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WMI DRIVERS GAIN PLENTY OF POSITIONS DURING THE WEEKEND AT CTMP

By
Official Release
-

(September 7, 2021) The Wight Motorsports Inc (WMI) cars competed in the final road course event of the 2021 NASCAR Pinty’s season Sunday afternoon at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park near Bowmanville, Ontario. Sunday’s race was the second half of a twin bill on the famous road course, and both Mark Dilley and TJ Rinomato each gained plenty of positions during the race.

The Sunday race was the traditional 51-lap affair following a 30-lap sprint race on Saturday. Both Rinomato and the third WMI driver JF Laberge experienced mechanical issues during qualifying and making repairs meant they both would start at the rear of the field. Mark Dilley rolled off 18th.

Both Dilley and Rinomato would make some forward progress in the early stages. Regrettably Laberge went off course and had contact with the tire barrier. The car was damaged and could not continue.

Meantime Dilley and Rinomato continued their steady performance. Rinomato completed the race, maintaining consistent speed and bringing the car home with barely a mark on it in 17th position.

Once again veteran Mark Dilley had a strong performance. Though not known as a road racer Dilley used his driving skills gaining six positions during the race finishing in 12th spot.

Quotes from David Wight, WMI Principal
“How about that Mark Dilley. Two very good performances, back-to-back on a really tough road course from a guy that’s more known for oval racing, terrific job”.

“TJ Rinomato had a transmission issue in qualifying, we got it corrected and he also did a nice job running his race and picking up five spots.

“Not a great day for JF. We had a few struggles with the road course program this year, but that part of the schedule is behind us now. We’ve shown we have fast race cars at Flamboro and we had a very good test session there last week”.

SUNDAY PERFORMANCE
DRIVER STARTED FINISHED
Mark Dilley 18 12
TJ Rinomato 23 17
J. F. Laberge 24 23

The 2021 NASCAR Pinty’s Series will consist of 11 total races in Ontario and Quebec with a mixture of oval tracks, road and street courses.

Next up The WMI drivers are right back in action this coming Sunday, September 12th at Flamboro Speedway near Hamilton, Ontario for twin 125-lap races. Watch the live stream on the TSN app, TSN.ca or through Trackpass on NBC Sports Gold in the US beginning at approximately 6PM and 8PM Eastern.

Race fans can get the latest information regarding WMI and the drivers on these social media channels:

Wight Motorsports Inc Twitter @Wightmotorsport Instagram @wightmotorsport

Donald Theetge: Twitter @DonaldTheetge

J.F. Laberge: Instagram jf_laberge https://www.facebook.com/jflracingmtl

Mark Dilley: Twitter @MarkDilley9 Instagram @markdilley

TJ Rinomato: Twitter TJ_Rinomato Instagram @tjrinomato

Monster Energy Athletes Complete Clean Sweep of 2021 Pro 4 Season at Crandon

By
Official Release
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Johnny Greaves goes back-to-back on weekend as CJ Greaves wins title

Going into the World Championship Off-Road Races at Crandon International Raceway, it was already a given that a Monster Energy athlete would take home the 2021 Championship Off-Road Pro 4 title, as CJ Greaves and Kyle LeDuc were the only two racers with a mathematical shot at the crown on Saturday. The bigger question was if Monster’s three-truck lineup of LeDuc, Greaves, and Johnny Greaves could complete a sweep of every Pro 4 race this year.

And complete it they did. Johnny Greaves put on a masterclass all weekend long, launching to a commanding lead in Saturday’s season finale to make it 11 for 11 for the Monster squad in COR Pro 4 events. CJ Greaves drove a steady race to finish sixth and lock up the season-long championship And if all that wasn’t enough, Johnny Greaves swept the weekend for Pro 4s on Sunday with Monster’s third straight triumph in the World Championship race.

After securing his 100th career Pro 4 victory earlier this season, Johnny Greaves had back-to-back near misses at Bark River for win number 101, leading both of those races up to the halfway point before running into trouble. There was no such adversity at Crandon, where he ran away with the lead early and withstood every challenge thrown his way in the second half of the race. Defending class champion LeDuc put himself into the mix for the win, and a shot at reclaiming in the points lead, but he would have to pull off early with rear-end damage. That opened the door for CJ Greaves to count off laps and cruise to the championship in an easy sixth place, going with his second place finishes in both the Pro Stock SXS race and championship from earlier in the day; he’d do the same in the Pro Stock World Championship race the next day.

Sunday’s Pro 4 World Championship race was more of the same for Johnny Greaves, who kicked off the morning with his fifth career victory in that event, and first since 2012. The win was the third in a row for the Monster team, as CJ Greaves took the victory in 2019 and LeDuc won last year. Finally, to cap off the weekend, Johnny Greaves scored a second place finish in the Crandon World Cup as the top Pro 4 finisher in a mixed class field. Both Johnny and CJ Greaves had been weaving their way through the Pro 2s into the closing laps of the race, before CJ would have to pull off just a lap shy of the finish with mechanical issues.

With the Championship Off-Road season complete, Johnny and CJ Greaves will focus on promoting Chaos at the Creek, the final SXS Sports King of the Elements presented by Monster Energy event of the year, at 141 Speedway on September 17-18. LeDuc, meanwhile, will focus on completing the Extreme E season with Chip Ganassi Racing.

About Monster Energy

Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it’s the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at www.monsterenergy.com.

Meyer Shank Racing Set for IMSA WeatherTech and INDYCAR West Coast

By
Official Release
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MSR ready for double attack at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Portland International Raceway

Pataskala, Ohio (7 September 2021) – This weekend marks the start of a busy three week stretch of competition for Meyer Shank Racing’s (MSR) IMSA and INDYCAR programs. The Monterey Sports Car Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is set for September 12 at 4:00pm ET on NBCSN while the Grand Prix of Portland will kick off on September 12 at 3:00pm ET on NBC.

Meyer Shank Racing Ready to Tackle WRLS with Acura DPi

Driver Lineup:

Dane Cameron & Olivier Pla, No. 60 Acura ARX-05 DPi

Tune in:

Sunday, September 12, 4:00pm ET on NBCSN

SiriusXM Ch. 202

With the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season officially at the penultimate round, Dane Cameron and Olivier Pla are hoping to gain a final bit of momentum to close out the 2021 season strong. MSR’s previous outing at Road America saw Cameron and Pla combine to lead 31 laps. The pace had all things pointing towards a podium finish, but coming up just one lap short on fuel forced the No. 60 into pit lane and finish fifth.

It’s a homecoming weekend for Cameron who is originally from Glen Ellen, CA. Cameron comes into the race weekend with strong results at the 2.238-mile road course. The Californian has five podium finishes in the last five race seasons at WRLS which includes his win onboard the Acura DPi in 2020.

“Being from Northern California I’m always excited to go home and race at Laguna Seca,” said Cameron. “It’s a pretty challenging place to get right these days with a low grip surface, but it’s always suited the Acura ARX-05 well. I am confident we will be in the fight for the win on Sunday.”

Having just completed his 14th 24 Hours of Le Mans, Pla is ready to get back into IMSA action at Laguna Seca. Pla’s first and only race start at Laguna Seca was in 2017 which saw him lock in a seventh place finish in the Prototype category. He now looks forward to taking on the iconic west coast circuit onboard the Acura DPi.

“I have been to Laguna once in 2017 and I liked the track a lot,” said Pla. “The mix of uphill and downhill corners and that mixed with a low grip track surface makes it challenging, but fun too. I’m really looking forward to racing there again.”

MSR Aiming to Continue its Strong Past at Portland with Harvey and Castroneves

Driver Lineup:

Jack Harvey, No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda

Helio Castroneves, No. 06 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda

Tune in:

Sunday, September 12, 3:00pm ET on NBCSN

SiriusXM Ch. 205

Just 730 miles up the coast from Monterey, MSR will be competing in the Portland Grand Prix as the INDYCAR season stages its final three rounds of competition. MSR is excited to welcome back Helio Castroneves for his fourth race of the season as the Brazilian will close out the final three INDYCAR races on the west coast. Castroneves will be joined by MSR season regular, Jack Harvey.

The visit to Portland International Raceway will be the third for MSR which has proven to be a strong contender since its debut race in 2018 with Harvey. In just his first partial INDYCAR season with MSR and his sixth career INDYCAR race with MSR, Harvey qualified the No. 60 Honda 13th – his best qualifying result at the time. Harvey came back the following year with the same strength, qualifying the No. 60 Honda on the second row in fourth. Harvey was on his way to a podium finish until he was taken out by a competitor from behind.

Now coming back to the shortest circuit on the INDYCAR calendar at just 1.9-miles, Harvey is aiming to get that podium finish that he nearly captured two years ago.

“We have been really strong at Portland the two times that we’ve been there, so that’s always a good sign with any race that you’re heading to,” said Harvey. “It was unfortunate that we did not finish the race in 2019, but knowing what we know about the track and the car, I’m certain we can roll off the trucks strong again this year and hopefully get that finish we deserve.”

Castroneves will be making his return to MSR since his last outing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course last month. Castroneves and MSR participated in a series test at PIR to help refresh the 2021 Indianapolis 500 winner with the west coast circuit. Castroneves has six race starts at PIR and last raced there in 2001 with CART, when he qualified third.

“I’m super excited to go back to Portland, it’s probably been over 20 years since I’ve been there,” said Castroneves. “We had a great test there and it looked like we were right on the pace.”

CORVETTE RACING AT LAGUNA SECA: California Dreaming

By
Official Release
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· Twenty-third consecutive appearance in Monterey for Corvette Racing
· Team’s first race in IMSA since runner-up finish at 24 Hours of Le Mans
· Track saw program clinch GT Le Mans Drivers, Team titles in 2020
· GTLM points leaders Garcia, Taylor part of 12:30p ET Zoom today

DETROIT (Sept. 7, 2021) – After a strong showing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Corvette Racing is back in the U.S. and returns to its quest of a second straight GT Le Mans (GTLM) title as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship starts its West Coast swing this weekend.

Picturesque WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif., is the site of the Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship and the second race at the circuit for the mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R. Sunday’s race is the seventh of 10 points-paying events for Corvette Racing, which is coming off second- and sixth-place finishes in the GTE Pro class at Le Mans.

Laguna Seca has been a fixture on Corvette Racing’s calendar since the program’s first year of competition. It’s one of two tracks at which the team will have competed in each of its 23 years to date. The other is Sebring, and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta will be the third with the season-ending Petit Le Mans.

The Corvette C8.R raced at Laguna Seca during its 2020 debut season with Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor finishing second. The result was enough to clinch the GTLM Drivers championship and the Team title for the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R. Chevrolet went on to claim the Manufacturers title.

They also were second at Le Mans in the first race there for the C8.R. Garcia has three wins at Laguna Seca and Taylor two.

Tommy Milner and Nick Tandy, teaming in the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette, look to close the gap on their teammates in the GTLM standings. They teamed for a victory at Detroit and the Rolex 24 qualifying race, and added runner-up finishes at Daytona, the Watkins Glen sprint round and Lime Rock Park.

Milner, a past Laguna Seca winner, has set the fastest GTLM race lap the last two years in Monterey while Tandy was third in GTLM a year ago.

Corvette Racing will contest the Hyundai Monterey SportsCar Championship on Sept. 10-12 from WeatherTech Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. Live television coverage will air at 4 p.m. ET on Sept. 10 with live streaming coverage on TrackPass and NBC Sports Gold. Live audio coverage from IMSA Radio will be available on IMSA.com, Sirius 219, XM 202 and SiriusXM Online 992.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “As we have seen everywhere we’ve gone, the C8.R has been an upgrade in every single aspect compared to C7. I could feel that also at Laguna Seca last year. I felt like we were more competitive there than over past years. This year will be different again because we have a year’s worth of development. I’m looking forward to getting back there. I like the area, I like the track and everything about the event. Maybe we can give the C8.R its first victory there.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Laguna Seca is such a unique track and is always a tricky one to get right. The surface is very slippery which usually leads to pretty high tire degradation throughout the race. Last year was obviously great. Going there and clinching the championship. This year we have the same goal, going there to execute as well as we can all weekend. We’re in a good spot in the championship, but we’re going there to win the race.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Laguna Seca is definitely one of the most challenging tracks we go to. It’s not just about its layout but also the track surface and weather conditions. It’s a place that seems like all the tire data that we learn all throughout the year doesn’t apply for whatever reason. It’s a tricky one for sure for that reason with very low grip and traffic. I feel like we are always used to high-grip surfaces and then going there, it’s quite a bit different with high degradation. Having been there already once with the C8.R, we’ll have some knowledge and data to go off of.”

NICK TANDY, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “I’m very keen for a victory at Laguna Seca. For one, Tommy and I have been so close to winning races. We just need one or two things to go our way on the No. 4 Corvette side. Second, Laguna Seca is one of the few tracks in IMSA where I haven’t won a race. It would be nice to check off both those boxes and end the season strong. It’s never easy at this track and will require a lot of work and study to get us in optimum shape going into the race. If we can keep controlling the things we can at Laguna Seca then I think we will have an excellent weekend.”

2021 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – GTLM (After Six of 10 Events)
Driver Standings

  1. Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 2,207
  2. Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy – 1,993
  3. Cooper MacNeil – 1,984
  4. Matt Campbell – 1,372
  5. Augusto Farfus/Jesse Krohn/John Edwards – 1001

Team Standings

  1. No. 3 Corvette Racing – 2,207
  2. No. 4 Corvette Racing – 1,993
  3. No. 79 WeatherTech Racing – 1,984
  4. No. 24 BMW Team RLL – 1,001
  5. No. 25 BMW Team RLL – 966

Manufacturer Standings

  1. Chevrolet – 2,230
  2. Porsche – 2,108
  3. BMW – 1,052
  4. Ferrari – 330

CORVETTE RACING AT LAGUNA SECA: By the Numbers
• 1: As in one team, one manufacturer and one model of car for 23 years at Laguna Seca: Corvette Racing, Chevrolet and the Chevrolet Corvette.
• 3: Tracks where Corvette Racing has competed in each of its 22 previous years: Sebring, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
• 4: Generations of Corvette Racing entries since 1999 – Corvette C5-R (2000-04), Corvette C6.R (2005-13), Corvette C7.R (2014-2019) and Corvette C8.R (2020).
• 7: Number of Laguna Seca victories for Corvette Racing dating back to 2004.
• 10: Laguna Seca victories for the current Corvette Racing for the current driving lineup – Oliver Gavin (four), Antonio Garcia (three) and Tommy Milner (two) and Jordan Taylor (one).
• 11: Victories at Laguna Seca for Chevrolet in IMSA competition.
• 12: Drivers who have competed for Corvette Racing at Laguna Seca. Of those, seven went on to win at Monterey.
• 13: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001.
• 25: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen.
• 26: Number of GT Le Mans wins in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing since the start of 2014.
• 117: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 109 in North America and eight at Le Mans.
• 246: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999.
• 12,795.65: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its 21 previous trips to Laguna Seca. That represents 5,800 laps… or more than 750 trips around Carmel’s famous 17-Mile Drive.
• 330,467.26: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. To put that in perspective Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history – covered “just” 248,655 miles. Simply put, the program has raced to the moon and back… and then some.

Corvette Racing at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (wins in bold)
1999
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel – 2nd in GTS

2000
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Andy Pilgrim – 2nd in GTS (Fellows pole)
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Justin Bell/Kelly Collins – 4th in GTS

2001
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GTS
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins – 3rd in GTS

2002
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 5th in GTS
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins – 3rd in GTS

2003
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GTS
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Oliver Gavin/Kelly Collins – 3rd in GTS

2004
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 1st in GTS (O’Connell fastest race lap)
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 2nd in GTS (Beretta pole)

2005
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GT1
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GT1 (Gavin fastest race lap)

2006
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 3rd in GT1
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 2nd in GT1 (Beretta fastest race lap)

2007
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GT1 (Magnussen pole, fastest race lap)
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GT1

2008
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Johnny O’Connell/Jan Magnussen – 2nd in GT1 (Magnussen pole, fastest race lap)
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GT1

2009
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GT2 (Magnussen pole, fastest race lap)
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 10th in GT2

2010
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 6th in GT2
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 3rd in GT2

2011
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Tommy Milner – 7th in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 5th in GT

2012
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 2nd in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 1st in GT (Gavin fastest race lap)

2013
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 1st in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 9th in GT

2014
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 1st in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 5th in GTLM

2015
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 7th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 6th in GTLM

2016
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 4th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 7th in GTLM

2017
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 4th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 8th in GTLM

2018
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 3rd in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 5th in GTLM (Gavin pole)

2019
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 3rd in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 4th in GTLM (Milner fastest race lap)

2020
No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 2nd in GTLM (Taylor pole)
No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 6th in GTLM (Milner fastest race lap)

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.

THE HOPE MORTGAGE CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT AT GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY ON SATURDAY

By
Official Release
-

51ST ANNUAL FREEDOM 76 WILL REWARD WINNER WITH AT LEAST $30,000 ON SEPT. 18

BECHTELSVILLE, PA September 7, 2021 . . . The NASCAR Modified and Sportsman Championships will be decided at Grandview Speedway this Saturday, September 11. And The Hope Mortgage Team of Conshohocken has made the Championship Night even more interesting by adding $5,000 in prize money plus providing a fireworks show.

Eleven time and defending T.P.Trailers Modified Champion Craig Von Dohren holds the top spot in the standings with 4843 points after 18 races, all part of the national Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series, have been run. Brett Kressley, who led the standings for much of the season, is very close behind with 4696 points. The title is Von Dohren’s to lose with an off night and Kressley’s to win with a strong finish giving him his first Modified championship. Third spot belongs to Jared Umbenhauer with 4312 points.

Doug Manmiller has had some impressive efforts in recent weeks including a victory giving him 3967 tallies. And in fifth is five time champion Duane Howard with 3934 points. Popular racing talent Kenny Gilmore sits on top of the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman standings with 3643 counters looking for his first title.

Dylan Hoch has had a strong effort in recent weeks and has tallied 3510 points putting him in a strong second place. Defending champion Brian Hirthler is third with 3410. Jimmy Leiby holds on to fourth with 3105 counters and in fifth is Kyle Lilick having accumulated 2984 points. Thanks to Hope Mortgage there will be many cash awards. Topping the list of awards will be $1,000 going to the winner of the 30-lap Modified feature making for a total of $3,800 including track prize money and $300 from T.P.Trailers of Limerick, PA.

The winner of the 25-lap Sportsman feature will receive $1,000 from the Hope Team along with the regular prize money and $200 from T.P.Truck Equipment for a first place offering of $1,800.

Heat winners in each division of competition on the Hope Mortgage Team Championship Night will receive money based on the number of qualifying events run.

Each division will have a Hard Luck award of $250 while the Hard Charger in each division will take home an extra $250.

And five non-qualifiers in each division, randomly selected, will receive $100 of the Hope Mortgage Team money.

THOSE WITH CAMPERS PLEASE NOTE. Campers can enter the speedway grounds on Saturday September 11 and have the camper remain on the grounds until the 19th. However, because there are no hookups, sleeping in the campers can only take place on Saturday, September 18th to the 19th.

Coming up on Friday, September 17th, is the Freedom38 Sportsman race which will reward the winner with $2,000. That night will see action get the green at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday night, September 18th, the 51st Annual Freedom 76 will feature many of the outstanding talents in dirt track Modified racing trying to take home the $30,000 jackpot. As is normal it is expected that there will be outsiders entering the classic event hoping to take home the big bucks. Racing starts at 7 p.m.

Full info on the weekend of racing, including camping information, is available at www.grandviewspeedway.com or telephone 610.754.7688.

GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY UNOFFICIAL POINT STANDINGS FOR NASCAR T.P.TRAILERS

MODIFIEDS AS OF SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

  1. Craig Von Dohren, #30 4843*
  2. Brett Kressley, #19K 4696*
  3. Jared Umbenhauer, #19 4312*
  4. Doug Manmiller, #44 3967*
  5. Duane Howard, #15G 3934*
  6. Jeff Strunk, #88Z 3687*
  7. Danny Bouc, #357 3186**
  8. Kevin Hirthler, #117 3023
  9. Ryan Grim, #17 2888
  10. Craig Whitmoyer #99 2549
  11. Justin Grimm, #61 2389
  12. Brad Arnold, #27 2354
  13. Brad Grimm, #23 2277
  14. Jack Butler, #5 2258
  15. Jesse Leiby, #456/51 2121
  16. Cory Merkel, #16M 2057
  17. Dylan Swinehart, #81 1933
  18. Brett Gilmore,  #7 1882
  19. Nate Brinker, #14N 1806
  20. Mike Lisowski, #15 1796
  21. Also Feature Winners: Kevin Graver, #7A – Brad Brightbill, #14B/41 – Ryan Lilick, #49

UNOFFICIAL POINT STANDINGS FOR NASCAR T.P.TRUCK EQUIPMENT SPORTSMAN

AS OF SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

  1. Kenny Gilmore, #7 3643**
  2. Dylan Hoch, #35 3510****
  3. Brian Hirthler, #4/117 3410
  4. Jimmy Leiby, #9L/9 3105
  5. Kyle Lilick , #104 2984*
  6. Kyle Smith, #77K 2954**
  7. Dakota Kohler, #59K/9 2435
  8. Mark Kemmerer, #F10 2395
  9. Kenny Bock, #6 2040
  10. Nathan Mohr, #17M 1986
  11. Ryan Beltz, #221/127 1897
  12. Decker Swinehart, #83 1876*
  13. Logan Bauman, #14/22 1874
  14. Chris Esposito #31A 1836
  15. Parker Guldin, #11 1803
  16. Joey Vaccaro, #53 1733
  17. Mike Schneck, #2 1702
  18. Bryan Rhoads, #922 1638
  19. Jesse Landis, #973 1547*
  20. Lex Shive, #5K 1531 Also Feature Winner: Cole Stangle #20
  • denotes feature win (Feature wins listed are only for those that are NASCAR point events.)

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Darlington

By
Jeffrey Boswell
-
Photo by Matt Beamer for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kyle Larson: Larson won Stage 2 and nearly chased down Denny Hamlin for the win before settling for the runner-up spot.

“I’m still the heavy favorite to win the Cup championship,” Larson said. “So, I have a reputation to uphold, and another one to dispel.”

2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin won Stage 1 and held off Kyle Larson over the closing laps to win the Cook Out Southern 500. It was Hamlin’s first win of the season and locked him into Round 2 of the Playoffs.

“Nothing beats the drama of the opening race of the NASCAR championship Playoffs,” Hamlin said. “That statement was true until my girlfriend Jordan Fish started tweeting.

“I’d like to thank Cook Out for sponsoring this race. After my convincing victory in the Cook Out Southern 500, the appropriate words to my opponents are ‘I drink your milkshake.'”

3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex overcame an error-prone night at Darlington to salvage a fourth in the Cook Out Southern 500.

“In addition to that infraction,” Truex said, “I had a loose wheel earlier in the race. Unfortunately, our entire race was defined by our mistakes. It was a case of ‘mistaken identity.'”

4. Chase Elliott: Elliott suffered a left-front flat tire after making contact with Christopher Bell on Lap 327. Eliott’s No. 9 Chevy tagged the wall and his night was over. He finished 31st.

“I wasn’t happy,” Elliott said, “but I’m a professional. I can give an interview without cussing on national television. You can’t say the same for Kyle Busch. Kyle certainly made an ass of himself. Of course, you can’t spell ‘ass’ without two ‘S’ bombs.”

5. Ryan Blaney: Blaney had a brake issue on Lap 319, which sent his No. 12 Mustang for a spin. Blaney dropped well down in the order and finished 22nd.

“I did a full 360-degree spin and didn’t hit anything,” Blaney said. “So, unlike my car, I deserve credit for ‘not breaking.'”

6. Joey Logano: Logano posted a solid start to the Playoffs with an eighth-place finish at Darlington.

“I’m still harboring some ill will towards Denny Hamlin for blocking me at Daytona,” Logano said. “But I feel like Denny deserves some slack. I know Darlington isn’t a superspeedway, but in light of the week’s event, it’s an ‘(a lot on his) plate’ race for Denny.”

7. William Byron: Byron’s night at Darlington ended on a Lap 200 crash, triggered by a left-front tire valve stem issue that caused a flat and sent Byron’s No. 24 Axalta Chevy hard into the wall. He finished 34th.

“I knew I had a tire issue,” Byron said. “I could actually hear the tire deflating. It sounded like this: ‘SSSSSSSSSSS.’ That’s also the sound of the censored version Kyle Busch giving an interview.”

8. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fifth in the Cook Out Southern 500.

“I’m thrilled with our finish,” Harvick said. “Especially in light of the troubles that befell so many other playoff contenders. For example, Kyle Busch’s race was a real ‘S’ show, figuratively and quite literally.”

9. Kyle Busch: Busch made contact with Austin Dillon on Lap 126 and slammed the wall hard, ending his night. He finished 35th.

“I took my No. 18 Toyota straight to the garage,” Busch said, “and nearly ran over several people in the process. As they say, it’s ‘(Get out of) my way or the die way.'”

“Then during a live television interview, I dropped only two ‘S’ bombs. So, everyone should be commending me for showing restraint.”

10. Alex Bowman: Bowman blew a tire on Lap 16 at Darlington and scraped the wall, seriously damaging the right side of his No. 48 Ally Chevy. He limped home with a 26th-place finish.

“I clipped my Hendrick teammate William Byron in the accident,” Bowman said. “Then, my car caught on fire when it was being repaired in the pits. Two things were extinguished on Sunday—fire, and my playoff hopes.”

Crawford Scores 4th at Zandvoort

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Official Release
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Jak Crawford #10 Hitech GP, during round six of the FIA Formula 3 Championship at Circuit Zandvoort, in The Netherlands m on sep 3-5, 2021. // SI202109040270 // Usage for editorial use only //

Best F3 points weekend with three top-10 results for young American

VANDVOORT, Netherlands (5 August 2021) – Jak Crawford enjoyed his most competitive event in FIA Formula 3 competition this weekend, scoring the best result of the year so far with a run to fourth place on his way to taking three points-paying top-10 finishes in the penultimate round of the season at Circuit Zandvoort.

The 16-year-old Texan closed the event on Sunday morning with a seventh-place finish for Hitech Grand Prix, making it the most productive weekend of his rookie season in the competitive category. Crawford had a strong Saturday, claiming fourth and eighth. The 17 points moved him up four positions to 14th in the standings with just one weekend remaining in the season.

“Not bad, I’d say,” Crawford said of the event. “I’m very happy to have scored points in all three races. It was important to get consistent points. It was good for me, driving-wise. Also we made a step for the team, but we still have a little to gain. It wasn’t a bad weekend at all.”

Crawford started off the weekend by putting the No. 10 Hitech Dallara Mecachrome atop the charts with a lap of 1:25.535-seconds in the first practice.

“Some of the quicker guys didn’t put on new tires, so we knew we weren’t the quickest,” Crawford said. “But it was still good to see me at the front, and it was a promising start to the weekend.”

Qualifying saw a remarkable jump for the Red Bull Junior Team driver. Slotted 30th and last in the field early in the session, Crawford made a one-lap leap all the way up to third. Falling to seventh in the closing minutes, he appeared to be putting together another fast lap, setting the best time in the first sector before a red flag negated that lap and ended the session. But it was still a result to build on, his second-best of the 2021 F3 campaign (best fifth at the Red Bull Ring).

“I got off a good lap and got up to third at that moment.” he said. “Unluckily, I got a red flag on my first push lap near the end. I think that would have been my best lap. It’s a shame, but I was still happy with seventh.”

Race 1 saw Crawford gridded sixth as the top 12 qualifiers were reversed. He gained two positions on the opening lap and ran fourth the rest of the way, holding off several challenges following a late-race restart.

“I had a good first lap,” Crawford said. “I got up into fourth, but after that it was a boring race, to be honest. Running in a DRS train, I never really got to defend, and never really had the chance to attack. The restarts were crazy, but once we got into a groove it was a little bit more calm. I was happy to get good points”

With the top 12 finishers from the opener reversed, Crawford started ninth for Race 2. He gained a position on a frantic start, but ran ninth and then 10th for most of the race. A late caution set up a two-lap dash to the finish, with Crawford gaining a position on each of the laps to place eighth.

“Again, I had a good first lap for Race 2,” Crawford said. “I was struggling a bit with overall grip at the beginning, and then right after a safety car I had a bit of contact on the front-left. After that I was driving with a lot of damage and I was starting to fall back. Miraculously, I finished eighth despite running far off the pace, so I was happy to establish the points even with the contact.”

Running three 24-lap races on the tight 2.646-mile, 14-turn circuit was a big challenge, but after starting eighth in the final race of the weekend Crawford survived slight contact on the opening lap but was able to rebound to come home seventh at the flag.

“I had a good start but then I had contact at Turn 3, which lost me a position,” he said. “We had a lot of oversteer, and I had to fight it a lot. It was quite a demanding track this weekend. But I still defended well, and I’m happy to get good points, as well.”

Only one weekend remains in F3 competition. The season was originally set to end at Austin’s Circuit of The Americas in Crawford’s home state in October, although the FIA announced on Saturday that the finale will be held on Sept. 24-26 at Sochi in Russia.

“I’m a bit disappointed [not to race at COTA], but at the end of the day, it isn’t my choice,” he said. “It’s sad I don’t get to race in my home state in front of my family and friends, but I get to race in Russia instead. I’ve never been there before, and I haven’t gone into it too much yet. I’m looking forward to it, and it should be fun.”

Crawford returns to Eurofomula Open competition this weekend at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

“It’s shaping up to be a very promising weekend,” said Crawford, who currently is fifth in the standings despite missing five races (two due to age restrictions). “It is a good team and it is one of my favorite tracks so hopefully we can have a big weekend.”

Crawford will be looking to add to his achievements in his first year of Euroformula Open for Team Motopark, which include two victories, two poles, three podium finishes and four fastest race laps.

THORNDYKE PLEASED WITH TEAM PERFORMANCE AT CTMP

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Official Release
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September 6, 2021. Sunday afternoon David Thorndyke and the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet team completed a very successful return to competition in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP). After two seasons away from on track action, Thorndyke drove a very smart, pragmatic race and had positive results in both ends of the challenging road course.

Following an 18th place finish after battling overheating issues on Saturday during the 30-lap sprint race, Thorndyke and the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet team set about being even better during the 51-lap race Sunday.

Once again, the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet would post the 21st quickest time in qualifying, Thorndyke and the team once again used a proven strategy for the team during the longer race. “We have to pit for fuel” explained Thorndyke, “but unlike other teams we don’t stop for tires. It’s worked in the past, so we did it again”.

Thorndyke used his racing acumen to not abuse the General Tires and kept the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet out of harm’s way. “We had a good pace for us right through the race in the one (minute) 28’s” said the driver afterwards. I ran my race and gave everyone as much room as I could” he added.

Thorndyke moved steadily forward in the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet and finished two spots ahead of where he did Saturday in 16th position. “We’re really happy with our performance,” said the driver. “It got pretty interesting on restarts, I was trying to give room to one car on the outside and somebody else dived up the inside. We all got through and there’s barely a mark on the car.

The two events at CTMP are the only races planned for the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet team this season. But look for them to be back in 2022. They encourage all race fans to follow the rest of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series events by attending in person, watching the live stream on the TSN app, TSN.ca or through Trackpass on NBC Sports Gold in the US and the race broadcasts on TSN and RDS2.

Race fans can follow David Thorndyke and the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet Camaro team on their official social media platforms:

Twitter www.twitter.com/promotiveracing
Instagram www.instagram.com/promotiveracing
Website https://www.promotiveracing.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PromotiveRacing

DiBenedetto Finishes 23rd at Darlington

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Official Release
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A seven-race stretch of strong runs came to an end Sunday night for Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team as they struggled to a 23rd-place finish in the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

DiBenedetto started the 500-miler at NASCAR’s original superspeedway from 30th place, the line-up having been set based on results from Daytona the week before. At Daytona, DiBenedetto was involved in a crash while racing for the lead in the closing laps.

On Sunday night, driving a throwback paint scheme honoring the 20th anniversary of the Wood Brothers pairing with sponsor Motorcraft, DiBenedetto worked his way halfway to the front by the 42nd of 367 laps.

But he was unable to sustain the forward progress, in large part due to a loose-handling condition. He fell off the lead lap just past the 100-lap mark and ended the first Stage in 26th place, one lap behind the leaders.

He finished the second Stage in 24th place, as crew chief Jonathan Hassler used each pit stop to address the handling issues on the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang.

The team was able to correct the loose-handling condition, but was soon dealing with a tight-handling car.

At times, DiBenedetto was able to get in position to claim the free pass and rejoin the lead lap, but for the most part, the caution flags didn’t fly in his favor and he wound up 23rd at the finish, two laps in arrears.

“We struggled all night,” Eddie Wood said.

“We were hoping for a better run to celebrate 20 years with Motorcraft/Quick Lane, but it wasn’t to be. Motorcraft and Ford Motor Company have been really great to us for many years, and we thank them for that.”

The Wood Brothers and DiBenedetto now turn their attention to Richmond Raceway and next Saturday night’s Salute to American Heroes 400.

About Motorcraft:

Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Omnicraft:

Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center

Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Wood Brothers Racing

Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.

DISAPPOINTMENT FOR KENNINGTON IN CASTROL EDGE DODGE AT CTMP

By
Official Release
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September 6, 2021. DJ Kennington and the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge did everything in their power to ensure another strong and consistent run during round number six of the 2021 NASCAR Pinty’s Series at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) on Sunday afternoon. Sometimes however, even a superhuman team effort is undone by a mechanical failure.

Kennington has averaged a sixth-place finish in three road course events this season and when he noticed that something wasn’t right with the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge during the morning qualifying session, he made the bold decision to change out the engine. “One of the readings wasn’t right, so rather than chase the problem, we looked to eliminate it” explained Kennington.

Making the engine change to the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge meant Kennington would lose his starting position and begin the 51-lap race from the back of the field. “We felt it was the right call after how well the car performed during the race on Saturday, we’d be back in the hunt as the race went on” he explained.

Kennington never got the chance to test the theory. Almost immediately after the drop of the green flag Kennington’s years of experience told him that something was seriously wrong. “I could hear it right away,” said the dejected driver. “The new motor that we put in was down on power and it was only going to get worse, so I pulled behind the wall, our day was over”.

The early exit is particularly hard to stomach after such a concerted effort by the entire team to change engines before the race. “I feel bad for everyone,” said Kennington. “All the guys did amazing work to get the car ready in time for the race. I hate it for all the great people that support us. We’re out here to contend for a championship. We’ll get back to the ovals and dig in to put everything we have into winning some races down the stretch”.

Next up DJ Kennington and the Castrol Edge Dodge team return to the ovals with a doubleheader event at Flamboro Speedway near Hamilton, Ontario on Sunday September 12th. Watch the live stream on the TSN app, TSN.ca or through Trackpass on NBC Sports Gold in the US beginning at approximately 6PM and 8PM Eastern.

Race fans can follow DJ Kennington and the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge team on their official social media platforms:

Twitter www.twitter.com/@djkracing
Instagram www.instagram.com/djkracing
Website www.djkracing.ca
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DJKenningtonRacing/

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