 maintained their position in second while on-track incidents by competitors brought out six full course cautions and packed the field. The Boxster utilized the extended fuel window yet again to bring home the second place finish in the GP3 field.

The No. 605 Hagerty Drivers Club Porsche Boxster now sits five points behind the lead of the Overall National Championship. The title comes down to tomorrow’s final eight hour race of the season.

No. 601 Team Sentinel Porsche Boxster (GP2)

The No. 601 Team Sentinel Porsche Boxster of Hannah Grisham, James Candelaria, Christian Maloof battled through adversity to take the checkered flag in the Boxster’s final race weekend with R3R.

Maloof’s opening stint placed the Boxster in the top three of the GP2 class where the team stayed for the majority of the eight-hour race. The Sentinel drivers remained in contention through the on-track melee for a strong finish but on lap 60, Grisham was forced to bring the No. 601 Porsche to the garage as the crew diagnosed a broken wheel bearing

The No. 601 Team Sentinel Porsche Boxster came to the finish in ninth.

No. 401 Team Hagerty BMW M4 GT4 (GTO)

In its debut race with R3R, the No. 401 Team Hagerty BMW M4 GT4 of Sarah Montgomery, Buz McCall and Brad McCall used the opening race of the weekend to learn the new machinery. Montgomery qualified the BMW on the front row in second ahead of the field of 49 GTO entries. She was quickly catching the lead car of NASCAR pros before a broken alternator belt brought the BMW to the garage just after the two hour mark.

Once the No. 401 BMW returned to the course, the McCalls traded the driving duties back and forth utilizing track time behind the wheel before the Team Hagerty entry returned to the garage for the remainder of the race.

The Round 3 Racing team returns for the final eight-hour endurance race of the season Sunday, December 5th at 8:00am CT. The National Championship will be decided when the checkered flag flies at the conclusion of the race at 4:00pm CT.

Is It Cheaper to Ship or Tow Your Race Car?

By
SM
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You only want to drive your race car on the track. So how do you get it from place to place? You could trust shipping it with one of the leading auto shipping companies, or you could tow it. One saves you time; the other saves you money. So, which is it going to be? Read on for the benefits and drawbacks of car shipping and towing.

Tow It

Towing is the clear winner if your primary concern is budget as Long-distance vehicle towing rates are quite lesser. First, you have lots of options for trailers and towing dollies. There are open and closed options, aluminum and steel construction, and all manner of accessories. You can rent or buy a trailer or towing dolly for much less than paying to ship your race car. You can even rent or purchase enclosed or covered towing for cheaper than shipping in most cases. It all depends on your needs. Towing gives you better control of the situation, and you can stay with your race car. That may or may not be a good thing depending on your situation and finances. Towing certainly has its benefits, not least of which is it is the cheaper option.

Here are some reasons you might want to tow your race car:

  • Cost-effective: Towing is clearly the cheaper option.
  • Control: You never leave your race car.
  • Protection: You’re able to always watch and protect your race car.

That’s all well and good, but what about the responsibility of keeping track of and protecting your race car? It’s probably not a solo job, so you’ll have to find someone to help. In that case, you will likely need to pay or reimburse them in some way. Navigating will be difficult as well as parking. Not to mention you’ll be towing a race car across the country. That’s a big job, and not everyone can do it. You must consider wear and tear on your body as well as on the car.

Let’s look at some more of the downsides to towing your race car:

  • Responsibility: You are the sole person responsible for the safe transport of your race car.
  • Time and Energy: It’s a tiring and time-consuming task to tow a vehicle.
  • Road costs: You’ll have to spend on fuel, food, and lodging on the road.
  • Parking: You will have to find appropriate parking, which may require payment. 

If you’re planning to rent a towing truck or SUV, keep those costs in mind, as well as the responsibility of caring for not one but two vehicles on a cross-country trip. You will need to keep all the paperwork in order and schedule a time to return your rentals. If you’re moving, don’t plan on using the moving van to tow your race car. Most companies won’t allow it.

Ship It

On the other hand, you could give up the responsibility and the hassle of dealing with cars on the road by hiring an auto shipping company. There are many reasons to ship your race car. You’re not going to drive it and put all those miles on it, ruin the tires, or risk a breakdown.

While towing your race car is cheaper in the short run, the benefits of shipping your race car might outweigh the benefits of a cheap ticket. Here are some of the factors that affect the price of your auto shipment:

  • Time of year
  • Open or enclosed transport
  • Distance traveled
  • Vehicle size

Depending on your situation, you may be able to lock in low rates from these companies by booking early and moving in the off-season. You may be eligible for other discounts as well, but you’ll have to compare quotes to get a real picture of what shipping your race car will cost.

While open transport is cheaper, it’s likely you’ll want to opt for enclosed transport if you’re going the shipping route. While enclosed transport is the more expensive option, it’s also the better protection option for your race car. First, enclosed transport protects your race car from the elements and road debris. Second, your race car is not on display to tempt vandals and thieves. 

Other factors that affect shipping are going to depend on where you are and where you’re going, and how busy the season is. These factors can be ascertained with a free quote from the auto transport company’s website. Shop around and get at least a few quotes before making your decision. These companies and carriers are in constant competition, and this reflects in their rates. Look for and ask about any discounts you may be eligible for. 

Here are the upsides to shipping your vehicle:

  • No worries about road problems
  • Travel hassle-free
  • Extra insurance is provided by the shipping company

If you’re looking for a money-saving option, shipping is not the way to go. While you reap extra benefits from shipping your car, there is no doubt you pay for the privilege. There are, of course, downsides to shipping your car:

  • Expensive
  • No control
  • Delays happen

If you hate having your race car out of your sight, this is probably not the option for you. Letting professionals take control of your race car and ship it for you may be asking too much. If you’re trying to save dollars, then shipping is going to be more expensive than towing every time.

You should still get a quote or two just to see what you’re up against. Once you tally your road costs, you may find that shipping is much easier for the price, and towing is not worth the savings.

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