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CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION: POMONA – WINTERNATIONALS PRE-RACE ADVANCE & QUOTES

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Official Release
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CHEVROLET AT POMONA

What: Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com
When: Friday, July 30-Sunday, Aug. 1
Where: Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California
TV: FOX will telecast eliminations live at 4 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 1

Team Chevy running on all cylinders heading to Pomona
Drivers/teams carry momentum to final race of Western Swing

DETROIT (July 29, 2021) – With his fourth Wally in hand from Sonoma Raceway, Robert Hight and the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car crew head to another California venue where he’s had similar success.

The Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, which traditionally kicks off the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) season, was postponed because of state COVID-19 guidelines. Now the event this weekend will be the 10th of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. Teams will return to the facility Nov. 11-14 for the Countdown to the Championship finale.

“Heading to Auto Club Raceway, that’s our home track – where John Force Racing’s home is and my sponsor the Automobile Club of Southern California – and it’s going to be a little different. We don’t normally race there in the summertime,” said Hight, who has recorded five victories between the twice-yearly races at the track.

Hight’s victory at Sonoma – his second of the season and 53rd of his career — lifted the three-time Funny Car champion to third in the Funny Car standings.

“We’ve started to find our stride. Jimmy Prock and Chris Cunningham had this Auto Club Chevy running on a string,” Hight said. “Hopefully, we’re going there with a little momentum and keep this rolling.”

Team owner John Force, who also has two wins this season in the PEAK/BlueDEF Platinum Camaro SS, is fourth in points. He is the Funny Car leader with a whopping 16 wins and 16 No. 1 qualifier honors at the track, and most recently was the runner-up in the 2020 Winternationals.

“This PEAK Chevy team is still very much in this fight. There’s only a handful of points separating the top five, I’m still in that top five,” Force said. “We’ve had a good season. There’s always ups and downs, but these young guys with
Daniel Hood and Tim Fabrisi, they’re working hard and we’ll be right back at it.”

Greg Anderson continues his pursuit of tying Warren Johnson’s 97 career victories, which stands as the most in Pro Stock and second behind Force’s NHRA-record 153. Anderson, the No. 1 qualifier in seven of the eight Pro Stock races in his HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, is tied with Bob Glidden for the most in the class with 12 wins at the track.

“It was a good weekend for us in Sonoma, but it could have been better,” said Anderson, the class points leader. “We’ve got a little steam, and I’m confident we can build on that.”

Brittany Force, the No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel the past two races and four times through nine events in the Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster, is looking for her first victory of the season. Force was the top qualifier in the 2020

Winternationals and reset the track Top Fuel speed record of 336.26 mph. She wrapped up the class championship with a win in the 2017 finale at the track.

FOX will telecast eliminations live at 4 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 1.

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT

TOP FUEL:

BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (four-time No. 1 qualifier; runner-up in Charlotte and Norwalk; third in points): “We’ve had great performance at our last couple races. Unfortunately, we’ve just come up short, made some mistakes but we are keeping heads up. Luckily, with this three in a row Western Swing, we get to head right into the next race. Wrapping up the Western Swing at my home track, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. This is my home track and a track I’ve had some success at in the past. I’m looking forward to getting this Flav-R-Pac dragster qualified in the show and going rounds on race day. This team is looking to turn our luck around this weekend.”

FUNNY CAR:

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK/BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time winner this season; No. 1 qualifier in Charlotte four-wide; fourth in points; 16-time winner at the track): “This race is home. We’re just down the way in Yorba Linda. We used to be completely based out in Southern California now there’s the museum, corporate offices and where we run John Force RaceStation as well as our rentals. There’s a lot of history in Southern California for me. Racing in Pomona, it’s a big event. Stands will be packed, even though it’s going to be warm. It’ll be a good summer show for them. I’m looking forward to getting in my PEAK Chevy at home.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time winner and two-time runner-up; No. 1 qualifier in Las Vegas four-wide; third in points; holds track Funny Car speed record of 336.99 mph, set in February 2018): “It’s an important weekend, all the upcoming races are important, with the Countdown just a couple races away, how close the competition is in Funny Car, we have to stay dialed in. It’s going to be an interesting weekend, racing in Pomona in the summer. Looking forward to getting this Auto Club Chevy in the winner’s circle at their home track.”

PRO STOCK:

GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time winner; No. 1 qualifier in seven of eight races; points leader): “It’s a little bittersweet to have a fast race car like this HendrickCars.com Chevrolet and not walk away with a trophy on Sunday, but it just makes you that much hungrier. I love these back-to-back races, because you get a little momentum, you get into a rhythm, and you get another chance if things don’t go your way. I’m proud of our team – the KB Racing crew was great all weekend – and we’re all licking our chops to get to Pomona.”

AARON STANFIELD, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JANAC BROTHERS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time winner this season; second in points): “It was a tough (list) of competitors to go through (at Sonoma). My guys did a great job. They all gave me a great race car. The KB cars keep coming and so do the Elite cars. There’s a bunch of great drivers out here right now and a bunch of new blood. We’re all very hungry to get out here and win. It’s fun to come out and compete.”

TROY COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS MAIL ORDER CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (runner-up in season opener; transferred to final quad at Charlotte; semifinalist at Sonoma; first Pro Stock appearance at track): “The last time this team raced Pomona at the Winternationals, Uncle Jeg (Coughlin) was driving this car and they took home the trophy, so there’s nothing but positive energy coming from So-Cal. The way it worked out Pomona is part of the Western Swing this year, so this race is going to be another memorable one at a place that’s given us so much history. We have everything here to win and I’m already looking forward to Pomona.”

KYLE KORETZKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (first-year driver; semifinalist at Houston and Norwalk; No. 2 qualifier in last race; first Pro Stock appearance at track): “Racing for the first time at Pomona is huge for me and our sponsor Lucas Oil – the title sponsor for the weekend. No. 2 qualifier last weekend was great and I’m confident. My driving last weekend wasn’t very good; losing on a holeshot to a teammate was disappointing. The quick car is going to be there and the driver just has to have his head on straight.”

DALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (first-year driver; winner at Charlotte four-wide; runner-up at Sonoma; first Pro Stock appearance at track): “I’m feeling real comfortable in these things. They are so much fun to drive once you get used to them and I feel like I can go out there and focus on what I need to do.”

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.

Era Motorsport Joins IMSA Sprint Weekend at Road America

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Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., (July 29, 2021) – Era Motorsport is returning to sprint racing next weekend, joining the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Road America with Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel racing the No. 18 Oreca in the LMP2 class.

“I’m excited to be back racing at Road America,” said Merriman. “It’s such a great course, and with the strides we’ve been making with the LMP2 car, we should have a strong and fun run here. We’ll miss Kyle, but it’ll be great to have Ryan alongside. Given our success so far this year, I’m sure we’ll have a great weekend.”

After winning the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the full-season IMSA program downscaled to run only the endurance races, allowing the team to participate in and win the Asian Le Mans Series Championship with JOTA Sport, as well as join the European Le Mans Series with IDEC Sport. Co-owner Kyle Tilley has also expanded his own racing program to venture into the NASCAR Cup Series while also continuing to race in his historic racing efforts.

During the Road America race weekend, Tilley will be racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen International, allowing Ryan Dalziel to step in as Dwight’s main co-driver in the IMSA SportsCar Weekend. Tilley and Merriman finished third in class at Road America in 2020, after torrential downpour created treacherous racing conditions in the final 20 minutes of the race.

“I’m really happy to be back in IMSA for a sprint race first and foremost, but more importantly at Road America with Era Motorsport,” said Dalziel. “We decided that Road America, with the high-speed nature of the track, would be great preparation for Dwight and with Kyle already committed to his NASCAR weekend I’m honored they asked me to fill in. We started off 2021 super strong but the last couple of races, Watkins and Monza, haven’t gone well so we are looking for a strong rebound and good momentum into the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

The IMSA SportsCar Weekend race will run for two hours and 40 minutes, beginning Sunday, August 8 at 1:40 PM CT. Competitors will have two practice sessions on Friday and Saturday to prepare before Qualifying on Saturday afternoon, which will air live on imsa.tv at 3:05 PM CT. The race will air tape-delayed from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM Eastern on NBCSN, but fans in the United States not attending can tune in live via TRACKPASS, the streaming service by NBC Sports Gold. Fans outside the States can check IMSA’s International listings here.

SCHEDULE | All Times U.S. Central
Friday, August 6
5:10 PM – 6:10 PM Practice 1

Saturday, August 7
8:55 AM – 9:55 AM Practice 2
3:05 PM – 3:20 PM LMP2 Qualifying

Sunday, August 8
9:00 AM – 9:20 AM Warm-Up
1:40 PM – 4:20 PM IMSA SportsCar Weekend (Race)

About Era Motorsport
Era Motorsport was formed in 2018 with the idea of providing unmatched excellence in historic racing. Just two years later, the team expanded to the world of professional sport car racing, fielding an Oreca 07 in the prolific IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2021, the team went on to win at the iconic Rolex 24 At Daytona, in what was their second attempt competing in the event. Motorsport isn’t just a hobby, it is a way of life: a passion that is in the team’s blood. Whether you find us in the IMSA WeatherTech paddock with modern prototypes or chasing down lap records in our fully restored classic sports cars, or even globetrotting to experience historic F1 at some of the world’s most iconic circuits, Era Motorsport has something for everyone. In 2021, the team will return to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the full LMP2 season and also contest in the full seasons of the Asian Le Mans championship and European Le Mans Series.

GMS Racing ARCA Winchester Preview

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Official Release
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Daniel Dye, No. 21 GMS Racing, Race to Stop Suicide Chevrolet

Winchester Speedway Stats

- Daniel Dye has no prior starts at the high-banked half-mile

2021 ARCA Menards Series Stats

  • Starts: 3, Best start: 1, Best finish: 1, Avg finish: 3.3

Career ARCA Stats

Notes:

  • Daniel Dye will make his fourth career ARCA Menards Series national tour start on Saturday at the “worlds fastest half-mile” Winchester Speedway.
  • Saturday’s Calypso 200 will be Dye’s first career start at Winchester and his fifth race in the GMS Racing No. 21 Solar-Fit Chevrolet.
  • Crew Chief Chad Bryant and Dye will work together for the fifth time this season, and look to maintain an impressive ARCA Menards Series average finish of 3.3. Dye, who won at Berlin Raceway, had a strong runner-up finish at Iowa Speedway last weekend.
  • Winchester Speedway, located in Winchester, Indiana, averages 18-degrees of banking in the corners and measures at exactly one half-mile in length. This weekend’s event will be the 12th race of the ARCA Menards Series season.
  • The No. 21 Chevrolet will carry the traditional white, orange, and black colors. Solar-Fit will appear on the hood, with Race to Stop Suicide on the quarter panels. The NASCAR Foundation will also be on the car.
  • The 200-lap, 100-mile ARCA Menards Series race will air live on MAVTV and NBC Sports Gold TrackPass, beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Quote:

“We’ve been building some momentum over the last few weeks, so to go to Winchester and race again this weekend with the GMS 21 Chevrolet is exciting. Chad (Bryant) has had a bunch of success there and our GMS cars have been fast every weekend, so I’m confident we’ll have another great shot this weekend. I’ve never seen Winchester in person, but everyone talks about how much fun it is to race at and all the action that usually takes place. Hopefully we can battle for the win with our Race to Stop Suicide car on Saturday night.”

ABOUT GMS RACING

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Sheldon Creed, Zane Smith, Tyler Ankrum and Chase Purdy. The team also competes in the ARCA Racing Series with Jack Wood and Daniel Dye. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 and 2020 Camping World Trucks Championship, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championship and 2020 Sioux Chief Showdown Championship. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at https://www.gmsracing.net/

SOCIAL MEDIA

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow GMS Racing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

DGR ARCA Menards Series Race Advance: Winchester Speedway

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Official Release
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Saturday, July 31
Track: Winchester Speedway, .5-mile oval
Race: 12 of 20
Event: Calypso Lemonade 200 (200 laps, 100 miles)

Schedule
Practice: 4:15 p.m. ET
Qualifying: 6:00 p.m. ET
Race: 8:00 p.m. ET (MAVTV)

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ripper Coffee Ford Fusion

  • Gray enters Winchester Speedway on Saturday night for his fourth straight start in as many weeks with the ARCA Menards Series.
  • Last weekend at Iowa Speedway in Newton, the 16-year-old driver started sixth and brought home a third-place finish earning his third straight top-five with the series.
  • Gray has one previous start on the half-mile, high banked Winchester surface coming last September. He qualified fifth and finished there in his Ford Performance Fusion.
  • Crew chief Chad Johnston returns to his home state this weekend. Johnston hails from Cayuga, Indiana, which is three hours west of Winchester. The veteran is a 2004 graduate of Indiana State University.

Thad Moffitt, No. 46 Clean Harbors Ford Fusion

  • Saturday night at Winchester marks Moffitt’s 12th race of the 2021 ARCA Menards Series season.
  • The North Carolina native is coming off a sixth-place finish at Iowa Speedway last Saturday night.
  • Through 11 races, Moffitt has four top-fives and nine top-10s and sits third in the series standings as one of four drivers with perfect attendance so far this season.
  • This will be the first appearance at Winchester Speedway for both Moffitt and crew chief Derek Smith.

Flying Lizard Returns to Road America for Porsche Carrera Cup North America

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Official Release
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SONOMA, Calif., (July 28, 2021) – In the hearts of sports car racing fans everywhere, Flying Lizard Motorsports and Porsche have long been associated together as a dream combination. Next week, race fans will see Flying Lizard Motorsports enter a Porsche into the Porsche Carrera Cup North America doubleheader with driver Chris Bellomo.

“We are not only excited to be bringing Flying Lizard Motorsports to the Porsche Carrera Cup series but also glad to be in the IMSA paddock again as well,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “Chris will run select events this year in IMSA as part of his training program to expand his efforts in 2022. Together with his coach, Johannes van Overbeek, he has had a lot of success so far, growing and improving every weekend with a methodical approach to improving his driving. I am looking forward to watching his progress this upcoming weekend and the remainder of the year.”

Bellomo, who has raced with the Lizards for several years, has a full plate this season, also competing in USAC’s Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and the Yokohama Drivers Cup. Each series has offered new challenges, allowing Bellomo to develop as a race car driver, with former Lizard Johannes Van Overbeek as his coach.

“We have been looking forward to rejoining the Carrera Cup series at Road America since the schedules were released,” said Bellomo. “I have always loved racing at Road America and the series has always had an outstanding field of talented drivers and this year is no exception. Dieter Beuhler, along with the Flying Lizard crew have worked extremely hard throughout the year and the car seems to be getting better and better each race. Johannes and I have taken positive steps forward with my driving technique and race-craft so far this season and we are hoping that will continue at Road America.”

Sanctioned by IMSA, the Porsche Carrera Cup North America is a support series of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The Lizards have a long history in IMSA, earning three team and three driver championships with Porsche machinery in the American Le Mans Series.

TUNE-IN
The team’s return to the IMSA paddock with a Porsche will feature two practice sessions and one qualifying session on Thursday and Friday, August 5 and 6. The first of two 45-minute races will begin on Saturday, August 7 at 11:35 AM Central, followed by race two on Sunday morning at 9:45 AM CT. Both races will air live on imsa.tv and porschecarreracup.us.

About Flying Lizard Motorsports
Based out of Sonoma, California, Flying Lizard Motorsports is one of the most iconic sports car teams in motorsports, having celebrated ten driver and team championships, as well as competed internationally at the 24 Hours of Le Mans eight times.

The Lizards burst on the American Le Mans Series scene in 2004, competing in the GT class until 2012. In 2013, the team moved to the GTC class, still competing in legendary events such as the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2014, the team expanded its program to include running two Audi R8 LMS in the TUDOR Championship, and in 2015, again expanded the program to include two Porsches in Porsche Club racing. Flying Lizard closed out the season with a dominating win at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill with Toyo Tires, a win they repeated in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The 2021 season proved the team’s most successful to date, earning four titles in the GT4 America championship.Flying Lizard Motorsports has proven to be a championship contender no matter the race series or race car. For more information, visit lizardms.com.

ERIC NASCIMENTO TO COMPETE AT COLORADO NATIONAL WITH ARCA WEST

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Official Release
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MANTECA, CALIF. (July 28, 2021) – 20-year-old Manteca, Calif. driver Eric Nascimento will make his second-career ARCA Menards Series West start on Saturday at Colorado National Speedway in the NAPA AUTO PARTS Colorado 150. The driver known to many as “Bubba” will drive the No. 4 Finishline Express Toyota Camry in a joint effort with Don Wood, Velocity Racing, and Bill McAnally Racing. The event will be broadcast live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold and tape-delayed on NBCSN as well.

Nascimento is the 2020 Stockton 99 Speedway Late Model champion and a winner in the MAVTV-televised Nut Up Pro Late Models at Madera Speedway in 2021. The Modesto Junior College student qualified seventh in his debut at Sonoma Raceway in June before ultimately finishing 14th. Nascimento is also a former winner in the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series at Madera Speedway. He participated in BMR Drivers Academy – a NASCAR Driver Development program – events at Thunderhill Raceway and Sonoma Raceway in May before his entry into ARCA competition in June.

The entry will carry additional support from RJs Paintshop and Skipco Welding & Industrial. Nascimento has traveled the 80 miles from Manteca to Loomis, Calif. daily over the last three weeks to help prepare the car for the event. Preparation has been aided by championship crew chief Ty Joiner, while his uncle Mike Nascimento will serve as the crew chief for the weekend’s race.

Drivers will have a practice and qualifying session from 4:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Mountain Time. The NAPA AUTO PARTS Colorado 150 goes green at 8:05 p.m. Coverage can be viewed on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold. Delayed television coverage will be available on NBCSN on Wednesday August 11 at 3 p.m. Eastern / 12 p.m. Pacific.

Taylor Eager to Defend Race Win in His Return to Road America

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Official Release
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ELKHART LAKE, Wis., July 28, 2021 – There’s always a buzz when Road America is discussed among drivers. The layout, the challenges, and the beauty are just a few topics regarding the 4.048-mile permanent road course in Elkhart Lake.

It took 13 years and races in a slew of different cars and series for Jordan Taylor to claim his first victory at the prestigious track. 
Taylor and Corvette Racing teammate Antonio Garcia took the checkered flag in 2020 at Road America in the GT Le Mans class for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. They’ll go for a second straight victory at the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America, Aug. 5-8.

“It was a crazy couple of laps to get that win, so it was a very happy day,” Taylor said of the 2020 event. He ran the first stint, and Garcia got behind the wheel about 45 or 50 minutes in.

It was a Taylor-made race day at Road America in 2020 as Ricky Taylor — Jordan’s older brother — drove to victory in the No. 7 Acura with Acura Team Penske. Helio Castroneves was Ricky Taylor’s teammate in the win.

Ricky Taylor competes with Felipe Albuquerque in the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Konica Minolta Acura this season. 
Jordan Taylor first competed at the track in 2007 during a junior formula event with Skip Barber’s racing school. Road America left a memorable first impression on the Orlando native, who turned 30 in May.

He said that Road America’s long straightaways, huge brake zones, and high-speed corners are unique attributes.
“It’s a high-level track, some sections risky and dangerous, but as a driver, you enjoy elements of it because it adds character to the racetrack,” Taylor said.

“It’s got famous corners like the Carousel and the Kink that are known pretty much worldwide by those names. I think seeing them for the first time in person after hearing all those stories was intimidating, but that’s what makes Road America so special.”

Taylor and Garcia worked together well in their first full-time season running together in 2020. They won five races and claimed the GTLM drivers championship. They pilot the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R.

The 2021 IMSA event at Road America is considered a sprint race at 2 hours and 40 minutes in length and consists of one driver change.

The first driver will compete for 30 to 90 minutes, and his teammate will run the final stint.

“If you’re doing more than one driver change, something is going wrong with your race or strategy,” Taylor said. “Having one driver change and doing it the way we’ve been doing it is the most efficient way to have a successful race. 

“The guys at Corvette have been racing in these series for so long and understand the strategy so well. It’s very finely tuned with how it plays out.”

Taylor doesn’t anticipate massive changes in the team’s strategy on race weekend, considering the crew and engineers had a solid plan last season. They’re running the CR.8 that found success in 2020.

“We can take all that data we processed, see what we learned and what didn’t work,” Taylor said. “We had fast cars last year, so we don’t want to reinvent the wheel, so to speak.”

Taylor said he’s eager to defend the race win in his return to Road America.
“It’s one of the tracks that everyone knows about, everyone talks about,” he said. “You talk about old-school race tracks that all the drivers love, and Road America is high on that list.” 

Tickets are available, and additional event details, ticket pricing, and camping information can be found at www.roadamerica.com or by calling 800-365-7223. 

Anyone 16-years-old and under is FREE with a paying adult at the gate.

Racing runs rain or shine.

To plan your visit, check out Road America’s Frequently Asked Questions webpage at www.roadamerica.com/faq
About Road America: Established in 1955, Road America is conveniently located between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The world’s best racers have competed at this legendary four-mile, 14-turn road circuit for over 65 years. Along with over 500 events held seasonally at the 640-acre facility, several major weekends are open to the public, which include the IndyCar Series, the MotoAmerica Series, three vintage racing events, numerous Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) events, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and NASCAR. Road America’s park-like grounds offer amazing viewing opportunities, numerous camping options, fantastic concessions, and high-speed excitement to hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. Fans can also stay and play in cabins conveniently on the grounds and find all sorts of souvenirs, collectibles, and apparel at the 7,500 sq. ft Paddock Shop. Affectionately known by many as America’s National Park of Speed, Road America can accommodate groups of all sizes, including weddings and corporate events in the Tufte Conference Center. In addition to public race weekends, Road America offers various group event programs, including geocaching, disc golf, and off-road adventure tours, karting, and the Road America Motorcycle and Driving Schools. For more information, visit www.roadamerica.com Follow Road America on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube or call 800-365-7223

NYIRP WIN-STREAK ON THE LINE FOR HOMETOWN HERO JANKOWIAK IN MOD TOUR 150

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Official Release
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Lancaster, NY (July 28, 2021): From the high banks of Daytona International Speedway to the D-shape of Lancaster Speedway at New York International Raceway Park (NYIRP), Andy Jankowiak has had quite a 2021 season thus far. And, while he may be considered an underdog on the ARCA Series, where he’s had four starts this year, the Tonawanda, NY, native could be considered the big dog when the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour hits the Western NY race track this weekend for the Nu-Way Auto Parts 150.

His cumulative win total at the speedway, across all divisions, puts Jankowiak ninth on the all-time win list at Lancaster with 40 victories. He has five career modified wins at the Speedway; including the most recent tour-type Modified event at the track. He sits tied for third on the all-time win list in the Sportsman Modified division with 24 career victories.

Jankowiak is undefeated in Modified competition at his home track this year. He’s been victorious in the tour-type Modified and both Sportsman division events held at the asphalt oval at NYIRP.

This weekend; however, is not about keeping the win streak alive. For the driver known simply as Andy J., the goals are to gain knowledge, run competitively and hopefully be in contention for the win.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that I have a home track advantage,” said Jankowiak, “but we are still learning. I’m going in with high hopes. We’ll just take things as they come and hope to finish well.”

Fairly new to the Modified Tour, the Steve Mendoza owned team has run 10 Modified Tour races and only four with Jankowiak behind the wheel. All four of those starts have come at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in Thompson, CT.

“It’s easier to learn at your home track,” said Jankowiak. “When you eliminate the variables of learning a new track, it helps you learn other things about the car, to find the balance and the comfort in our car. Not only for the next time we come back but for the next time we run the Tour.”

Acknowledging the exceptional talent of the drivers and teams on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, the 33-year old driver sees the Nu-Way Auto Parts 150 not only as a way for his team to get better but also to shine a light on his home track.

“Showcasing my home track is cool. I’m so excited that Lancaster will be in the spotlight,” said Jankowiak. “Seriously, it’s the coolest short track in North America.”

By ‘cool’ he means the D-shaped front stretch that provides plenty of room for side-by-side racing and a totally unique perspective for fans. Several years back, the track was reconfigured, moving the track toward the drag strip.

“The grandstands are so close to the race track, it’s so cool for the fans to be just feet from the track,” said Jankowiak, with an obvious enthusiasm for the facility. “The two completely different ends of the track drive very differently. Between the huge arc of the front stretch and the traction compound from the drag strip, it makes this place hard to drive. It’s a driver’s track.”

“Everyone is going to fall in love with this place!”

Andy J. did just that as a young boy. The now veteran competitor recalls sitting in the turn one grandstands with his Mom cheering on his favorite drivers, sitting in the racecars after the races and dreaming of one day being a driver himself.

Jankowiak is big on making dreams come true. In 2018, he won his father’s memorial race. Tony Jankowiak died in a racing accident at Stafford Motor Speedway in 1990. And, today Andy is living his dream; running Daytona in the ARCA Menards Series and making three additional starts, all with finishes inside the top-ten, winning Modified races and competing on the Modified Tour.

He’s also now a fan-favorite himself. In February, during the ARCA Menards Series event at Daytona, the 33-year old driver was highlighted on the FOX broadcast as the All-American dream-chasing, pizza delivery guy. His story turned Chase Elliott into a fan.

The Cup champion joined a brethren of fans that day. A host of Facebook pages are dedicated to his fandom. The private group Friends Who Like Andy Jankowiak Racing has 92 members and the Jankowiak Mafia page has over 4,000 active and engaged followers. His own racing Facebook page is over 2,000 friends strong.

At Lancaster, Andy J. is well known and deeply regarded. And the feeling is mutual.

“I’m so proud of our race tracks in this area, especially Lancaster,” said Jankowiak. “It’s a part of the racing world that people skip for some reason. It’s good for us to get people here to check it out.

Jankowiak, who looks to put himself and Lancaster ‘on the map’, is hopeful that fans will turn out in great numbers to see a great race so that NYIRP becomes a regular stop on the tour.

General admission tickets are on sale for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at New York International Raceway Park (NYIRP) in Lancaster, NY. Grandstand tickets for the Nu-Way Auto Parts 150, scheduled for Saturday, July 31, are available at SeetheEvents.com for $35 for adults and $15 for children ages 12 and under.

Grandstands will open at 1pm with practice beginning at 2pm. Racing begins at 5pm. In addition to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, the race card also includes Sportsman, 4-Cylinders and Street Stocks. There will be a jumbotron presented by JJ Supply of NC for fan’s further enjoyment of the racing action and a fireworks display by Skylighters of NY to conclude the night of racing excitement.

T-shirts for the inaugural Nu-Way Auto Parts 150, designed by driver of the WMT #64, Timmy Solomito, are on sale by visiting SeetheEvents.com. The event website is hosted by event promoter and Lancaster Speedway/NYIRP partner, Speed Enterprises Entertainment.

Located just 30 miles from Niagara Falls in Lancaster, New York International Raceway Park is home to the half-mile Lancaster Speedway asphalt oval as well as a 1/8-mile drag strip featuring IHRA sanctioned drag racing.

“I’m truly blessed to have grown up here and to have so many amazing memories.”

It could be time for one more special memory for Andy J. and his crowd of fans.

“We need to be realistic about our chances,” added Jankowiak. “This is a time for us to learn together, to make gains and have a good finish. But, if we have our ducks in a row, we can certainly be a contender.”

There’s a Lot on the Line for ARCA Menards Series Teams in the Calypso Lemonade 200 at Winchester Speedway

By
Official Release
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There will be a lot on the line when the ARCA Menards Series takes to the 37-degree banks at Winchester Speedway on Saturday night.

The Calypso Lemonade 200 is first and foremost a part of the ARCA Menards Series championship, and that championship battle is turning into a war between new leader Ty Gibbs and now challenger Corey Heim. Gibbs assumed the championship lead with his sixth victory of the season last Saturday night at Iowa Speedway, while Heim, who has four wins of his own this season, now sits second just four points behind.

Heim started off the season at Daytona International Speedway with his second consecutive series win, dating back to the 2020 finale at Kansas Speedway. Gibbs won at Phoenix Raceway to even the score at 1-1 headed to Talladega Superspeedway. Heim would take his second win of the year at Talladega, but the big story was Gibbs’ 27th-place finish after being swept into a late-race crash while battling for the lead. Gibbs would start to claw his way out of the deep points deficit with a dominant stretch, winning four consecutive races at Kansas Speedway, Toledo Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Two of those wins, at Kansas and Charlotte, were flag-to-flag, the first time since 2012 that a driver had led every lap in an ARCA Menards Series race and the first time since 1978 that someone had done it twice in a season.

Heim broke the Gibbs dominance with a win at Pocono Raceway, and then nudged Gibbs out of the way on a late-race restart at Elko Speedway to take his fourth win of the year and hold on to a perilously small advantage in the series standings with his second consecutive victory.

The two front runners are also at the top of the heap in the Sioux Chief Showdown standings. The series-within-a-series allows drivers as young as 15 years of age to compete for a title on paved oval tracks a mile in length or less and road courses. Through five Showdown races so far in 2021 – Toledo, Mid-Ohio, Elko, Berlin, and Iowa – Gibbs has three wins to Heim’s one, at Elko. Daniel Dye, a 16-year-old from Deland, Florida who has recently moved into the No. 21 GMS Racing Chevrolet that Sam Mayer piloted to the Showdown title in 2020, took the victory in his second series start at Berlin.

The Calypso Lemonade 200 is also a part of the CGS Imaging 4 Crown championship, a four-race series-within-the-series that celebrates the diverse schedule of the ARCA Menards Series. The four races are spread across superspeedways, intermediate tracks, short tracks, and dirt tracks, in 2021 those events are slated for Kansas Speedway, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Winchester Speedway, and DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. Gibbs won both of the previous races at Kansas and Mid-Ohio, giving him a dominant lead in the standings heading into a race that he won last year by leading 199 of 200 laps.

Tickets for the Calypso Lemonade 200 are available at selected Menards locations in western Ohio and eastern and central Indiana, including Indianapolis and Ft. Wayne. Discounted advance adult tickets are just $20, a savings of $10 per ticket. For more information, visit WinchesterSpeedway.com, TrackEnterprises.com. For updated event information, visit ARCARacing.com.

5 Auto Repair Mistakes And How To Make Them Right

By
SM
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When your car has a problem, and you take it to a mechanic for repair, you expect it to be fixed properly. But, occasionally, this isn’t the case. This is due to repair mistakes resulting from your own actions or those that are made by your mechanic.  

The reality is that auto repair errors will cost you significant time and money. Worse, serious repair mistakes can put you in harm’s way. To help you out, below are five common auto repair mistakes and what you can do to fix them: 

  1. Failing To Fix Car Parts Correctly

Prior to releasing vehicles to the market, car manufacturers spend a lot of time assembling the cars, including determining how tight the fasteners should be. The reason they do this is to ensure that different parts of the car can be assembled easily and that they don’t fall off during use. 

Nuts and bolts should be tightened properly to ensure sealing. Failing to do this can lead to broken bolts, leaks, and deformed vehicle parts. If your vehicle has been involved in a crash, for example, get a professional, like sandiegosautobody.com, to fix it. This way, you’ll be certain that every part will be assembled properly. 

Also, you can rectify this mistake by ensuring that you acquaint yourself with the car repair manual and utilize the torque wrench to fix wheel nuts, drain plugs, axle nut, bearing, and even the head bolt.

  1. Not Paying Attention To Wear And Tear

As you continue to use your car, it’s bound to wear out with time; the wheels, tires, brakes, engine, transmission, light bulbs, and other internal components are all bound to wear out. Though things like squealing brakes and blown-up light bulbs are pretty common, worn-out tires or low-pressure tires can result in fatal accidents. 

Having your car inspected regularly can go a long way in preventing fatal crashes and other forms of collateral damage. Paying attention to your car’s wear and tear by having it inspected monthly and before any trip is a great way to keep it in good shape. Additionally, ensure your car is repaired as soon as wear-and-tear issues are identified.

  1. Not Following Auto Maintenance Requirements 

Auto repairs are costly and time-consuming. However, when you fail to follow maintenance requirements and opt to skip them, the cost of repairing the car can be much higher.  Every maintenance requirement you follow, with the help of a qualified skoda mechanic, will improve your vehicle’s reliability and durability.

For instance, an oil change should be done at least once every year. However, you need to keep tabs on your oil levels every single month to keep your vehicle in good shape. On the other hand, failing to monitor your oil levels can result in engine damages in the long run. 

You can avoid this car repair mistake by tracking your car’s maintenance needs and ensuring everything is done on time.  

An auto repair shop can also help you keep track of your maintenance schedule and provide reminders when services are due. They can also catch potential issues before they lead to costly repairs.

  1. Use Of Wrong Fluids

Before you add oil to your engine, ensure the fluid is suitable for your car. Using the wrong engine fluids increases the risk of engine overloading, leading to higher fuel consumption. On the other hand, using light engine oil can cause the oil to burn past the rings, resulting in insufficient oil pressure.

If your vehicle’s engine is old, you’ll need to use heavy oil to take care of worn-out rings and bearings. Other than engine fluids, the use of wrong brake fluids, transmission fluids, engine coolants, or differential fluids can damage your vehicle and result in poor performance, which is why services like MINI repair use the correct fluids to ensure better results. 

To address this repair mistake, use the fluids specified by the automaker. 

  1. Not Considering Warning Lights

The other auto repair mistake that car owners make is failing to consider warning lights. Your vehicle is designed to use warning lights to indicate its status. For instance, warning lights will enable you to monitor tire pressure, the brake system, oil pressure, and even the engine.

Moreover, paying attention to warning lights enables you to know when the car is unsafe to drive and when it’s headed for failure mode. Driving your car when the warning lights are still on can lead to increased emissions, a crash, vehicle damage, and higher refueling costs. 

To fix this mistake, attend to the warning lights as soon as they come on.  

Final Thoughts

Your vehicle can experience all kinds of problems due to repair mistakes that you or your mechanic made. These mistakes may seem minor, but they can lead to serious accidents if they’re not fixed properly. To avoid this, pay attention to these five auto repair mistakes and use the tips discussed above to fix them as soon as they occur.

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