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Round 3 Racing Wins 24 Hours at Sebring

November 1, 2021

Sebring, Fla. (31 October 2021) – Round 3 Racing makes World Racing League history claiming victory in the inaugural 24 Hours of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway on Sunday. The No. 605 Hagerty Drivers Club Porsche Boxster claimed the top spot in the GP3 class with both the No. 701 Team Cooper Tires Porsche Cayman (GP1) and No. 601 Team Sentinel Porsche Boxster (GP2) standing on the podium in their respective classes.

12:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Morning rain made for a damp start for the three R3R Porsche entries but the starting drivers were primed for the green flag. Mike Gilbert in the No. 701 Team Cooper Tires Porsche Cayman led the pack starting second in the GP1 category. The No. 601 Team Sentinel Porsche Boxster also started on the front row of the GP2 class with Cole Loftsgard at the helm.

Carter Pease in the No. 605 Hagerty Drivers Club Porsche Boxster rounded out the field from 15th in GP3. He made quick progress running in the top five of the GP3 class when the first yellow flag appeared on lap 10.

The team of three Porsche entries settled into race rhythm, clicking off laps and executing pit stops every hour and a half.

6:00 PM – 12:00 AM

As darkness began to appear, things started to heat up on and off track. With Jim Ptak piloting the No. 605 GP3 Porsche, teamwork was key as team strategist Steve Mason made a last minute call to bring the Boxster to pit lane for fuel as a full course caution appeared. The call allowed Ptak to take over the class lead with 14 hours remaining on the race clock. He took the restart making sharp passes around the 3.74-mile Florida course to put two laps between the No. 605 and second place.

Mo Dadkhah and the No. 701 Team Cooper Tires Porsche Cayman hit a stroke of bad luck as a punctured tire caused internal wheel well damage as it limped back to the garage for repairs. Quick work by the R3R crew got the No. 701 back on course in under one hour and still in contention for a podium.

12:00 AM – 6:00 AM

Taking the graveyard shift, Sarah Montgomery climbed aboard the No. 605 Hagerty Drivers Club Porsche Boxster in second but two laps down. She pushed through a double stint in the dark to return the No. 605 Porsche to the lead lap and within reach of the leader.

As over 12 hours of wear began to show in the handling of the car, the No. 601 Team Sentinel crew opted to switch out the brake pads on the Boxster. Maloof entered pit lane from second and just 13-minutes later rejoined the course. Minutes later, the No. 701 Team Cooper Tires Porsche Cayman made the same decision to replace their brakes. With fresh brake pads, Unser handed over control to Ghidinelli for a double stint.

6:00 AM – 12:00 PM

The sun rose brought new life in the hunt for victory. Each team of drivers executed hours of clean running in their Porsche entries.

With under one hour left on the race clock, adversity struck the No. 701 team again as a mechanical failure forced them to return to the garage while they ran in third. With a comfortable lead to fourth, the rear axle bearing was mended and Brian Ghidinelli nursed the No. 701 Team Cooper Tires Porsche Cayman to the checkered flag in third – the second podium appearance for the Team Cooper Tires lineup.

With 15 minutes remaining and 15 lap lead, Buz McCall strapped in the No. 605 Porsche Boxster for his first laps of the race. He completed five laps before crossing the finish line securing the GP3 class win. The win also clenched the Eastern Championship for the No. 605 Hagerty Drivers Club team.

Hannah Grisham brought the No. 601 Team Sentinel Porsche Boxster of Grisham, Christian Maloof, Cole Loftsgard and James Candelaria to the finish as the race clock expired in second place in the GP2 category.

“Wow, I am thrilled with these results,” said Brad McCall. “My dad (Buz McCall) and I actually had a dream that we would finish with a first, second, and third. It really is a dream come true. Every single driver and crew member contributed today and it was a team effort. We really didn’t know if these cars could last all 24 hours but they did. Trophies are nice but being able to celebrate and spend time together as not only a team but a family is the best part. A big congratulations are in order for the No. 605 team who secured their Eastern Championship and who are so close to securing a National Championship as well. It really was an amazing day.”

Round 3 Racing will close the 2021 World Racing League season at Circuit of the Americas December 3-5.

FIA Formula 3 Driver Juan Manuel Correa Visits 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) as One of Step One Automotive Group’s ‘Forever Warriors’ Ambassadors

Official Release

November 1, 2021

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla., Nov. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On Wednesday, October 27, FIA Formula 3 Driver JM Correa paid tribute to veterans of 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) with a day of range shooting at Element Training Complex, drifting race cars with Klutch Kickers at Emerald Coast Dragway, and a tour of the 7th SFG(A) Combat Readiness Training Facility. His visit was part of a partnership with racing sponsor Step One Automotive Group and as an ambassador for the company’s Forever Warriors initiative.

The Special Forces members JM visited were all combat wounded and in the process of overcoming significant injuries of their own. These Green Berets instructed JM and his team at the shooting range, providing them with real-life scenarios from their multiple combat deployments. After spending time handling weapons at the range, the team traveled to Emerald Coast Dragway for an inside experience and “hotlaps” with professional drifters, Klutch Kickers.

“Still involved in my own recovery process, I am both keenly aware of the struggle many service members and veterans face and have firsthand experience with the challenges of recovery and retraining,” said Correa. “I related to many of these Forever Warriors and their adversities with recovering from injuries.”

JM shared his personal recovery story while touring Combat Readiness Training Facility. For veterans in recovery, medical professionals ranging in studies including physical therapy, dietitians, mental health, and more make up teams working together to meet the goal: train and recover to perform. Both the Wounded Warriors and JM shared their gratitude and appreciation for the teams who continue to work tirelessly to make their goals of both continuing their service and professional racing a possibility again after injury.

JM’s passion, commitment, and relentless determination have enabled him to be among a very small number of drivers competing in the elite and exclusive club of the F3 and F2 feeder series. Those same characteristics are the reason why JM is now inspiring many with one of the most incredible comebacks in motorsport history, much like the wounded warriors representing the 7th SFG.

The initiative, Forever Warriors, by Step One Automotive Group, unites transitioning military members and their families with local business partners to lessen the burdens these heroes endure during their transition from the military into civilian life. The primary focus is on closing the gap between these transitioning warriors and local partners to aid in employment and educational opportunities and physical and mental wellness and awareness.

Though Forever Warriors was originally designed around Step One’s support for the military, one does not have to serve in the military to meet the definition of a warrior. Police, first responders, medical workers, and anyone honorably navigating an overwhelming struggle or conflict in their lives also meets the criteria of a Forever Warrior.

About JM Correa

JM Correa is an American-Ecuadorian racing driver who grew up in Miami and currently competes with ART Grand Prix in FIA Formula 3. Having suffered a tragic and almost career-ending accident in August 2019 racing in F2 Championship at Spa Circuit in Belgium, JM returned to Europe this year to compete in the 2021 FIA Formula 3 Championship. Find out more at https://www.jmcorrea.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JMCorreaRacing

Instagram: @juanmanuelcorrea

About Step One Automotive Group

Step One Automotive Group is an American company based in Florida that was built on a singular dedication to empowering lives through smarter and easier ways of accessing mobility. Step One Automotive Group has 19 locations in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, representing 16 brands including Chrysler, Dodge Jeep, Ram Fiat, Volkswagen, Subaru, Kia, Hyundai, Genesis, Ford, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati, two pre-owned operations and three wholesale parts operations. Out of 18,000 dealerships in the United States, Step One Automotive Group ranks in the top 90 dealer groups in the country and the top 10 in Florida. Step One Automotive Group’s headquarters are in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Please visit .

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steponeauto/

Newman Finishes 32nd at Martinsville

Official Release

November 1, 2021

RIDGEWAY, Va. (Oct. 31, 2021) – Ryan Newman had a series of events not go his way Sunday afternoon at Martinsville Speedway, ultimately finishing 32nd after a couple of on-track incidents.

After rolling off from the 27th position, Newman was poised to begin a charge forward, but got turned just 70 laps in, causing some cosmetic damage, enough to bring the Kohler Generators Ford to pit road. Not long after, he was forced to pit road for a tire rub and was then caught speeding, resulting in multiple laps down.

Another cut tire, which ultimately caused a shortage on fresh tires throughout the day, and a spin late in the race, put Newman well off the pace as he crossed the line 32nd.

Newman and the No. 6 team close out the 2021 season next weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Sunday’s race is set for 3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.

Buescher Powers Through for Ninth in Martinsville

Official Release

November 1, 2021

RIDGEWAY, Va. (Oct. 31, 2021) – Patience and toughness are often the name of the game at the action-packed Martinsville Speedway, and Chris Buescher showed both Sunday afternoon in the Fifth Third Bank Ford driving his way to a ninth-place finish.

Overall 15 cautions flew in the 500-lap race, including one that set up a two-lap shootout to the checkered flag, with 11 of the yellows coming in the second half. Buescher rolled off the grid 15th, but the team worked on the handling all day, ultimately putting him in prime position late.

The Texas native ran 17th at the time of the race’s first caution – the competition caution – at lap 60, and would end the first stage in 18th. Solid work on pit road put Buescher back on the plus side of track position as he restarted the second stage in 12th before going on to end the segment in 14th.

From there, the longest green flag run would span only 53 laps. Buescher continued to claw his way forward and would restart 11th at lap 317, but nine cautions still stood between that and the end, allowing more opportunities to pick off positions.

He was scored ninth by lap 322, a spot he would hang onto for around 20 laps as multiple cautions flew every 10-15 laps for a while. After a pit stop under yellow at lap 379, Buescher restarted in the 16th spot for the lengthy green-flag segment, and toggled between there and 14th up until 50 to go.

With the handling in check, Buescher fought through a combined four restarts in the closing 50 laps to bring home a battered, but successful Ford Mustang. It marks his third top-10 in five races and eighth overall of 2021.

The 2021 season comes to a close next weekend at Phoenix Raceway, where Sunday’s race is slated for 3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90. The weekend schedule also includes a rare practice session on Friday, followed by qualifying Saturday.

CHEVROLET WINS 40TH NASCAR CUP SERIES MANUFACTURER’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Official Release

November 1, 2021

DETROIT (November 1, 2021) – Chevrolet has won the NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championship for a series-leading 40th time.

“Winning championships is a goal we set for ourselves at the beginning of every season, and capturing the NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championship is one we value very much,” said Mark Reuss, General Motors President. “The competition every week is so close, so to be able to win this year, Chevy’s 40th since 1958, is a testament to all of the continued collaboration and teamwork by owners, drivers, crew chiefs, crews, Chevrolet engineering and technical partners at the engine shops. This year was a different approach—one that drew on the strength of one team. From the engineering of the car for aero to the engines and pit crews—the one team approach brought the best for our drivers each race. We look forward to carrying over this momentum to 2022 and the new NASCAR Next Gen Camaro ZL1.”

Heading into Sunday’s 2021 season finale’ at Phoenix International Raceway, Team Chevy drivers and teams have earned 18 wins in 35 races. It marks the most victories in a season for Chevrolet since it won 20 in 2014.

Chevrolet won its first Manufacturer’s Championship in 1958 and reeled off a record 13 in a row between 2003-‘15.

The Team Chevy drivers who have contributed wins so far this season that helped achieve the manufacturers’ title are: Kyle Larson (nine wins), Alex Bowman (four), Chase Elliott (two), and AJ Allmendinger, William Byron and Kurt Busch (one each).

Earlier this season, Chevrolet became the first manufacturer to reach 800 all-time wins in the Cup series.

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.

Lee Faulk Racing & Braden Rogers Win Tri-County Speedway Track Title

Official Release

November 1, 2021

Lee Faulk Racing & Braden Rogers Win Tri-County Speedway Track Title — Lee Faulk Racing and Development driver Braden Rogers captured the Tri-County Speedway late model stock car track championship this year. (Damon Halsey Photo)

DENVER, N.C. – (Nov. 1, 2021) – Lee Faulk Racing and Development officially celebrated a track championship with driver Braden Rogers at North Carolina’s Tri-County Speedway this weekend.

Rogers, thanks to five wins throughout the course of the season at the four-tenths-mile oval in the late model stock car division, locked up the track championship prior to Sunday’s season finale.

“We’d like to congratulate Braden Rogers on his amazing season that culminated in the track championship at Tri-County Speedway,” said Lee Faulk Racing and Development’s Michael Faulk. “He put in the work and his efforts paid off with victories and a track championship. We’re incredibly proud to have him as part of our team.”

The track championship by Rogers is the latest accolade for Lee Faulk Racing and Development, which is led by the father and son duo Lee and Michael Faulk.

In addition to the track championship at Tri-County with Rogers, the team has earned multiple CARS Tour victories as well as a track championship in the limited late model class in 2011 at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway with Pietro Fittipaldi and a touring series championship with Anthony Alfredo in the Southeast Limited Late Model Series Pro Division in 2016.

Fittipaldi and Alfredo have since gone on to do bigger things. Fittipaldi made his Formula 1 debut in 2020 and earlier this year competed in the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Alfredo has raced in all three NASCAR National touring divisions and is currently wrapping up his rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series with Front Row Motorsports.

“We’re proud to be able to add Braden to the list of championship drivers we’ve worked with. We’ll be celebrating this championship for a long time,” Michael Faulk said.

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About McCallister Precision Marketing

McCallister Precision Marketing (MPM) focuses on assisting up-and-coming race car drivers with career advancement and promotion. McCallister Precision Marketing helps drivers build confidence in front of and behind the camera, giving them the tools they need to advance to the next level. The company also provides companies with a strategic plan for their sales, marketing and promotional needs. We believe in building positive relationships with our clients so that we may provide them with the most professional, yet personal guidance they need, in order to achieve their racing goals. Our clients include race car drivers, race team owners, companies and racing series’. We also work closely with charities and charity events. For more information on McCallister Precision Marketing, visit www.MarketWithMPM.com, email TonyaMac44@MarketWithMPM.com or call 803-361-6199.

Mitsubishi Motors Introduces the All-New Outlander in Australia

Official Release

November 1, 2021

Mitsubishi Motors Introduces the All-New Outlander in Australia — All-New Outlander

TOKYO, Nov 1, 2021 – (JCN Newswire) – Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has announced start of sales for the all-new Outlander crossover SUV in Australia, with the planned arrival of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) variants scheduled for first half of 2022.

The all-new Outlander is MMC’s new flagship model developed under the product concept “I-Fu-Do-Do”, which means authentic and majestic in Japanese. The new model boasts a robust and powerful styling with the next generation Dynamic Shield front face and 20-inch wheels(1), and a refined high-quality interior complimented by third-row seating. Further, safe and secure road performance is enhanced with a newly developed platform, an upgraded electronically-controlled 4WD and S-AWC (Super-All Wheel Control) system.

“The all-new Outlander offers reliable road performance as well as comfortability inside the cabin so that everyone can enjoy driving with peace of mind, regardless of weather or road conditions,” said Yoichiro Yatabe, executive vice president of MMC. “In North America, the new Outlander has been in high demand since the start of sales earlier this year, and has received excellent reviews such as the Wards 10 Best Interiors(2) for 2021, a first for MMC. Through this new flagship, we would like to strengthen our market presence also in Australia and New Zealand, which are MMC’s core markets.”

The Outlander is Mitsubishi Motors’ global strategic model. The fully remodeled version was introduced in North America in April 2021, and subsequently in other markets such as Israel and New Zealand. The global cumulative sales volume of the new model is approximately 23,000 units as of September 2021.

(1) Equipped on certain trim levels.
(2) Chosen by WardsAuto. Winners are selected from among all-new or significantly improved interiors across all segments that are newly available in the U.S.

About Mitsubishi Motors

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE:7211), MMC–a member of the Alliance with Renault and Nissan–, is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has more than 30,000 employees and a global footprint with production facilities in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, mainland China, the Philippines, Viet Nam and Russia. MMC has a competitive edge in SUVs, pickup trucks and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and appeals to ambitious drivers willing to challenge convention and embrace innovation. Since the production of our first vehicle more than a century ago, MMC has been a leader in electrification–launched the i-MiEV–the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle in 2009, followed by the Outlander PHEV–the world’s first plug-in hybrid electric SUV in 2013. MMC announced a three-year business plan in July 2020 to introduce more competitive and cutting-edge models, including the Eclipse Cross PHEV (PHEV model), the all-new Outlander and the all-new Triton/L200.

For more information on MMC, please visit the company’s website at
https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing to Reproduce and Sell Spare Parts for the AE86 Corolla Levin / Sprinter Trueno

Official Release

November 1, 2021

GR Heritage Parts Project

Toyota City, Japan, Nov 1, 2021 – (JCN Newswire) – TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) has announced that it is reproducing spare parts for the Corolla Levin / Sprinter Trueno (“AE86”)(1), and will start selling them both domestically and overseas on November 1, as part of the GR Heritage Parts Project. The project reproduces spare parts that have been discontinued and sells them as genuine parts, in order to support customers who wish to continue driving older vehicles that are full of memories and that they truly love. TGR has already reproduced spare parts for the A70 and A80 Supra, the Toyota 2000GT, and the 40 Series Land Cruiser; the AE86 is the next model in the project.

The Levin and Trueno are the sports models in the Corolla and Sprinter series. Only vehicles equipped with the 1.6-liter DOHC 16-valve (4A-GEU) engine were given the “AE86” designation. Despite production having ceased more than 30 years ago, the AE86 continues to be extremely popular today, and is affectionately referred to in Japan as “hachi-roku,” meaning “eight-six.” The GR86 that was launched on October 28, 2021, and the 86 that went on sale in April 2012 both inherited the culture and tradition of the AE86.

From November 1, as and when preparations are complete, TGR will gradually make reproduced parts available for purchase at Toyota dealers, in the same way as normal genuine parts. However, the reproduced parts will only be produced for a limited period with the special cooperation of its suppliers; for this reason, after their production periods have ended, each reproduced part will only be available for purchase for as long as stocks last(2). Details such as part numbers and production periods will be published on the TGR website(3) from November 1, beginning with the parts that are ready for sale.

(1 ) Launch date May 1983
(2) Some parts excluded
(3) See here for details https://toyotagazooracing.com/gr/heritage/
(4) Parts set for sale from November 2021 onward; availability of reproduced parts varies according to region (the parts listed above are for Japan)

HISTORIC Hypercar Title for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing

Official Release

November 1, 2021

Toyota City, Japan, Nov 1, 2021 – (JCN Newswire) – TOYOTA GAZOO Racing made endurance racing history as the first World Champions of the Hypercar era with a one-two victory in the 6 Hours of Bahrain.

Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez won the penultimate round of the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in their #7 GR010 HYBRID. Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley completed a perfect result for the team, bringing the #8 car home in second place.

In very hot and challenging conditions, mechanics, engineers and drivers worked intensively to earn TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s fourth World Championship in WEC, and its third in succession. The victory also maintained the GR010 HYBRID Hypercar’s 100% winning record in 2021, with one race remaining.

Focus now switched to the drivers’ title fight in next weekend’s final race. The Le Mans-winning #7 crew moved a significant step closer to retaining the World Championship they won in Bahrain 12 months ago. Their third win of the season extends their advantage over the #8 drivers to 15 points.

The contest between the two GR010 HYBRID crews was intense throughout the event and, when the race got under way, Sebastien in the #8 held the advantage from pole position. But Mike pursued him throughout the first stint and the pair were separated by less than a second for the opening 45 minutes.

The cars were closely matched and the lead changed hands several times in the early stages as the momentum swung. Eventually the #7 established itself at the front, suffering slightly less from tyre degradation on a day when all Hypercars faced the same issue.

At half distance, Jose led by just 10 seconds from Sebastien but the battle took a decisive turn after four hours when the #8 was delayed during a tyre change and dropped to third. Although Brendon swiftly overtook the Alpine to reclaim second, he trailed Kamui by around 40 seconds.
The GR010 HYBRIDs maintained their pace at the front and Kamui was at the wheel of the victorious #7 car when it crossed the line after 185 laps. Kazuki following 51.401secs later to complete the one-two.

The end of this six-hour contest marks the halfway point in WEC’s Bahrain double-header. The teams will immediately begin preparations for an eight-hour race on Saturday 6 November which brings the curtain down on the 2021 WEC season and decide the outcome of the drivers’ World Championship.

Koji Sato, GAZOO Racing Company President

“Congratulations to car #7 for three consecutive victories, and car #8 for taking second place with their outstanding work to earn this fantastic one-two finish. Thank you so much for bringing the first Hypercar World Championship to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. At the beginning of the race, I was thrilled to watch the battle between our two Hypercars, but despite the difficulties of working in 35degC, the efforts of all the team brought a great result. I am deeply grateful to the drivers for their huge effort. Now the final race of the season is only a week away and the drivers’ World Championship will soon be decided. I hope for an exciting end to the season, and I look forward to seeing who will come out on top. The team will work hard to prepare in the best possible way.”

Mike Conway (GR010 HYBRID #7)

“I’m very happy with the win; it’s good to get maximum points and secure the World Championship for the team. It was a great job by all the crew, and my team-mates performed really well all day. In my stint it was a case of managing the tyres from the start. There were a lot of unknowns because we have never taken tyres so far into a race before, but it all worked out well. It’s a positive day for us in the drivers’ championship but it’s still all to play for next week, so we need to work hard to clinch it.”

Kamui Kobayashi (GR010 HYBRID #7)

“The team did a great job. Congratulations to everyone on becoming Hypercar World Champions. We had struggled a bit on Friday but we found the reason and therefore were confident for the race. The whole crew did a really good job in the race, and Mike and Jose had strong pace as well. They gave me the car in a good position and my stint was really smooth. By the time I was in the car for my stint to finish the race, the temperature was a little less so it wasn’t as demanding on me or the tyres. I just maintained the gap and brought it home.”

Jose Maria Lopez (GR010 HYBRID #7)

“Congratulations to all the team, who did a fantastic job today, and through the whole season, to become World Champions. Mike and Kamui were amazing today in the race, very solid as always. Tyre management was tricky and we were not sure how it would go, but as a team we didn’t make any mistakes and this put us in the position to win. It’s a very important result for the team and really good for us in the drivers’ championship.”

Sebastien Buemi (GR010 HYBRID #8)

“I am a competitor and we never like to finish second, but this was an amazing result for the team. We had some challenges with the tyres today; perhaps more than car #7, who did a great job. For TOYOTA GAZOO Racing to finish first and second is a great way to wrap up the Hypercar title in its first season. It comes from an enormous amount of hard work from the mechanics, the engineers and the entire team. We have to congratulate them on this incredible achievement.”

Kazuki Nakajima (GR010 HYBRID #8)

“It was tough race with the heat, but the temperature was a bit better for me at the end of the race. We ran an aggressive set-up to try to maybe get an edge, but it didn’t work out that way. Nevertheless, we finished second and we are still in contention for the title. Congratulations to car #7, they drove a great race. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is a World Champion again and the team really deserve this. It is good to have this wrapped it up already; now it means we can go out and have some fun in the final race.”

Brendon Hartley (GR010 HYBRID #8)

“Car #7 was a little bit quicker than us and they deserved to win. We had some tyre degradation issues and I had one or two things happening with the car, but we will learn from this. Well done to car #7. We are still in the fight for the drivers’ World Championship but car #7 has made it hard for us in the last race. It’s an awesome achievement from the team to win the Hypercar World Championship in the first year so big congratulations to everyone. I know how much hard work has gone into this and everyone in the team deserves this title.”

6 Hours of Bahrain results:

1st #7 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing 185 laps
2nd #8 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing +51.401secs
3rd #36 Alpine (Negrao/Lapierre/Vaxivierre) +1 lap
4th #31 Team WRT (Frijns/Habsburg/Milesi) +5 laps
5th #28 JOTA (Galael/Vandoorne/Blomqvist) +5 laps
6th #38 JOTA (Gonzalez/Da Costa/Davidson) +5 laps

Pedregon Wins All-Dodge Funny Car Final at Dodge//SRT NHRA Nationals Presented by Pennzoil

Official Release

November 1, 2021

· Cruz Pedregon wins all-Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat final against Funny Car championship points leader Ron Capps at Dodge//SRT NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

· The Cruz Pedregon Racing Snap-on Tools HEMI-powered machine scored its second win of the year and moved into third place in the hunt for the 2021 Funny Car world championship crown with one event remaining

· Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) pilot Ron Capps leads the Funny Car championship battle by 58 points with a runner-up finish aboard the Pennzoil Synthetics/NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat

· Despite an early exit, defending Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan and his Direct Connection Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat maintain their second place standing in the NHRA “Countdown to the Championship” less than two rounds behind his DSR teammate Capps

· Leah Pruett wheeled her Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak and its Direct Connection livery from the No. 4 qualifying position to a runner-up finish in the eighth and final Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown (FSS) of the season to finish third in the series championship

October 31, 2021, Las Vegas, Nevada — The Dodge//SRT NHRA Nationals featured an all-Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat final elimination round at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where Cruz Pedregon earned his second Wally trophy of the year with a victory over Funny Car championship points leader Ron Capps. The win moved the event winner into third place in the battle for the crown with one event remaining on the 2021 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World series schedule to determine who’ll earn the coveted Funny Car world championship title.

“Congratulations to Cruz Pedregon on his fourth career win at the Dodge//SRT Nationals,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge Brand Chief Executive Officer – Stellantis. “It’s been great to watch Cruz and his team demonstrate what Dodge//SRT performance looks like by taking their Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car to the winner’s circle.”

Pedregon’s drive began from the No. 7 starting position from which he was able to wheel his Snap-on Tools HEMI®-powered machine past Tony Jurado and Chris Morel to a semifinal match-up with No. 6 seed Bob Tasca. The Cruz Pedregon Racing team saw their driver hit the throttle with a 0.004-second reaction time against Tasca, and turn on win lights with a 3.924-second pass at 325.92 mph to advance to their fourth final round appearance of the year.

As Pedregon and his team prepared for the Dodge//SRT Nationals final showdown against Capps, they found themselves solidly back in the hunt of the Funny Car crown after fellow top-five contenders Matt Hagan, J.R. Todd and John Force were all upset in the opening round.

With both Pedregon and Capps looking to make valuable gains in “Countdown to the Championship”, their crew chiefs both elected to push the performance of their Dodge racecars to the limit. The result was a good launch by both competitors with the slight starting advantage going to Pedregon, but just as Capps began to move past him, too much horsepower resulted in an explosion. Pedregon got a little bit further down the track before also losing power, but was able to coast his machine to the finish for the victory, marking the first time since 2013 that he has recorded multiple wins in a season.

“We had a couple of good breaks with three of the top-five contenders dropped out in the first round but to be in this position (to be battling for a championship with one event remaining) is great,” said Pedregon who moves into third place behind the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Cars of Capps and Hagan. “Coming into the race I think (our championship chances) were pretty dim because I just didn’t feel like the breaks were coming our way. We were just losing some close races. And I thought, ‘Man, well, if we could just finish in the top five, I felt that was good. But after winning today, yeah, hey, we’re, back in it.”

Capps, who is seeking a second Funny Car world championship after earning the 2016 title, arrived at the Dodge//SRT Nationals with a single point advantage over teammate Hagan. From his eighth place starting position, Capps collected round wins over Tim Wilkerson, Alexis DeJoria and Robert Hight on his way to the runner-up finish; a result that extended his lead over No. 2 ranked Hagan by 58 points.

Hagan, who was looking to take over the lead and defend his back-to-back 2019 and 2020 win at the Las Vegas dragstrip, qualified his Direct Connection Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat fourth on the eliminations ladder for a first round meeting with No. 13-seed Chad Green. While Hagan had the quicker start, a dropped cylinder right at the hit of the throttle resulted in a 4.087 second pass at 316.15 mph that wasn’t quite enough to beat Green’s 4.009 sec./321.12 mph winning run and meant a disappointing early exit for the championship contender for a second consecutive event.

Despite the setback, and thanks to other contenders failing to advance, Hagan maintained his second place standing with less than two rounds separating him from Capps heading into the Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in two weeks for the conclusion of the NHRA “Countdown to the Championship”.

In Top fuel action, after qualifying her Direct Connection dragster ninth Leah Pruett began eliminations with a starting line advantage over No. 8 seed DSR teammate Antron Brown and went on to record her quickest and fastest pass of the weekend with a 3.752 seconds at 318.32 mph run for a first round win. Pruett was fired up for her next meeting against No. 1 qualifier Brittany Force and hoping to take her new Direct Connection livery through a few more rounds, but her anticipation got the best of her as she hit the throttle too early and the red light foul ended her race before it had even begun.

While her nitro run was done for the day, Pruett still had some work to do; After four years of competing in both Top Fuel and Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown (FSS), Pruett continued her final “double-duty” race day with the 2021 Direct Connection Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak. From the No. 4 spot on the eliminations ladder and working to close-out the FSS season with a Wally, the 2018 FSS champion began her final day of competition aboard her DSR-prepared Drag Pak with a first round win over No. 13-seed Ryan Priddy.

In the quarterfinals against No. 5 seed Mark Pawuk and his Empaco Equipment Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak, Pruett had a quick start and recorded a 7.981-second run at 173.94 mph to beat her DSR teammate’s 7.998 sec./177.44 mph pass. Pawuk quarterfinal finish brought his 2021 FSS campaign to an end with an eight place ranking in the final standings.

Pruett continued on to a semifinal battle against No. 8 qualifier Stephen Bell where she put in another stout effort at 7.934 sec./174.53 mph to turn on win lights and advance to her third final round appearance in eight FSS events this year.

Pruett readied herself for the final showdown against the No. 2 qualifier and 2021 FSS Champion Aaron Stanfield in the opposite lane, and used another quick launch (0.036 seconds to 0.045 seconds) to give the Direct Connection Drag Pak an early lead. Despite a solid performance at 7.944 seconds at 174.30 mph, her hard-charging opponent made the pass at halftrack and edged her at the finish with a 7.903 sec./173.49 pass. With the runner-up result, Pruett closes out her FSS career with a third place finish in the category.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series now heads west to crown their world champions at the Auto Club NHRA Finals which will feature a unique points-and-a-half format, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the 2021 season at Auto Club Raceway November 11-14 in Pomona, California.

ADDITIONAL NOTES and QUOTES

FUNNY CAR:
Matt Hagan, DSR Direct Connection Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye
(No. 4 Qualifier – 3.905 seconds at 321.65 mph)
Round 1: (0.068-second reaction time, 4.087 seconds at 316.15 mph) loss to No. 13 Chad Green (0.107/4.009/321.12)

“I don’t know how you put a positive spin on that. I haven’t put a hole out at the step in I don’t know how long. But, that’s the cards we were dealt here in Vegas. We wanted to perform well in front of our sponsors and fans, and keep things going in this championship chase, so, it’s incredibly disappointing. That’s going to be a tough one to get over. We’re not used to first round losses like that but congrats to Chad Green and his team. They kept us honest and did a good job. It’s a major blow to us right now, but we’ll get over it and get back after it in Pomona.”

Ron Capps, DSR Pennzoil Synthetics NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
(No. 8 Qualifier – 3.926 seconds at 324.51 mph)
Round 1: (0.068-second reaction time, 3.915 seconds at 323.74 mph) defeats No. 9 Tim Wilkerson (0.055/3.947/330.72)

Round 2: (0.078/3.884/332.10) defeats No. 1 Alexis DeJoria (0.122/3.998/315.05)

Round 3: (0.066/3.904/326.87) defeats No. 5 Robert Hight (0.077/5.520/130.85)

Round 4: (0.049/6.854/80.86) loss to No. 7 Cruz Pedregon (0.022/4.257/225.03)

“Being the Dodge Nationals, we were motivated to put this Pennzoil Dodge SRT Hellcat into the final round and winner’s circle. You look at qualifying and look around and we didn’t qualify as well as we’d liked. It was one of our worst positions all season and we still had lane choice. That tells you how good this NAPA team has been all season. Then you have Tim Wilkerson first round. And we’re the last pair of Funny Cars, the 16th pair of nitro cars and we’re sitting there waiting and listening to so many of the other contenders fighting for a championship, (Matt) Hagan, J.R. (Todd), (John) Force, go out. It’s Halloween, but you think how strange of a day. And we had to wait and wait for our first round match-up with Tim. He beat us in the final at Indy and that’s such a tough car and team. We got by a close one there in that first round and that was huge. Then we had Alexis (DeJoria), the No. 1 qualifier, then Robert Hight, a three-time world champion, and Cruz Pedregon, another champion. That’s a murderers row on race day. We had to fight every round and this Pennzoil/NAPA car was just to fun to drive.

“We’ll take any amount of points and Pomona is a such an outlier with the points-and-a-half deal. There’s so many points up for grabs. I’m not even thinking about winning this thing. We’ll keep doing what we’ve been doing and it was misfortunate in the final round, but it was two Dodges battling it out and that makes our friends in Auburn Hills (Mich.) proud and I can’t wait for Pomona. Two weeks cannot come soon enough.”

Cruz Pedregon, Cruz Pedregon Racing Snap-on® Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
(No. 7 Qualifier –3.918 seconds at 325.69 mph)
Round 1: (0.072–second reaction time, 3.947 seconds at 295.08 mph) defeats No. 10 Tony Jurado (0.105/4.032/317.19)

Round 2: (0.073/3.903/324.20) defeats No. 15 Chris Morel (0.093/4.193/281.19)

Round 3: (0.004/3.924/325.92) defeats No. 6 Bob Tasca (0.066/10.961/81.12)

Round 4: (0.022/4.257/225.03) defeats No. 8 Ron Capps (0.049/6.854/80.86)

“Coming into the race I think (our championship chances) were pretty dim because I just didn’t feel like the breaks were coming our way. We were just losing some close races. And I thought, ‘Man, well, if we could just finish in the top five, I felt that was good. But after winning today, yeah, hey, we’re, back in it.

“We had a couple of good breaks with three of the top-five contenders dropped out in the first round but to be in this position (to be battling for a championship with one event remaining) is great. We got it together midway through the season and started clicking as a team. I do want to thank Don Schumacher Racing for selling us quality parts and bending over backwards for me personally and did a lot to help us along the way. We’re a single car team and we’ve been going it alone for a lot of years and it really means a lot to mix it up with these big teams. We’re going to come out swinging at Pomona and see who the last man standing is. Just to be in the conversation for a change really is a victory for me.”

“Putting the right people and right equipment into place this season has really challenged me as a driver. And seeing everything come together has refocused this winning mindset for the team and me. I owe a lot of gratitude to this team. (Crew Chief) JC (John Collins) means a lot to me not only as a crew chief but as a friend. He knows how to talk to me and keep me motivated. Man, this really means a lot, we’re so grateful for all our great NHRA fans and loyal sponsors who are as proud of these wins as we are…and there’s one more win to go this season.”

TOP FUEL:
Leah Pruett, DSR Direct Connection Mopar Dodge//SRT Dragster
(No. 9 Qualifier – 3.769 seconds at 314.61 mph)
Round 1: (0.044-second reaction time, 3.752 at 318.32 mph) defeats No. 8 Antron Brown (0.056/4.967/155.11)

Round 2: (-0.210/8.087/82.88) loss to No. 1 Brittany Force (-0.069/3.745/330.39)

“We had quite the Direct Connection facing Antron Brown, our teammate, this morning. We had a .044 light and I’ve been doing everything by the book that you should do as a driver from sleep schedule to eating right to preparing right to nutrition. You name it, I’ve been trying to refine it. We had a solid first round pass with that 3.75 to get the win.

“I felt in a good head space and we went up to repeat what we had just done the round before. I thought had seen yellow and slapped the pedal and there was that bright red light right in my face. I’m sure the fans could probably hear the cuss words in the stands coming out of my mouth at the moment. It used to eat me and bog me down, but comparing it to other lights in that lane at that time of the day it shows me what I need to work on to really be at tip-top condition as a driver.”

FACTORY STOCK SHOOTOUT:

Leah Pruett, 2021 Direct Connection Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak

(No. 4 Qualifier – 7.963 seconds at 173.21 mph)

Round 1: (0.036-second reaction time, 7.932 seconds at 174.77 mph) defeats No. 13 Ryan Priddy (0.060/10.179/92.86)

Round 2: (0.022/7.981/173.94) defeats No. 5 Mark Pawuk (0.063/7.998/177.44)

Round 3: (0.067/7.934/174.53) defeats No. 8 Stephen Bell (0.044/8.147/172.12)

Round 4: (0.036/7.944/174.30) loss to No. 2 Aaron Stanfield (0.045/7.903/173.49)

“We got a win in Factory Stock to start our day, and then we had our teammate, Mark Pawuk in round two. We really threw it down from burnout to turnout and was able to advance to the final. Man, nothing would have been sweeter than winning in my last race in this Drag Pak with Direct Connection on the sides for Dodge and SRT, but we came up a little short against the current champion, Aaron Stanfield. Overall, what a roller coaster of a day. I’m disappointed in myself for the second round performance against Brittany Force in Top Fuel, but I’m not disappointed by the progress this Drag Pak team has made this year.”

Mark Pawuk, Empaco Equipment Mopar Drag Pak

(No. 5 Qualifier – 7.970 seconds at 174.39 mph)

Round 1: (-0.098 second reaction time, 7.944 seconds at 175.00 mph) defeats No. 12 John Cerbone (-0.205/8.436/169.64)

Round 2: (0.063/7.998/177.44) loss to No. 4 Leah Pruett (0.022/7.981/173.94)

“Unfortunately, the Cowboy wasn’t on his game today on the tree. I gotta give my teammate credit, Leah (Pruett) is driving great in that Direct Connection Drag Pak. It’s great to see these Drag Pak’s running so well with Leah getting back to another final round. We’ll regroup over the winter and hopefully have a strong season in ’22. Overall, it was a good weekend at (Las) Vegas. We continue to improve and make progress and make consistent runs. We need to go just a little faster. We’ve made a lot of gains with the new car since its debut this summer and next year should be fun.”

David Davies, D H Davies Racing Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak

(No. 14 Qualifier – 8.039 seconds at 172.47 mph)

Round 1: (0.024 second reaction time, 8.015 seconds at 174.39 mph) loss to No. 3 Jason Dietsch (0.041/7.913/176.81)

“We had a great first season with the new car and crew. The crew hustled their butts off this weekend with some issues Leah (Pruett) and I had with some cars. I’m not happy with the early exit. I’m not happy with the way I performed or the car performed. We had great momentum coming in. We’ve had some great progression, but you’re bound to hit some bumps in the road. The last Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown event in ’21 and we stumbled a little bit, but we’ll get into some off season testing. We learned quite a bit and I expect us to come out and hit it hard next year. We did absolutely have fun racing this year.”

NHRA Championship Points Standings:
Following qualifying at the Dodge//SRT NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

FUNNY CAR (season wins in parentheses)

1. Ron Capps (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat) – 2,585 (2)

2. Matt Hagan (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat) – 2,527 (3/1-Tommy Johnson Jr.)

3. Cruz Pedregon (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat) – 2,502 (2)

4. J.R. Todd – 2,447 (1)

5. John Force – 2,430 (3)

6. Bob Tasca III – 2,417 (2)

7. Robert Hight – 2,412 (2)

8. Alexis DeJoria – 2,380 (1)

9. Tim Wilkerson– 2,282 (1)

10. Blake Alexander– 2,184

TOP FUEL (season wins in parentheses)

1. Steve Torrance – 2694 (10)

2. Brittany Force – 2,589 (1)

3. Mike Salinas – 2,522 (1)

4. Justin Ashley – 2,506 (2)

5. Billy Torrence – 2,411 (2)

6. Leah Pruett (Mopar Dodge//SRT) – 2,343 (1)

7. Clay Millican – 2,302

8. Antron Brown – 2,285 (1)

9. Shawn Langdon – 2,260

10. Doug Kalitta – 2,211

Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown

1. Aaron Stanfield – 768

2. David Barton – 484

3. Leah Pruett (Mopar Drag Pak) – 461

4. Jesse Alexandra – 456

5. John Cerbone – 441

6. Stephen Bell – 412

7. David Janac – 377

8. Mark Pawuk (Mopar Drag Pak) – 358

9. Leonard Lottig – 315

10. Doug Hamp – 312

DodgeGarage: Digital Hub for Drag Racing News

Fans can follow all the NHRA action this season at DodgeGarage, the one-stop portal for Dodge//SRT and Mopar drag-racing news. The site includes daily updates and access to an online racing HQ, news, events, galleries, available downloads and merchandise. For more information, visit www.dodgegarage.com.

@DodgeMoparMotorsports on Instagram

The @DodgeMoparMotorsports Instagram channel continues to share content capturing Dodge//SRT Mopar drivers on the track. Fans can see action from the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series and NHRA Sportsman grassroots racers, competing in classes such as Factory Stock Showdown, Stock and Super Stock, as well as additional motorsports series.

Mopar

Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) offers exceptional service, parts and customer care. Born in 1937 as the name of a line of antifreeze products, the Mopar brand has evolved over more than 80 years to represent both complete vehicle care and authentic performance for owners and enthusiasts worldwide.

Mopar made its mark in the 1960s during the muscle-car era with performance parts to enhance speed and handling for both on-road and racing use. Later, the brand expanded to include technical service and customer support. Today, Mopar integrates service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance customer and dealer support worldwide.

Mopar is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.

Follow Mopar and company news and video on:

Company blog: blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Media website: media.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Mopar brand: www.mopar.com

Mopar blog: blog.mopar.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mopar

Instagram: www.instagram.com/officialmopar

Twitter: @OfficialMOPAR

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/mopar and www.youtube.com/StellantisNA

Dodge//SRT

For more than 100 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge shifts into high gear with muscle cars and SUVs that deliver unrivaled performance in each of the segments where they compete.

Dodge drives forward as a pure performance brand, offering SRT versions of every model across the lineup. For the 2022 model year, Dodge delivers the drag-strip dominating 807-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock, the 797-horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Redeye, the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world, and the Dodge Durango SRT 392, America’s fastest, most powerful and most capable three-row SUV. Combined, these three muscle cars make Dodge the industry’s most powerful brand, offering more horsepower than any other American brand across its entire lineup.

In 2020, Dodge was named the “#1 Brand in Initial Quality,” making it the first domestic brand ever to rank No. 1 in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS). In 2021, Dodge brand ranked No. 1 in the J.D. Power APEAL Study (mass market) — making it the only domestic brand ever to do so two years in a row.

Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.

Follow Dodge and company news and video on:

Company blog: blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Media website: media.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Dodge brand: www.dodge.com

DodgeGarage: www.dodgegarage.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dodge

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dodgeofficial

Twitter: @Dodge and @StellantisNA

YouTube: www.youtube.com/dodge and www.youtube.com/StellantisNA