Home Blog Page 2519

John Hunter Nemechek nabs fourth win of the 2021 Truck Series season at Texas

By
Briar Starr
-
Photo by Ron Olds for Speedwaymedia.com

John Hunter Nemechek dominated Texas Motor Speedway on a hot Saturday afternoon in the Lone Star state to take home the victory in Saturday’s Speedycash.com 220. It was his fourth win of the 2021 Truck Series season and his first at Texas Motor Speedway.

Nemechek leads the driver standings with four races remaining in the regular season.

Nemechek started on the pole based on the qualifying metric system, won Stage 1, and cycled out as the leader once again in the final stage with 21 laps remaining to score the victory.

Stages 35-35-77 laps made up the 147-lap event at Texas.

Stage 1: Lap 1 – Lap 35

Three cautions slowed the first stage and two of those cautions came out for the 2020 Truck Series champion Sheldon Creed. Creed brought out the first yellow on Lap 6 when the California native spun in Turn 2 and brushed the wall causing damage to the back end of the No. 2 machine. Then, on Lap 21, he caused the yellow again after spinning the same area.

The final yellow for the stage was caused by the No. 49 of Ray Ciccarelli, who came to a stop off of Turn 2 at Lap 33. With the yellow coming out so late in the stage, Stage 1 would end under yellow and Nemechek grabbed the stage victory. Austin Hill, Ben Rhodes, Chandler Smith, Stewart Friesen, Brennan Poole, Austin Wayne Self, Derek Kraus, Todd Gilliland and Josh Berry rounded out the Top 10 finishers.

Stage 2: Lap 40 – Lap 70

Stage 2 was similar in terms of the number of cautions. On Lap 52, the No. 52 of Friesen was sent spinning sideways into Turn 2 after a bump from the No. 42 of Carson Hocevar. Then, on Lap 59, the No. 10 of Jennifer Jo Cobb came to a stop, and finally, with two to go in the stage (Lap 69), the No. 51 of Drew Dollar crashed in Turn 2 seeing an early end to his day.

Zane Smith took the stage victory as Tanner Gray, Kraus, Poole, Ross Chastain, Berry, Chase Elliott, Chandler Smith, Nemechek and Grant Enfinger completed the Top 10.

Stage 3: Lap 77 – Lap 147

The final stage saw teams using various strategies. On Lap 78, Elliott took the lead from Chastain and led through Lap 108 (39 to go) when Elliott made his final pit stop. Nemechek stayed out longer than others hoping to build a large gap between Elliott and himself.

Nemechek made his final stop 10 laps later than Elliott. He lost the lead briefly during his stop to Zane Smith but Nemechek recycled back to the lead with 21 to go. From there, he held on to a sizable lead over Elliott and won in his sixth track start at Texas Motor Speedway. Elliott, Chastain, and Austin Hill were the top five finishers.

Nemechek led five times for 64 laps en route to victory. There were seven leaders among 15 different lead changes and six cautions for 38 laps.

*Note: Niece Motorsports’ driver, Ross Chastain, who was originally scored with a third-place finish, was disqualified by NASCAR following post-race inspection. It was determined that the No. 45 entry had violated Section 20.6.2.13.a in the NASCAR Rule Book: “The throttle body must be used as supplied by the NT1 engine supplier without modification.”

As a result of the infraction, Chastain was scored with a last-place finish of 36th.

Official Results following the SpeedyCash.com 220 at Texas Motor Speedway:
  1. John Hunter Nemechek, won Stage 1, led 64 laps
  2. Chase Elliott, led 45 laps
  3. Grant Enfinger
  4. Austin Hill
  5. Chandler Smith
  6. Zane Smith, won Stage 2, led 12 laps
  7. Todd Gilliland, led eight laps
  8. Tyler Ankrum
  9. Tanner Gray, led seven laps
  10. Josh Berry
  11. Carson Hocevar
  12. Johnny Sauter
  13. Derek Kraus, 1 lap down
  14. Brennan Poole, 1 lap down
  15. Austin Wayne Self, 1 lap down
  16. Ryan Truex, 1 lap down
  17. Chase Purdy, 2 laps down
  18. Cory Roper, 2 laps down
  19. Tyler Hill, 2 laps down
  20. Matt Crafton, 3 laps down
  21. Dawson Cram, 3 laps down
  22. Kris Wright, 3 laps down
  23. Howie DiSavino III, 4 laps down
  24. Hailie Deegan, 5 laps down
  25. Tate Fogleman, 5 laps down
  26. Ben Rhodes, 6 laps down
  27. Spencer Boyd, 6 laps down
  28. Jesse Iwuji, 6 laps down
  29. Keith McGee, 7 laps down
  30. Norm Benning, 13 laps down
  31. Jennifer Jo Cobb, 16 laps down
  32. Ray Ciccarelli, OUT, Brakes
  33. Drew Dollar, OUT, Crash
  34. Stewart Friesen, OUT, Crash
  35. Sheldon Creed, OUT, Crash
  36. *Ross Chastain, led five laps – Disqualified, relegated to a last-place finish

Up Next: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to Nashville Superspeedway for the first time since 2011 on Friday, June 18, live on Fox Sports 1 and MRN Radio at 8 p.m. ET.

DGR NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Recap: Texas

By
Official Release
-

Saturday, June 12
Track: Texas Motor Speedway, 1.5-mile oval
Race: 11 of 22
Event: SpeedCash.com 220 (147 laps, 220 miles)

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Toter Ford F-150
Start: 12th
Finish: 25th

  • Deegan started the event from 12th in the Toter Ford F-150. Hot and humid weather conditions made for a very slick racing surface which Deegan battled in the opening laps before the first caution on lap 8 when she was 16th.
  • On lap 21 under cation, she reported her F-150 was a little loose on entry while in the 18th spot.
  • During the lap-31 caution, the California native reported she could use a small adjustment but was feeling more comfortable with the track and was in the 14th spot.
  • On lap 52 under caution, she reported her Ford felt better after the most recent adjustments and was in the 23rd spot.
  • At the end of Stage 2, Deegan was really happy with her truck’s handling and completed it in the 15th spot.
  • Deegan started the final stage from 10th. She remained in the top-10 until she made a scheduled green-flag pit stop on lap 110.
  • Shortly after returning to the track from the scheduled stop, Deegan felt tire chatter and returned to pit road for service. The crew discovered a punctured tire and Deegan returned to the field to complete the remainder of the race. The unscheduled pit stop took her off of the lead lap and she ultimately finished 25th in her first race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150
Start: 20th
Finish: 10th

  • Gray started his third event at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth from the 20th spot.
  • Gray was in the 13th spot when the first caution was displayed on lap 8. He reported his Ford F-150 was snug and didn’t pit. The next caution was displayed on lap 21 while Gray was 12th and he pitted for fuel, four tires and adjustments to help with his snug condition. He restarted 19th on lap 29.
  • Stage 1 ended under caution with Gray scored in the 14th position.
  • The New Mexico native started Stage 2 from the fourth position after not pitting during the stage break. A great restart moved him up to second-place in the opening stage lap.
  • Another caution was displayed on lap 52 and Gray reported his Ford Performance F-150 was little tight in turns 1 and 2. On lap 59, Gray took the lead and remained there until the closing laps on Stage 2 when he was passed for second.
  • Gray started the final stage from the 16th spot after pitting. He reported his truck was a little tight while in the 13th position on lap 90.
  • With 20 laps to go in the 147-lap event, Gray had completed his final pit stop of the race and was in the 11th position.
  • In the closing laps, Gray worked his way up to the 10th spot where he ultimately finished.
  • Gray led a total of seven laps today and scored his first top-10 of the season.

Next event: Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway in Nashville, Tennessee on June 18 at 8 p.m. ET.

Toyota Racing NCWTS Post-Race Recap — Texas 6.12.21

By
Official Release
-

NEMECHEK SCORES TEXAS VICTORY AT THE HOME OF THE TUNDRA
John Hunter Nemechek claims his fourth victory of the 2021 Truck Series Season

FORT WORTH (June 12, 2021) – John Hunter Nemechek drove to his fourth victory of the season at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon. It was Kyle Busch Motorsports’ seventh win of the season and Toyota’s 21st series victory at the Fort Worth based facility.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Texas Motor Speedway
Race 11 of 23 – 147 Laps, 220 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
2nd, Chase Elliott*
3rd, Ross Chastain*
4th, GRANT ENFINGER
5th, AUSTIN HILL
13th, JOHNNY SAUTER
14th, DEREK KRAUS
15th, BRENNAN POOLE
21th, MATT CRAFTON
27th, BEN RHODES
29th, JESSE IWUJI
33rd, RAY CICCARELLI
34th, DREW DOLLAR
35th, STEWART FRIESEN
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 4 ROMCO Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 1st

Are you starting to make a statement with this team right now?

“Yeah, I definitely think so. I feel like we’ve been making a statement all year. I feel like we’re one of the favorites every time that we show up to the race track. I can’t say enough about Eric Phillips (crew chief) and all these guys. Everyone, the pit crew, everyone at KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports), the fab shop, machine shop, chassis shop. Everyone does so good with building our trucks and I’m just lucky enough to be behind the wheel. It’s amazing to get win number four here. I haven’t won with ROMCO Equipment on board yet in my career so finally we were able to get them a win. There’s 250 of their employees here today so huge shoutout to them as well as the fans.”

How would you describe your race today?

“I feel like we had the dominant truck kind of like we do every single week. I’m just proud to be able to be behind the wheel and blessed to be behind the wheel. Huge shoutout to Kyle (Busch, team owner) and Jack (Irving, TRD) and Tyler (Gibbs, TRD) and David Wilson (president, TRD) and everyone at Toyota for giving me this opportunity. Without them, none of this would be possible. ROMCO Equipment on board, their first win with me so it will be cool to be able to go to victory lane with them. These fans are awesome. We have 250 ROMCO employees here as well today. We just want to keep racking them up. We’re #Here4Wins.”

Are you Playoff ready or what does this team need to work on prior to the Playoffs starting?

“I hope this is only the beginning. I hope that we have a lot more to come. I feel like we have a lot more work to do. These guys work their tails off. I know Eric (Phillips, crew chief) is one of the first guys there and last ones to leave every night. It’s awesome. Win number 41 for him. Win number 10 for me. Just have to keep it going. We’re #Here4Wins.”

GRANT ENFINGER, No. 98 Champion/Curb Records Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing
Finishing Position: 4th

How was your race today?

“Overall, just a really solid Toyota Tundra. The guys on this 98 brought us a great truck again. Couldn’t really fire-off very good. I’m not exactly sure why that was, we weren’t bad, but we just kept getting put in bad positions and trying our best not to wreck on those restarts and just started in too big of a hole. Overall, good long run speed. I think we had a second or third-place truck so we’re building momentum.”

AUSTIN HILL, No. 16 AISIN Toyota Tundra, Hattori Racing Enterprises
Finishing Position: 5th

Can you describe how your race unfolded today?

“We were really good all day. Our AISIN Toyota Tundra was fast. Just track position seemed big. Our truck was just way too tight to really march our way up through the field when we pitted and got back in traffic. So trying to work through that and got back up inside the top-three or four and man, these lapped trucks. I don’t know what we can do differently, but the lapped trucks killed us today. Seemed like every time I caught them, they wanted to race me like it was the last lap or soemthing. There’s a few guys that I would like to have a chat with and just try to figure out what the heck was going on there. All in all, solid day for us. We keep racking up these top-fives and these good finishes, the wins will come. We just have to bide our time.”

How did the track evolve today?
“When we started out it was definitely slick and really wanted to go up in it (PJ1) and as the race went on, I started to go up in it and put my right sides in it. At first, it didn’t have much grip and then as we ran in it, it got better and better. I felt like there at the end of the race, our truck was working really well up there. We were still tight running in it, but we could run some really good lap times compared to the 4 (John Hunter Nemechek). It would have been nice to have a little caution to stack us back up to see if we could get something done differently. All in all, great day. Good to see a Toyota Tundra in victory lane with the Toyota’s being built right here in Texas. That makes it nice, but wish we were that Tundra in victory lane instead.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold nearly 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

CHEVROLET NTT INDYCAR SERIES-CHEVROLET DETROIT GRAND PRIX – PATO O’WARD PUTS CHEVY ON POLE IN DETROIT

By
Official Release
-

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
CHEVROLET DETROIT GRAND PRIX
STEETS OF BELLE ISLE
TEAM CHEVY POLE QUOTE
JUNE 12,2021

PATO O’WARD PUTS CHEVY ON THE POLE FOR RACE ONE ON STREETS OF BELLE ISLE
DRIVER OF NO. 5 ARROW MCLAREN SP CHEVROLET WINS 2ND NTT P1 AWARD OF HIS YOUNG CAREER

DETROIT (JUNE 12,2021) – Pato O’Ward put his No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet on the pole for Race One of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.

Today’s pole is the second NTT P1 Award for the second-year driver.
PATO O’WARD POLE QUOTE: YOU CAUGHT SOME TRAFFIC THERE, BUT STILL PUT IT ON THE POLE. HOW DID YOU GET IT DONE?
“Yeah, I did. But I wasn’t going to be passed I don’t think. You need to put so much faith into this place. You have to put faith in the car, that it’s going to stick. But when you hit it right, how can I say it? When you nail a lap, you can tell you’ve nailed it.”

TALK ABOUT THE RISK VERSUS REWARD. IT TAKES RISK, BUT THE REWARD IS BIG
“I was actually talking about this with Felix (Rosenqvist, teammate) that even compared to like a St. Pete, the faster you go here and the more you attack, the more grip you have. But when you’re not attacking, and you don’t feel the grip, it’s like well, is it going to give it to me? So, you kind of just have to go, stick please! (laughs). You just have to go for it. Honestly, I’m a little surprised, because I think I nailed a pretty good lap in the first group, and I was way off. But we nailed it the second time.”

Other Team Chevy Drivers qualified for Race One as follows:
Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Hitachi Chevrolet – 5th
Will Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Chevrolet – 7th
Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Chevrolet – 9th
Sebastien Bourdais, No.14 ROKIT Chevrolet – 10th
Rinus Veekay, No, 21 Sonax Chevrolet – 12th
Felix Rosenqvist, No, 7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet – 14th
Conor Daly, No. 20 US Airforce Chevrolet – 17th
Max Chilton, No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet – 18th
Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 PPG Chevrolet – 24th
Dalton Kellet, No. 4 K-Line Chevrolet – 25th

NBC will telecast both rounds of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix live at 2 p.m. ET Saturday, June 12, and noon ET Sunday, June 13. The 70-lap races will also be broadcast live on INDYCAR Radio Network affiliates, Sirius 211, XM 205, Indycar.com, and on the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA. Practice and live qualifications will stream on Peacock Premium.

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.

Andy’s Frozen Custard Announces Title Sponsorship of NASCAR Xfinity Race

By
Official Release
-

The ‘Andy’s Frozen Custard 335’ to Take Place at Texas Motor Speedway October 16, 2021

Springfield, MO – June 12, 2021 –Race fans, raise your spoons! In celebration of Andy’s Frozen Custard’s 35th anniversary and as part of a multi-year agreement with Texas Motor Speedway, Andy’s™, the award-winning frozen custard and treat shop, today announced the title sponsorship of the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) race on October 16 at Texas Motor Speedway. The “Andy’s Frozen Custard 335,” is the first ever entitlement of a sanctioned NASCAR race for the 35-year-old company.

Andy’s will also be partnering with Kaulig Racing for the “Andy’s 335.” A. J. Allmendinger, with nine top-five finishes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this year and a 2021 playoff driver, who just earned his second win of the 2021 NXS season and has already locked himself into the playoffs, will be driving the No. 16 Andy’s Frozen Custard Chevy in the race.

“This is such an exciting time for Andy’s, with this motorsport’s partnership launching in our 35th anniversary year,” Andy Kuntz, president of Andy’s Frozen Custard said. “Our family has a long history of being motorsports fans and has sponsored regional and developing drivers. We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our anniversary than to become part of the racing community in this way.”

The partnership kicked off last month as Andy’s Frozen Custard became the Official Treat of Texas Motor Speedway, offering “Lone Star State” race fans the chance to enjoy Made Fresh Hourly™ frozen custard treats on-site through branded kiosks, treat trucks and to suite holders. Fans of Andy’s across the country and racing alike have enjoyed the new “Three-Crete Concrete” frozen custard treat, created by Austin Dillon himself featuring his favorite toppings of fresh bananas, cookie dough and creamy peanut butter. Andy’s sponsored the Austin-Dillon-driven No. 3 Chevrolet in this year’s NASCAR Cup Series, which debuted June 13 at the NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway.

The Andy’s Frozen Custard 335 will take place at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 16, and will be broadcast live nationally on NBC.

The June 13 NASCAR All-Star Open (5 p.m. CT on FS1, MRN and 95.9 The Ranch) is followed by the $1 million NASCAR All-Star Race (7 p.m. CT on FS1, MRN and 95.9 The Ranch).

HASH TAGS:

AllStarRace #Alsco250 #SpeedyCash220 #NLTX

TICKETS:
Tickets for Texas Motor Speedway’s 2021 major event season, including the June 13 NASCAR All-Star Race, are on sale now at http://www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

MORE INFO:
Keep track of all of Texas Motor Speedway’s events by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Keep up with all the latest news and information on the speedway website and TMS mobile app.

About Andy’s Frozen Custard
Founded in 1986 in Osage Beach, MO by Andy’s parents John and Carol Kuntz, Andy’s Frozen Custard has been providing the freshest frozen custard in the business for 35 years, giving ice cream the “cold shoulder” by scooping, mixing and presenting handcrafted frozen custard treats with speed and a smile. Since the beginning, the family has had one dream: to share what makes them happiest with everyone else, and to warm hearts, one scoop of frozen custard at a time. With a focus on product quality, customer service and community involvement, Andy’s has grown into the nation’s largest frozen custard-only business, with more than 2,000 employees and 94 company-owned and franchised stores across 14 states proudly serving the World’s Finest Frozen Custard. Andy’s also offers the ‘Yum Squad Loyalty Club,’ designed to say “thank you” to loyal customers by earning points to redeem towards a free treat for every dollar spent. For more information or for details about franchising opportunities, visit www.eatandys.com.

About Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is among the largest sports stadiums in the United States and features an array of amenities such as the world’s largest TV that make it one of the premier venues in the world of sports. The 1.5-mile superspeedway located in Fort Worth hosts all three NASCAR national series as well as the NTT IndyCar Series among its various races and specialty events throughout the year. Since opening in 1997, Texas Motor Speedway has generated an annual economic impact of approximately $300 million to the North Texas region. Texas Motor Speedway is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, LLC, a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. For more information, please visit texasmotorspeedway.com.

Bubba Stanton Takes Pro Extreme Provisional Pole During ADRL Gateway Drags at WWT Raceway Friday

By
Official Release
-
Photo by Jason "Nubs" Dunn

MADISON, Ill. – Bubba Stanton earned the Carolina Precision Machine Pro Extreme provisional top qualifier honors Friday night in the season opener of the CBD American Shaman 2021 ADRL Tour at World Wide Technology Raceway outside St. Louis. Stanton, a 2020 Battle for the Belts competitor, earned the spot with a 3.657-second ET at 209.17 mph during the final pass of the night. Three rounds of qualifying were run under the lights Friday with the fourth and final Q run scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Frankie “The Madman” Taylor, the 2020 PX champion, was barely kept from the top spot with his run of 3.673 seconds at 204.39 mph in the opposite lane from Stanton

In Walco Funding XPS Extreme Pro Stock, John DeFlorian, Jr. of Arnold, Mo., rocketed to the top of the chart in Q3, laying down a 4.116-second lap at 175.43 mph. In a thrilling side-by-side pass to close out class qualifying, Brad Waddle earned the second spot in provisional qualifying with his 4.122-second ET at 175.11 mph.

Other provisional ADRL top qualifiers Friday night at WWT Raceway were:

6.0 Index: Byron Kinne, 6.005 seconds at 113.86 mph
7.0 Index: Steve Pearson, 7.350 seconds at 101.23 mph
Fusion Metalworks Pro Jr. Dragster: Sarah Stewart, 7.915 seconds at 81.69 mph
Fusion Metalworks Top Jr. Dragster: Grant Wiley

Qualifying for the 2021 Aegis Home Protection Gateway Drags Presented by dragracingforkids.org continues Saturday at 2 p.m. with spectator gates opening at Noon. The legendary pre-race ceremony begins at 5 p.m. with the invocation and the National Anthem. Live streaming of the ADRL’s return to St. Louis can be seen on FloRacing.com by clicking HERE. Tickets for this weekend’s race, as is the case for every ADRL event, are absolutely free thanks to sponsors such as CBD American Shaman, Aegis Home Protection, and Chuck-A-Burger.

Additional classes include Extreme Pro Stock, Big Tire No-Time, Small Tire No-Time, Pro Jr Dragster, Top Jr Dragster, 6.0 Index, 7.0 Index, and Super Pro.

For the full schedule of this weekend’s ADRL Gateway Drags at the World Wide Technology Raceway, click HERE. More information can also be found at the official ADRL event page on Facebook, which can be found HERE.

CBD American Shaman 2021 ADRL Tour Schedule:

July 2-3: ADRL Dragpalooza (Texas Motorplex)
Race 3: ADRL Summer Drags (Date/Location TBD)
Sept. 10-11: ADRL U.S. Drags (Texas Motorplex)
Oct. 1-2: ADRL Fall Drags (Location TBD)
Oct. 22-23: ADRL Dragstock XIII (WWT Raceway)

Get the Gear! Need your merch for the CBD American Shaman 2021 ADRL Tour? Get everything you need by clicking HERE or by heading to the at-track Adrenaline Zone at every ADRL event!

For more information on the American Drag Racing League and to stay up-to-date on breaking news, follow them on their official page on Facebook at Facebook.com/ADRLDrags and on Instagram and Twitter at @ADRLDrags. Fans can also visit the official ADRL website at ADRLDrags.com.

Matt Hagan, Billy Torrence, Mason McGaha, top Friday night Nitro qualifying

By
Briar Starr
-
Photo Courtesy of Auto Imagery

After having a couple of weeks off, the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series got their season back on track Friday night at New England Dragway for the annual New England Nationals.

The Camping World Drag Series took to the track late Friday night for the first session of qualifying and a rarity of Friday night qualifying.

The teams were eager to rocket their cars down the track to post a fast time in hopes of being the provisional No. 1 qualifier. However, many cars had traction trouble in the first round as there was multiple tire smoke from various drivers resulting in slower mph speed and slower times.

Funny Car

A few lucky drivers in the Funny Car division were able to elapse the 300 mph mark, including Blake Alexander, J.R. Todd and the current provisional No. 1 qualifier, Matt Hagan for Don Schumacher Racing. Hagan went 3.891 seconds and 331.53 mph in the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye machine. Should Hagan hang on through the remaining two rounds, the qualifying run will give him his first No. 1 qualifier of the 2021 season. Hagan will receive three bonus points for his efforts.

“New England Dragway has shown us a lot of love these past couple of years. When you put Don Schumacher Racing Performance and Dickie Venables together, that’s the kind of results you can expect,” said Hagan, a 36-time Funny Car winner who is hopeful history will repeat itself on Sunday, and he’ll be able to break through for his first victory of the season.

“We’ve got great parts, great people, and I’m glad we laid down a great run tonight. A lot of people had trouble making it down the track with it being so cold. There was a lot of shaking, a lot of smoking, a lot of stuff going on, but Dickie had a really good combo for that. It just builds a lot of confidence going into tomorrow. Hats off to my guys for putting a great race car underneath me.”

In one of the more intriguing runs of the night, Cruz Pedregon was up against Blake Alexander in his initial qualifying run. Unfortunately for the two-time champion, the Pedregon Snap-On machine ending up breaking. The result put him last on the speed charts (13th) and missing the show. Fortunately for Pedregon, he will have two more chances Saturday to improve his qualifying run.

Top Fuel

Steve Torrence and the CAPCO crew, who have three wins in five races and one runner-up finish, were looking to continue their 2021 season dominance . Despite Torrence dominating most of the season so far, it was the other Torrence (Billy, Steve’s father) who posted a quick time of 3.744 seconds and 324.98 mph to put him to the top of the board for Round 1. Billy Torrence will be seeking his first No. 1 qualifier of the season since Atlanta earlier in the season.

Pro Stock

For the Pro Stock category, up and comer Mason McGaha put in a decent run of 6.538 and 210.28 mph to climb to the top of the charts. Currently, McGaha has not had any No. 1 qualifiers in his young 13-race career so far. This weekend would be his first if McGaha stays on top of the board.

Official Round 1 Qualifying Results are below. Please note, Pro Stock Motorcycles are not scheduled to compete this weekend as this race is not on their schedule.

Top Fuel — 1. Billy Torrence, 3.744 seconds, 324.98 mph; 2. Justin Ashley, 3.774, 322.58; 3. Doug Kalitta, 4.002, 252.80; 4. Antron Brown, 6.610, 88.28; 5. Brittany Force, 6.663, 87.22; 6. Shawn Langdon, 8.534, 86.09; 7. Steve Torrence, 8.562, 78.47; 8. Joe Morrison, 8.784, 87.76; 9. Mike Salinas, 9.062, 62.46; 10. Leah Pruett, 16.497, 37.37.

Funny Car — 1. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.891, 331.53; 2. J.R. Todd, Toyota Camry, 3.976, 324.05; 3. Blake Alexander, Ford Mustang, 4.040, 317.94; 4. Ron Capps, Charger, 7.303, 93.34; 5. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 7.431, 85.24; 6. Cory Lee, Mustang, 7.479, 89.55; 7. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 7.603, 88.35; 8. Jim Campbell, Charger, 7.735, 83.46; 9. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 7.863, 82.65; 10. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 8.332, 77.51; 11. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 12.863, 80.87; 12. Robert Hight, Camaro, 14.152, 69.47. Not Qualified: 13. Cruz Pedregon, broke.

Pro Stock — 1. Mason McGaha, Chevy Camaro, 6.538, 210.28; 2. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.545, 210.83; 3. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.548, 210.24; 4. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.551, 210.37; 5. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.554, 210.28; 6. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.556, 210.47; 7. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.589, 209.72; 8. Val Smeland, Camaro, 6.603, 209.17; 9. Alan Prusiensky, Dodge Dart, 6.657, 207.98; 10. Richie Stevens, Camaro, 6.676, 209.26; 11. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 7.126, 151.77; 12. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 11.414, 86.35; 13. John Gaydosh Jr, Camaro, 14.821, 87.89; 14. Bob Benza, Camaro, 16.604, 45.53; 15. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 35.927, 22.74; 16. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, broke.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series will have two more rounds of qualifying on Saturday with the second round slated for 12:30 p.m. ET live on NHRA.TV (subscription service).

Power Pushes through Heat, Traffic
To Top Detroit Practice

By
Official Release
-

DETROIT (Friday, June 11, 2021) – A driver and a team searching for a hot streak found the top of the practice time sheet on a sizzling day in Detroit.

Will Power and Team Penske – both winless in this NTT INDYCAR SERIES season – burnished their credentials as threats to win the NTT P1 Award and the race Saturday in Race 1 of the Chevrolet Dual in Detroit by leading practice Friday afternoon on the Belle Isle temporary street circuit. 2014 series champion Power saved his best lap for last, turning the quick time of 1 minute, 17.2768 seconds in the No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet.

Power and the other 24 drivers in the field faced tough conditions, with the bumpy nature of the 14-turn, 2.35-mile circuit compounded by track temperatures tickling 120 degrees, with air temperatures in the mid-80s. Heavy traffic around the circuit also made it tough to assemble a clean lap.

“Yeah, it’s very hot out there,” Power said. “It’s just a physical track. You kind of hold your breath because there’s just so much commitment. I feel all right. The car is in a really good window. I was happy to get a lap in there at the end, with some guys backing up and such.”

The field of 25 drivers will return to the track for NTT P1 Award qualifying for Race 1 at 11 a.m. (ET) Saturday, with live coverage on NBCSN, Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network. The 70-lap Race 1 of the weekend doubleheader then follows at 2 p.m., with live broadcasts by NBC and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Four-time INDYCAR SERIES champion Sebastien Bourdais rebounded from a miserable May by ending up second in practice with a top lap of 1:17.4291 in the No. 14 ROKiT/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet. Bourdais was taken out in crashes not of his doing at both races in the doubleheader in early May at Texas Motor Speedway, and he finished 19th in the GMR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and 26th in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

Title contender Pato O’Ward completed a sweep of the top three positions in practice for Chevrolet on home turf. O’Ward’s best lap was 1:17.5143 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

Reigning and six-time series champion Scott Dixon was the fastest Honda-powered driver, fourth overall at 1:17.6178 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Grow Up Great Honda. 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi, another driver looking for a strong second half of the season, rounded out the top five at 1:17.6587 in the No. 27 AutoNation/NAPA AUTO PARTS Honda.

Championship leader Alex Palou was 15th at 1:18.7996 in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. He is racing at Detroit for the first time since the event wasn’t held last season during his rookie year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Palou will face an additional challenge Saturday by starting six grid spots behind his qualifying position due to an unauthorized engine change before the Indianapolis 500.

The challenging Belle Isle circuit snared two rookies early. Jimmie Johnson and Scott McLaughlin triggered a red flag 14 minutes into the session in separate incidents seconds apart.

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Johnson spun exiting Turn 3 in his No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda but made no contact and continued to the pits, where he served a five-minute penalty for causing a red-flag period.

Three-time Australian Supercars champion McLaughlin wasn’t as fortunate as Johnson. His No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet pushed wide in Turn 5 and hit the tire barrier, incurring front wing and suspension damage. McLaughlin was unable to return, losing his only session before qualifying on his first trip to this track.

CORVETTE RACING AT DETROIT: Tandy Takes Pole in C8.R Showdown

By
Official Release
-
Corvette Racing; Chevrolet Sports Car Classic in Detroit, Michigan; June 12, 2021; Corvette C8.R #3 driven by Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor; Corvette C8.R #4 driven by Tommy Milner and Nick Tandy (Richard Prince/Chevrolet Photo).

DETROIT (June 11, 2021) – Nick Tandy set the fastest time for Corvette Racing ahead of the Chevrolet Sport Car Classic on Friday, just beating out Jordan Taylor in a battle of mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.Rs.

Tandy set a time of 1:27.283 (96.926 mph) in the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R to edge out his No. 3 teammate by 0.323 seconds. Saturday’s 100-minute race in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is the first time Corvette Racing has competed on Belle Isle since 2008.

Corvette Racing’s home event became possible with the move of the 24 Hours of Le Mans from mid-June to mid-August. It’s the team’s first IMSA race since the Mobil 1Twelve Hours of Sebring in March and is a nice warmup ahead of a busy stretch of four races in six weeks, plus the return to Le Mans.

Belle Isle also provides an opportunity for the hundreds of Chevrolet team members – both within the Corvette team and others outside the main program, all of whom contributed in some way to the C8.R and the road-going Corvette Stingray – to see Corvette Racing in-person for the only time in 2021. The reveal of the C8.R nearly 18 months ago was culmination of almost six years of work between engineers and designers from the Corvette production group and Corvette Racing.

What resulted was a racecar that won six times during its 2020 debut season and swept the full-season IMSA GTLM championships for Manufacturers, Drivers and Teams. The Corvette C8.R also won the Rolex 24 At Daytona to start the 2021 season.

The Chevrolet Sports Car Classic is scheduled for 5:10 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 12. The race will air live on NBCSN and stream on TrackPass via NBC Sports Gold and the NBC Sports App. IMSA Radio will air full qualifying and race coverage at IMSA.com along with Sirius 219, XM 202 and SiriusXM Online 992.

NICK TANDY, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – GTLM POLE-WINNER: “It wasn’t easy. Driving around any street circuit is pretty challenging. We had a tough practice this morning but we managed to make some changes for qualifying. This Corvette was on rails. We took it easy at the start and brought in the tires nicely. To grab the pole is a great thing for our team on our side of the garage. In a home race and in front of the whole General Motors and Chevrolet, it’s awesome to do.
“The thing to do in order to improve for the rest of the season is to treat this as a full race event. OK, there are only two cars in our class but we will execute as a normal race. There will be inter-team competition. We want to put on a show for the fans and show them what the Corvette C8.R can do on the racetrack.

“It’s great for the team and Corvette Racing to be here and show this car off to people who perhaps wouldn’t have been able to see it at a different track. There are a lot of people from Chevrolet and across the company who have been working on the street car and the race car. Hopefully there will be some of them who will get to see the car in action that wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. It’s a huge event for us, and we are thankful the schedule and IMSA allowed us to show off this great race car.
“We are treating this as a bonafide race event. We’ve been way for quite awhile since Sebring and we didn’t race Mid-Ohio. The schedule is going to get very busy coming up looking at the doubleheader at Watkins Glen and then a few additional races in a short time. Operationally, we wanted to get back in the swing of things. The briefing in qualifying was to make the car as fast as we possibly could and drive it as fast as we possibly could because we will go to another street circuit later this year. It was good fun driving on this street circuit for the first time this morning. Putting sticker tires and low fuel this afternoon made it that much more enjoyable.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – QUALIFIED SECOND IN GTLM:“It’s been very helpful being on track today. It’s the first time we’ve run this Corvette on a street circuit, so before we go to Long Beach it’s good to get some testing done here. Things like the car over the bumps and small little details like launch controls, throttle positions and engine mapping. There is work going for reliability also. The more miles we can put on the C8.R the better ahead of Le Mans.”

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.

SS GreenLight Racing | Joe Graf Jr. Texas Motor Speedway Event Preview

By
Official Release
-

SS GreenLight Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Texas Motor Speedway | Alsco Uniforms 250

Fast Facts
No. 07 SS GreenLight Racing Team:
Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr)
Primary Partner(s): G-Coin
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Mike Tyska
Driver Points Position: 29th | Owner Points Position: 36th
Chassis Intel: SSGLR Chassis No. 709; competed last at Dover International Speedway on May 15, 2021.
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines (ECR)

Notes of Interest:

Welcome Aboard: This weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, SS GreenLight Racing and Joe Graf Jr. welcome G-Coin as the primary partner of the team’s No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro for Saturday afternoon’s Alsco Uniforms 250.

Texas marks the second of a multi-race deal where G-Coin, a product that brings gold into the digital age, making it accessible and giving it true utility will be the primary partner.

About G-Coin: Unlike cryptocurrencies, G-Coin is a digital title to a real asset: 1 G-Coin token equals 1 gram of Responsible GoldTM.

G-Coin combines the best qualities of traditional gold – stability, security, value, confidence, and social status – with the benefits of digital innovation, allowing users to easily save, send, and spend gold.

Tech-savvy investors keen to avoid cryptocurrency volatility, or physical storage burden and costs, are now able to purchase G-Coin digital gold tokens. G-Coin tokens can be purchased in increments of 0.01gram, giving individual investors better access to the gold market and the ability to use gold for day-to-day purchases.

G-Coin Wallets give users the freedom to send and receive value instantly, securely, and at no cost from the convenience of your mobile phone.

You can watch the official wrapping of the No. 07 G-Coin car here.

G-Coin Tip of the Week: There is no credit risk associated with owning physical gold.

The drivers behind gold supply and demand tend to be independent of, and sometimes opposed to, other traditional reserve assets (like currencies, securities, and bonds), making physical gold an effective diversifier for investment portfolios.

You Can Win $1,000 In Gold! To celebrate their new partnership with Joe Graf Jr., in the NASCAR Xfinity Series G-Coin will give away $1,000 in FREE gold to a lucky individual later this month.

To enter, download the G-Coin app on your smart phone and click here for official rules and to submit your entry.

Saving You Some Money: As summer kicks off, Joe Graf Jr.’s other marketing partner Z Grills wants to help the NASCAR community save money – but also enjoy the perfect barbecue.

On the heels of their third race partnership of the season last month at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, Z Grills Racing (ZGrillsRacing.com) is offering a 10 percent discount off your TOTAL purchase, using the code NASCAR at checkout.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Texas Motor Speedway Stats: Joe Graf Jr. will make his third NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon in the Also Uniforms 250.

In his two previous races, Graf Jr. finished 21st and 22nd respectively. In his most recent trip to the Forth Worth, Texas race track, Graf Jr. contended for a top-10 finish before becoming a victim in a multi-car accident on Lap 169 of 200.

Fun Fact: On Saturday’s Graf Jr.’s Miniature Goldendoodle Sebastian will celebrate his first Birthday. Sebastian often travels with Graf and girlfriend Taylor locally during the week to GoPro Motorplex in Mooresville and at Millbridge Speedway.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Intermediate Nuggets: At tracks greater than 1.0-mile in size, Graf has competed in 24 NASCAR Xfinity Series races. He holds an average starting position of 24.3 and an average result of 23.5.

Put Me In Coach: In an effort to strengthen his physique, Joe Graf Jr. began working with new trainer and former NASCAR Cup Series Josh Wise during the offseason.

In addition to Wise, Graf has also been working with former NASCAR driver and open wheel driver Scott Speed on being more discipline behind the wheel of his No. 07 G-Coin Chevrolet Camaro.

Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 80 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow every month.

The current estimated value of his collection tops $90,000.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Mike Tyska is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief.

He will crew chief his 13th NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday afternoon.

Tyska joined SS GreenLight Racing in January after honing his skills in all three of NASCAR’s national divisions and working for teams like Germain Racing, GMS Racing and Rick Ware Racing.

Tyska was a part of Todd Bodine’s 2006 championship season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Germain Racing.

Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has a teammate at SS GreenLight Racing. Cody Ware will drive the No. 17 Nurtec ODT Ford on Saturday afternoon.

Ware, a veteran racer is poised to make his 28th career NASCAR Xfinity Series start and second at Texas Motor Speedway. He returns to the 1.5-mile track for the first time since 2016 in Xfinity Series competition and looks to better a track-best of 36th.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Joe Graf Jr. visit JoeGrafJr.com, like him on Facebook (Joe Graf Jr.), follow him on Twitter (@JoeGrafJr) and Instagram (@joegrafjr).

For more on SS GreenLight Racing, please like them on Facebook (SS GreenLight Racing) and follow them on Twitter (@SSGLR0708) and visit their website at SSGreenLight.com.

Joe Graf Jr. Pre-Race Quotes:

On Texas Motor Speedway: “I’m focused on finishing what we started at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. We had a lot of speed in our car last fall there and was contending for my first career top-10 but just found ourselves at the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Texas is a very challenging mile and a half-track, but I embrace the challenge and I look forward to getting back there and putting a positive finish together for not only G-Coin but everyone on this SS GreenLight Racing team.”

On G-Coin Partnership: “This is a unique partnership, and I am excited to officially welcome G-Coin to NASCAR and our SS GreenLight Racing team.

“G-Coin is building an amazing ecosystem and we believe the NASCAR community will put G-Coin on the global map. Plus, we will strike gold in our No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro with some strong finishes on the track.”

On Recent Performances: “The last several races have been tough; however, it is during times like this that all your mental discipline and training really come to the forefront.
“I can’t stress enough the importance of mental toughness in overcoming obstacles you don’t control. We have an amazing pit crew, but two weeks in a row they have suffered late-race problems that ruined our day.

“When I look at the speed and balance of our cars this year they are much better than last year. That isn’t from luck. That is from the hard work and grind it out mental toughness of this team.

“It’s such a shame that we have had such a rough stretch, but this is no different than life. We all experience highs and lows in life. Like anyone at a low point, we are going to remain mentally tough and keep moving forward. We embrace the suck. We know it can’t last.

“Going forward we are going to focus on what we can control and continue to execute at our highest level. There are a ton of races left in the season and hopefully, we have shaken the bad luck. I would be worried if our cars lacked competitiveness, but they don’t. We have a lot of racing left and we are due for some good luck.”
Race Information:

The Alsco Uniforms 250 (167 laps | 250.5 miles) is the 14th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2021 schedule. The race will take the green flag shortly after 3:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. ET) with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).

About SS Green Light Racing:

As one of the most tenured teams in all of NASCAR, SS GreenLight Racing led by team owner and former driver Bobby Dotter has been a mainstay in the sport fielding entries in either the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series or the Xfinity Series competition since 2001.

SS GreenLight Racing will continue with a two-car program in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021.

1...2,5182,5192,520...6,755Page 2,519 of 6,755