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Indianapolis 500 Veteran Ribeiro Dies at 55

By
Official Release
-

INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, May 23, 2021) – Andre Ribeiro, a one-time Indianapolis 500 starter who gave Honda its first INDYCAR SERIES victory and later drove for Team Penske, has died of cancer in his native Brazil. He was 55.

Born in Sao Paulo, Ribeiro was a key member of a Brazilian revolution of drivers in the top level of North American open-wheel racing. His rookie class at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1995 included fellow countrymen Gil de Ferran and Christian Fittipaldi, and they helped set the stage for Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Bruno Junqueira and Cristiano da Matta, among others, to race in North America.

Ribeiro’s four seasons in CART were highlighted by a 1995 victory from the pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which was Honda’s first win in the sport. That was the first of his three victories for with Tasman Motorsports, the team that brought him to the U.S. through Indy Lights.

He won four races as an Indy Lights rookie in 1994, finishing second in the standings to teammate Steve Robertson and one position ahead of Greg Moore, who went on to win five CART races.

Ribeiro started 12th and finished 18th in the 1995 Indianapolis 500 in the No. 31 LCI International Reynard/Honda in his only start in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

In 1996, Ribeiro scored a popular victory in CART’s first race in Brazil. Ribeiro held off Al Unser Jr. by two seconds to capture the second of his three career victories. He added another victory later that season at Michigan International Speedway, edging Bryan Herta. That was Ribeiro’s best season, finishing 11th in the standings after leading 166 laps.

Ribeiro joined Roger Penske’s organization for CART’s 1998 season, which was his last in the sport after 68 career starts. He retired at the end of the year at age 32.

Ribeiro spent the next chapter of his life leading a group of auto dealerships owned by Penske in Sao Paulo.

Chevrolet NTT IndyCar Series Indianapolis 500: Qualifying Recap-Veekay puts Chevy on front row

By
Official Release
-

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
INDIANAPOLIS 500
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
QUALIFICATIONS RECAP
MAY 23, 2021

Team Chevy teammates qualify on Rows 1 and 2 for Indianapolis 500
Rinus VeeKay and Ed Carpenter lead 16-car Chevrolet contingent

INDIANAPOLIS (May 23, 2021) – Teammates Rinus VeeKay and Ed Carpenter will lead the Chevrolet contingent into the 105th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge from the front two rows.

VeeKay, who eight days earlier earned his initial NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, qualified third in the Firestone Fast Nine Shootout with a four-lap average speed of 231.511 mph on the 2.5-mile oval.

Carpenter, a three-time Indy 500 pole winner, qualified fourth in the No. 20 SONAX Chevrolet with an average speed of 231.504 mph.

Simona De Silvestro dug deep in the Last Chance Qualifying and put her No. 16 Rocket Paretta Autosport Chevrolet in the 33rd starting position for the field of the Indianapolis 500. It will be the sixth time the Swiss born driver will start the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. After missing the lock-in on Saturday to be in the top-30, De Silvestro had to battle four additional drivers for the final three spots on the grid.

Sixteen entries powered by the 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged, direct-injected Chevrolet V6 engine qualified for the 33-car field for the 200-lap race Sunday, May 30. A Chevrolet driver has qualified on the front row eight of the nine years, including six pole starts, since the Bowtie brand returned to NTT INDYCAR SERIES manufacturer competition in 2012.

“I’m very proud of our team, proud of Chevrolet giving us all the power we need to go fight for the pole and more importantly to fight for a win next Sunday,” said Carpenter, who is also the principal of Ed Carpenter Racing.

Chevrolet front-row starters since 2012
2021: Third – Rinus VeeKay
2019: First – Simon Pagenaud. Second – Ed Carpenter. Third – Spencer Pigot
2018: First – Ed Carpenter. Second – Simon Pagenaud. Third – Will Power
2017: Second – Ed Carpenter
2016: Second – Josef Newgarden
2015: First – Scott Dixon. Second – Will Power. Third – Simon Pagenaud
2014: First — Ed Carpenter. Third – Will Power
2013: First – Ed Carpenter. Second – Carlos Munoz. Third – Marco Andretti
2012: First – Ryan Briscoe. Second – James Hinchcliffe. Third – Ryan Hunter-Reay

Drivers received a turbocharger boost, which equates to an increase of about 45 horsepower, for practice Friday, May 21, that carried over for the two days of qualifications. Scott Dixon, the 2020 Indy 500 winner, recorded a four-lap average speed of 231.685 mph in his Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to win the NTT P1 Award.

VeeKay was the highest rookie qualifier in 2020 and improved one position for 2021. He will seek to join Simon Pagenaud in 2019 and Will Power in 2018 as Chevrolet drivers to win on the IMS road course and oval in the same month.

“Both Ed and I have amazing cars. Chevy power has been outstanding today,” said VeeKay, 20, driver of the No. 21 Bitcoin Chevrolet. “We have a good shot at winning.”

Pato O’Ward, who claimed his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory May 1 on the Texas Motor Speedway oval, qualified on Row 4 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet. Teammate Felix Rosenqvist, driving the No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, qualified 14th. Scott McLaughlin, competing in his first Indianapolis 500, qualified 17th in the No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet.
Pagenaud, the 2019 pole winner, qualified 26th in the No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya qualified 24th in the No. 86 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

Power persevered through a nerve-racking day of Last Chance Qualifying and drove the No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet to 32nd in the starting lineup. He will be joined on the last row by Sage Karam in the No. 24 DRR-AES Indiana Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet and Simona De Silvestro, who is making her first ‘500’ appearance since 2015, in the No. 16 Rocket Pro/Paretta Autosport Chevrolet.

NBC will telecast the 200-lap race at 11 a.m. ET May 30. Motorsports icon Danica Patrick will drive the 2021 mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette Stingray hardtop convertible to lead the field to the green flag. The 2021 race marks the 32nd time for Chevrolet to pace dating to 1948, and the 18th time since 1978 for America’s favorite sports car.

TEAM CHEVY QUALIFIERS WITH AVERAGE SPEED IN MPH:

  1. Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Bitcoin Ed Carpenter Racing (231.511)
  2. Ed Carpenter, No. 20 SONAX Ed Carpenter Racing (231.504)
  3. Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP (230.864)
  4. Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP (230.744)
  5. Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske (230.557)
  6. Conor Daly, No. 47 U.S. Air Force Ed Carpenter Racing (230.427)
  7. Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske (230.071)
  8. JR Hildebrand, No. 1 ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Racing (229.980)
  9. Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 86 Arrow McLaren SP (229.891)
  10. Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske (229.778)
  11. Sebastien Bourdais, No. 14 ROKiT/AJ Foyt Racing (229.744)
  12. Max Chilton, No. 59 Gallagher Carlin (229.417)
  13. Dalton Kellett, No. 4 K-Line Insulators/AJ Foyt Racing (228.323)
  14. Sage Karam, No. 24 DRR-AES Indiana Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (229.156)
  15. Will Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske (228.876)
  16. Simona De Silvestro, No. 16 Rocket Pro/Paretta Autosport (228.333)
    Charlie Kimball, No.11 Tresiba AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet and RC Enerson, No. 75 Top Gun Racing Chevrolet did not qualify for the race.

DRIVER QUOTES:
RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 BITCOIN ED CARPENTER RACING CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 3RD:
“I had a big moment on the last lap, in the first corner. I never lifted, but when I think back, maybe I should have! That last lap was the sketchiest lap I’ve ever done, but I kept my foot on the gas. I wanted it to be as on the limit as possible, so I kept the power on, even with all the wiggling. I knew Turn One would be the trickiest so once I got through, I thought it would be fine. I couldn’t have gone any faster. I was happy to make the Fast Nine yesterday and we’re grateful to have Chevy power taking me to the front row! I’m very happy for the team and very grateful, for all the sleepless nights and hard work. I think we can go for the win next Sunday. I love Indy, and with the Ed Carpenter Chevy, it’s such a pleasure – apart from that last lap! I have a great car and a great team around me. That win last week has changed the spirit within the team and we were all extremely motivated. The entire month of May has been amazing.”

ED CARPENTER, NO. 20 SONAX ED CARPENTER RACING, QUALIFIED 4TH:
“Chevy has been a great partner; they give us so many tools and help us thrive. There’s no better partner to have. I’m happy, we were in the hunt and we have a car on the front row. Both of our cars were extremely close, and that small gap between the two cars is a testament to ECR and the quality of cars that they build. -Very proud to be seven-thousandths of a mile-an-hour between our cars is frickin’ awesome. That is all ECR. That is all our team; it is Chevy. 10 years as partners is amazing. It’s tough competition, whether it’s Honda versus Chevy or the two of us going against Scott Dixon and Colton Herta. We had all the power we needed to fight for the pole, they were just a little better than us today. There are so many great drivers in the series, it’s awesome to compete against them and we love the challenge. At the end of the day, we’re happy with where we’re starting the Indy 500. Rinus is the real deal, I’m proud of him. He’s a resilient kid, he learns and keeps getting better. He’s going to be tough to beat next Sunday, I’m as worried about him as anyone. But we’ll be in a great spot for the race, with my teammate in front of me, so we’ll tune up the car today and Carb Day and be ready for next Sunday.”

SAGE KARAM, NO. 24 DRR-AES INDIANA DRYER AND REINBOLD RACING CHEVROLET, QUALIFYING 31ST: “It wasn’t easy running in Sunday’s last Chance qualifying, as it was warmer than Saturday’s qualifying. But the team did a great job preparing the car for the four-lap stint. Glad we were fastest in that little round as we were two years ago. Ironically, I’ll start 31st for the third straight Indy 500. I’m really proud of the DRR Team Chevy and AES Indiana crew the way they kept working so hard to get me in the show here at Indy. As one-car, Indy-only team, DRR has to go up against two cars basically Penske-prepared for Will and Simona. And we beat them today. I think that is very cool. Now we are ready to prepare for next Sunday’s race.”
WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON 5G TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, QUALIFED 32ND:
“Yeah that was very, very nerve-wracking. The run started going loose everywhere. I held onto it out of 2, hit the wall, and I took a chance by holding it wide open and hoping the rear toe wasn’t too bad. Man. That is as loose as you want to get it. I can’t thank Verizon and Chevy enough for sticking with me after all these years. I’m so stoked to get in the race. The team has put a massive amount of effort into this race. It’s a big relief more than anything to get in this race. I knew I couldn’t lift. Some nervy lifts. But yeah. This place throws everything at you. We’re in the race and it’s an amazing feeling, amazing place. It’s more nerve wracking than going for pole. Definitely I lost a bit of sleep!”

SIMONA DE SILVERSTRO, NO 16 ROCKET PRO PARETTA AUTOSPORT CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 33RD: “What a day. It was definitely nerve racking being in this position. Super happy that we made it in because of everyone involved as well, because of all the hard work that got put in, it would have been crazy to not have made it. From that point of view, we’re super relieved. Now we just focus on racing and I think we could be pretty good because our car was pretty competitive.
“For Beth as well I just wish it wouldn’t have been as crazy for the first time we were racing together. At least we got that one out of the way and now we can really focus on this going forward. It was interesting but you know I think we all stuck together and that’s what made us strong to be here today.”

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.

NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park Postponed to Monday

By
Briar Starr
-
Photo Courtesy of NHRA

Due to ongoing and persistent rain showers around the Baytown, Texas area, NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) was left with no choice to postpone the NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park until Monday morning at 10 a.m./local time live on NHRA.TV with a subscription.

Action will pick back up with the Top Fuel category in Round 1 with Brittany Force facing Doug Kalitta.

A later update from NHRA noted that the remainder of eliminations would air on FS1, Monday at 3 p.m. ET.

Chevrolet NTT IndyCar Series Indianapolis 500: Fast nine driver quotes – Veekay puts Chevy on front row

By
Official Release
-

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
INDIANAPOLIS 500 PRESENTED BY GAINBRIDGE
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY OVAL
FAST NINE QUALIFYING
RINUS VEEKAY AND ED CARPENTER QUOTES
MAY 23, 2021

RINUS VEEKAY PUTS CHEVY ON FRONT ROW FOR INDIANAPOLIS 500
TEAMMATE ED CARPENTER WILL START FOURTH

RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 BITCOIN ED CARPENTER RACING CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 3RD:
“I had a big moment on the last lap, in the first corner. I never lifted, but when I think back, maybe I should have! That last lap was the sketchiest lap I’ve ever done, but I kept my foot on the gas. I wanted it to be as on the limit as possible, so I kept the power on, even with all the wiggling. I knew Turn One would be the trickiest so once I got through, I thought it would be fine. I couldn’t have gone any faster. I was happy to make the Fast Nine yesterday and we’re grateful to have Chevy power taking me to the front row! I’m very happy for the team and very grateful, for all the sleepless nights and hard work. I think we can go for the win next Sunday. I love Indy, and with the Ed Carpenter Chevy, it’s such a pleasure – apart from that last lap! I have a great car and a great team around me. That win last week has changed the spirit within the team and we were all extremely motivated. The entire month of May has been amazing.”

ED CARPENTER, NO. 20 SONAX ED CARPENTER RACING, QUALIFIED 4TH:
“Chevy has been a great partner; they give us so many tools and help us thrive. There’s no better partner to have. I’m happy, we were in the hunt and we have a car on the front row. Both of our cars were extremely close, and that small gap between the two cars is a testament to ECR and the quality of cars that they build. -Very proud to be seven-thousandths of a mile-an-hour between our cars is frickin’ awesome. That is all ECR. That is all our team; it is Chevy. 10 years as partners is amazing. It’s tough competition, whether it’s Honda versus Chevy or the two of us going against Scott Dixon and Colton Herta. We had all the power we needed to fight for the pole, they were just a little better than us today. There are so many great drivers in the series, it’s awesome to compete against them and we love the challenge. At the end of the day, we’re happy with where we’re starting the Indy 500. Rinus is the real deal, I’m proud of him. He’s a resilient kid, he learns and keeps getting better. He’s going to be tough to beat next Sunday, I’m as worried about him as anyone. But we’ll be in a great spot for the race, with my teammate in front of me, so we’ll tune up the car today and Carb Day and be ready for next Sunday.”

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.

TPC Racing Overcomes Adversity in Lamborghini Super Trofeo at COTA to Earn a Pair of Top Five Finishes

By
Official Release
-

Scott Schmidt and Trevor Andrusko Survived for Strong Finishes in No. 38 Lamborghini Sterling/Erin Levitas Foundation Lamborghini Huracan

AUSTIN, Texas (May 23, 2021) – TPC Racing drivers Scott Schmidt and Trevor Andrusko co-drove to a challenging pair of top-five finishes this weekend in the IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo Am class at Circuit of the Americas.

The Lamborghini Super Trofeo season opener, run in conjunction with the NASCAR race at the Austin, Texas track, was a mix of weather throughout the weekend. Saturday’s race was hot and dry, while the rain on Sunday began on the pace lap with the entire field on Pirelli dry tires.

“Our TPC Racing/Lamborghini Sterling Super Trofeo car was absolutely wonderful,” Harris Levitas, TPC Racing Director of Operations, said. “We had a great car right out of the box, and the TPC Racing guys have just done a fantastic job preparing it for this event. Trevor and Scott did a great job all weekend. Trevor qualified the car on pole in the rain by just over two seconds over P2 in class. In race one, Trevor led pretty much his entire stint.”

Unfortunately, an electrical gremlin reared its ugly head in both races and kept TPC Racing from advancing any higher up the standings.

“We have an electrical gremlin that we’re chasing,” Levitas said. “On Saturday we lost power steering and we pitted off of our strategy by just a little bit. Scott got in the car and ended up P5 in the class. It was a similar issue on Sunday but cost us the ABS and other driver aids as well so we came in just a couple of laps early in the interest of safety. We’ll get to the bottom of that in time for VIR and be ready to go again. Overall, we got back into the season with a couple of strong finishes and something to build on.”

Andrusko opened Saturday’s race on the class pole and led the first 28 minutes, though during that stint the issue eliminated the power steering, costing some time and the lead just before the mandatory pit stop and driver change.

“The testing that we did in the offseason is finally starting to show,” Andrusko said. “We’re getting closer to where we need to be with pace between Scott and myself as an average. We’re starting to learn some things that are keeping us in the hunt, which is good. We made a throw-the-dice call this morning that worked out for us as far as overall top-end speed. Lamborghini support has been absolutely phenomenal. The TPC crew guys have been awesome chasing what we can at the track. Overall, I think we’ll just build on this. We got points this weekend and we’ll build on that.”

Schmidt had qualified seventh in class for Sunday’s race and quickly advanced to fifth on the opening lap, driving on slick tires and in damp conditions. Following the driver change, Andrusko was able to climb another position to fourth in class but dropped a spot through the technical difficulties.

“I think we have made some adjustments and changes through coaching that have made me faster and more aware, and it’s paying off,” Schmidt said. “We’re going to be competitive this year, we just got a bad break in the electrical. Hopefully they can get it back to the shop, get it repaired, find the gremlin and we’ll be ready to go again.”

The Lamborghini Super Trofeo championship, the No. 38 Lamborghini Sterling/Erin Levitas Foundation Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo Evo, Scott Schmidt, Trevor Andrusko and the TPC Racing crew return to action in just a couple of weeks at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), June 4 – 6, for rounds three and four of the 12-race North American championship.

About TPC Racing:
TPC Racing is the Mid-Atlantic’s premier maintenance, service, tuning and modification center dedicated solely to Porsche sportscars. TPC Racing specializes in R&D and sales of high-performance modifications for Porsche sports cars and race cars, offering a wide range of vehicle upgrades. Best known for a line of forced induction solutions for the Porsche 911, Cayman and Boxster, a long-time focus on only one make, Porsche, has enabled TPC Racing to become experts in Porsche service, tuning, and racing. In 2000, TPC Racing began entering races under its own banner, scoring an SGS-class Championship in 2004 in the Grand-American Rolex Series and was a class winner in the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona, and captured the 2013 and 2016 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA Gold Cup Championships. More information can be found at www.TPCRacing.com.

Jay Leno and Kevin Eubanks to Serve as Grand Marshals For Coca-Cola 600; Christian McCaffrey Named Honorary Pace Car Driver

By
Official Release
-
  • Host Jay Leno and co-host Kevin Eubanks of FOX’s upcoming ‘You Bet Your Life’ television program to announce the most famous words in motorsports—Drivers, Start Your Engines—before the May 30 Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend
  • A 2017 NFL first round draft pick by the Carolina Panthers and a 2019 All-Pro running back, Christian McCaffrey will lead the field to green to start NASCAR’s toughest test of man and machine
  • Tickets are still available for all three days of NASCAR’s first-ever tripleheader weekend at America’s Home for Racing; details available at charlottemotorspeedway.com

CONCORD, N.C. (May 23, 2021) – Legendary talk-show host and avid car collector Jay Leno will be joined by his former The Tonight Show musical director, Kevin Eubanks, to offer the most famous words in motorsports—Drivers, Start Your Engines—when the pair serve as grand marshals for the 62nd running of the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 30 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Together for 15 years on The Tonight Show, the longtime friends and television stars will launch a new network comedy program, ‘You Bet Your Life’ on FOX this fall.

Joining the star-studded affair, Carolina Panthers’ All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey will pilot the Toyota Camry TRD as the honorary pace car driver, leading the field of NASCAR Cup Series drivers to the green flag to start the crown jewel event.

Additional dignitaries for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 include:

  • Presentation of Colors: Official Color Guard of the U.S. Marine Corps, Marine Barracks Washington
  • State of Freedom Address: Admiral Karl L. Schultz, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard
  • Invocation: Brian Koyn, Division Chaplain at 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army
  • National anthem: MU1 Megan Weikleenget, U.S. Coast Guard
  • Honorary Starter: Jim Whaley, USO Southeast Regional President

Dignitaries for Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 300 Xfinity Series race include:

  • Presentation of Colors: North Carolina State Highway Patrol Honor Guard
  • Invocation: Billy Mauldin, President and CEO of Motor Racing Outreach
  • National Anthem: Amia Nico, Patriotic Performing Artist
  • Grand Marshals: Chris Foote, Managing Partner, Longhorn Steakhouse; and Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine, Host of Food Network’s Dinner: Impossible
  • Honorary Starter: Chris Hefner, Director of Operations Longhorn Steakhouse, Charlotte Market

Dignitaries for Saturday’s General Tire 150 ARCA Menards Series race include:

  • Presentation of Colors: Civil Air Patrol 111th Search and Rescue Composite Squadron
  • Invocation: Tom Kipp, Motor Racing Outreach Chaplain
  • National Anthem: Sue Brabham

Dignitaries for Friday’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Camping World Truck Series race include:

  • Presentation of Colors: UNCC Air Force ROTC Honor Guard
  • Invocation: Tom Kipp, Motor Racing Outreach Chaplain
  • National Anthem: Roxanne Clark, Little Miss and Teen Miss NC Ambassador
  • Grand Marshal: Mark Michalko, Executive Director of the N.C. Education Lottery

TICKETS:

Log on to www.charlottemotorspeedway.com for tickets, schedules and more information on the weekend’s three days of action-packed racing. Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 tickets start at just $59. Kids 13 and under get in for just $10.

FOLLOW US:

Keep track of all of Charlotte Motor Speedways attractions and events by following on Twitter and Instagram or become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

Verstappen wins the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix

By
Andrew Kim
-

There is a new championship leader in the Formula One standings, and it is Max Verstappen after the Red Bull Racing driver claimed a dominating victory in the Monaco Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco for his second Grand Prix victory of the season and the 12th of his F1 career.

The 23-year-old competitor competing under the Dutch flag started in first place after Charles Leclerc, who was scheduled to start on pole position, was unable to take the grid due to a gearbox issue as a result of wrecking his car during qualifying session but opting to not have the gearbox changed as his Ferrari crew deemed it cleared to race and to not have a five-place penalty grid.

With Leclerc out of contention from the race due to the gearbox issue, Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas started on the front row. When the race started, Verstappen was able to maintain the lead through the first turn and remain out in front for the entirety of the event as he claimed his first triumph in Monaco and made another championship statement. With this victory in Monaco, though, Verstappen and Red Bull Racing were able to emerge in first place with both the Driver and Constructor standings.

“It’s so special around here, to win and for me, first time on the podium here,” Verstappen said. “An amazing race, it’s a lot of laps around here. You really have to keep your focus, but yeah, it’s really cool…I was pretty much in control.”

Leclerc, who was initially scheduled to start on pole position in his home event, was the first retiree of the event following his mechanical issues.

Finishing less than nine seconds behind Verstappen was Carlos Sainz, who tied his career-best result in Formula One and claimed his maiden podium result as a Ferrari driver along with his first podium result since the 2020 Italian Grand Prix. Coming home in third place was McLaren’s Lando Norris, who also tied his career-best result in F1 and his second podium result of the season (third of his career).

“If you would’ve told me before coming to Monaco that I would finish second, I would’ve definitely take it,” Sainz said. “It’s just the whole circumstances of this weekend, having Charles on pole, me missing out in qualy yesterday, it’s just maybe there are some things that could have had should, but I’m sure that when I reflect back on the weekend, I will be very happy and proud of the weekend.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Norris said. “I didn’t think I’d be here today. It’s always a dream to be on the podium here. It’s just special. I didn’t think it was gonna happen. A bit of luck…a good car all weekend. We’ve had a strong weekend.”

Sergio “Checo” Perez, the second Red Bull Racing driver, finished in fourth place for his fourth top-five result through the first five F1 races while Sebastian Vettel, driving for Aston Martin Racing, rallied from a difficult start to this season to finish in fifth place. As a result, Vettel was voted ‘Driver of the Day’ by the fans.

Pierre Gasly finished in sixth place followed by Lewis Hamilton, who established the fastest lap of the day but was unable to march his way to the front after starting in sixth place and coming off his Grand Prix victories in Portugal and Spain. Lance Stroll finished in eighth place followed by Esteban Ocon and Antonio Giovinazzi.

Finishing outside of the top-10 points positions was Kimi Räikkönen followed by Daniel Ricciardo, Fernando Alonso, George Russell and teammate Nicholas Latifi. Rookie Yuki Tsunoda settled in 16th place followed by Haas drivers Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher, all of whom were making their first F1 starts in Monaco.

Valtteri Bottas, who was having a strong result in the making, retired in 19th place following a pit stop misfortune on Lap 31, where the right-front tire on Bottas’ Mercedes F1 W12 car could not be removed despite numerous efforts.

Results.

1. Max Verstappen, 78 laps led, 25 points

2. Carlos Sainz, 18 points

3. Lando Norris, 15 points

4. Sergio Perez, 12 points

5. Sebastian Vettel, 10 points

6. Pierre Gasly, eight points

7. Lewis Hamilton, seven points

8. Lance Stroll, four points, +1 lap

9. Esteban Ocon, two points, +1 lap

10. Antonio Giovinazzi, one point, +1 lap

11. Kimi Räikkönen, +1 lap

12. Daniel Ricciardo, +1 lap

13. Fernando Alonso, +1 lap

14. George Russell, +1 lap

15. Nicholas Latifi, +1 lap

16. Yuki Tsunoda, +1 lap

17. Nikita Mazepin, +3 laps

18. Mick Schumacher, +3 laps

19. Valtteri Bottas, retired

20. Charles Leclerc, retired

Following the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix, Verstappen leads the Drivers’ standings by four points over Hamilton, with Norris trailing by 49 points, Bottas by 58, Perez by 61, Leclerc by 65, Sainz by 67, Ricciardo by 81, Gasly by 89 and Ocon by 93.

In the Constructors’ standings, Red Bull Racing Honda leads Mercedes by a single point, with McLaren Mercedes trailing by 69, Ferrari by 71, Aston Martin Mercedes by 130, AlphaTauri Honda by 131, Alpine Renault by 132, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari by 148, Williams Mercedes and Haas Ferrari by 149.

The 2021 Formula One World Championship season will continue on June 6 at Baku City for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston in rain delay

By
Briar Starr
-
Photo Courtesy of NHRA

After five races in the first round of Top Fuel category, Mother Nature returned to Houston Raceway Park interrupting the action and causing a delay in the action.

In the first round so far, Clay Millican defeated Arthur Allen when Millican went 3.759 and 323.50 mph. Billy Torrence won over Mike Salinas after a time of 3.694 seconds and 329.50 mph and Don Schumacher Racing driver Antron Brown defeated Lee Callaway. Others advancing to the second round include Steve Torrence who won against Mitch King and Justin Ashley, after eliminating Leah Preutt in Round 1.

The next scheduled match-up is slated to be No. 6 qualifier Brittany Force against Doug Kalitta who qualified ninth.

When the rest of the first-round matchups of Top Fuel occur, here is how they’ll play out – No. 6 qualifier Brittany Force vs No. 9 qualifier Doug Kalitta.

Additionally, Funny Car and Pro Stock classes are yet to run their first rounds.

Funny Car:

1. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.908, 331.53 vs. 16. Jim Campbell, Dodge Charger, 7.603, 83.55; 2. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Camry, 3.912, 307.44 vs. 15. Todd Simpson, Chevy Camaro, 5.712, 125.16; 3. Ron Capps, Charger, 3.941, 315.42 vs. 14. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.133, 250.13; 4. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.943, 323.12 vs. 13. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.072, 312.21; 5. Robert Hight, Camaro, 3.954, 324.05 vs. 12. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 4.030, 313.58; 6. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.961, 324.12 vs. 11. Chad Green, Mustang, 4.011, 323.81; 7. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.975, 319.07 vs. 10. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 4.009, 314.46; 8. J.R. Todd, Camry, 3.994, 322.58 vs. 9. John Force, Camaro, 4.000, 275.84.

Pro Stock:

1. Dallas Glenn, Chevy Camaro, 6.549, 210.01 vs. 16. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.640, 208.52; 2. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.549, 208.97 vs. 15. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Mustang, 6.621, 208.46; 3. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.552, 208.68 vs. 14. Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.602, 209.26; 4. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.554, 210.14 vs. 13. Val Smeland, Camaro, 6.595, 208.62; 5. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.566, 210.41 vs. 12. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.591, 204.88; 6. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.567, 209.69 vs. 11. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.580, 209.36; 7. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.570, 208.97 vs. 10. Bruno Massel, Camaro, 6.574, 209.69; 8. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.570, 208.84 vs. 9. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.571, 209.01.


Did Not Qualify:

17. Fernando Cuadra, 6.684, 207.53; 18. Shane Tucker, 6.788, 204.20; 19. John Callahan, 7.125, 197.88; 20. Alan Prusiensky, 7.304, 202.76.

There have been no updates as of this writing for when NHRA will return to on-track action.

TYLER REDDICK EARNS POLE FOR ECHOPARK AUTOMOTIVE TEXAS GRAND PRIX AT CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS

By
Official Release
-

AUSTIN, Texas (May 23, 2021) – Tyler Reddick earned the first pole position of his career in the NASCAR Cup Series Sunday morning during group qualifying for today’s EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix, which is scheduled to take the green flag at 1:30 p.m. CT (FS1 and PRN Radio).

Reddick posted the fastest lap around Circuit of The Americas’ 3.41-mile, 20-turn course with a performance of 132.911 seconds at 92.363 mph in his No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevy. Reddick, who finished eighth in yesterday’s Pit Boss 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race after starting fifth, says he’s worked hard to better his road racing skills.

“It’s pretty well known that I haven’t been very good on road courses and I didn’t want that to be my weakness anymore,” Reddick said. “I just focused during the off-season at being better. I put a lot of work into this, being better and this whole team did a great job to help me get better. I had to get my confidence up and getting a top 10 in the Xfinity race with Jordan Anderson Racing and running that car yesterday really helped. As crazy as it sounds, I want this track to be my next Homestead (-Miami Speedway); I really want to put a lot into it. When I walked the track here on Friday morning the surface reminded me a lot of Homestead, it lays a lot of rubber down. I have no wall to pack air on, but hopefully I can search around and find grip in this race today and give this team the good run that it deserves.”

Reddick will start on the front row alongside Kyle Larson, who was second with a speed of 92.293 mph in his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy. Full-time Xfinity Series driver Austin Cindric, making one of his limited starts in the NASCAR Cup Series with Team Penske, qualified third and was followed by Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch, yesterday’s Xfinity Series race winner, and William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports in the top five.

Chase Elliott, winner of four of the last five Cup Series road course races, qualified ninth in his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, and Christopher Bell, who won the season’s first road course race in Daytona, will start 10th in his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

Should rain fall during today’s race, Goodyear will provide wet weather tires to the teams if necessary. NASCAR Cup teams were challenged by racing in the rain most recently last November during the Charlotte ROVAL™ Playoff event. NASCAR’s road course rain rule does not allow competition during thunderstorms with lighting in the area or heavy downpours.

Racing Pioneer Lyn St. James Honored with Spirit of Ford Award

By
Official Release
-

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla., May 22, 2021 – Lyn St. James, a pioneer in sports car and Indy car racing who has since become a tireless promoter for opportunities for women and minorities in the sport, was presented the prestigious Spirit of Ford Award in a surprise ceremony today as part the 26th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

The Spirit of Ford Award is Ford Motor Company’s highest honor in auto racing, recognizing lifetime achievement and contribution to the industry both on and off the race track. St. James becomes the 27th recipient, joining an international list of honorees from all forms of racing and racing media.

St. James began her professional racing career with Ford in the early 1980s, competing in more than 100 SCCA Trans-Am and IMSA races. She won her class twice at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring once, and became the first and only woman to win an IMSA GT sports car race solo in 1985 at Watkins Glen.

She went on to run the Indianapolis 500 seven times, including being the first woman to win Rookie of the Year honors in 1992. St. James held 21 international and national closed circuit speed records for women over a 20-year period, including 225.722 mph during qualifying for the 1995 Indy 500.

She was recognized during a tribute dinner in her honor at Amelia Island by Jim Farley, CEO of Ford Motor Company.

“Lyn’s achievements on the track are special, but what she has done off the track is just as important to us in defining her legacy,” said Farley. “Lyn, while racing for us, was also a consumer advisor to Ford on women’s issues, including educating women on the car-buying process and how to maintain their vehicles during their ownership.

“Today, she is channeling the same drive she had in breaking through barriers in her racing career to become a tireless promoter of opportunities for women and minorities in the racing world. And the sport and industry is better for it.”

“Lyn has always been an exceptional advocate for Ford, and I’m proud to call her a friend,” said Edsel B. Ford II, who has been involved in Ford’s racing efforts for decades. “I have always been impressed by how hard she worked to be a successful driver. She has worked just as hard to give so many young drivers the same kind of mentorships that she had in her career. Lyn is a very worthy honoree of the Spirit of Ford Award.”

Automotive News named St. James one of the Top 100 Women in the Automotive Industry, and Working Woman Magazine named her one of “The 350 Women who changed the world between 1976-96.” She also was president of the Women’s Sports Foundation, and founder of Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation, a 501c3 organization for the education, training, and advancement of women in automotive fields. This included her hosting training sessions for up-and-coming women race car drivers for many years.

Currently, she is part of NASCAR’s Diversity Council, the A.C.C.U.S. North American Representative on FIA Women in Motorsports Commission, and part of the A.C.C.U.S. Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Panel.

Spirit of Ford Award Winners
-Bill Stroppe, 1988
-Bob Glidden, 1989
-Chris Economaki, 1990
-Richard Petty, 1992
-Bob Bondurant, 1993
-Mario Andretti, 1994
-Jackie Stewart, 1994
-Bud Moore, 1995
-Parnelli Jones, 1996
-Jim Clark, 1997
-Phil Hill, 1998
-Stirling Moss, 1998
-Bill France, Sr., 1998
-Bill France Jr. 1998
-Junie Donlavey, Jr., 1999
-Glen Wood, 1999
-Leonard Wood, 1999
-Dan Gurney, 1999
-Denise McCluggage, 2000
-Bill Elliott, 2000
-Carroll Shelby, 2001
-Wally Parks, 2001
-Ned Jarrett, 2003
-Mose Nowland, 2005
-Jack Roush, 2006
-John Force, 2010
-Kevin Kennedy, 2011
-A.J. Foyt, 2017
-Lyn St. James 2021

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About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford trucks, utility vehicles, and cars – increasingly including electrified versions – and Lincoln luxury vehicles; provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company; and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification; mobility solutions, including self-driving services; and connected vehicle services. Ford employs approximately 186,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit corporate.ford.com.

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