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RCR NCS Race Recap: Phoenix Raceway

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Official Release
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Austin Dillon Closes Out 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Season with Top-20 Finish in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Waterfowl Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway

Finish: 20th
Start: 26th
Points: 15th

“Today was a learning day for our No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Waterfowl Chevrolet team. We wanted to end the season on a good note but once we had a tire go down under green we shifted our focus to learning for 2026. Crew chief Richard Boswell and the guys made a ton of adjustments throughout the race to see how our car would react and hopefully put ourselves in a better position here at Phoenix Raceway in the spring. Overall, I’m proud of the effort that everyone at RCR, ECR and CT Springs put into this entire season. We are all looking forward to spending time with our families and we’ll be ready to start again in a couple of months.” -Austin Dillon

Strong Top-Five Finish for Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet Team Gives Richard Childress Racing Momentum Heading into 2026

Finish: 5th
Start: 11th
Points: 21st

“We struggled with a loose-handling Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet to start the race today at Phoenix Raceway, but crew chief Andy Street and the guys went back the other way on adjustments and our Chevy came to life. It really became good, and we were able to tie corners together better and make some good moves on restarts to get track position. That was a positive note to end the season with a top-five finish and get some momentum for our team and everyone at RCR to get ready for the Daytona 500.” -Kyle Busch

Rick Ware Racing: NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale at Phoenix

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Official Release
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RICK WARE RACING
NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale at Phoenix
Date: Nov. 2, 2025
Event: NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale (Round 36 of 36)
Location: Phoenix Raceway (1-mile oval)
Format: 312 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/125 laps/127 laps)
Note: Race extended seven laps past its scheduled 312-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.
Champion: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

Race Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

RWR Finish:

● Cody Ware (Started 33rd, Finished 30th / Running, completed 319 of 319 laps)

RWR Points:

● Cody Ware (36th with 233 points)

Race Notes:

● Ryan Blaney won the NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale to score his 17th career Cup Series victory, his fourth of the year and his first at Phoenix. His margin over second-place Brad Keselowski was .097 of a second.

● This was Ford’s 748th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory and its seventh of the season. Josh Berry won for the Blue Oval March 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Austin Cindric won April 27 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Joey Logano won May 4 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, and Blaney won June 1 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, Aug. 23 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Sept. 21 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon before taking the season finale at Phoenix.

● This was Ford’s series-leading 21st NASCAR Cup Series victory at Phoenix. The manufacturer won the first two races at Phoenix with NASCAR Hall of Famers Alan Kulwicki on Nov. 6, 1988 and Bill Elliott on Nov. 5, 1989. It has now won four of the last eight races at Phoenix with Chase Briscoe (March 2022), Logano (November 2022 and November 2024) and Blaney (November 2025).

● Kyle Larson won the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship. It was his second Cup Series title, with his first coming in 2021. Larson is one of 36 different drivers to win a Cup Series title, and the 18th different driver to earn multiple championships.

● There were nine caution periods for a total of 65 laps.

● All but seven of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

Sound Bites:

“Definitely not the day we wanted but, all things considered, it wasn’t a chaotic day either. It was relatively smooth and clean. Mainly looking forward to learning and building over the offseason to get ready for 2026.” – Cody Ware, driver of the No. 51 Mighty Fire Breaker Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The 2026 season begins with the non-points Cook-Out Clash on Feb. 1 at historic Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, before kicking off its 36-race slate of points-paying events with the 68th Daytona 500 on Feb. 15 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Both races will be broadcast live on FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

An Interview with Denny Hamlin – Press Conference

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Official Release
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Photo by Ron Olds for SpeedwayMedia.com.

THE MODERATOR: We are now joined by Denny Hamlin. If you have a question for Denny…

  1. The emotions of this one getting away? Is this the last one that may get away?

DENNY HAMLIN: I don’t know. I really don’t have much for emotion right now. Just numb about it ’cause just in shock. That’s about it.

  1. Your two daughters were crying on pit road after the race. What was the message to them?

DENNY HAMLIN: Something we can’t control. You know, certainly unfortunate circumstances. One of those life lessons years down the road.

  1. The NBC pre-race thing seemed to have gotten you emotional before the race. Were you still emotional during the race?

DENNY HAMLIN: No. I got back. As soon as I got back in the car, locked in, for sure.

  1. You said you hoped that your dad could see this one. What are you going to tell him?

DENNY HAMLIN: Did the best I could. Everything I really prepared for happened today. I felt like we responded. Even losing track position at one point, just battling back. Did really well on restarts. Hadn’t been good on restarts for the bulk of the year.

Yeah, the team brought a great championship car. I felt like I drove it just right up until two laps to go. Yeah, this is the part that stinks.

  1. Obviously, each of these moments are different. How is this time different?

DENNY HAMLIN: Well, I mean, we’re 40 seconds from a championship. I don’t know. It’s just unfortunate.

The only difference before is the cautions came maybe a little sooner than that. I don’t know. Gosh, you work so hard. This sport can drive you absolutely crazy ’cause sometimes speed, talent, all that stuff, just does not matter.

  1. You wrapped your arms around the pit crew. What do you take away from how strong of an effort this was from top to bottom on the 11 team?

DENNY HAMLIN: Yeah, they did a great job. We had one hiccup, but it wasn’t their fault. We got fortunate with the left rear tire that was flat under caution. They executed a great day. Man, I really wish I could have got it for them.

While the championship… You know, it wouldn’t have changed anything I felt truly about myself. I wanted it so bad for everyone else, all of my supporters, all my friends and family and whatnot, that they want it so bad.

Just not going to happen.

  1. You were most nervous about something that was in your control messing up this day. Obviously, this is about as much as it can stink, something out of your control. Does that help soothe anything, that you did your part?

DENNY HAMLIN: Yeah, I mean, Kyle Larson has the trophy, but we dominated. We did our job. We did the best we could.

They’re a championship team and a championship driver. They’re going to win a hell of a lot more than just these two. When everyone had to bring their best, I think it was evident who was the best today.

  1. You said on TV you were praying no caution. When the caution did come out, did you think it’s over?

DENNY HAMLIN: No, I didn’t think it was over. I thought, Well, all right, let me see where the other guys are at. Surely they can’t jump too far in front of me. I just didn’t think there would be that many cars that took two tires.

It’s really hard to predict how many cars are going to do what, things like that. But yeah, I didn’t think it was over. When I lined up, yeah, row five, I thought, It will be difficult, for sure.

  1. I was shocked with all these tire problems. What do you think is necessary – to have a meeting and discuss it?

DENNY HAMLIN: Well, I think they did a great job all season long. It’s not their fault that we’re running the tires flat. I really applaud them and the tires that they’ve continued to bring to the racetrack and keep pushing the limits on softer, softer, to try to put it back in the drivers’ hands.

It’s the teams. They’re the ones that come here and we test. There’s wheel force test. They keep testing the limits of really how low you can go.

It would be difficult for anyone to build a tire that can withstand what we’re doing to it with this car. They’re in a really tough spot. Certainly, I think, if anything, they deserve credit.

  1. Not the design of the tire?

DENNY HAMLIN: No, it’s not the design of the tire. We’re just running our tires super low because that’s where they perform the best. Everyone is testing the limits. A lot of people found it.

  1. Obviously, we don’t know what the Playoff format will be next year. With how close these races are, the points are, would it be beneficial to maybe have the final race end at the scheduled distance?

DENNY HAMLIN: Gosh, I don’t know. Golly, in this moment, I never want to race a car ever again (smiling). I mean, my fun meter is pegged.

  1. Where do you go from here, the next hour, the next day, week?

DENNY HAMLIN: Yeah, I don’t know. The last couple times I’ve been doing this, either wasn’t fast enough or circumstances. There were some untimely yellows in the last time I did this.

Yeah, I’m not really sure. Just takes all of a sudden everything we did preparing was right, where we guessed was right, and just didn’t work out, which is crazy.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Denny. Appreciate you answering all the questions in this moment.

Mustang and Blaney End Cup Season on High Note with Phoenix Victory

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Official Release
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Ford Racing Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Championship Race — Phoenix Raceway
Sunday, November 2, 2025

MUSTANG AND RYAN BLANEY END SEASON ON HIGH NOTE WITH PHOENIX WIN

  • Ryan Blaney won his fourth race of 2025 and the 17th Cup race of his career today.
  • This marks the most wins Blaney has had in a single season.
  • In addition, today is Blaney’s seventh playoff victory.
  • Today’s win is the seventh of the season for Ford and 748th all-time in NASCAR Cup Series competition
  • It also marks Team Penske’s 107th series win with Ford.

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang Dark Horse – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW – HOW DO YOU PUT THIS INTO WORDS? “It’s just cool to end it on a good note. It’s just cool and obviously we had a fast car all day. Those other guys were just kind of faster getting going and I could never retain the lead. Those guys were just really good and it took my car a while to come in, but it was a really good call for two there and keeping track position. I got a decent restart and I was able to kind of roll the bottom in three and four and eek the 6 out at the line. I’m just really proud of the whole group and cool to end it in Victory Lane. It’s a shame we weren’t in the Championship 4. Congrats to Kyle and that whole team. I’m happy for this team that we could end it the best way we could.”

WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND ON THE FINAL RESTART WITH ALL FOUR CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS THERE? “You just go try to win the race. I didn’t really have any of them in front of me. There wasn’t really two of them side-by-side. I tried to race those guys really good all day and gave them respect and tried to let them race it out at time, and at times I could go if it got gapped, but you’re just aware of everybody that’s around you. You don’t want to be the storyline to mess up a guy’s championship, so it was good that we were able to just run our race and run it clean to the end.”

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 Castrol Ford Mustang Dark Horse – YOU STAYED OUT AT THE END AND IT ALMOST PAID OFF. “Yeah, everybody was out of tires, so I guess a few of those guys must have had some tires left. We didn’t, so it was kind of a no-brainer for us.”

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO COME BACK STRONGER IN 2026? “It’s kind of the story of our season. We’re just needing a little bit of speed, trying to put ourselves in position. We were in position as well as we could, I just wasn’t quite fast enough. Another second place.”

YOU’VE GOT THE LEAD COMING TO THE FINISH LINE. WHAT DO YOU SEE BEHIND YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO COMING TO THE CHECKERED FLAG? “I felt like we were in a good position, but the 5 and the 12 were just stupid fast. That’s what we had.” YOU WERE IN POSITION AT THE END. “Yeah, we put ourselves in position like you said and just didn’t quite have enough to finish it off, but it was a great day for us, a great day for RFK to be in position. We just want to be a little bit faster to close it out.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT’S GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND. WE SAW EVERYTHING TODAY. “Yeah, we were close. We needed one more lap, to be honest with you. I was underneath them all at the line and had momentum on the short cut. I think I would have cleared them all into one if we had one more, but ifs and buts don’t really matter. Overall, we had a shot at it, but didn’t position ourselves far enough forward for the last green-white-checkered there. We just had a little hiccup on pit road leaving. It was close. You see the leaders right there in front of you and you think you’ve got a shot at it, but just couldn’t quite pull it off. It’s a good way to finish the season – solid. Dang it. I saw the win.”

THOUGHTS ON THE TIRE TODAY? “I thought it was fine. If you’re aggressive, you’re gonna pay the price when it comes to air-pressure. No one should be blaming Goodyear or anything like that. It’s not on them, it’s on the teams and the settings that they put in their cars. The more aggressive you are, the faster it goes and the more likely it’s gonna blow out. All of us are just trying to figure out where that edge is.”

THIS FORMAT REALLY PAID OFF WITH THOSE FOUR GOING FOUR-WIDE AT THE END. “When they’re four-wide across the line in front of you what more could people want? There were four heavyweight dogs of our sport that are racing for the win. What else could you want? I don’t get it. I’m sure they’re not complaining about it now, the format, as they sit there and celebrate (laughing).”

WHAT’S IT LIKE SEEING ANOTHER DRIVER JOIN YOU AS A MULTI-TIME CHAMPION? “Kyle deserves it. He’s a fantastic racer. He does it a lot different than me, so it’s interesting to see how they do over there. They obviously have a great team. Hendrick Motorsports is stout and Larson is a great driver. Cliff is a great crew chief, and they show up when it matters. They do that really well. They were down and out today and figured out a way to win the championship. Kudos to them. Good job to them. That’s that. We move on.”

DENNY HAMLIN DOMINATES IN PHOENIX, FINISHES SECOND IN CHAMPIONSHIP

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Official Release
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Chase Briscoe battles back from multiple tire issues to finish third in first title battle

AVONDALE, Ariz. (November 2, 2025) – Denny Hamlin dominated the Championship race, winning both stages and led 208 of 319 laps in Sunday’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway. Hamlin looked headed to his first NASCAR Cup Series championship before a caution fell late. He battled back to sixth at the finish and ended in second place in the Championship 4 fight.

Chase Briscoe had to battle from the back multiple times due to tire issues. In a career year for the Indiana-native, Briscoe was 18th at the line and finished third in the final standings.

Toyota GAZOO Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Phoenix Raceway
Race 36 of 36 – 312 miles, 312 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Ryan Blaney*
2nd, Brad Keselowski*
3rd, Kyle Larson*
4th, Joey Logano*
5th, Kyle Busch*
6th, DENNY HAMLIN
11th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
16th, ERIK JONES
18th, CHASE BRISCOE
21st, TY GIBBS
23rd, RILEY HERBST
26th, TYLER REDDICK
31st, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
37th, BUBBA WALLACE
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Progressive Insurance Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 6th

What are you feeling after the day you had today?

“Yeah, nothing I can do different. Prepared as good as I could coming into the weekend. My team gave me a fantastic car. Just didn’t work out. I was just praying that no caution. Had one there. What can you do? Just not meant to be.”

You ran away from everybody. The car had speed. The caution came out. What went through your head?

“I thought still okay. We took four tires. I thought that definitely was the right call. Just so many cars took two there. Obviously put us back. Team did a fantastic job. They prepared a championship car. Just didn’t happen.”

Can you do this again?

“I’ll try. I got a couple more shots at it. Man, if you can’t win that one, I don’t know which one you can win.”

What are you feeling right now?

“Just numb. I feel like there’s still some racing left. I can’t believe it’s over but there’s nothing I can do. Suck it up and it’s just another year.”

How strong was your Toyota Camry today?

“It was a championship winning car. Prepared so hard for the weekend and felt like I did the right things and was strong where I typically am weak. Just had everything we needed, just needed 40 more seconds of green flag.”

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 18th

How do you sum up your day?

“Yeah, just wish something went our way today. Our car was obviously good enough. We came from the back to the front two or three different times. It was just one of those weekends where nothing went our way. Sometimes that is how it goes. Truthfully, at the end, I think that James (Small, crew chief) wanted to take two tires and I kind of told him that I would rather be on offense. I didn’t think that many would take two tires, and I would rather be on offense. I don’t know. We had a great Bass Pro Shops, TRACKER Boats Toyota. It stings for sure. I could taste it for a little bit, with 70 to go, and then we blew that tire. Something to learn from for sure.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Xfinity 500

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Official Release
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No. 10 Alpine Partners/AFLAC Camaro ZL1

Start: 34th
Stage 1 Finish: 35th
Stage 2 Finish: 35th
Finish: 35th

Ty Dillon and the No. 10 Alpine Partners/AFLAC Chevrolet team started Sunday’s race at Phoenix Raceway from the 34th position. Going a lap down early in the race, the team made adjustments throughout the second stage to improve the handling of the No. 10 Chevrolet and Dillon returned to the lead lap during the lap 149 caution. Unfortunately, a right rear tire issue caused the No. 10 to spin on lap 183. With damage to his Chevy, Dillon went to the garage for repairs and returned to the race 21 laps down to the leaders. Dillon was credited with a 35th-place finish.

 
No. 16 Celsius Camaro ZL1

Start: 38th
Stage 1 Finish: 34th
Stage 2 Finish: 37th
Finish: 38th

AJ Allmendinger and the No. 16 team did not making qualifying lap for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway. The team started the race from the 38th position and battled the handling of the Celsius Chevy throughout the duration of the race. Crew chief Trent Owens worked to make adjustments to help Allmendinger on track until the No. 16 blew a tire on lap 149. This brought out the caution and the damage sustained ended the day for the Celsius Chevy. The team was relegated to a 38th-place finish.
 
About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 27 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Tips to Prepare Your Vehicle Before Scrapping

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SM
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Photo by depositphotos at https://depositphotos.com/

Scrapping your vehicle is usually the final step when repairs become too expensive or the car is no longer safe to drive. Preparing your vehicle properly not only makes the process smoother but also helps you avoid losing money or running into paperwork problems. A little preparation goes a long way when it’s time to say goodbye to your old motor.

If you’re planning to scrap your car in Essex, taking a few essential steps beforehand ensures you get the best price, stay legally compliant, and avoid leaving anything valuable behind. Here are the most important things to do before the scrap collector arrives.

1. Remove All Personal Belongings

Over the years, cars tend to accumulate personal items—sunglasses, coins, chargers, documents, tools, and more. Before handing over your vehicle, give it a complete check:

  • Glove box
  • Centre console
  • Boot and side compartments
  • Under the seats
  • Door pockets
    Once the car goes to the scrap yard, it’s almost impossible to retrieve anything left inside.

2. Take Off Your Private Number Plate

If your car has a personalised registration, make sure to remove it before scrapping.
You’ll need to:

  1. Apply to retain the plate through the DVLA (online or by post)
  2. Receive approval before handing the car over

Scrap yards usually won’t hold vehicles while you sort out plate transfers, so handle this step first.

3. Locate Your V5C Logbook (If You Have It)

Although not mandatory, having your V5C logbook makes the process much smoother. It helps the ATF (Authorised Treatment Facility) quickly identify the vehicle and complete DVLA paperwork.

If you’ve misplaced it—don’t worry. Reputable scrap companies can still take the car if you can provide proof of ownership.

4. Drain Your Fuel Tank Only If Necessary

Most modern ATFs can safely handle cars with leftover fuel, oil, or other fluids.
However, if your car has a significant amount of fuel, you may want to siphon it out for personal use. This is entirely optional, but it prevents waste—especially with rising fuel costs.

Do this only if you know how to do it safely.

5. Remove Aftermarket Accessories

If you invested in upgrades such as:

  • Premium stereos or speakers
  • Dash cams
  • Alloy wheels
  • GPS units
  • Custom lighting

You may want to remove them before scrapping. These items don’t increase scrap value, but you can sell or reuse them yourself.

6. Take Photos of the Vehicle

Before handing your car over, take clear photos from all angles, including the interior.
This helps you:

  • Keep a record for insurance
  • Avoid disputes over its condition
  • Prove the car was intact when collected

Photos offer peace of mind and are especially useful if the car was damaged.

7. Check for Valuable Parts

Some parts can be worth more sold individually than as scrap weight, such as:

  • Nearly new tyres
  • Batteries
  • Catalytic converters
  • Alloys
  • Rare parts for older models

Removing valuable components (without damaging the vehicle) can help you earn extra cash before scrapping.

8. Prepare Necessary Documents

Before the scrap collector arrives, ensure you’re ready with:

  • V5C (if available)
  • Proof of identity
  • Service or repair records (optional)

Once the vehicle is scrapped, you should receive a Certificate of Destruction (CoD) from the ATF. This is an essential legal document confirming the car has been dismantled properly.

9. Cancel Your Insurance and Road Tax

After the car has officially been scrapped:

  • Contact your insurer to cancel your policy
  • Apply for a refund on any remaining road tax

The DVLA usually processes refunds automatically once the vehicle is marked as scrapped, but cancel your insurance manually to avoid charges.

Final Thoughts

Preparing your vehicle for scrapping isn’t complicated—it’s just a matter of staying organised. Remove your belongings, check your paperwork, and make sure you’re dealing with a licensed ATF to stay on the right side of the law. Whether your car has failed its MOT, suffered damage, or simply reached the end of its life, following these steps helps ensure a smooth and stress-free process from start to finish.

PROCK, B. FORCE, ANDERSON & HERRERA QUALIFY NO. 1 AT DODGE NHRA NEVADA NATIONALS

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Official Release
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LAS VEGAS (Nov. 1, 2025) – Funny Car points leader Austin Prock closed out qualifying with the quickest run of the weekend on Saturday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, earning his seventh No. 1 qualifier of the season at the 25th annual Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection.

Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 19th of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the fifth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Prock lowered his time in the final session, going 3.885-seconds at 335.23 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS, taking his 22nd top spot since joining the Funny Car ranks at the start of 2024.

Just a pair earlier, Jack Beckman went to the top spot with his second strong run of the day. But Prock and his team followed in impressive fashion, giving the reigning world champ an outside chance to clinch the world championship on Sunday. Prock opens eliminations against Jason Rupert as he looks to pick up a third straight victory in Las Vegas.

“Hanging out on the starting line with my dad, brother and Nate Hildahl, I knew that the track was in good shape,” Prock said. “I knew that we were capable of running well.

“NHRA drag racing is the most unpredictable sport in the world. You never know what’s going to happen. There’s so many moving parts and everything has to go right when you turn on four win lights on a Sunday, or eight runs in a row from qualifying. But we never let up. We try and go up there and do the same job every time and not get caught up in focusing elsewhere other than the places that you need to be. Each one of us on this race team to execute and do the job like we have been.”

Beckman jumped to second with a run of 3.892 at 331.61 on Saturday, bumping Matt Hagan to third with his 3.897 at 329.75.

Force kept the No. 1 position in Top Fuel thanks to Friday’s run of 3.697 at 338.85 in her 12,000-horsepower Chevrolet Accessories dragster, giving the two-time world champion her sixth No. 1 qualifier this season and the 58th in her career. The defending event winner will look to win again in her final appearance at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, bringing plenty of momentum into eliminations.

She set the track speed record on Friday and will look to close out the weekend with another victory in Las Vegas.

“I never would have imagined I’d have 58 No. 1 qualifiers. That just sounds like an impossible number, but I’ve been out here for many years, and I’ve been teamed up with many amazing crew chiefs and sponsors who have supported me to get us to that point,” Force said. “There’s two races left, and I’m proud to carry the No. 1 spot, and we’re hoping for a strong day tomorrow.

“On that Q3 run today, we were pushing to see what we can get away with them. Well, we found it. We didn’t get down the racetrack. The second round, I thought I broke a belt or something. It was going down. It was smooth. We were almost there.”

Points leader Doug Kalitta qualified second with a 3.711 at 337.24 and teammate Shawn Langdon took third with a 3.715 at 336.57.

In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson made an emphatic statement on Saturday, making the quickest run in both sessions and taking over the No. 1 spot with a run of 6.572 at 206.76 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro.

In the process of bumping Cory Reed – who was seeking his first career No. 1 qualifier – from the provisional top spot, Anderson earned his eighth top spot of the season and the 140th in his incredible career. The added bonus points were helpful as he tries to take down teammate and points leader Dallas Glenn, but the veteran and reigning world champion is focused on a victory on Sunday.

Anderson’s first-round opponent will be Troy Coughlin Jr., as he hopes to replicate Saturday’s performance on raceday.

“Yesterday we were just a little bit off. We had a lot going on, obviously with the Black family on my mind and I was maybe a little distracted,” Anderson said. “I didn’t do a great job yesterday, but today it was picture-perfect for me. I made two very nice runs in my car, and, yeah, sorry to Cory. 


“The bottom line is he’s got a fast race car. The whole KB Titan camp this weekend looks really good, so it’s going to be fun tomorrow, and I’m happy that my car runs like it runs because for me, right now, this race is everything. I have to do well here. I have to gain ground on Dallas here, or Pomona just will be another race for me. It’s really as simple as that.”

Defending event winner Aaron Stanfield moved to the second spot with a 6.593 at 207.91 and Reed took third with a 6.594 at 207.30.

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera kept the No. 1 spot, getting his eighth top qualifier this season thanks to Friday’s 6.800 at 199.17 on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki. It puts the back-to-back world champion in a good spot as he tries to get closer to points leader and teammate Richard Gadson in the championship race.

Herrera is after his third straight Las Vegas win and will open eliminations against Karen Stoffer.

“I don’t really count points. I just look at it once in a while,” Herrera said. “Every time I’ve been in any kind of situation championship-wise or points-wise, or if I say, ‘I need to do this or need to do that,’ it always bites me in the butt. I just go up there and let the cards play out however they’re going to play out.”

“Really, it’s just a matter of getting the job done tomorrow and trying to win as many rounds as possible. I’d love to gain more ground tomorrow and the best way to do that would be winning the race.”

Angie Smith qualified second with a run of 6.824 at 198.82 and Brayden Davis moved to third after going 6.826 at 199.14. Gadson qualified fourth.

Eliminations for the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection begin at 11 a.m. PT on Sunday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

LAS VEGAS — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 25th annual Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the 19th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Top Fuel — 1. Brittany Force, 3.697 seconds, 338.85 mph vs. Bye; 2. Doug Kalitta, 3.711, 337.24 vs. 13. Rob Passey, 4.278, 227.46; 3. Shawn Langdon, 3.715, 336.57 vs. 12. Kelly Harper, 3.958, 298.47; 4. Shawn Reed, 3.737, 329.10 vs. 11. Tony Schumacher, 3.900, 305.63; 5. Tony Stewart, 3.741, 330.72 vs. 10. Dan Mercier, 3.791, 328.54; 6. Justin Ashley, 3.744, 333.41 vs. 9. Josh Hart, 3.779, 333.16; 7. Antron Brown, 3.750, 333.16 vs. 8. Clay Millican, 3.758, 328.62.

Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.885, 335.23 vs. 16. Jason Rupert, Ford Mustang, 4.025, 312.21; 2. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.892, 331.61 vs. 15. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.022, 319.75; 3. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.897, 329.75 vs. 14. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.014, 314.02; 4. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.906, 333.08 vs. 13. Blake Alexander, Charger, 3.990, 314.90; 5. Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 3.917, 324.75 vs. 12. Del Worsham, Toyota Supra, 3.980, 300.13; 6. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.919, 329.91 vs. 11. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.956, 320.81; 7. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.919, 329.02 vs. 10. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.950, 327.66; 8. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.930, 329.10 vs. 9. Alexis DeJoria, Charger, 3.938, 328.78.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Jeff Diehl, 4.131, 299.40; 18. Tim Gibbons, 4.140, 271.46; 19. Buddy Hull, 4.163, 257.63; 20. Dylan Winefsky, 4.279, 291.38; 21. Chris Morel, 6.699, 97.96.

Pro Stock — 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.572, 206.76 vs. 16. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.643, 206.92; 2. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.593, 207.91 vs. 15. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.627, 207.27; 3. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.594, 207.30 vs. 14. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.626, 207.34; 4. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.598, 206.45 vs. 13. Dave Connolly, Camaro, 6.621, 206.01; 5. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.606, 208.14 vs. 12. David Cuadra, Camaro, 6.621, 207.85; 6. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.609, 206.07 vs. 11. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.615, 207.69; 7. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.610, 205.54 vs. 10.

Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.613, 207.50; 8. Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.612, 204.91 vs. 9. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.613, 207.53.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Kenny Delco, 6.645, 205.72; 18. Chris McGaha, 6.650, 207.98; 19. Chris Vang, 6.652, 206.45; 20. Mason McGaha, 6.665, 207.24; 21. Joey Grose, 6.779, 203.12.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.800, 199.17 vs. 16. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.003, 189.18; 2. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.824, 198.82 vs. 15. Freddie Camarena, Suzuki, 6.995, 195.25; 3. Brayden Davis, Suzuki, 6.826, 199.14 vs. 14. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.973, 195.05; 4. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.834, 198.06 vs. 13. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.964, 193.10; 5. John Hall, Beull, 6.836, 199.02 vs. 12. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.918, 195.76; 6. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.838, 196.04 vs. 11. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.916, 196.36; 7. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.855, 199.23 vs. 10. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.887, 197.86; 8. Clayton Howey, Suzuki, 6.870, 196.79 vs. 9. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 6.872, 195.14.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Kahea Woods, 7.188, 187.11.

RCR NXS Race Recap: Phoenix Raceway

By
Official Release
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Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team Victorious in Phoenix: Clinch Richard Childress Racing’s Sixth NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship

Finish: 1st
Start: 6th
Points: 1st

“We’re NASCAR Xfinity Series Champions, and it still doesn’t feel real. It still hasn’t sunk in. The entire time I was just like ‘get ready for the caution. Just get ready for the caution.’ I couldn’t believe when it didn’t come out. I think my spotter Brandon Benesch was just as shocked as me, because we were all waiting for it. I’m just so grateful for everyone at Richard Childress Racing. My pit crew was unbelievable tonight. Thank you to everybody who has touched a hand on this car to get us here, and everybody I’ve ever raced for or with in the past – just thank you a thousand times over. I just feel so relieved. It’s been a tough year for me. Man, I’ve just put so much work into it. People like my dad and Scott Speed, my whole No. 2 team, have worked just as hard for my dream as I have for my own. Man, thank you to Whelen. For one last time this car was fast as Xfinity Mobile. It really hasn’t set in yet. I just tried to tune out all the emotion. It doesn’t feel real at all. We were so bad to start. I couldn’t believe how bad we were. We were awful. Crew chief Danny Stockman put one of his magic wrenches in there and we came to life. I’m so grateful for everybody at RCR and ECR, back in North Carolina, Marty Houston, all the boys, Chevrolet. This means the world to me. Everybody that’s been on this journey with me over the last few years, especially the last probably eight months or so, I’ve really tried to just rebuild myself and come back better.” -Jesse Love

“It’s just special. You spend your whole life, and you spend every day trying to make these cars turn left fast. We’ve been working on this piece for about a month and a half, and we’ve spent a lot of time on the simulator at the GM Charlotte Tech Center. When it all comes together like it did this weekend, it’s very special. Thank you to Whelen, and to RCR for bringing me back. I spent 12 years of my life there, and I love Richard and Judy Childress to death, so this is just special. Thank you to Danny Lawrence, and everybody who believes in me to do this, and especially Jesse Love for just flat getting up on the wheel and getting the job done tonight. Thank you to all of the race fans for coming out to support us. I hope you enjoyed the show. We had the best car in practice. We qualified decent. The first run of the race had me caught off guard, but we worked on it, and worked on it, and Jesse got up on the wheel and we got it done.” – Danny Stockman

“I’m proud of our whole team. Our whole company. Everybody put so much work into this. Jesse Love did such an awesome job all night. We struggled in Martinsville, but he came back today and showed everybody what we’re made of. It means so much for everybody, and I’m proud.” – Richard Childress

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Team Finish Ninth at Phoenix Raceway to Close Out 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Season Sixth in Driver’s Points

Finish: 9th
Start: 16th
Points: 6th

“Our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet was just off tonight. I struggle at this place for whatever reason. It’s been a challenge to run good here with my driving style. Our guys fought really hard with the adjustments but the car needed some work to make it a race winning one. I was hoping to get the owners championship for Richard Childress and unfortunately came up short. I’m happy for RCR, ECR, Chevrolet, Jesse Love and the entire No. 2 team for bringing a championship back to Welcome, though. The work on 2026 begins Monday for our No. 21 team.” -Austin Hill

Chevrolet Closes Record NASCAR Xfinity Series Season with Championship Sweep

By
Official Release
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NASCAR Xfinity Series
Phoenix Raceway
Team Chevy Press Release

Chevrolet’s 23rd Driver Championship; 27th Manufacturer Championship

AVONDALE, Ariz. (Nov. 1, 2025) – Chevrolet capped off an already record-breaking season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with a sweep of the championship titles – earning its 23rd driver championship and 27th manufacturer championship at the conclusion of Saturday’s season-finale race at Phoenix Raceway.

“What an incredible way to end a historic season for Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” said said Dr. Eric Warren, Vice President, Global Motorsports Competition, for General Motors. “We’re proud of the team effort and contributions made by everyone involved in this program to produce a record-setting 26 wins, with 13 different drivers contributing points towards our ninth–consecutive Xfinity Series manufacturer championship.”

As the checkered flag flew on the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love added his name to the history books by becoming a first-time champion. Love piloted his No. 2 Chevrolet to his second win of the season in the series’ season finale race at Phoenix Raceway to earn the coveted title. Competing in only his second season in the series, the crown comes in Love’s first-ever appearance in the Championship Four.

“Winning this championship is a huge moment for Jesse Love, Danny Stockman and the entire Richard Childress Racing organization,” said Warren. “From an impressive performance behind the wheel, to execution on pit road and great strategy on the pit box throughout the season – the team delivered yet another strong performance when it mattered the most. Jesse is a true testament of the young talent we have in our driver lineup, and we’re proud that he’s earned his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship with Chevrolet.”

The 20-year-old Menlo Park, California, native started his sophomore campaign with Richard Childress Racing by making a trip to victory lane in the NASCAR Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway. Consistency was key throughout the season for Love and the No. 2 Chevrolet team – garnering two wins, nine top-fives and 22 top-10s (second-best) en route to the championship. Love delivered Richard Childress Racing its sixth driver championship in the series, all of which have been recorded under the Chevrolet banner.

“Congratulations to Richard Childress and everyone at Richard Childress Racing on earning their sixth NASCAR Xfinity Series title,” added Warren. “Through the milestone victories and championships, Chevrolet is proud to have been a partner with them from the beginning.”

Love joins an elite list of Chevrolet drivers that have earned the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver championship including: Justin Allgaier (2024), Tyler Reddick (2018 & ’19), William Byron (2017), Chase Elliott (2014), Austin Dillon (2013), Clint Bowyer (2008), Martin Truex, Jr. (2004, ‘05), Brian Vickers (2003), Kevin Harvick (2001, ‘06), Jeff Green (2000), Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (1998, ‘99), Randy LaJoie (1996, ‘97), Johnny Benson (1995), David Green (1994), Steve Grissom (1993), Joe Nemechek (1992) and Larry Pearson (1987).

Chevrolet will return to competition in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

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