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Sheehan’s Top Ten Charge Halted Early at Road Atlanta

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Official Release
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Braselton, GEORGIA – March 29, 2021 – Tom Sheehan’s bid for a second top ten finish this season was halted prematurely on Sunday, March 28 through no fault of the driver himself. An electronic control unit problem and harness issue caused him to retire after 26 laps. The LTK Ford Mustang was lying in 11th place at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta inside a field of 26 TA2 cars and poised for a typical late charge at the leaderboard.

Tom reported the oil pressure, rockers and mechanicals to be fine but the problem with the ECU meant the car was running on only 4 cylinders – giving him no choice but to coast into the pits. It was a disappointing end to the weekend for Tom who had worked his way into contention and was beginning to shake his way up the field.

It was a dramatic weekend at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with torrential rain lashing the track at the start of the TA Class race but by the time the TA2 grid had assembled for the second round of the 2021 Trans Am presented by Pirelli Championship season the track was dry, enabling the cars to start on slick tires.

Tom and his dedicated LTK team at Damon Racing will regroup now and set their sights on the long haul from their Granite State headquarters all the way to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in California for Round 3 of this year’s TA2 Championship. It’s perhaps important at a time like this to remember that we’re very fortunate to be racing in the current situation, while the race commentators (including Adam Andretti) on the broadcast coverage highlighted how much fun Tom said he has racing and being at the track when they name checked the Ironman mid-race.

Keep up with Trans Am driver Tom Sheehan on social media – Facebook page is Damon Racing, Instagram @TomSheehanTA97 and Twitter @TomTA2_97.

For more information on LTK Insulation Technologies please visit the website online at https://ltkinsulationtechnologies.com/

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DGR NCWTS Race Recap: Bristol Motor Speedway

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Official Release
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Monday, March 29 (originally scheduled Saturday, March 27)
Track: Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, .5-mile oval
Event: Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt (150 laps, 75 miles)

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Monster Energy F-150
Start: 22nd
Finish: 19th

  • During the first caution on lap 12, Deegan reported her F-150 was tight while in the 22nd spot.
  • Deegan ended Stage 1 in 16th and pitted during the break for adjustments to help with her drive off.
  • She started the second stage from 13th. Nine laps into the stage, the caution was displayed again and Deegan reported she needed more lateral grip. The Monster Energy driver stayed out on the track and restarted in the same position.
  • Throughout several cautions in the stage, Deegan steadily remained within the top-16. The Ford driver ended the stage in 14th. During the stage break, she came in for adjustments to give her more grip.
  • Deegan started Stage 3 from the 15th spot. With 50 laps to go, the caution was displayed with Deegan in the 16th position. Throughout several more cautions to end the stage, Deegan remained in the top-20. The track continued to dry out in the closing laps and it became more difficult to pass which relegated Deegan to a 19th-place finish.

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150
Start: 18th
Finish: 13th

  • Gray lined up 18th for the initial start and quickly used the high line to advance to 14th. While attempting to pass for 13th, he spun to the inside of the track to avoid contact.
  • The No. 15 Ford Performance F-150 restarted 36th and would finish there in Stage 1 after making contact with the outside wall caused the handling to fade.
  • At the stage break, the team changed tires, added fuel and made damage repairs to the right front suspension. Positions could not be gained on pit road, so the No. 15 restarted in the 36th position for Stage 2.
  • Caution flag waved nine laps into the stage and Gray had advanced up to 24th. A series of cautions throughout the remainder of the stage made it tough to gain positions, but Gray managed to advance three more spots to finish Stage 2 in 21st.
  • Green flag waved for the final stage on lap 92 and the No. 15 was up to 17th within the opening seven laps. When the caution came out on lap 117, Gray was up to 14th and continued to battle for position over the remaining 25 circuits. He would ultimately finish 13th as the highest-finishing F-150 for DGR.

Kevin Harvick, No. 17 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford F-150
Start: 30th
Finish: 15th

  • Harvick started the event from the 30th position and made his way forward throughout the stage. At the end of the stage, the Hunt Brothers Pizza driver reported he needed more forward drive. He pitted from 17th for service.
  • In Stage 2, the Ford driver continued his march forward in the F-150 and ended Stage 2 15th. Harvick visited pit road for service during the stage break.
  • Harvick started the final stage from 16th. With just under 30 laps to go in the event, Harvick was in the top-10. On the last restart late in the race, the inside lane got bottled up which caused Harvick to lose track position and ultimately finish 15th.

Next event: ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia on April 17 at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Toyota Racing NCWTS Post-Race Recap — Bristol 3.29.21

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Official Release
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TRUEX DRIVES TO FIRST TRUCK SERIES WIN
NASCAR Cup Champion Martin Truex Jr. drives to victory in first Truck Series start since 2006

BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 29, 2021) – Martin Truex Jr. scored his first career NASCAR Truck Series victory on the dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway on Monday afternoon. Truex becomes the 36th driver in NASCAR history to win a race in all three national series. It is the third consecutive win for Kyle Busch Motorsports and the fifth consecutive for Toyota to open the 2021 Truck Series season.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt
Race 5 of 23 – 150 Laps, 75 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
2nd, BEN RHODES
3rd, Raphael Lessard*
4th, Todd Gilliland*
5th, Chase Briscoe*
6th, GRANT ENFINGER
9th, AUSTIN HILL
11th, BUBBA WALLACE
12th, STEWART FRIESEN
14th, MATT CRAFTON
28th, MIKE MARLAR
32nd, JOHNNY SAUTER
34th, CHANDLER SMITH
36th, DANNY BOHN
38th, DEREK KRAUS
39th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 51 Auto Owners Insurance Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 1st

How exciting was that Martin?

“It’s unbelievable really. I guess they had to put dirt on Bristol to get me back into victory lane here. It’s been a long time. That was a blast. I’m still really surprised. I wanted to run this race so I could get more experience for the Cup car, and then we got out there in practice and it felt really good and I was having a lot of fun, so I just kept trying to work with the guys and tell them what I needed, and just thanks to Auto Owners, Noble Aerospace, Toyota, TRD, everybody at KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) for letting me drive this thing and putting this deal together. That was a blast. I kept thinking, ‘what’s going to happen next, am I going to get a flat tire or something stupid?’ This 51 is pretty much used to finishing in victory lane, so a lot of pressure there, so I’m glad we could get it done.”

What did you learn that you can take to the Cup race this afternoon?

“I learned a lot. It was really amazing just how much the track changed, but I’ll have to say this thing stayed really, really good the whole time. I think if you’ve got a good car, you are going to be good all day long. It just depends on what they do to the track. It’s getting hotter, it’s going to keep drying out and get slicker, so we will see what they do to prep it, but no matter what they do, that was a blast and I’m looking forward to this afternoon.”

Did you expect to win here today?

“You always expect to win when you come to the race track. I’m pleasantly surprised to say the least. We came here this weekend and I wanted to run this truck just to get some experience and try to help with the Cup car. Who would have thought that I would get my first Truck Series victory on dirt. Really happy for the opportunity. Thankful to Auto Owners Insurance, Noble Aerospace and obviously Kyle (Busch, team owner) and everybody at KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) for putting this deal together and letting me do this – Toyota, TRD. This was a lot of fun. We weren’t supposed to come here and win. That’s really the icing on the cake. Now I’ve got my truck win that I’ve been thinking about wanting to go after. Really, really cool and still a little bit surprised. What an awesome job these guys did with this truck. Made the right adjustments for today. I told them a few things I wanted to change from practice, he (Marty Lindley, crew chief) changed a few things himself. Marty Lindley (crew chief), he’s an old veteran. He did a heck of a job and that was a lot of fun.”

How did reality differ from your initial expectations of how this race would go?

“I really just had an open mind about it. I thought that any time we go and do something new and different, it’s always fun. Even though I don’t have a lot of experience doing this, I looked at it as, ‘Hey, Bristol hasn’t been a great place for me anyway, let’s put dirt down and see how it goes.’ The little time I’ve spent in dirt vehicles, which is not much at all, I really enjoyed myself. That was one thing I was looking at and thinking. Every time I got on dirt in something, I had a lot of fun. I just approached this weekend as let’s go have some fun, let’s try to figure it out as quickly as we can and that’s why I ran the truck. Clearly, we had a good truck and we figured it out and here we are. Just a blast and thankful for everybody for making it happen.”

What types of things did you learn to apply to this afternoon’s Cup Series race?

“I learned a ton. Obviously, the track changed a huge amount and my wish is that they could put it back to the way we started this race because that’s what really made it fun. You could move around early in the race, especially make moves and we went from 15th to the lead in 15 or 20 laps. You could move around on the race track a little bit more than you could at the end. Hopefully, they’ll do some more work and get it back closer to what it was. By the end of our race, it’s going to be super slick. It’s going to be really black all the way around and guys are going to have their hands full. It’s going to be fun.”

BEN RHODES, No. 99 Bombardier Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing
Finishing Position: 2nd

Do you think the missed shift on that last restart cost you an opportunity at going for the win?

“We were running him (Martin Truex Jr.) back down those last few laps, but yeah, just the worst restart of my life. Early in the race, I had an issue of getting it into fourth gear, and missed a shift early on and really didn’t think anything of it. I had clean shifts afterwards, and then just missed it. Bummer for my guys. That is as close as I’ve been at Bristol to winning here and it was on the dirt, so they gave me a great Bombardier Tundra. I’m just a little angry at myself. I think I could have brought them home a trophy, but big picture, I know the 51 (Truex) is kind of doing their thing, but for the overall championship for us, this is a huge race. I know that a few of our competitors had a bad day. At the end of the day, still really solid. We came here and did exactly what we said we wanted to do. We hit all of our goals, just sucks to be the first loser.”

GRANT ENFINGER, No. 98 Champion Power Equipment Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing
Finishing Position: 6th

How was your race as a whole?

“Overall, it was solid. We fired off decent in our Champion Tundra right there when the track was tacky, I made it up to fourth or fifth. Then we faded back a little bit. It seemed like we were a sixth to eighth place truck it felt like, so we decided to go back on adjustments to what we felt like the race track was going to go towards, which is slick off and get dusty. After that, I still felt like we were maybe a sixth to eighth place truck. We decided to stay out there at the end of stage two and see what a little track position did for us. I think it worked out. I don’t think we had anything for Ben (Rhodes) or (Martin) Truex, but I think we could have run with everyone else and just ended up sixth. Not ecstatic, but overall satisfied. I think we made the most of it and now me and Jerod (Prince, crew chief) will talk about it and try to make it better for Knoxville.”

AUSTIN HILL, No. 16 United Rentals Toyota Tundra, Hattori Racing Enterprises
Finishing Position: 9th

How did you feel the race track was today overall?

“The track was pretty good when we first started. I kind of thought that it might be a little muddy, but it turned out that the track was pretty good and ready to go. Our United Rentals Toyota Tundra fired off really well. I was just trying to figure the track out, I’m not a dirt guy so trying to figure it out. Lost some track position on a couple restarts. It seemed like the bottom lane, I could just never get going and it took our truck three or four laps to get going. There at the end, it just came down to that last restart and I got in line. I started finding some lanes that were working for me, but just kind of ran out of time there. I felt like I was faster than the three or four in front of me, but solid points day. Coming into this thing, I wasn’t expecting a top-10 so it’s nice to get a top-10. After as good as we ran, I wanted to win. We’ll go onto the next one and try to do a little better on this dirt stuff.”

About Toyota

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

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

Martin Truex Jr. wins the Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt at Bristol

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Official Release
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BRISTOL, TENNESSEE - MARCH 29: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #51 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 29, 2021 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

In defiance of conventional wisdom, it wasn’t an experienced dirt racer who won Monday’s twice-rain-delayed Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Nor was it a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular who took the checkered flag.

When the dust settled, Martin Truex Jr. was the unlikely occupant of Victory Lane—and a dominant one at that. Racing in the Camping World Truck Series for the first time since 2006, Truex led 105 of the 150 laps in an action-filled race that featured 12 cautions for 54 laps and saw pre-race favorite Kyle Larson and series leader John Hunter Nemechek in the garage with wrecked trucks at the finish.

It was the first career win for Truex in his third career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start, but it was the third straight victory this season for a Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota—and 83rd overall. Truex is the 35th driver to win in all three of NASCAR’s top touring series.

“It’s unbelievable, really,” said Truex, who was using the Truck Series race to prepare for the NASCAR Cup Series event later on Monday afternoon. “I guess they had to put dirt on Bristol to get me back to Victory Lane here. It’s been a long time. Man, that was a blast.

“I wanted to run this race so I could get more experience with the Cup car, and we got out there in practice and it felt really good. And I was having a lot of fun, so I just kept trying to work with the guys and tell them what I needed. It was really amazing how much the track changed, but I will have to say the (No. 51 Tundra) stayed really, really good the whole time.”

Truex took control of the race after reigning series champion Sheldon Creed led Laps 2 through 39. Ben Rhodes lined up beside Truex on the front row for the final restart on Lap 139 but missed a shift, dropped briefly to third and fought his way back to the runner-up spot.

Rhodes finished 1.149 seconds behind Truex, with Todd Gilliland coming home third and Chase Briscoe and Grant Enfinger completing the top five.

“We were running them back down there the last few laps, but, yeah, just the worst restart of my life,” Rhodes said. “Early in the race, I had an issue of getting it into fourth gear and missed a shift early on, but I really didn’t think nothing of it and had clean shifts afterwards—and then just missed it. Bummer for my guys, but the closest I’ve been to winning here at Bristol was on the dirt.”

Nemechek exited after a Lap 49 crash, spinning after contact from Matt Crafton’s Ford and sustaining heavy damage when the No. 19 of Derek Kraus slid into his No. 4 Toyota as it sat near the outside wall of the half-mile high-banked speedway.

Larson was unable to avoid the slow truck of Mike Marlar on Lap 99 and sustained extensive damage to his No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet after heavy contact with the No. 30 Toyota of Danny Bohn in the same incident.

“My spotter said they were slowing down the backstretch, and a I saw some trucks slowing on the bottom, so I was running the top,” said Larson, who was set to start the subsequent NASCAR Cup Series race from the rear of the field because of an engine change in his No. 5 Chevrolet. “I thought ‘I’m going to get a lot of spots here in (Turn) 3.’ So I ended up top, and there was somebody parked there.

“We were fighting. Our truck wasn’t very great, but we were making adjustments on it… I still learned something for the Cup race, which was nice… learned how to pass people, so starting in the back, that’s a help.”

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will return to action on April 17 at Richmond Raceway for the ToyotaCare 250 (1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race – Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt

Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt
Bristol, Tennessee
Monday, March 29, 2021
(15) Martin Truex Jr.(i), Toyota, 150.
(9) Ben Rhodes, Toyota, 150.
(29) Raphael Lessard, Chevrolet, 150.
(13) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 150.
(33) Chase Briscoe(i), Ford, 150.
(8) Grant Enfinger, Toyota, 150.
(6) Zane Smith, Chevrolet, 150.
(16) Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 150.
(2) Austin Hill, Toyota, 150.
(17) Austin Wayne Self, Chevrolet, 150.
(32) Bubba Wallace(i), Toyota, 150.
(7) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 150.
(18) Tanner Gray, Ford, 150.
(4) Matt Crafton, Toyota, 150.
(30) Kevin Harvick(i), Ford, 150.
(3) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 150.
(26) Daniel Suarez(i), Chevrolet, 150.
(23) Chase Purdy #, Chevrolet, 150.
(22) Hailie Deegan #, Ford, 150.
(14) Ryan Truex, Chevrolet, 150.
(11) Carson Hocevar #, Chevrolet, 150.
(37) Myatt Snider(i), Chevrolet, 150.
(24) Tate Fogleman, Chevrolet, 150.
(10) Brett Moffitt, Chevrolet, 150.
(31) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 150.
(34) Cody Erickson, Chevrolet, 150.
(20) Codie Rohrbaugh, Chevrolet, 150.
(38) Mike Marlar(i), Chevrolet, 148.
(36) Jake Griffin, Toyota, 147.
(27) Timothy Peters, Chevrolet, 147.
(40) Andrew Gordon, Chevrolet, 144.
(5) Johnny Sauter, Toyota, Accident, 124.
(35) Jennifer Jo Cobb, Chevrolet, Electrical, 120.
(21) Chandler Smith #, Toyota, Accident, 117.
(28) Kyle Larson(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 98.
(25) Danny Bohn, Toyota, Accident, 98.
(39) Norm Benning, Chevrolet, Parked, 72.
(12) Derek Kraus, Toyota, Accident, 49.
(1) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, Accident, 48.
(19) Tyler Ankrum, Chevrolet, Accident, 34.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 41.096 mph.

Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 49 Mins, 30 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.149 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 12 for 54 laps.

Lead Changes: 11 among 6 drivers.

Lap Leaders: J. Nemechek 0;A. Hill 1;S. Creed 2-39;M. Truex Jr.(i) 40-41;S. Friesen 42;M. Truex Jr.(i) 43-57;B. Rhodes 58;M. Truex Jr.(i) 59-75;B. Rhodes 76-77;M. Truex Jr.(i) 78-91;G. Enfinger 92-93;M. Truex Jr.(i) 94-150.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Martin Truex Jr.(i) 5 times for 105 laps; Sheldon Creed 1 time for 38 laps; Ben Rhodes 2 times for 3 laps; Grant Enfinger 1 time for 2 laps; Austin Hill 1 time for 1 lap; Stewart Friesen 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 51,2,21,52,4,16,99,88,98,13

Stage #2 Top Ten: 51,99,16,04,2,38,52,24,22,98

Rusty’s “The Last Ride” NASCAR Dodge at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is Vintage Motorsport Magazine’s March/April Cover Car

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Official Release
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2005 Team Penske Miller Lite Dodge is Second Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Treasure Featured on Vintage Motorsport Cover in Last Four Issues

Top Automotive Photographer Peter Harholdt Shot it on Location at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America at Daytona International Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (March 29, 2021) – The 2005 Team Penske Miller Lite Dodge that 2014 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) Inductee Rusty Wallace drove in the “The Last Ride” of his championship-winning NASCAR career is the featured cover car in the March/April issue of Vintage Motorsport Magazine.

Rusty has owned the Dodge ever since his longtime team owner Roger Penske (MSHFA Class of 1995) gave the Charger to him minutes after he took the checkered flag for the final time in the season-ending 2005 NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Active in the MSHFA and Museum since his induction, Rusty supported from the beginning the Hall’s move from Detroit to Daytona International Speedway (DIS) six years ago. His Dodge has been on loan and showcased in the Stock Cars display at the MSHFA Museum since it reopened on the DIS grounds in 2016.

The national spotlight now shines once again on Rusty’s “Blue Deuce” and the MSHFA thanks to Vintage Motorsport.

The current issue’s cover story is a 7-page Salon written by Ted West and lavishly illustrated with many additional examples of the excellent work of top automotive photographer Peter Harholdt. The video below by Harholdt and Brian Dooley gives viewers an inside look at the January photo shoot at the MSHFA and the clever “trick of the trade” Harholdt used to capture the true beauty of the blue No. 2.

“The modular lighting process is a digital and PhotoShop variation on the ‘paint light’ technique developed by 19th century photographers to illuminate large spaces or objects with limited artificial light sources,” Harholdt said. “Projects like the Penske Dodge can be done with a minimum of equipment and, although it requires much more post-production work, its flexibility offers many advantages over working in conventional studios.”

The current feature is the second time in the last four issues that a car on display at the MSHFA has been the subject of a Vintage Motorsport cover story. The September/October issue featured a 1972 NASCAR Cup Series championship-winning Dodge Charger campaigned by Richard Petty (MSHFA Class of 1989). Owned by John Kyle, the famous No. 43 is exhibited a few steps from Rusty’s Dodge.

“To have not one but two cover stories in Vintage Motorsport within the past 12 months is testament to the types of vehicles and artifacts we have to share with our guests every day here at the Hall of Fame in Daytona Beach,” said MSFHA President George Levy. “As the ‘Journal of Motor Racing History,’ it is clear Vintage Motorsport shares our commitment to preserve the history, legacy and achievements of motorsports competitors from all disciplines. We thank Paul Pfanner, D. Randy Riggs and everyone at Racer Media & Marketing and VM for their support of our shared passion.”

For more information, visit the MSHFA at www.mshf.com or contact George Levy at (248) 895-1704 or glevy@mshf.com. For MSHFA tickets, call 1-800-PIT-SHOP.

The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MotorsportsHOF/ and Instagram and Twitter at @MotorsportsHOF.

About the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America: The MSHFA is the only hall that honors all American motorsports: cars, motorcycles, airplanes, off road and powerboats. Its mission is to celebrate and instill the American motorsports values of leadership, creativity, originality, teamwork and spirit of competition. Founded by Larry G. Ciancio and Ronald A. Watson, it held its first induction in 1989. Wason spent the next 30 years tirelessly building it into the nation’s premier such hall until his passing in 2019. The original museum in Novi, Mich., relocated to Daytona Beach, Fla., in 2016 and greets more than 100,000 guests a year. MSHFA is operated by the nonprofit Motorsports Museum and Hall of Fame of America Foundation, Inc.

Bahrain Grand Prix preview: Have Red Bull finally overtaken Mercedes?

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Official Release
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By News Team
25th March 2021

After a 105-day absence, the Formula One circus returns to Bahrain for the third time in the last four races as Sakhir plays host to the opening round of the season for the first time since 2010.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen stood atop of the podium in the last race in Abu Dhabi and also topped the timesheets during pre-season testing to give fans some hope of at least a two-horse race for the title this season.

We preview all the action ahead of what looks to be a fascinating opening weekend to the 2021 season.

WIGHT MOTORSPORTS ADDS TO DRIVER LINE UP

By
Official Release
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1) Mark Dilley, 2) TJ Rinomato, Photo Credit: Matthew Manor/NASCAR

-Welcomes Mark Dilley & TJ Rinomato for 2021

(March 29, 2021) Wight Motorsports Inc (WMI) is continuing to build an elite level racing operation and many drivers, teams, sponsors and most importantly fans are taking notice. The next phase of growth will take place this summer as WMI welcomes two more drivers into the fold for competition in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series. Multiple race winner Mark Dilley and former series Rookie of the Year TJ Rinomato will each contest the full schedule of events in 2021.

Dilley will drive the #64 Leland Camaro and Rinomato will race the #2 RGC Sports Camaro. The two will join returning Wight Motorsports Inc driver Donald Theetge and previously announced J.F. Laberge on the squad.

The new partnership with Dilley, Rinomato and the RGC Sports Group came together very quickly explained WMI principal David Wight. “It was only a matter of days before we had an agreement in place,” he added. “After not racing in 2020 both Mark and TJ were keen to get back at it, their previous arrangement wasn’t happening with the winding down of Micks Motorsports and I couldn’t be happier to have both of them joining us this year” he added.

Both Dilley and Rinomato bring plenty of credentials and enthusiasm to the new venture as part of WMI. Dilley has won multiple races in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series, he finished ninth overall in 2019, his last full year of competition He is also a former CASCAR Champion. Rinomato entered the world of motorsports later in life but has immersed himself in the sport over the last few years.. He’s tested at numerous tracks and received specialized racing instruction leading up to his series debut. Rinomato made an impression quickly by becoming the 2019 Rookie of the Year.

After a year away from competition Mark Dilley is excited to be back in action and looks forward to getting the new relationship underway. “On behalf of TJ and myself, we’re excited to work with Wight Motorsports in 2021. We think everyone will benefit from the affiliation. We’ll have some additional details to come in the weeks ahead too” stated Dilley.

Driver Donald Theetge is the team “veteran” and is very pleased to see the growth at WMI and having the opportunity to work with so many talented drivers. “I know firsthand what a great team we have, and the other drivers are seeing it too. I can’t wait to team with J.F. Laberge on the #80 Theetge Chevrolet/Buick/GMC/Cadillac Camaro and work with Mark and TJ, we can all learn from each other and it will make the whole group more successful” he stated.

The new season begins in less than two months and Wight knows there is plenty of work ahead. “We’re going non-stop right now” he stated. “We have a new hauler for the #64 and #2 car, we’ll be incorporating them into our team structure, plus we’ll be getting everyone out to test as soon we can. I’m really excited to have this group together for the 2021 season and to see what we can accomplish this summer” he added.

The 2021 NASCAR Pinty’s Series will consist of 12 total races in Ontario and Quebec. Competition begins Sunday May 23rd at Sunset Speedway in Innisfil, Ontario. All NASCAR Pinty’s Series races will once again be broadcast on TSN and RDS.

Race fans can get the latest information regarding WMI and the drivers on these social media channels:

Wight Motorsports Inc Twitter @Wightmotorsport Instagram @wightmotorsport

Donald Theetge: Twitter @DonaldTheetge

J.F. Laberge: https://www.facebook.com/jflracingmtl

Mark Dilley: Twitter @MarkDilley9 Instagram @markdilley

TJ Rinomato: Twitter TJ_Rinomato Instagram @tjrinomato

Futrelle Masters Road Atlanta, Prevails for First TA2® Trans Am Victory

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Official Release
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BRASELTON, GA (28 March 2021) – Franklin Futrelle fought back in a thrilling late-race battle to score his first TA2® victory in Sunday’s Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli race in the Atlanta SpeedTour at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Futrelle led the opening 25 circuits in the 40-lap, 100-mile event in the No. 58 Innoviv/BH/IGOR/SecurTech Ford Mustang before a determined Sam Mayer went by in the No. 8 M1-SLR/Fields Chevrolet Camaro. Mayer led four laps, but a restart with 10 laps remaining allowed Futrelle to pounce. Trading the advantage while racing through turns 7 through 10, the local driver from nearby Evans, Georgia used his extensive knowledge of the 2.54-mile circuit to his advantage and regained the lead. Despite several challenges by Mayer, Futrelle was able to pull away to win by 1.875-seconds.

“It is a dream come true, I am speechless, I’ve been waiting for this moment for 15 years,” said Futrelle. “I’ve got my family here, all my friends, I think half of my friends are volunteering on the car this weekend. I have to thank B2 Motorsports, the whole Lagasse family and M1 Race Cars. We are a brand new team and couldn’t do it without their help.”

Futrelle made his TA2® debut last November at Road Atlanta, qualifying an impressive third and going on to finish fifth in the weekend opener.

Mayer arrived in Atlanta fresh from his second-place finish and TA2® victory in last weekend’s Trans Am ProAm Challenge at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“We had a really good battle, but lost the lead early on the initial start,” said Mayer. “We stuck with it, and got the lead after going green following the red flag. I can’t thank Team SLR and M1 Racecars enough, they put a great piece together and I can’t wait to run a couple more Trans Am races with them.”

Thomas Merrill, winner of the 2021 season opener at Sebring, had a ringside seat for the battle for the lead, holding the final podium spot for the entire race in the No. 81 HP Tuners/Mike Cope Racing Cars Ford Mustang.

“We come to win, but I am pleased with a good points day for us,” Merrill said. “We had the best seat in the house. Franklin (Futrelle) and Sam (Mayer) had a great race in front of us. Big congratulations to both of them, especially Franklin, he really deserved it, and that was just an amazing drive.”

The deeply talented field saw several up and comers look to make a big impression against some established veterans, with Connor Mosack taking a career-best fourth in the No. 28 NicTailor/IFS/M1-SLR/Fields Camaro, followed by defending TA2® champion Mike Skeen in the No. 1 Liqui-Moly/Turn 14 Distribution Camaro – winner of both Road Atlanta rounds last season.

“We thought we were really close in times in practice and qualifying,” explained Skeen. “We thought we would have a pretty good race car, but we kind of struggled all weekend. We fell a little bit behind the eight ball going into qualifying and were surprised a little bit about the pace, we just had false hope going into the race after we won two here last year.

“I had some power steering problems that plagued me the whole race, so that just added a whole other element,” Skeen continued. “It made the car inconsistent and difficult to drive in these conditions. To come away with decent points, in the top five and making up some points on (Rafa) Matos, all that is good stuff, so we will just move onto the next one.”

Scott Lagasse Jr. placed seventh in a brand-new SLR-Fields/M1 Racecars Ford Mustang. It was a solid day for the St. Augustine, Florida-based operation founded by his father. In addition to fielding the Camaros for Mayer and Mosack, the team built and provided technical support for Futrelle’s race-winning Camaro.

Rafa Matos ran a challenging fourth throughout the race until contact with a lapped car caused him to slow with 10 minutes remaining. That incident brought out the second caution of the race, leading to an eighth-place finish for Matos in the No. 883-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang.

Futrelle was fighting off heavy pressure from Mayer on lap 10 when Michael Self impacted the tire barrier in Turn 1 in the No. 7 Sinclair Oil Camaro. That incident led to a short red-flag period to repair the damage.

Maurice Hull finished 13th in the No. 57 Silver Hare Racing Camaro, earning the top Master’s finish after a battle with Curt Vogt in the No. 23 Cobra Automotive Mustang.

The Trans Am West opens its 2021 campaign at Sonoma Raceway on April 23-25. The National series next visits WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on April 30-May 2.

HOW TO USE AN AUTOMOTIVE DIAGNOSTIC TOOL

By
SM
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In this article, we will try to gather all the basic information about the automotive diagnostic tools, how they work, how to use them, and if they can detect mileage correction procedures that the car has undergone in the past.  

INTRODUCTION

In the recent past, tools for car diagnostics were prohibitively expensive. Before 1996, any auto technician had to get a tool compatible with only one car brand for thousands of dollars. Even the introduction of the OBD-II (which stands for On-Board Diagnostics) connector did not ease this burden on the wallet of many car owners. Surely, it made a revolution, but it didn’t happen overnight. 

Today, you can buy a simple “code reader” for less than a can of gasoline, and some accessories can even turn your smartphone into a scanning tool. Since the bulk of the information you need to interpret from the resulting code can be found online, an engine “check” should no longer trigger a hasty trip to the auto shop.

Before buying an automotive diagnostic tool, it is important to understand that they are no magic pill. Just like the “check engine” light, these tools do not tell you how to fix the problem (however, they certainly can give you a clue). In some cases, it won’t even tell you what the problem is. All it will do is show an error code or several codes of reference.

WHAT DOES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT MEAN? 

When the “check engine” lights up on the dashboard, it means that there is some sensor somewhere in your engine, exhaust, or transmission, that has actually provided unexpected data to the car’s ECU (Electronic control unit). This may indicate a problem with the engine’s system, a sensor failure, or sometimes even a wiring problem.

BUYING A CAR DIAGNOSTIC TOOL

There was a time when аutomotive scanners were only available from specialized vendors. Today, this is not the case, and you can buy inexpensive scanning tools in retail or online. Also, consider renting one or more and testing it out before buying.   

USING A CAR DIAGNOSTIC TOOL

Turn off the car and remove the ignition key from the ignition lock.  Carefully insert the code reader connector into the diagnostic connector. If it does not fit, then make sure that you are connecting the plug the right way (however its shape is rather foolproof), and that you have correctly identified the OBD-II connector.

If the diagnostic connector is inserted correctly, you can insert the ignition key and turn it to the ON position. This will provide power to the device for reading the code.

Note: You may need to enter the VIN number, engine type, or other information. At this point, the decoder will be ready to do its job. The basic device will simply provide you with all the basic codes, while other tools will give you the codes and additional data to work with.

INTERPRETING THE ENGINE ERROR CODES

With basic tools, you will have to write down the error codes and do some research. For example, if you find the code P0401, a search on the Internet will show that it indicates an error in one of the oxygen sensor heater circuits. It doesn’t tell you exactly what’s wrong, but it’s the part of the engine where you should start looking for the problem.

Advanced scanning tools could tell you exactly what the error code means. In some cases, it will even provide you with a step-by-step troubleshooting procedure.

The next step is to determine why the error code appeared. The easiest way to do this is to find potential causes and eliminate each one by one.

In our example with the error code P0401, further investigation will show that this error indicates a defect in the oxygen sensor heater circuit. This may be caused by a faulty heating element or a wiring problem.

In this case, we will need to check the heating element first. Maybe the heating element is short-circuited, or it shows numbers that are outside the expected range. Replacing the oxygen sensor will probably fix the problem. But if it turns out to be okay, then we should check the wiring.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES 

Some automotive diagnostic tools can also perform a series of other useful functions. One of these features is the ability to clear all the error codes stored in the ECU. This way, if the same code comes back later after the repair, you’ll know that the problem was already fixed.

CAN THE CAR DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS DETECT MILEAGE CORRECTION?

Now that you’ve got the gist of how car diagnostics work, we can finally talk about mileage correction equipment and specifically about mileage correction scanners. At this point, you might have an answer yourself, but let’s reevaluate what we know so far and dive a little deeper. 

Automotive scanners are taking information from the car’s ECU in the form of error codes. These codes have their respective interpretation. These tools do not access the vehicle’s odometer. Thus, how could they know if the mileage was altered or stopped altogether? The best they could do is show an odometer malfunction (but we are yet to encounter such a case). In other words, you cannot detect what has never been recorded.

Benefits Of Purchasing Spare Auto Parts Online That You Should Know About

By
SM
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Let’s set aside the stereotype of purchasing spare auto parts with just a few clicks and discuss the various benefits of buying online. Since this type of shopping is one of the fastest-growing ventures on the planet. From something as small as a needle to something extravagant, such as a vehicle, everything is accessible online. 

The internet business’s progress has evolved with how individuals used to purchase services and products, and this trend is no different for auto parts. 

It has become very simple to discover purchasers’ items on the web. There are various websites available that claim to sell unique items. However, it is challenging to distinguish between those that sell authentic, unique items and those that sell fake duplicates. In any case, there are several advantages to purchasing car parts online.

Varied Range of Products

There may be a few local vendor stores, but they cannot coordinate with the number of items available at an online store. It likewise increases the odds of finding the thing you are searching for because the local store only contains just a limited amount of extra parts for your automobile.

For instance, trucks require durable and high-quality spare components to withstand heavy use and ensure safety on the road. So, when it comes to truck spares and parts, sourcing from specialized suppliers with extensive inventories can help guarantee you can get exactly what your vehicle needs without compromise.

Ease of Searching 

When contrasted with independent stores, online stores consistently have a data set up to make searching, which is generally a simple task. Retailers utilize the most current stock framework, part numbering, and barcoding, so the purchaser understands an online store item.

If you are looking for an auto part seller in Australia, you can find many online, e.g., GMS Spares – Car Parts in Sydney.

Another example would be if you are trying to add or replace a window no your RV or camper. You can search for Caravan Doors and find a wide variety of direct parts that can be custom-made for your unique installation.

The Security of Purchase and Payment Methods 

Purchasing vehicle parts online is a genuinely convenient experience, as you can do it from the comfort of your own home. More often than not, when you visit a disconnected neighborhood seller for a particular part, they ask you to purchase it from the manufacturer. It could now take several months to contact you, unlike when shopping online.

High Quality and Low Cost 

You can enjoy extraordinary benefits from high-quality products at a low cost whenever you purchase from a reputable site. Numerous car parts companies list their items or take online orders. They also follow a quality control review to guarantee that boundaries are met at that point.

Simplicity 

Assuming you are looking for car parts online, the lists can run for several pages. Suppose the car part is the chronic number or the item number. In that case, this is an issue if you do not have the number required for the vehicle’s specialized part. The stock information base is automated and will search with efficiency and effectiveness.

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