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Rollan Comes Out on Top of Six-Car Battle for Mazda MX-5 Cup Win at Mid-Ohio

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LEXINGTON, Ohio (May 15, 2021) – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course never disappoints for close wheel-to-wheel racing and Saturday’s Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires was no exception. Selin Rollan (No. 87 Hixon Motor Sports) was the victor in a six-way battle for the win in an all green-flag 45-minute sprint to the checkered flag. Sam Paley (No. 28 McCumbee McAleer Racing) and Justin Piscitell (No. 89 McCumbee McAleer Racing) completed the podium.

Now in his fourth season of Mazda MX-5 Cup racing, Rollan has never had much luck at Mid-Ohio. The 2018 Rookie of the Year felt as though his driving style never quite fit the 13-turn, 2.258-mile road course. All that changed when Rollan crossed the finish line 1.552 seconds clear of his nearest competition.

The front row of the grid represented the top two in the Championship coming into Mid-Ohio: Michael Carter (No. 08 Carter Racing Enterprises) on pole and Gresham Wagner (No. 5 Spark Performance) starting second. Wagner dropped his tires into the dirt in a few corners early in the race, which gave third-starting Paley plenty of opportunities to challenge him for the runner-up spot and enabled Carter to pull out a small gap.

Soon though, the pack of four cars behind Carter were able to work together and catch the polesitter. When they did, Rollan seized the opportunity to climb up to second and began his bid for the race lead.

Shortly after, Carter had a momentary issue exiting the keyhole that dropped him down the order down to fifth. Rollan was the new leader but being hounded by Paley who was in search of his first MX-5 Cup victory.

Paley led for a lap, but Rollan retook control and pulled away from the field to take his third victory of the season.

“It was good and the car was handling great especially at the end,” Rollan said. “Hixon Motor Sports set up a perfect car. It was really consistent at the end and went where I wanted it to go. I felt bad for [Michael] Carter when he had that problem. I was pushing him and we were trying to get away but then he lost power coming out of the Keyhole. I feel bad for him but on the other hand, for the championship, it’s nice to see podium without Michael [Carter] and Gresham [Wagner] for the points. The car is really good and hopefully we can keep that going in the race tomorrow!”

Paley, a rookie, has been knocking at the door of victory for some time now. He admitted he needed to work on his tire strategy in order to finally get that elusive win.

“Honestly, I didn’t feel any pressure when I was in front,” Paley said. “I felt the pressure more when I was behind and trying to catch up honestly. It was the first time I led this season so that was good. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the pace at the end. I had worked my tires pretty hard early in the race.

“I want to thank BiiND.app for the sponsorship help and to McCumbee McAleer Racing for such a great car. I knew I didn’t have the car at the end, so when I had the chance, I had to take it to make passes. It can be hard to pass here—every inside turns into an outside—you have to go in deep because you are trying to hold the outside when some else is holding the inside and it can go on for more than one corner. I’m happy with the points in the bag. It was a good race and I’m happy to be back on the podium.”

Piscitell started sixth but showed tremendous race pace. He picked his way through the intense six-way battle for the podium and wrestled the final spot away from Wagner in the closing laps of the race.

“I’m pretty excited about it,” Piscitell said. “It feels like I’m long overdue. We’ve had a car for the podium multiple times, but we’ve had some issues here and there; some just bad luck, some my fault. I’m super happy to be here and represent Matty’s Light. I went conservative at the start of the race and gapped P6, and I tried to use the draft and not destroy the tires to save up for a hard charge at the end. I think I waited too long to try to charge back through at the end.”

Wagner eventually crossed the finish line in fourth. He will start on pole for Sunday’s Round Eight race.

Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) completed the top five. Thomas made contact with the tires in Friday’s practice and had to borrow another car to continue taking part in the weekend. Thomas qualified eighth and was on his own for much of the 45-minute race, but he was able to catch the lead pack just in time to finish fifth.

Carter finished sixth.

Luca Mars (No. 41 Copeland Motorsports) won the Hard Charger Award for advancing from 11th to 7th.

MX-5 Cup drivers will have the opportunity to take what they learned today and apply it to Sunday’s Round Eight race, which starts at a nearly identical time: 11:45am ET. The race will be streamed live on IMSA.com/tvlive and NBC Sports Gold TrackPass.

About: The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. Mazda-powered grassroots champions earn a Mazda scholarship to advance their career. The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup champion earns a $250,000 scholarship.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

Ladies Night: Brittany Force, Alexis DeJoria Lead Qualifying After Opening Round at NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals

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Official Release
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Brittany Force set track records in ET and speed with her 3.662 second, 333.08 mph pass during the opening round of qualifying at the NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals on Friday. (CMS/HHP photo)
  • Action continues Saturday with second and third-round qualifying; Tickets are still available as capacity limitations were lifted Friday as part of a new executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper

CONCORD, N.C. (May 14, 2021) — A pair of women ruled qualifying on Friday at zMAX Dragway, as Brittany Force and Alexis DeJoria powered to the provisional No. 1 spot in Top Fuel and Funny Car, respectively, during the opening round of qualifying at the NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte.

Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Joey Gladstone (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also provisional No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the fourth race of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. Qualifying continues on Saturday and zMAX Dragway will be able to operate at full capacity. After an executive order from Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday, grandstand limitations were lifted, allowing fans to return to zMAX Dragway without limitation.

Force put on a show under the lights on Friday in her 11,000-horsepower Flav-R-Pac dragster, going 3.662-seconds at 333.08 mph to make the quickest and fastest runs in zMAX Dragway history. Force, who also owns both ends of the national record, is in line to grab her second No. 1 qualifier of the 2021 season and 22nd in her career.

“I’m just pumped after a run like that,” Force said. “The four-wide race can be tough and tricky, and I just have to keep my focus. (Crew chief David) Grubnic said we were going to have a killer run, and Grubnic, Mac Savage, and all of my guys, I’m just so proud of them.”

Defending three-time world champ Steve Torrence is second, following Force’s blast with a pass of 3.683 at 316.97. Leah Pruett rounds out the top three after going 3.718 at 324.59. Six drivers made three-second runs under the lights on Friday.

After struggling in Atlanta, DeJoria redeemed herself in a major way in Funny Car, going 3.930 at 301.74 in her 11,000-horsepower ROKit Toyota Camry. If it holds, it would give DeJoria her first No. 1 qualifier this season and fifth in her career. DeJoria was the only driver in the class to make a three-second run on Friday, with drivers getting two more chances on Saturday. DeJoria will look to build on her run as well, while Mike McIntire is currently qualified second after his solid run of 4.019 at 313.15. Dave Richards is in the third spot. DeJoria and McIntire were the only drivers to make 300-mph runs as well.

Pro Stock points leader Anderson raced to the provisional No. 1 spot with a run of 6.524 at 210.50 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Should it hold, it would continue Anderson’s torrid start to the 2021 campaign and give him four straight No. 1 qualifiers this season and 110 in his standout career. Anderson, a four-time world champ, is also after his third win of the season in four races. Aaron Stanfield was a spot behind with a solid pass of 6.533 at 210.67 and Kyle Koretsky is currently third after going 6.535 at 210.87.

Joey Gladstone put on an impressive display in Pro Stock Motorcycle and is in line for his first career No. 1 qualifier. He went a career-best 6.763 at 198.58 on his Precision Service Equipment Suzuki, setting the track record at zMAX Dragway and giving him a great chance for his first top spot. Defending world champ and points leader Matt Smith broke the track speed record en route to the No. 2 spot, going 6.778 at 201.10. It also gives him the fifth-fastest run in Pro Stock Motorcycle history. Eddie Krawiec was a spot behind after his run of 6.828 at 201.07.

In E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series action, points leader Justin Bond is the current No. 1 qualifier after his run of 5.631 at 253.75. It is the second-quickest pass in class history.

Qualifying continues Saturday at the NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at 1:15 p.m. ET. Tickets are available at www.zmaxdragway.com.

CONCORD, N.C. — Results Friday after the first one of three rounds of qualifying for the 11th annual NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway, fourth of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.

Top Fuel — 1. Brittany Force, 3.662 seconds, 333.08 mph; 2. Steve Torrence, 3.683, 316.97; 3. Leah Pruett, 3.718, 324.59; 4. Antron Brown, 3.761, 285.95; 5. Josh Hart, 3.776, 324.44; 6. Clay Millican, 3.810, 312.57; 7. Doug Kalitta, 4.237, 222.47; 8. Billy Torrence, 5.200, 150.60; 9. Shawn Langdon, 6.049, 105.99; 10. Justin Ashley, 6.962, 85.17; 11. Doug Foley, 7.222, 87.67; 12. Arthur Allen, 7.435, 77.86; 13. Kyle Wurtzel, 7.669, 80.72; 14. Krista Baldwin, 8.067, 75.60; 15. Joe Morrison, 8.546, 75.73; 16. Mike Salinas, 9.107, 64.05.

Funny Car — 1. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Camry, 3.930, 301.74; 2. Mike McIntire, Camry, 4.019, 313.15; 3. Dave Richards, Ford Mustang, 6.857, 90.88; 4. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 7.366, 90.89; 5. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 7.584, 87.52; 6. Ron Capps, Charger, 7.676, 84.83; 7. Dale Creasy Jr., Charger, 7.788, 89.52; 8. J.R. Todd, Camry, 7.996, 81.66; 9. Cory Lee, Mustang, 8.168, 77.53; 10. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 8.228, 91.12; 11. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 8.230, 74.94; 12. Jim Campbell, Charger, 8.542, 68.16; 13. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 8.615, 51.30; 14. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 8.906, 84.28; 15. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 12.460, 77.35; 16. John Force, Camaro, 14.300, 70.63.

Pro Stock — 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.524, 210.50; 2. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.533, 210.67; 3. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.535, 210.87; 4. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.543, 210.21; 5. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.546, 210.87; 6. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.551, 211.06; 7. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.556, 210.05; 8. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.559, 209.82; 9. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.582, 210.31; 10. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Ford Mustang, 6.588, 209.79; 11. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.592, 210.50; 12. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.601, 210.73; 13. Cristian Cuadra, Mustang, 6.669, 207.18; 14. John Gaydosh Jr, Camaro, 6.955, 195.34; 15. Val Smeland, Camaro, 20.057, 22.97.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 6.763, 198.58; 2. Matt Smith, EBR, 6.778, 201.10; 3. Eddie Krawiec, Buell, 6.828, 201.07; 4. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.836, 197.33; 5. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.851, 196.44; 6. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.862, 194.72; 7. Angie Smith, EBR, 6.865, 195.19; 8. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 6.866, 195.59; 9. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.874, 194.72; 10. Cory Reed, Suzuki, 6.878, 197.16; 11. Andrew Hines, Buell, 6.914, 199.14; 12. Marc Ingwersen, Buell, 6.914, 195.99; 13. Chip Ellis, EBR, 6.918, 192.03; 14. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 7.053, 193.07; 15. Pablo Gonzalez, Buell, 7.077, 187.52; 16. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 7.080, 186.95. Not Qualified: 17. Ron Tornow, 7.126, 189.76; 18. Jerry Savoie, 7.145, 189.34; 19. Scotty Pollacheck, 7.497, 162.24; 20. Jianna Salinas, 17.439, 38.90; 21. Angelle Sampey, 49.388, 7.08; 22. David Barron, broke.

Henderson Earns Atlanta Speedwerks Third Consecutive IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Pole at Mid-Ohio

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Photo credit Daylon Barr Photography

Brian Henderson Will Start Saturday’s Race First in No. 84 Pagid/Sabelt Honda Civic TCR, Scott Smithson Seventh In TCR Class

LEXINGTON, Ohio (May 14, 2021) – Brian Henderson and Atlanta Speedwerks earned a third consecutive IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR Class pole on Friday at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in just three races and will start Saturday’s Mid-Ohio 120 on the front row. Teammate Scott Smithson, making his IMSA debut, will start the race seventh.

The two-hour Mid-Ohio 120, part of the Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio, will get the green flag at 3:35 p.m. ET on Saturday. The race can be seen live through TrackPass on the NBC Sports app.

Henderson drove the No. 84 Pagid/Sabelt Honda Civic TCR to the Motul Pole Award with a lap of 1:28.813 (91.526 mph) on the 2.258-mile circuit. That lap also set a new TCR class track record and is the third pole position for the car in as many races this season. Henderson’s co-driver Robert Noaker earned the pole in the season opener at Daytona, while Henderson set the mark at Sebring and now Mid-Ohio.

“We’re really happy to secure that third pole,” Henderson said. “There were a few other cars in contention, so I knew I needed to get as much as I could out of it at the end. I set up, got a big gap and just went for it. It was a pretty good lap and got on the pole. That’s three in a row for us and we’re really happy about that. We’re bringing that into this race and with some good luck and smart driving, we’ll bring it to the end and be on top.”

Smithson, who began racing in 2019 and is making his first IMSA start this weekend, will start seventh after a lap of 1:30.051 (90.268 mph). Smithson will share the No. 94 Dinner With Racers/Lemons of Love Honda Civic TCR with co-driver Ryan Eversley in the two-hour race. Smithson’s 15-minute qualifying session was cut one lap short when, on his final flying lap, he had a temporary issue with the steering wheel that left him just 0.102-second from improving all the way to fifth on the grid.

“It’s a brand-new track for me and being new to the sport it’s hard for me to get up to speed quick,” Smithson said. “That session felt a lot better than practice, I had to adjust a bunch of lines. In my last lap, where the steering wheel came off, I was throwing down a decent lap. I think we’re in good shape for tomorrow. I think we can click off good, solid laps for an hour and hand the car over to Ryan to bring it home.”

With qualifying complete, Atlanta Speedwerks turns its full attention to Saturday’s race. Eversley, who co-drove the opening two rounds with Greg Strelzoff, sits second in the Championship standings with the No. 84 car second in the team championship.

About Atlanta Speedwerks
Atlanta Speedwerks is a professional road racing team and prep shop, providing road racing services, car builds, roll cages, arrive and drive programs, and performance parts. Headquartered near Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the company runs winning arrive & drive programs in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, Mazda MX-5 Cup, Porsche Club of America and SCCA Spec Miata, among others. Professional coaching and driver development round out the company’s offerings.

Ty Gibbs earns first Monster Trophy in ‘General Tire 125’ ARCA Menards Series East race

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DOVER, Del. (May 14, 2021) – Last August, in another ARCA Menards Series East race, Ty Gibbs dominated at Dover before a late crash ended his chance for victory.

Gibbs made sure history did not repeat itself on Friday as another strong effort finally led to a Monster Trophy as he won the “General Tire 125” ARCA Menards Series East race at Dover International Speedway.

Gibbs started from the pole position and led all 125 laps on his way to the checkered flag. It is the first ARCA Menards Series East race in track history to have just one leader throughout the event.

“I’m really thankful to run here,” Gibbs said. “I learned a lot for tomorrow.”

The 18-year-old will start 14th in Saturday’s “Drydene 200” NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race (1:30 p.m., FS1).

Gibbs’ stiffest challenge came on the final restart on Lap 107, when he was side by side with Josh Berry for most of two laps before finally clearing him.

“I ran really hard and Josh ran hard,” Gibbs said. “There’s no other way to get by them.”

Gibbs, driving the No. 18 Toyota for his grandfather’s famed Joe Gibbs Racing team, beat Berry to the checkered flag. NASCAR Cup Series veteran David Gilliland was third, followed by ARCA Menards Series East points leader Sammy Smith in fourth and Max Gutierrez in fifth.

Some contenders had their race end before the final stages of the 125-lap event.

Jesse Love, the 2020 ARCA Menards Series West champion, completed just 20 laps before engine troubles forced his car to the garage.

Later, race officials added two extra competition cautions and granted each team four more tires to alleviate scarcity following early wear issues. Drew Dollar, Justin Carroll and Rajah Caruth all had tire issues before Lap 75 that led to hard, single-car crashes and ended their chances for a victory.

Nine cars finished on the lead lap, including Smith, who was two laps down early before finishing fourth.

Dover International Speedway’s NASCAR tripleheader weekend continues on Saturday with the “Drydene 200” NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race, followed by the “Drydene 400” NASCAR Cup Series race (2 p.m., FS1) on Sunday.

About Dover Motorsports, Inc.

Dover Motorsports, Inc. (NYSE: DVD) is a promoter of NASCAR sanctioned motorsports events whose subsidiaries own and operate Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del., and Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn. The company also plays host to the Firefly Music Festival, produced by AEG Presents. For more information, visit www.DoverMotorsports.com.

Grosjean Stuns Field with NTT P1 Award At GMR Grand Prix

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INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 14, 2021) – Talk about making an entrance.

Former Formula One driver Romain Grosjean won the NTT P1 Award for the GMR Grand Prix on Friday afternoon on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, making ripples across the motorsports world by earning his first career NTT INDYCAR SERIES pole in just his third start.

Rookie Grosjean turned a top lap of 1 minute, 9.4396 seconds in the No. 51 NURTEC ODT Honda during the Firestone Fast Six final round of qualifying. This was Grosjean’s first open-wheel pole since he claimed the top spot in GP2 — the final ladder series leading into Formula One — in May 2011 at Istanbul, Turkey.

Frenchman Grosjean, 35, came to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES this season with Dale Coyne Racing with RWR after 10 seasons in Formula One. His F1 career ended in a fiery crash last November in Bahrain in which he escaped an inferno with serious burns to his hands, endearing himself to fans around the world with his optimistic spirit during his recovery.

“Amazing,” Grosjean said. “When I saw the (first qualifying) group I was in, I was like, ‘Oh, dear, if we can get out of the first group, we’re going to be OK,’ and we did. That last few laps, we were on it. What a day for us.

“I’m happier than I have been in a very long time.”

Grosjean will lead the 25-car field to the green flag on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course Saturday afternoon. Live coverage of the 85-lap race starts at 2 p.m. (ET) on NBC and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Two-time series champion Josef Newgarden will join Grosjean on the front row after a top lap of 1:09.5665 in the No. 2 Snap-on Tools Team Penske Chevrolet. It’s Newgarden’s best starting position this season.

Jack Harvey continued his strong start to the season by qualifying third at 1:09.6528 in the No. 60 AutoNation/Sirius XM Honda. Season-opening race winner Alex Palou will start fourth after a lap of 1:09.7118 in the No. 10 The American Legion Honda.

Scott McLaughlin was the second rookie in the Firestone Fast Six, and he will start a season-best fifth after a lap of 1:09.7140 in the No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet. Conor Daly rounded out the top six at 1:09.8662 in the No. 20 MannKind Chevrolet, also his best qualifying performance this season.

This was the first INDYCAR pole for the Coyne team since 2018, when Sebastien Bourdais took the top spot at Phoenix Raceway.

“When you look at his resume and how great he was before he got into Formula One, and Formula One is such a team performance issue, we knew he could win races and we knew he could win poles,” team owner Dale Coyne said of Grosjean. “He’s proven it today.”

The Firestone Fast Six was almost as noteworthy for the drivers who didn’t make the cut as those who competed for the NTT P1 Award.

Four-time GMR Grand Prix pole winner Will Power didn’t advance to the final round after spinning between Turns 12 and 13 early during the second round of qualifying with a loose-handling No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet. 2014 series champion and three-time GMR Grand Prix winner Power will line up 12th, his lowest position in eight career starts in this event.

“At least we’re 12th – that’s better than St. Pete, 20th,” Power said. “It’s so crazy how the car can change so much from session to session. I made a mistake. I’m very frustrated at myself.”

A handful of other series heavyweights didn’t advance from the first round of qualifying, including the top two drivers in the championship standings, Scott Dixon and Pato O’Ward. Dixon will start 16th in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, while O’Ward will line up 18th in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

Also starting in the back half of the field are 2016 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Alexander Rossi (14th), reigning Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato (17th), 2012 series champion and 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay (19th) and four-time INDYCAR SERIES champion Bourdais (20th).

Qualifying Friday for the GMR Grand Prix NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on the 2.439-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, with qualifying position, car number in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, time and speed in parentheses:

  1. (51) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 1:09.4396 (126.447 mph)
  2. (2) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 1:09.5665 (126.216)
  3. (60) Jack Harvey, Honda, 1:09.6528 (126.060)
  4. (10) Alex Palou, Honda, 1:09.7118 (125.953)
  5. (3) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 1:09.7140 (125.949)
  6. (20) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 1:09.8662 (125.675)
  7. (21) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 1:09.8185 (125.760)
  8. (26) Colton Herta, Honda, 1:09.8222 (125.754)
  9. (18) Ed Jones, Honda, 1:09.8548 (125.695)
  10. (22) Simon Pagenaud, Chevrolet, 1:09.8722 (125.664)
  11. (15) Graham Rahal, Honda, 1:09.9060 (125.603)
  12. (12) Will Power, Chevrolet, No Time (No Speed)
  13. (7) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 1:09.8243 (125.750)
  14. (27) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 1:09.9012 (125.612)
  15. (8) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 1:09.8382 (125.725)
  16. (9) Scott Dixon, Honda, 1:09.9512 (125.522)
  17. (30) Takuma Sato, Honda, 1:09.8665 (125.674)
  18. (5) Pato O’Ward, Chevrolet, 1:10.0726 (125.304)
  19. (28) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Honda, 1:09.8759 (125.657)
  20. (14) Sebastien Bourdais, Chevrolet, 1:10.1830 (125.107)
  21. (11) Charlie Kimball, Chevrolet, 1:10.6810 (124.226)
  22. (29) James Hinchcliffe, Honda, 1:10.6174 (124.338)
  23. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Honda, 1:11.0455 (123.588)
  24. (4) Dalton Kellett, Chevrolet, 1:10.9312 (123.788)
  25. (86) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 1:11.1370 (123.429)

Harvey Qualifies Third at Indianapolis

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#60: Jack Harvey, Meyer Shank Racing Honda, crew members

Indianapolis, Ind. (14 May 2021) – Returning to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and the site of his first-ever INDYCAR Series podium, Jack Harvey was aiming to surpass his best qualifying run (second – 2020) and go for pole position on Friday.

After showing good speed in practice and once again making it into the Firestone Fast Six, Harvey and the Meyer Shank Racing No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda will roll off the grid third for Saturday’s GMR Grand Prix (2:00pm ET, NBC).

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and Harvey just go together like any great pairing. Since making his debut at the 2.439-mile road course, Harvey has proven that the No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda is a top contender among the fiercely competitive INDYCAR field.

Harvey scored his first INDYCAR Series podium at the iconic road course in 2019 (third) and he returns to the track with an eye on a breakthrough result this weekend.

Morning practice on Friday was a strong start for Harvey and the MSR crew, with the Brit closing out the session second fastest. The afternoon practice saw equally as strong pace for Harvey, closing out the practice run sixth.

Knowing the strength of his Honda powered Indy Car, Harvey went into qualifying with one thing in mind: pole position. Harvey advanced the No. 60 Honda through the first two qualifying rounds, resulting in Harvey making his ninth career appearance in the Firestone Fast Six.

With just six minutes on the clock in the final qualifying round Harvey idled in pit lane until being released to clock in two hot laps. Improving on his initial lap, Harvey ultimately finished third after posting a 1:09.652-second lap. Harvey has yet to qualify below seventh at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.

“Everyone at Meyer Shank Racing has been working really hard to have a good performance here,” said Harvey. “We started strong and there’s only one way to go, and that’s to keep going forward or at least maintain that pace. The team made good changes from each session to keep us competitive going into qualifying. Congratulations to Romain (Grosjean), that was an incredible lap that he put down and it shows just how competitive the field is. The No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda should have a good shot at tomorrow’s race and now we just need to execute.”

The GMR Grand Prix will be broadcast live on NBC starting at 2:00pm ET with the green flag set to fly at 2:30pm ET. Additional radio coverage will be available on SiriusXM Ch. 205.

RCR Event Preview – Dover International Speedway

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Official Release
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Richard Childress Racing at Dover International Speedway… Richard Childress Racing is no stranger to Victory Lane at Dover International Speedway, with four NASCAR Cup Series wins and three NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at the track affectionately known as the Monster Mile. The Welcome, N.C. organization has also captured 24 top-five and 58 top-10 finishes in the Cup Series at the concrete oval.

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Dover 200 at Dover International Speedway will be televised live Saturday, May 15, beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

The NASCAR Cup Series’ Dover 400 at Dover International Speedway will be televised live Sunday, May 16, beginning at 2 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Huk Fishing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Dover International Speedway… Dillon has 15 previous NASCAR Cup Series starts to his credit at Dover International Speedway, earning his best finish of seventh in October 2018 and finishing ninth in his most recent appearance at the track in August 2020. In eight previous NASCAR Xfinity Series appearances at the track, Dillon’s best finish is fourth in May 2015, and he is the June 2013 Xfinity Series pole sitter at the Monster Mile. The 2011 NASCAR Truck Series champion has two starts at the track in the Truck Series, earning his best finish of fourth in the May 2011 event. He also finished ninth at the track in a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race.

Welcome, Huk… Huk is the fastest-growing fishing brand with an authentic passion for its products and lifestyle. Based in Charleston, S.C., at the confluence of three major rivers and a stone’s throw from the Atlantic Ocean, Huk’s product developers enjoy a dizzying array of angling opportunities that help shape and mold its purpose-built fishing brand. Huk is a fast-growing brand with wide-reaching appeal that resonates with RCR’s fan base. Huk serves as the Official Gaiter of Richard Childress Racing. For more information, visit www.hukgear.com.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
Does Dover drive like a giant Bristol, or not so much?
“Not so much. There’s a lot of aero stuff that comes into play at Dover because you’re going so fast. You see different lines come into play as the rubber builds up. It’s always fun on a long run when you can run way up by the fence and find speed. I’m looking forward to it.”

How hard is that when you pick up rubber during the cautions?
“Yeah it’s just a process that we go through every week that we have to try and balance our car around. It can get difficult at times, but Dover is a place where it’s fun.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Cat Linkage Pins Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Dover International Speedway… Reddick has two previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Dover International Speedway, with his best finish of 13th coming last year. Reddick has five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the Monster Mile, earning his best finish of third in the series during the spring 2019 race under the direction of crew chief, Randall Burnett. Reddick also has one NASCAR Truck Series win at Dover from 2015.

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TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:
What are your expectations heading into Dover this weekend now that you have a couple of Cup starts there?
“To be honest, I really don’t know. As much as teams maybe want to look back at Bristol to make things better at Dover, I don’t know how much you really can. We just didn’t get it right for the doubleheader at Dover last year. We were decent in the first race but didn’t make the right adjustments for Day 2 and went the wrong way. That was low-downforce race last year, which we have again this year, so we’ll see how it goes. I’m hoping that some of the gains we made that made us really good at Bristol in the fall last year will apply to Dover for us this time around. I really like Dover and have had some good success there in the Trucks and Xfinity cars. Mistakes have just been made here and there along the way at Dover, but I’m hoping that narrative changes this weekend. I do love the track, and I love going up there. It’s a fast concrete oval, and it’s really demanding.”

Myatt Snider and the No. 2 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro at Dover International Raceway… Snider has two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Dover International Speedway, both coming in the doubleheader weekend in 2020. The 26-year-old has also competed in one NASCAR Truck Series event at the Monster Mile.

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MYATT SNIDER QUOTE:
Dover is a unique, concrete high-banked oval. How have you prepared to go there this weekend?
“Dover is unlike any track that we go to. Even though Bristol is also a concrete high-banked oval, there really aren’t a ton of comparisons when it comes to the driver perspective. The track surface typically allows you to have a couple different lanes, which is helpful. Andy Street (crew chief) and I have been working on the sim and watching film to prepare the best we can for Saturday’s race and I’m looking forward to slaying it.”

Dawn 150 Set for Friday, June 4 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

By
Official Release
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ARCA Menards Series Returning to Mid-Ohio after 55-year absence.

Toledo, Oh. (May 14th, 2021) – Stock car and road racing fans in the Midwest will have a convergence of sorts when the ARCA Menards Series returns to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the first time since 1965.

Cincinnati-based brand Dawn Dish, America’s #1 dish liquid, will be the entitlement sponsor of the Dawn 150, scheduled for Friday evening, June 4, on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course in Lexington, Ohio.

“We’re proud to join fans at the track and families at home for the Dawn 150 this year,” said Kristine Decker, Vice President of North America Dish Care at Procter & Gamble. “Our team at Dawn has spent decades making it faster and easier to get the dishes done, so you can spend less time at the sink, and more time enjoying American traditions like race day.”

The Dawn 150 will be the first ARCA Menards Series race at Mid-Ohio in 55 years, 10 months, and 11 days – or 20,404 days – breaking the record for longest interval between races at a single track in series history. The previous record was broken in 2020 when the series returned to Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee for the first time since 1969, a gap of 51 years and 4 months, which translates to 18,751 days.

“We are ecstatic to be back in central Ohio for the first time in many seasons,” said ARCA president Ron Drager. “We raced at the now-closed Mansfield Motorsports Park a couple of times about a decade ago, and we’ve had a lot of great conversations with the team at Mid-Ohio in recent years. Ohio is a great state for motorsports, and we have a lot of great fans in the central part of the state. We were all set to return last year before the pandemic put the brakes on our plans. It’s been a long time since our last visit there and we’re ready to go back and write another chapter in the history books to go with Jack Bowsher’s win there in 1965.”

Series Title Sponsor Menards is also excited to have ARCA racing at Mid-Ohio.

“Central Ohio is a huge market for Menards and all of the vendor partners that support the ARCA Menards Series,” said Jeff Abbott, promotions manager for Menards. “Stock cars have been putting on a great show there for the last several seasons and we’re looking forward to a full weekend of action now with the ARCA Menards Series on Friday and the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Saturday. We encourage all of the fans in and around central Ohio to stop by their local Menards stores and “Save Big Money” on discounted tickets to both races.”

The legendary Jack Bowsher won in the ARCA Menards Series’ only previous visit to the winding road course located Lexington, about an hour north of Columbus and about two hours south and east of ARCA’s home offices just north of Toledo. That race was a 250-mile affair that took over three hours to complete, with Bowsher eclipsing Les Snow, Jack Shanklin, Elmer Davis, and Benny Parsons at the finish.

“We are thrilled to have the legendary ARCA Menards Series return to Mid-Ohio during our 60th season of racing in 2021 with the support of a great Ohio brand like Dawn,” said Craig Rust, president of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. “The Dawn 150 is going to provide some thrilling racing action featuring the future stars of NASCAR for our fans on Friday late afternoon, then we have the B&L Transport 170 NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday to wrap up an exceptional weekend of racing.”

The Dawn 150 will be televised live on FS1 and broadcast live on MRN Radio. The ARCA Menards Series Dawn 150 will serve as a prelude to the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday, June 5. For updated event information, please visit ARCARacing.com and midohio.com.

About ARCA: The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly racing all across the country, the organization is scheduled to administer more than 100 events in multiple racing series in 2020, including the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, the ARCA/CRA Super Series, and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.  For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing). 

About Menards: A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states.  Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building.  You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more.  To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!   

Menards has what you need to complete your outdoor projects and keep your yard in tip-top shape including mowers, trimmers, blowers, pressure washers and more, plus a beautiful garden center stocked with plants, shrubs, trees, landscaping tools, grass seed, fertilizer options, outdoor décor and patio furniture.  Menards also has everyday essentials like health & beauty products, housewares, pet and wildlife supplies, automotive items and even groceries.  And at Christmas, an Enchanted Forest display area with impressive trees, lighting, decorations, ornaments, inflatables and more.   

Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too!  For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services. 

About Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course:  A comprehensive motorsports facility in Lexington, Ohio, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course sits on 380 acres and features a permanent road-racing circuit with two primary race track configurations: 2.4-mile, 15-turn or 2.258-mile, 13-turn layout. Located 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland near Mansfield, the natural terrain road course is commonly referred to as the “Most Competitive in the U.S.” and annually hosts a diversity of locally, regionally and nationally sanctioned race events for amateur, club and professional drivers and riders. It is also home to The Mid-Ohio School, featuring over 20 driving and riding courses, for teenagers to professional racers using Honda vehicles. Opened in 1962, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course has been owned and operated by Green Savoree Mid-Ohio, LLC since 2011, just the raceway’s third private ownership group in its history. 

For more information, visit midohio.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @MidOhioSportsCarCourse or follow updates on Twitter @Mid_Ohio and Instagram @officialmidohio. 

Weekend schedule for Dover

By
Angie Campbell
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Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick lead the field during the NASCAR Cup Series Drydene 311 at Dover International Speedway on August 23, 2020 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

The NASCAR Cup Series and the Xfinity Series travel to Dover International Speedway this weekend. The Camping World Truck Series has the week off but will return May 22 for the Toyota Tundra 225 at Circuit of The Americas.

There have been 10 different Cup Series winners in 12 races this season with Martin Truex Jr. the only multi-race winner with three victories.

Four active drivers are tied with the most wins at Dover. Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Ryan Newman each have three wins.

All eyes will be on JR Motorsports driver Noah Garson as he attempts to sweep the Dash 4 Cash Xfinity Series races. Since the multi-round format was established in 2011, no driver has ever won all the rounds in a season.

There will be no practice or qualifying sessions due to COVID-19 protocols established by NASCAR.

Truex (Cup) and Daniel Hemric (Xfinity) have been awarded the pole starting positions for their respective series based on the formula below.

The starting lineups will be determined by the following metrics formula:

• 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
• 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
• 35 percent: Team owner points ranking
• 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race
All times are Eastern.

Saturday, May 15

1:10 p.m.: Driver Intros (Drivers Standing By Cars)
1:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Drydene 200 (Green flag 1:41)
200 miles (200 Laps)
Stage 1 ends on Lap 45, Stage 2 ends on Lap 90, Final Stage ends on Lap 200
FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Pole: Daniel Hemric

Sunday, May 16

1:40 p.m.: Driver Intros (Drivers Standing By Cars)
2 p.m.: Cup Series Drydene 400 (Green flag 2:11)
The Place: Dover International Speedway
400 miles (400 laps)
Stage 1 ends on Lap 120, Stage 2 ends on Lap 240, Final Stage ends on Lap 400
FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Pole: Martin Truex Jr.

Dover International Speedway:
“Season Race #: 13 of 36 (05-16-21)
Track Size: 1-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 24 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 9 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  1,076 feet
Backstretch Length:  1,076 feet
Race Length: 311 laps / 311 miles
Stage 1 and 2 Length: 120 laps each
Final Stage Length: 160 laps

Dover International Speedway Qualifying Information:
Track qualifying record: Denny Hamlin, Toyota 166.984 mph, (21.559 secs.) on Oct. 5, 2019.
2020 Dover pole winner: Qualifying was canceled due to pandemic – Chase Elliott started on pole.

  • Kurt Busch leads all active series drivers in starts at Dover with 41 starts.
  • Kyle Larson leads all active drivers in the series in an average starting position at Dover with a 7.8 in 13 starts.
  • 42 different NCS drivers have won the pole at Dover and eight pole winners are active this weekend.  Denny Hamlin (4), Ryan Newman (4), Martin Truex Jr, (3), Chase Elliott (1), Kyle Larson (1), Kyle Busch (1), Brad Keselowski (1), and Kevin Harvick (1).
  • The youngest series Dover pole winner is Chase Elliott (May 3, 2019 – 23 years, 5 months, 8 days).
  • The oldest series Dover pole winner is Mark Martin (June 1, 2012 – 53 years, 4 months, 23 days).
  • 10 drivers have won consecutive poles at Dover and the two active drivers this weekend are Ryan Newman (fall 2005, spring 2006), and Denny Hamlin (fall 2012, spring 2013).

Dover International Speedway Race Information:
Track race record: Kyle Larson, Chevrolet 135.734 mph, (02:56:49) on Oct. 6, 2019.
2020 Dover race winner: Denny Hamlin, Toyota 124.359 mph, (02:30:03), Aug. 22, 2020

  • 38 different NCS drivers have won at Dover and nine are active this weekend.  Kevin Harvick (3), Martin Truex Jr. (3), Kyle Busch (3), Ryan Newman (3), Denny Hamlin (1), Kyle Larson (1), Chase Elliott (1), Brad Keselowski (1), and Kurt Busch (1).
  • Jimmie Johnson leads the NCS in wins at Dover with 11 victories.
  • The youngest Dover race winner is Chase Elliott (October 7, 2018 – 22 years, 10 months, 0 days).
  • 13 of the 102 (12.7%) NCS races at Dover have been won from the pole or first starting position but the second place starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (20) than any other starting position.
  • Ryan Newman is the only active driver entered this weekend that has won from the pole in the NCS at Dover on June 1, 2003.
  • The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started at Dover is 26th, by Martin Truex Jr.
  • Hendrick Motorsports has the most wins at Dover in the NCS with 20 victories among six drivers.
  • Nine different manufacturers have won in the NCS at Dover.  It’s led by Chevrolet with 41 victories, followed by Ford with 27, Dodge (seven), Mercury (seven), Toyota (seven), Pontiac (six), Buick (three), Oldsmobile (two) and Plymouth (two).
  • Kyle Larson leads all active drivers in the NCS in average finishing position at Dover with a 7.4 in 13 starts.
  • Kevin Harvick leads all active series drivers in laps led at Dover with 1,666 in 41 races.

Top 12 Dover Driver Ratings:
Kyle Busch – 103.5
Kyle Larson – 103.3
Martin Truex Jr. – 101.2
Kevin Harvick – 98.6
Brad Keselowski – 93.2
Chase Elliott – 91.5
Cole Custer – 89.2
Denny Hamlin – 88.9
Kurt Busch – 87.2
|Joey Logano – 86.8
Ryan Blaney – 84.1
Erik Jones – 83.3

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (32 total) among active drivers at Dover International Speedway.

Adam Lemke joins Rette Jones Racing

By
Official Release
-

MOORESVILLE, N.C.: Officials from Rette Jones Racing (RJR) announced today that former USAC Midget standout Adam Lemke has joined the team for select races in the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown beginning at Toledo Speedway on May 22.

The Hollister, Calif. native joins the Mooresville, N.C.-based team on the heels of two years of CARS Late Model Stock competition where he earned a career-best third at Orange County (N.C.) Speedway in 2019.

Lemke has been winning championships for more than half his 18 years, starting in Quarter Midgets at age eight and rising through the Mini Cup ranks. In 2017, he graduated to the USAC Western Midget Series and finished second in overall points and clinched the Rookie of the Year award.

In 2018, he won both the pavement and overall championships in the USAC Western Midget Series, as well as Rookie of the Year honors in the RPM Pro Late Model Series at Madera (Calif.) Speedway.

He graduated to the immensely popular and competitive CARS Tour where he joined JR Motorsports and competed in nine of the 11 CARS Late Model Stock events and finished 11th in the championship standings.

Most of Lemke’s racing efforts for 2020 were sidelined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he did compete in a few CARS Tour races, as well as competed for Hawk McCall Motorsports in the NASCAR Advanced Auto Parts Weekly Series.

This year in addition to running the ARCA Menards Series Chief Showdown Series and select ARCA East and West event for RJR, he will continue a modest presence on the West Coast in Pro Late Model races with Naake-Klauer Motorsports.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity to join Rette Jones Racing and compete in the ARCA Menards Series this season,” said Lemke. “The team has already won this year, so it is a goal of mine to keep adding checkered flags to their year.

“I am going to be racing at tracks where I don’t have any experience, but I have confidence in Mark and the team and our ability to be successful right out of the box. I’m looking forward to Toledo and the rest of the races in 2021.”

Co-team owner and crew chief Mark Rette is looking forward to working with Lemke and putting results on the table.

“Rette Jones Racing is thrilled to welcome Adam to the team,” offered Rette. “He is focused on making his transition to ARCA a successful and we are honored that he has entrusted Rette Jones Racing to lead his career.

“Toledo has been a good track to Rette Jones Racing over the year and we look forward to continuing that same path in a few weeks – as well as the rest of the 2021 season.”

RJR is co-owned by Canadian entrepreneur and former race car driver Terry Jones.

Additional details on Lemke’s 2021 program are forthcoming.
For more on Adam Lemke, please visit like him on Facebook (Adam Lemke) or follow him on Twitter (@AdamLemkeRacing).

For more on Rette Jones Racing, please visit RetteJonesRacing.com, like them on Facebook (Rette Jones Racing) or follow them on Twitter (@RetteJones30).

About Rette Jones Racing:

Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, Rette Jones Racing (RJR) was founded in 2015 with the intent of building a successful racing operation built around the fundamentals of hard work and a never give up attitude.

Owned by racers Terry Jones and Mark Rette, RJR plan to field a full-time entry in 2021 in the ARCA Menards Series East, while also hopeful to field vehicles in the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS).

The winning ARCA East team also offers technical and setup intel as part of its technical alliance partnership program.

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