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

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Official Release
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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

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Official Release
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#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.

AJ BENDER WINS WESTERN STATES LIGHTNING SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONSHIP

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Official Release
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(Upland, CA, November 17, 2021) AJ Bender scored a $1,000.00 win in Tuesday night’s “5th Annual Western States Lightning Sprint Car Championship.” The victory was the fourth CLS win of the season for the veteran San Diego driver and his second at the Bakersfield Speedway. In addition to Bender’s win, rookie David Gasper finished third in the main event and that sewed up the championship in the four race “Civil War Series.”

On a track that was lightning fast all night long, Bender got off to a good start when he out qualified the 26-car field with a lap of 12.785. Santa Barbara’s Gasper turned in the second fastest time in qualifying with a 12.928. Teenager Grant Sexton, Bender’s teammate at Sexton Gatlin Racing, was third quickest at 13.016.

With 26 cars on hand, the field was split into three heat races. The heats were all eight laps and the top five finishers from each went straight into the 25-lap main event on “The West’s Fastest 1/3 Mile High Banked Clay Oval.” Lakeside’s Brent Sexton captured the first heat race over Kingsburg’s Doug Nunes, who was subbing for Cody Nigh in the #45 car. Five time series champion Bobby Michnowicz of Oak Hills, Bender and Colorado Springs, Colorado star Chris Crowder took the other three transfer spots.

Palmdale’s Eric Greco, who was celebrating his 19th birthday, took the second heat race over Oakdale’s Danika’Jo Parker, Bakersfield local Cade Lewis, Gasper and Scott Kinney of Sacramento.

Disaster struck for Greco on his slowdown lap after the victory when his car came to a stop on the track. Not only was it a fiasco for the night, but potentially a catastrophe for the season. The teen came into the race only 12 points out of the lead in the championship standings with four events to go. He also led Gasper by one point going into the final night of the “Civil War Series.”

The final eight lap heat race went to Yucca Valley’s Jeff Dyer. Ken Coulston of Bermuda Dunes, Grant Sexton, who resides in Lakeside, El Cajon’s Braden Chiaramonte and Carson’s Kevin Michnowicz chased the veteran driver home.

With the first 15 spots in the main event secure, 11-cars took to the track for the 12-lap B main which would reward the first seven finishers with a ticket to the A main. The drivers who earned their spots into the A main from the 12-lapper were Dominic Del Monte of Gardena, Woodcrest’s Don Hart, Placerville’s Terry Bergstrom, Brandon Leedy of Lake Elsinore, Rutherford’s Dakota Albright, James Turnbull of Indio, and Jeremiah Franklin.

There was still one more item of business to take care of before the main event. That was the dash for the six fastest qualifiers who transferred from the heat races. The way they finished the six-lap race is the way the first three rows of the main event would start straight up. The dash was all Chiaramonte. The 14-year-old racing sensation dominated the six lapper and earned the right to start on the pole for the main. Kinney placed second, Grant Sexton finished third, Gasper claimed the fourth spot with Crowder 5th, and Bender sixth.

One change for the main event came when Greco’s #8 could not be repaired for the green flag. “Rockstar” Jon Robertson generously loaned his #42 to the teen so he could start the main. However, the driver car switch meant that instead of starting eighth, Greco had to start dead last in the 22-car field.

The first attempt to start the main event was aborted. Before the second attempt to start the race got underway, first heat race winner Brent Sexton dropped out after losing his oil cap.

The second go to start the race was a success and Chiaramonte jumped into the lead over Kinney and Gasper. It immediately became apparent which car was the fastest on the track and that was Chiaramonte. The teen drove away from his pursuers like it was chained to the crashwall!

By the end of the fifth circuit, Chiaramonte was a half straight ahead of his pursuers and one lap later, he was into lapped traffic. What he was missing behind him was fierce battles between Kinney, Gasper, Grant Sexton and Bender.

Bobby Michnowicz started alongside his son Kevin in row seven in the main event. The recently turned 58-year-old was the second car out of the race when he pulled to the infield on lap 11. One lap later Kevin slowed and brought out a yellow when he could not get his car off the track. They finished 21st and 20th respectively.

When the race resumed, Chiaramonte was at the point, and he had two cars between himself and second place Gasper. Kinney, Bender and Crowder made up the remainder of the top five. Once again, Chiaramonte left the competition behind when the green light came back on. Gasper took Kinney for the runner up spot on the restart. However, the real fun began on lap 14 when Bender went from the 4th place spot all the way up to second by passing Kinney and Gasper.

Once Bender got by Gasper, the crowd got its full admission price worth of excitement in the next 5 laps. Bender and Gasper staged one of the most memorable battles in recent CLS history. Gasper, in his bright blue #18 raced back into second on the 15th lap. Over the next three circuits they battled back and forth for the runner up spot. That crowd pleasing battle pulled the attention away from Chiaramonte who by that time, had a full straight away lead, but he was about to get a big, unpleasant surprise.

The reason Chiaramonte was so far ahead of the competition was quite simple. He was way faster than everyone else! In fact, his fastest lap in the CLS main of 12.426 was also faster than any of the USAC Midgets turned in their main. However, it all went for naught on lap 18! Entering turn number one, a puff of smoke came out of the engine, and he slowed. Suddenly smoke was billowing from the car and a flash oil fire broke out as he was coming to a stop. The fire went out but briefly flared back up as he was climbing out. His spectacular drive was over, and it was extinguished by a spectacular ball of flames. The fans gave the young driver a nice round of applause as he went back to the pits in recognition of his demolition of the competition in the dash and the first 17-laps of the main event.

Bender was at the point for the restart after Chiaramonte’s fiery exit from the race. Gasper was in second with Crowder, Kinney and Dyer making up spots three through five. Bender got a tremendous restart and was going to be very hard to catch in the remaining 7 laps.

As Bender moved away, the trading of positions was still going on behind him. Coulston, who started in 12th, put all the fans on the edge of their seats by dramatically going from sixth to fourth on lap 19. Unfortunately, he broke on the last lap and ended up 15th.

Crowder moved up one spot on lap 20 when he passed Gasper, but he could not stop the streaking Bender from his fourth win of the year. Gasper hung on for third with Kinney and Dyer rounding out the top five.

Turnbull was the main event “Hard Charger” finishing ninth after starting 11th.

“That sucks for Braden (Chiaramonte),” was the first thing Bender said to the crowd when interviewed after the main event. “He is something special. A good kid and a good friend. I love this place and this thing is a rocket ship (his car). It is so fast, and I am lucky I get a chance to drive it. Thanks to Sexton Gatlin Racing for the chance. Hopefully, we can go to Placerville and do it three more times. I think my chances are good.”

The wild happenings in the night saw a big shake up in the season long championship standings. Gasper, who began the evening in third 28-points out of first, took over the lead for the first time this year. Turnbull, who came in as the point leader, slipped back to second and is now 13-points behind Gasper. Greco dropped from second back to third. Dyer maintained the fourth-place spot with Bender catapulting from seventh up to fifth.

Gasper came into the night trailing Greco by one-point in the last “Civil War Series” event of the year. His third-place finish combined with Greco’s early exit from the main gave the title to the first year Lightning Sprint driver. Turnbull was 51 behind in second. Greco ended up third. Leedy was the top BCRA driver in fourth with Dyer coming home fifth.

The CLS gets Wednesday off to travel north to the Placerville Speedway for the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday “Hangtown 100.”

Fans can find the Placerville Speedway at 100 Placerville Drive in Placerville (95667). The grandstands will open at 3:00 PM each day with racing at 6:30. The website for the track is at the following link https://www.placervillespeedway.com/. The office phone is (530) 344-7592.

Fans around the world who cannot attend the races, will be able to watch all four live on The Flo Racing PPV site at https://www.floracing.com/

The CLS would like to thank 2021 series sponsors Hoosier Tires, T Shirts By Timeless, TJ Forged Racing Wheels, and Walker Performance Filtration. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, please call Alex Grigoreas at (909) 437-3170.

To keep up with the CLS online, please visit the website at http://racecls.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/californialightningsprints

Bakersfield Speedway 25-Lap Main Event Finish (with starting positions)

  1. A.J. Bender – San Diego, CA – 6th
  2. Chris Crowder – Colorado Springs, CO – 5th
  3. David Gasper – Santa Barbara, CA – 4th
  4. Scott Kinney – Sacramento, CA – 2nd
  5. Jeff Dyer – Yucca Valley, CA – 8th
  6. Grant Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 3rd
  7. Doug Nunes – Kingsburg, CA – 9th
  8. Terry Bergstrom – Placerville, CA – 17th
  9. James Turnbull – Indio, CA – 20th
  10. Dakota Albright – Rutherford, CA – 19th
  11. Brandon Leedy – Lake Elsinore, CA – 18th
  12. Cade Lewis – Bakersfield, CA – 10th
  13. Jeremiah Franklin – 21st
  14. Dominic Del Monte – Gardena, CA – 15th
  15. Ken Coulston – Bermuda Dunes, CA – 12th
  16. Braden Chiaramonte – El Cajon, CA – 1st
  17. Danika’ Jo Parker – Oakdale, CA – 11th
  18. Don Hart – Woodcrest, CA – 16th
  19. Eric Greco – Palmdale, CA – 22nd
  20. Kevin Michnowicz – Carson, CA – 14th
  21. Bobby Michnowicz – Oak Hills, CA – 13th
  22. Brent Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 7th

Lap Leaders: Chiaramonte 1-17, Bender 18-25

Hard Charger: Turnbull Start 20th – Finish 9th

Lightning Sprint Car Series Points

  1. David Gasper ® – Santa Barbara, CA – 1556
  2. James Turnbull – Indio – 1543
  3. Eric Greco – Palmdale, CA – 1501
  4. Jeff Dyer – Yucca Valley, CA – 1378
  5. A.J. Bender – San Diego, CA – 1090
  6. Dominic Del Monte – Gardena, CA – 1081
  7. Jon Robertson – Torrance, CA – 1046
  8. Pat Kelley – Chino, CA – 871
  9. Aiden Lange – Lakewood, CA – 815
  10. Bobby Michnowicz – Oak Hills, CA – 807

CLS/BCRA Civil War Series Point Standings

  1. Dave Gasper – CLS – 461
  2. James Turnbull – CLS – 410
  3. Eric Greco – CLS – 391
  4. Brandon Leedy – BCRA – 372
  5. Jeff Dyer – CLS – 337
  6. Terry Bergstrom – BCRA – 331
  7. Dominic Del Monte – CLS – 312
  8. Dakota Albright – BCRA – 306
  9. Bobby Michnowicz – CLS – 276
  10. Aiden Lange – CLS – 235

2021 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule

March 13 Bakersfield Speedway – Eric Greco

April 10 Bakersfield Speedway – Bobby Michnowicz

April 24 Merced Speedway (Wayne Albright Memorial – Round #1 of the Civil War Series with BCRA – Wingless) – James Turnbull

May 15 Bakersfield Speedway – A.J. Bender

June 5 Ventura Raceway – A.J. Bender

June 19 Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford) – Postponed due to heat.

July 3 Santa Maria Speedway – Eric Greco

July 24 Santa Maria Speedway (Wing Madness #1) Santa Maria – A.J. Bender

August 7 Merced Speedway (Civil War Series #2 with BCRA – Winged) – Dave Gasper

August 28 Ventura Raceway – Eric Greco

September 18 Bakersfield Speedway (Civil War #3 with BCRA – Winged) – Kevin Michnowicz

September 19 The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park – David Gasper

October 2 Ventura Raceway – Eric Greco

October 30 Ventura Raceway – Jeff Dyer

November 16 Bakersfield Speedway (Civil War #4 with BCRA – Winged – Western States Lightning Sprint Car Championship) – A.J. Bender

November 18 Placerville Speedway Hangtown 100 – (Co sanctioned with BCRA and in companion with the USAC National Midgets)

November 19 Placerville Speedway Hangtown 100 – (Co sanctioned with BCRA and in companion with the USAC National Midgets)

November 20 Placerville Speedway Hangtown 100 – (Co sanctioned with BCRA and in companion with the USAC National Midgets)

PAST CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS

1994 Tony Everhart

1995 Gary Sexton

1996 Rob Sczymczak

1997 Jon Rahe

1998 Chris Rahe

1999 Brent Sexton

2000 Greg Bragg

2001 Greg Bragg

2002 Greg Bragg

2003 David Cardey

2004 Keith Janca

2005 Johnny Bates

2006 Donny Gansen

2007 Shane Rossen

2008 Brent Sexton

2009 Stuart Hielschier Sr.

2010 Jarrett Kramer

2011 Tim Brown

2012 Bobby Michnowicz

2013 Stephen Limon

2014 Bobby Michnowicz

2015 Bobby Michnowicz

2016 Bobby Michnowicz

2017 Bobby Michnowicz

2018 Jarrett Kramer

2019 Jarrett Kramer

West Coast Trans Am Champion Eagleton Sees New Opportunities with Bronze License

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Official Release
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Honolulu, HAWAII – November 17, 2021 – 2019 Trans Am West Coast GT Class Champion Roger Eagleton has just been reclassified by the FIA as a Bronze license driver in a move that the Northern California and Honolulu based Real Estate entrepreneur believes will open up more opportunities for him to race in 2022 and beyond. The license issuing body the FIA – Federation International Automobile – is the ultimate authority and governing body for all motorsports worldwide and upholds the highest standards of professionalism and safety. While reclassification with a bronze license is technically a downgrade from Roger’s previously held silver license, in fact it opens up a whole raft of new opportunities for a pilot proven to be as competitive as Roger. Many Prototype, Sportscars and GT programs require a bronze and silver or two bronze drivers, hence the paradoxical increase in opportunities.

We spoke to Roger last week about the announcement and how he plans to use the reclassification to his advantage, “Normally a ratings downgrade isn’t a cause for celebration. But in my case, I am very happy and thankful that the FIA Driver Categorization Committee has evaluated my existing silver ranking and moved me to the bronze category as I feel that this new bronze ranking will allow me more opportunities to partner with teams and drivers in need of a fast, safe and consistent bronze driver to complete their line-up for 2022 and beyond.”

Roger explained the situation further when he added, “I also believe that this driver categorization change will allow my existing long-term sponsors to obtain an even higher return on their continued investment in my career as I will now have additional avenues in which to deploy my funding, with the goal of reaching an ever-wider audience of sportscar fans both nationally and internationally.”

The talented and ambitious Eagleton went on, “Our goal for 2022 is to obtain a full season partnership with a team at the national or international level and to win a championship. Ideally with a GT car or a prototype, sprint races or endurance, I just want to be out there, providing value for my sponsors and entertaining fans both in person and on TV because as a driver, that’s what truly makes me happy.”

A graduate of CSU Bakersfield, Roger first competed in motorsports back in 2008 in the Jim Russell Championship Series where he finished fifth overall and the same year was Sports Car Club of America San Francisco Region BMW E30 Class Champion.

By 2018 Roger had established himself on the West Coast Sportscar Racing scene and that year he won the T2 class in the SCCA Majors at Thunderhill and at Kent, Washington. He also won at Buttonwillow and Portland in the SCCA T2 class in the Hoosier Super Tour, results that made him the Western Conference Class Champion in the T2 class. He also made select appearances in the IMSA Continental Tire Series (now Michelin Pilot Challenge), subbing for Alexandre Premat and driving a Mercedes AMG GT-4 alongside team owner and co-driver Mark Ramsey.

In the 25 hours of Thunderhill he was first in the EXR class. The following year saw Eagleton step up again, this time competing in the iconic Trans Am Series. He competed very successfully in the West Coast Championship GT class. Roger led the Championship after winning at Thunderhill in April that year and then finished second at Laguna Seca, Sonoma and Portland. He secured the 2019 Championship after finishing runner up at the hugely challenging, Formula One designated Circuit of the Americas.

Fast, safe and reliable, Roger is the ideal candidate for a variety of racing, Muscle Car and Endurance Racing programs. Contact him through his website at Roger Eagleton Racing.

OPTIMA Batteries’ Christopher Polvoorde Wins Great American Shortcourse Championship

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Official Release
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After eight rounds of off-road races in 2021, the OPTIMA Batteries-sponsored driver wins the first-ever Great American Shortcourse series in the Pro Lite class.

MILWAUKEE (Nov. 17, 2021) – OPTIMA Batteries, the leading brand of Clarios (NYSE: BBU) (TSX: BBU.UN), has announced that its sponsored driver Christopher Polvoorde has won the Great American Shortcourse (GAS) Pro Lite championship in his Ford Ranger after an incredibly competitive inaugural season.

The GAS series was created after veteran race series director Lee Perfect and race promoter Dave Cole of Hammerking Productions sought to reinvigorate the short course racing circuit, leading to the announcement of the formation of Great American Shortcourse powered by OPTIMA Batteries in February 2021. The series encompassed eight rounds of racing over four weekends between the SBC Fairgrounds in Victorville, Calif. and Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernadino, Calif.

Entering the final event of the series, Polvoorde was the leader in points for the championship after finishing on the podium in the first six races. Polvoorde finished first in both rounds of the final event, securing his place as the first Pro Lite Great American Shortcourse champion by a total of 25 points over the runner-up. Season rival Madix Bailey finished second and Jimmy Weitzel placed third.

“We want to support all types of motorsports,” OPTIMA Batteries Director of Marketing Cam Douglass said. “When we saw an opportunity to be part of the reinvention of short course racing, we gladly stepped up to support the series. Christopher is a great kid and we are excited for his success too.”

Following the championship finish in Great American Shortcourse, Polvoorde is headed to Baja California, Mexico to compete for the first time in the SPEC Trophy Truck class of SCORE’s Baja 1000. Accompanied by title sponsor OPTIMA Batteries, the Chris Polvoorde Racing team brings Baja racing legends Dale Ebberts and Steven Eugenio onboard with 13 chase vehicles in tail, two helicopters and one private aircraft.

“Tackling the [Baja] 1000 in my first year of racing the Spec Trophy Truck class is a tall order to fill, but we have an incredible team so I’m confident that we can lay down a great peninsula run and finish this race,” said team owner and racer Christopher Polvoorde. “For a 1,227-mile race, it’s smarter to bring in outside drivers and teams to try and put together the best possible run that we can.”

Polvoorde, Ebberts and Eugenio have been pre-running in Baja California, Mexico leading up to the race. Christopher qualified first in class at the Baja 400, nearly ten seconds faster than the next driver. The Polvoorde team is striving to put the Number 204 OPTIMA Sponsored Spec Trophy Truck on top of the box for the Baja 1000.

About OPTIMA® Batteries
OPTIMA high-performance automotive, marine and heavy-duty AGM batteries are manufactured by Clarios, LLC, the world’s largest manufacturer of automotive batteries. OPTIMA REDTOP®, YELLOWTOP® and BLUETOP® batteries feature state-of-the-art SPIRALCELL TECHNOLOGY®. This patented design allows OPTIMA batteries to deliver superior performance in both starting and deep cycling applications. The OPTIMA product family also includes a line of Digital Chargers, with advanced multi-stage charging to charge and maintain a variety of vehicle batteries, maximizing battery life and performance. The newest additions to the OPTIMA YELLOWTOP line are now offered in DIN group sizes H6 and H7. This offering allows a variety of modern vehicles, ranging from late-model domestic performance to European models, to experience the power and performance of OPTIMA Batteries. To learn more or to purchase OPTIMA products, please visit www.optimabatteries.com, call 1-888-8OPTIMA (1-888-867-8462) or find @OPTIMABatteries on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About Clarios
Clarios is a world leader in advanced energy storage solutions. We partner with customers to meet increasing market demand for smarter applications, on a global scale. Our 16,000 employees develop, manufacture and distribute a portfolio of evolving battery technologies for virtually every type of vehicle. These technologies deliver uniquely sustainable, next-generation performance, and bring reliability, safety and comfort to everyday lives. We add value at every link in the supply chain, contributing to the progress of the communities we serve and the planet we all share. As a 2020 signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, Clarios is committed to aligning our strategies and operations with universal principles focused on human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption. Clarios is a subsidiary of Brookfield Business Partners, a business services and industrials company focused on owning and operating high-quality businesses that benefit from barriers to entry and/or low production costs.

2022 NASCAR Series Track Update

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SM
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NASCAR 2022 series is officially here with us and there are major track changes throughout the season. This particular cup series is the 51st season for the modern era series and the 74th season for the United states NASCAR professional stock car race. This season marks the Next-Gen Car and it’s also the first series of the race to be covered by a US network. Below are the various tracks for the 2022 NASCAR race.

Payoffs race

This popular Homestead Miami Speedway track is back for the 2022 NASCAR series. However, the track isn’t going to be used for the playoffs unlike before where it was used for the championship. To be specific from 2002 to 2019, this track hosted the title race weekend. Homestead Miami speedway race is before the Martinsville speedway elimination one.

Elimination race

This particular race with eventually remain the same which is the 10 race playoff four round. In other words, all three playoff elimination races are typically similar to those of the 2021 schedule. The sixteenth round ends at Bristol Motor Speedway, the twelfth round on Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Roval, and the final round at the Martinsville race. After that, we have the championships which are hosted at the Phoenix Raceway.

Welcome race

This particular race is popularly known as the World Wide Technology Raceway which will take place in June 2022. On the other hand, Pocono Raceway will only host one race in the entire 2022 NASCAR series. The Truck Series which was hosted on the Gateway Arch and the Xfinity Series back in 2010, is currently scheduled to host the premier Cup Series.

Preseason exhibition race

The Clash race which is a preseason exhibition race was initially held at Daytona International Speedway. However, for the 2022 NASCAR series, the race will be carried out in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 14 days prior to the Daytona 500 season-opening race. The new venue is indeed going to offer both spectators and drivers amazing views of South California. The Clash at the Coliseum will take place on Feb 6, 2022, and drives will use NextGen cars for the first time in this event.

 Race week off

The 2022 NASCAR series has only a week off throughout the entire season. To be specific, the break is bound to happen in mid-June. What this means is the race will be on Easter for the first time after a long time. Alternatively, as you wait for the season to resume you can always check out Helpbet, your leading online betting guide.

Conclusion

Although the 2021 NASCAR made some major changes in the race, many of the race schedules are typically the same in 2022. For instance, the Nashville Superspeedway, Circuit of The Americas, Road America and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt race are all part of the season lineup. However, the only difference is in the schedules. Unfortunately, there won’t be any action on the Daytona International Speedway’s road course unlike in the previous two NASCAR seasons.

How the RPM Act Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives Affects the Aftermarket Car Industry

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SM
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During the past few years, there has been a massive push to regulate the automotive industry in the face of climate change. Now, some of the bills have the potential to dramatically impact the aftermarket car part sector as well. Due to a massive push from people in the media and social media influencers, including YouTube, the United States House of Representatives introduced the RPM Act. This stands for Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports, and the goal of the act is to limit the ability of the EPA to enforce the Clean Air Act in the realm of motorsports. Why is this bill necessary, and what might the RPM Act do?

How the Clean Air Act Might Hamper the Automotive Industry

The Clean Air Act was passed by the EPA in an effort to clean up the environment, but the areas they are targeting can have massive impacts on the economy that some people might not have foreseen. Within the realm of motorsports, the EPA is trying to protect the environment by banning the conversion of street vehicles into race-only vehicles. This includes not only vehicles that are on the right track but also those that are transported to and from races that might never see any competition.

Even though this action may have positive intentions regarding the safety of the driver and the environment, this is going to have a lot of negative impacts on the aftermarket car part sector as well. If racers are not purchasing aftermarket car parts in an effort to modify their vehicles, the sector is going to dry up. As a result, people who rely on these parts for their own personal needs are not going to be able to find them. 

If this act is enforced, the only cars that will be at the racetrack will be custom-built cars from some of the major manufacturers. This would lead to the death of the aftermarket car industry, stopping the life out of an industry that is valued at billions of dollars per year.

What Does the RPM Act Do?

The RPM Act would make it impossible for the EPA to target manufacturers who sell products used for car modification online. Effectively, the act will give people the right to modify their vehicles in a way they see fit without having to worry about the EPA knocking on the door telling people they cannot do that. While the RPM Act has come up before, it appears to have more support now than in the past. Therefore, there might be a higher chance of having it passed.

The Bill is Being Reintroduced

The bill has come up before, but it has never had the support to get past. This fall, it was reintroduced again with bipartisan support. Richard Burr, a Republican from North Carolina, and Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana, have thrown their support behind the bill. 

The Senators believe that American amateur motorsports are a right and a popular pastime. This bill would protect the ability of Americans to continue to engage in racing. Even though the Clean Air Act may have positive intentions, it appears to have overstepped its bounds. The motorsport community has consistently relied on the freedom to modify their vehicles to compete in row races. This bill would have effectively codified that right without hampering the ability of the EPA to ensure the American public has clean air.

Already, there are a number of other sponsors who have thrown their support behind the bill as well. It will be interesting to see what happens moving forward, but the bill has not yet passed. 

More Support Is Needed

Right now, legislators in Congress are listening to the will of the people. Even though there is a lot of support for this bill on YouTube and various other social media channels, it is important for people to continue to pick up the phone and call their senators. That way, they can let their senators know that they want the bill passed. If the federal government knows that this is a bill that people want, they will be more likely to pass it during the next legislative session. 

Author Bio: Luke Wilhoit has been a content writer for businesses in the automotive industry for over a decade and is now the Head of Content Marketing at automotive-marketing.com, an automotive-specific digital marketing agency. When Luke isn’t reading up on the latest automotive news, he enjoys his time outside in the great smoky mountains of east Tennessee. 

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION: GREG ANDERSON CHAMPIONSHIP FEATURE

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Official Release
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Anderson relishes magical season in Chevrolet Camaro SS
Veteran becomes fourth Pro Stock racer with five championships

DETROIT (Nov. 17, 2021) – Greg Anderson, who prefers to look down the dragstrip instead of behind, recalls April 29, 2001, like it was the most recent event on the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) tour.

When Anderson won his initial Wally in NHRA Pro Stock competition that spring Sunday in Bristol, Tennessee, it sent a shock wave through Thunder Valley that reverberates to this day.

“I was just thankful to be on the racetrack and have the chance to drive a Pro Stock car. I never even realized I could win an event. It was the beginning of a lot of great days to come,” he said.

Anderson, who shared in the on-track success of Warren Johnson as his crew chief before getting behind the wheel of a Pro Stock machine in 1998, went on to roll to Pro Stock world championships in 2003, ’04 and ’05 among a basketful of accolades in his KB Racing-prepared cars. He claimed the fourth title of his career in 2010 – the same season that Johnson won for the 97th and final time in his career.

“At the time, winning that first race was the coolest thing that ever happened to me,” he said. “It was the start of something really special. It just shows you what hard work can do.”

His work ethic didn’t diminish over the next decade and wins continued to pile up, though a fifth title eluded Anderson — until Nov. 14 at Auto Club Raceway. Anderson drove the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro SS to victory in the 2021 season finale to cap a dominant year reminiscent of 2004 when he garnered 15 wins in 19 final rounds.

Anderson joins Bob Glidden (10), Johnson (6) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (5) as the only five-time world champions in the 51-year history of NHRA Pro Stock competition. Chevrolet, which won the first Pro Stock race in 1970 at Auto Club Raceway, earned its 17th Pro Stock driver championship to go along with 346 victories, including 228 with the Camaro nameplate.

Since winning the opener at Gainesville, Florida, in March, Anderson didn’t relinquish the points lead.

“It’s been a magical season in so many ways and for so many reasons,” said Anderson, who in October passed Johnson to become the winningest driver in Pro Stock and also moved to second in all pro classes with 881 round wins. “This one really means a lot to me.”

Anderson, who registered 12 No. 1 qualifiers in the 17 races, advanced to the final round nine times. His fifth victory of the season – over KB Racing teammate Kyle Koretsky – boosted the win total to 99 in 167 final rounds over 496 races. Only 16-time Funny Car champion and fellow Chevrolet driver John Force (154) has more victories in the pro classes.

“My HendrickCars.com Chevy is just bad to the bone. Every race I went to I had a great chance to win that race,” Anderson said. “I’m very proud of everybody on the KB Racing team and so grateful to our team owners, Ken and Judy Black. We definitely came prepared to race, and it paid off in the best possible way.

“It’s pretty incredible. It’s been a special year and to get to that number and one away from 100 – that’s the milestone we’re looking for. We passed by Warren Johnson, my mentor and a guy who taught me so much, a couple of races ago, and now 100 is the goal. And I don’t want to stop there.”

Anderson, 60, will have the opportunity to hit that mark in the 2022 season opener Feb. 20 back at Auto Club Raceway.

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.

2022 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding tickets are on sale now

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Official Release
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Three-day tickets provide fans access to the best available seats

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Nov. 17, 2021) – Three-day tickets to the 2022 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding are now on sale to the public. The 18th annual event is set for February 25-27, 2022, in downtown St. Petersburg.

Tickets are available online at gpstpete.com or by calling 727-898-4639 with pricing starting at $125 for reserved 3-Day Grandstand seats and $60 for 3-Day General Admission. Junior pricing is also available for those fans ages 12 and under. Pit Access and Firestone Paddock Passes can also be purchased. Single-day tickets will be released for sale in early 2022.

“We’re just over three months from the green flag falling on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding race weekend. Fans should act now to secure the best seats with great sightlines of the racetrack set alongside the picturesque waterfront,” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Presented by RP Funding. “The downtown vibe and setting which St. Pete has to offer is hard to top in all of motorsports. We can’t wait to host this great event again with all the fans back.”

The weekend schedule, highlighted by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ season-opening race, will have a full complement of racing series on track. Indy Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires and Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship return as well as the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup bringing some fierce showroom stock racing action. Additional series will be announced in the new year.

For ticket pricing and event information, visit gpstpete.com or follow Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on social media using #FirestoneGP. Joining the E-Club also provides insider access to the latest news and offers. The complete weekend racing and festival schedule will be released in early 2022.

About Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding:
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is a race event held during Florida’s spring break season. Traditionally the site of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ season-opening race, St. Pete is a destination city hosting this annual motorsports tradition and offering a festival atmosphere with its downtown location. The temporary circuit is a 1.8-mile, 14-turn configuration using the streets circling Pioneer Park, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts, The Dali Museum and extending onto the runways at Albert Whitted Airport, which overlooks the waterfront of Tampa Bay and picturesque St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina. Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is owned and operated by Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC. Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC is owned by Green Savoree Racing Promotions 2, LLC whose other subsidiaries also promote three additional INDYCAR SERIES races, The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (July 1-3, 2022), Honda Indy Toronto (July 15-17, 2022), and Grand Prix of Portland (Sept. 2-4, 2022).

For more information, visit gpstpete.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page at @GPSTPETE or follow the event on Twitter @GPSTPETE and Instagram @GPSTPETE using #FirestoneGP.

Irish Mike Racing puts both cars on Road Atlanta Podium

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Takes 3-4 in points in final Porsche Carrera Cup weekend

BRASELTON, Ga. (12 Nov. 2021) – Craig Conway and Conor Flynn both scored podium finishes in the final Porsche Carrera Cup North America weekend at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, finishing the 16-race campaign third and fourth in the championship in the Pro-Am 991 class.

Conway ended the three-race weekend by placing third in Friday’s 45-minute finale, matching his season-best at Indianapolis behind the wheel of the No. 97 Diamond Suzuki/Sea Pro Porsche 991.

“There were a lot of cautions, guys stuffing it into things,” Conway said of the finale. “We tried to stay out of all that! I had my own issues with guys trying to pressure me, so I had to drive pretty hard. But the track was great today, the best it’s been – and the car as well. We got a podium out of it and I’m glad – and third in class points. So a great way to end the season.”

Getting a late start to his season, Flynn’s best result of the weekend was third in Thursday’s opening race. Flynn was running second in the No. 95 Chillout System/Irish Mike’s Total Care Care Porsche 991 with less than six minutes remaining in the Friday race, when his race suddenly ended in Turn 3. He ended the year with four second-place finishes and two thirds. He ended with 160 points, only eight behind Conway.

“There were a ton of yellows, you could tell everyone was being super aggressive out there,” Flynn said following the Friday race. “We had a great first half of the race but that came to a halt in the wall at Turn Three. The car just cut out in the back – not sure if something broke in the rear riding over the bump in the apex, or if I just ran out of talent. We’ll figure it out, but it’s been a great season. We finished fourth in class points behind Craig. As a whole, the team did great. Getting third and fourth in class points in our first year in the series, it’s great for our team.”

Thursday’s opening race was slowed by an extended caution period, and ended under a scond yellow which came out with seven minutes remaining while Flynn worked his way up to a podium finish.

“That was predictable for this racetrack, especially since we’re coming down to the end of the season and drivers are getting more aggressive – that’s been stepping up, race by race,” Flynn said. “At the start, I looked in my mirror and saw a car sideways: I could see the entire side of the car. So I knew it was going to be an interesting race!”

Flynn finished 19th overall and third in class. Conway took 26th and seventh in class.

“The start was very crazy,” Conway said. “There was so much dust on track, then a car spun across the front straight. It was mostly about picking your way through without getting involved in anything. Unnecessary, but that’s what happened in multi-class racing. And despite all the messes, we finished third and seventh.”

Thursday’s race No. 2 went green flag to flag. Flynn improved to 17th overall but placed fourth in class, while Conway was sixth in his division and 23rd overall.

“We had a decent race, not much drama – a lot cleaner race,” Conway said of the afternoon event that finished in darkness. “The rain stayed away for us, it was good for points and the car came out in good shape so a good day.”

Flynn agreed.

“Race two was a lot calmer – there were still cars off but no one collected anyone else,” he said. “It’s nice to go green the whole way, a little less adrenalin going. We had a bit of an issue with the front of the car that kept us off-pace, but we were able to resolve that issue in time for the Friday race.”

Finishing up with in the standings with their Porsche 991, Irish Mike Racing is looking to continue in the series in 2022 with an upgrade to the newer Porsche 992 – making for a busy off-season for the Orlando-based team.

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