Home Blog Page 2657

RCR Event Preview – Phoenix Raceway

By
Official Release
-

Richard Childress Racing at Phoenix Raceway… In 127 starts at Phoenix Raceway, Richard Childress Racing has scored six NASCAR Cup Series victories with drivers Ryan Newman (2017), Kevin Harvick (2013, 2012, Mar. 2006, Nov. 2006) and Dale Earnhardt (1990). The Welcome, N.C. organization has also found success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with three wins by drivers Elliott Sadler (2012), Clint Bowyer (2007) and Kevin Harvick (2006).

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Call 811 Before You Dig 200 presented by Arizona 811 will be televised live Saturday, March 13, beginning at 5:30 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 Instacart 500 will be televised live Sunday, March 14, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops / TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Phoenix Raceway… Dillon has 14 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway to his credit, earning two top-10 finishes. He scored his best finish of eighth at the track in November 2018.

About Tracker Off Road… Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.

About Bass Pro Shops… Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit .

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on Phoenix Raceway?
“Going into Phoenix Raceway, I feel like we really didn’t do a great job last year there, but we have a reference from the spring race that we’re looking back on. It’s a tough short-track and one of those places that you hit it or you don’t. It’s hard with no practice, but we put our time in on the simulator and looking back on notes. We’ll see how it goes. I’m looking forward to it. It can be a really good place for the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Off Road Camaro ZL1 1LE team. We’re starting 13th, so we want to get some stage points to start off and just see how the rest of the race plays out.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Nate Barnes / Quartz Hill Records Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Phoenix… Tyler Reddick has two NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway and had a strong top-five running going during last spring’s event before a tire issue took him out of the race early during the final stage. Reddick also has five previous NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the milelong track, finishing third in both races in 2019 and collecting two top-10 finishes in 2018. He also has three NASCAR Truck Series starts and two top-10 finishes at Phoenix Raceway.

About Quartz Hill… Quartz Hill Records, in joint partnership with The Orchard, is a full-service Country music label led by Benny Brown, Paul Brown and award-winning songwriter Jason Sellers. Joining this venture, The Orchard is a leading global music distributor and Artist & Label services company which specializes in empowering creators and businesses to grow and adapt in the dynamic global industry. Quartz Hill’s roster includes up-and-coming country stylist Nate Barnes and triple threat singer/songwriter/ guitarist Ben Gallaher.

About Nate Barnes… Hailing from South Haven, Michigan, Nate Barnes is a young, blue-collar storyteller who writes and sings about God, family, hard work, heartache, love, and the simple joys of life. The former nuclear power plant worker spent years playing bars, coffee shops, small venues and festivals in and around his hometown while juggling a grueling day job that included shoveling and digging trenches, laying pipelines, pouring concrete and performing mechanical maintenance duties for the plant, oftentimes enduring extreme weather conditions and 14-hour shifts. A virtual unknown before signing with Quartz Hill Records, Barnes’ debut single, “You Ain’t Pretty” has earned overly 14 million TikTok streams and surpassed half a million lyric video views since the song’s release in late 2020. “You Ain’t Pretty” is available across digital retailers and streaming services. For more information about Nate Barnes visit: NateBarnesMusic.com and follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:
Last spring the No. 8 team had a strong run at Phoenix Raceway. Does that help your confidence or put pressure on you coming into this weekend?
“It’s weird to think about last spring’s race at Phoenix Raceway since that was the last ‘normal’ race weekend we had for a long time. But yes, we did have a really strong Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE last spring before the tire issue that ended our race early. I’d like to say it makes you feel good returning to the track this time around, but this garage is so smart and catches on so quickly to things that what we had in the spring, which we brought back to the finale in November, won’t be enough to have another strong run again. The smallest changes mean a lot in this sport, so we’re working hard to prepare a fast No. 8 Nate Barnes / Quartz Hill Records Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE to take to Phoenix. It’s tough to figure out what to expect. We’ll have to watch and see how the traction compound comes into play over the weekend, since that’s a bit of an unknown. We just have to race smart and try to put together the most well-executed day that we can.”

Myatt Snider and the No. 2 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro at Phoenix Raceway… Snider has two career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Phoenix Raceway, both of which came in 2020 behind the wheel of RCR’s No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro. The Charlotte, N.C. native posted a best finish of 14th in the spring race last season. Snider has also competed in two NASCAR Truck Series races at the Arizona one-mile oval.

About TaxSlayer… TaxSlayer makes online tax filing accessible for millions of Americans, with an easy-to-use platform and unlimited support at a fraction of the cost of the competition. Trusted for over 50 years, the Augusta-based tech company successfully completed more than 10 million federal and state e-filed tax returns in 2020 and processed $15 billion in refunds. TaxSlayer achieved a 4.5/5 TrustScore on consumer review site Trustpilot, with 87% of its customers rating the tax filing platform Great or Excellent. For more information, visit www.TaxSlayer.com.

MYATT SNIDER QUOTE:
What are your thoughts heading into Phoenix Raceway?
“Phoenix Raceway is what I consider the hardest track on the circuit for me personally. It has taken a lot of patience to try and figure out how to best get around there and I’m still working to figure it out completely. Our TaxSlayer team has worked really hard reviewing past races and spending time on the simulator to make sure we are ready for this Saturday’s race. The preparation has been put in, so now we just need to go out and slay it in the desert.”

Ag-Pro Expands Partnership with Talladega Superspeedway with Ag-Pro 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series Race, set for Saturday, April 24

By
Official Release
-

Weekend schedule for Phoenix Raceway

By
Angie Campbell
-
During the NASCAR Cup Series FanShield 500 at Phoenix Raceway on March 08, 2020 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

The NASCAR Cup Series and the Xfinity Series head to Phoenix Raceway this weekend for the fifth race of the season while the Camping World Truck Series has a week off from competition.

Both series have had four different winners in each race for what is shaping up to be an exciting season. There will be no practice or qualifying sessions due to COVID-19 protocols established by NASCAR.

The starting lineups are 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, March 13

5:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Call 811 Before You Dig 200 presented by Arizona 811
FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
200 miles (200 Laps)
Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)
Pole: Daniel Hemric

Sunday, March 14

3:30 p.m.: Cup Series Instacart 500
FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
312 miles (312 laps)
Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 75), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 190), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 312)
Pole: Brad Keselowski

Phoenix Raceway Information:

Season Race #: 05 of 36 (03-14-21)
Track Size: 1-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 9 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 11 degreesBanking/Frontstretch: 3 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees

Phoenix Raceway Qualifying Information – Cup Series:

Track Qualifying Record: Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet (143.158 mph, 25.147 seconds on 11-13-15)
2020 Pole Winner: Chase Elliott, Chevrolet (138.116 mph, 26.065 seconds on 03-07-20)

Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman lead the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Phoenix with 36 starts each. Chase Elliott leads the series in average starting position with a 4.6 in 10 starts. Ryan Newman (2002, 2003, 2004, 2008) and Kyle Busch (2006, 2012, 2016, 2019) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in poles with four each. Five different manufacturers have won at least one Busch pole award led by Chevrolet (18), Ford (15), Toyota (7), Dodge (4) and Pontiac (4).

Phoenix Raceway Race Information – Cup Series:

Track race record: Tony Stewart, Pontiac (118.132 mph, 02:38:28 on 11-07-99)
2020 race winner: Joey Logano, Ford (94.407 mph, 03:20:50 on 03-08-20)

Kevin Harvick leads the series in wins with nine victories at Phoenix (2006 sweep, 2012 Playoff race, 2013 Playoff race, 2014 sweep, 2015 Spring race, 2016 Spring race, 2018 Spring race).  Four different manufacturers have won at Phoenix, led by Chevrolet (24), Ford (17), Toyota (6) and Pontiac (2). 

Top-10 Driver Ratings at Phoenix Raceway – Cup Series:

Kevin Harvick – 110.6
Chase Elliott – 108.4
Kyle Busch – 104.7
Denny Hamlin – 98.4
Brad Keselowski – 95.0
Kurt Busch – 94.5
Joey Logano – 93.1
Kyle Larson – 93.0
Ryan Blaney – 89.4
Martin Truex Jr – 88.5

(Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (32 total) among active drivers at Phoenix Raceway).

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION: Gainesville Pre-race Advance and Quotes

By
Official Release
-

CHEVROLET AT GAINESVILLE

What: Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
When: Friday, March 12-Sunday, March 14
Where: Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida
TV: FOX will telecast eliminations live at noon ET March 14

Chevrolet drivers prepped and ready for NHRA season opener
Bowtie Brand aiming for record-extending 26th Manufacturer Championship

DETROIT (March xxx, 2021) – “Ready. Excited” are prominent in every Chevrolet drivers’ description of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World Drag Racing Series season opener.

For John Force Racing, which sat out nine of the 11 Fuel races in 2020 primarily because of the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 52nd Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals this weekend at Gainesville Raceway in Florida is a highly anticipated re-emergence of competitors with 20 NHRA titles between the team namesake, daughter Brittany Force and Robert Hight.

“I’m going to fight to win another championship; so is Robert and so is Brittany,” said John Force, who enters the race with 16 Funny Car titles, 151 victories and a slew of other records. “We’re all going to be ready.”

It didn’t take long for Force, who will be behind the wheel of the PEAK/BlueDEF PLATINUM Chevrolet Camaro SS, and Hight, driving the familiar Auto Club of Southern California Camaro SS, to get race ready. Both registered blazing elapsed times and speeds in testing last week in Florida.
Styling cue updates and aerodynamic improvements based on wind tunnel testing that Chevrolet engineers and design staff worked on in late 2019 have been incorporated in the Funny Car bodies.

“John and I were going to be running the new 2020 Camaros all of last year and I only got to do that at Pomona and Phoenix,” Hight said. “John had a brand-new car going to Gainesville but never got to drive it, so we just barely scratched the surface with how good they can be. I believe we’ll have them dialed in and ready to go.”

Added Force, who will seek his ninth Gatornationals title in his 200th race day start in a Chevrolet: “The new Chevrolet Funny Car is so awesome. It will stick to the ground yet it’s slippery.”

Hight is a four-time winner at the track, including in 2019 on the way to his third Funny Car championship.

“It was definitely a bummer that we didn’t get to defend in 2020,” Hight said. “That was a goal I set for 2020. Nobody since John Force in the ‘90s had won two championships in a row in the Funny Car class. But the way I look at it is I won in 2009, I won in ’17, I won in ’19 and this is another odd year.”

Teammate Brittany Force, who rocketed to the top of the Top Fuel chart in qualifications in both NHRA events she competed in 2020, is looking forward to continued success in the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster.

Force recorded her first Top Fuel victory at Gainesville Raceway in 2016 and celebrated with Hight in the winner’s circle for John Force Racing’s first event double victory. In March 2019, she reset the track Top Fuel elapsed time record of 3.680 seconds on her way to becoming the first woman in 40 years to qualify in the top spot in the event.

Enders seeks to make more history
Erica Enders, driving the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS, in 2020 earned her second consecutive NHRA Pro Stock championship and fourth overall in a Chevrolet to break a tie with Shirley Muldowney and Angelle Sampey for the most by a female.

“Being able to make that history meant a lot,” said Enders, who won four of the 10 events and posted a 25-6 elimination round record during the truncated season. “There’s not any reason we can’t keep winning and hopefully contend for our fifth championship.”

Former Elite Motorsports teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Top Fuel competitor Joe Amato have five NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series championships on the all-time list. Bob Glidden holds the Pro Stock record with 10 titles, including five in a row.

Enders, who will be competing in her 299th career Pro Stock event, will aim to surpass 350 round wins. She prepped for the opener with a semifinal appearance in the CTECH World Doorslammer Nationals presented by JEGS last weekend in Orlando, Florida.

“The mindset is the same for me,” Enders said. “Whether it’s testing or racing for a championship, your mindset can’t change. You want to go out there and win. Hopefully, we can go out there and have a great performance this year.”

The 2021 Pro Stock category will have a different makeup following the retirement of five-time champion Coughlin, three-time champion Jason Line and 2017 champion Bo Butner. But the competition includes stalwarts Greg Anderson, Chris McGaha, Matt Hartford, Deric Kramer and Enders’ Elite Motorsports teammate Alex Laughlin.

Anderson will seek to qualify for his record-extending 400th consecutive race. The streak began at Pomona in 2002 for the four-time champion, who turns 60 on race day.

Second-generation drivers Aaron Stanfield, Mason McGaha, Kyle Koretsky and Troy Coughlin Jr. will present immediate challenges and represent the future of the class in their Camaros.

Stanfield, of Bossier City, Louisiana, the 2020 SAMTECH.edu Factory Stock Showdown champion in his Chevrolet COPO Camaro, heads the field in the first event of the eight-race series. Stanfield, 25, won five of the six races last season.

Points scored by drivers of the Camaro SS and COPO Camaro throughout the professional and Sportsman campaigns will contribute to Chevrolet’s goal of a record-extending 26th NHRA Manufacturer Championship.

FS1 will telecast eliminations at 11 a.m. ET. FOX picks up the action at noon.

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT

TOP FUEL

BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (2017 class champion; No. 1 qualifier in both races she competed in 2020; 2016 winner at track; holds Top Fuel track elapsed time record): “This Monster Energy team is ready to get to Gainesville. It’s a special place for me but it’s special this year because we’ve been gone so long. I’m excited to see what we can do this weekend. We’ll be coming out swinging right out of the gate looking for our first win at the first race of the season.”

FUNNY CAR:

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK/BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (eight-time winner at track): “We’re ready for this weekend, ready to get the NHRA Camping World Series season started. Testing went well, we were quick and fast and the new guys are figuring it out. I’ve got confidence in my crew chiefs, Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi, and we’re all just excited to be back racing.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (2019 champion; four-time winner at track; holds Funny Car track elapsed time and speed records): “Gainesville has been really good to this Auto Club team. We missed racing here in 2020 but the last memories we have are of picking up that win at the 50th anniversary of the event. We’re ready to build on that. In 2019, we won the championship and usually had the quicker car. We’re definitely excited about the new body, especially getting back to the racetrack. It’s been way too long. This is a big race, it always is, this year it’s even bigger because it’s opening up the season. Coming off testing, we’re ready.”

PRO STOCK:

ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE/ELITE MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (four-time class champion): “I feel like after we won the fourth and I was able to become the winningest female, being able to make that history meant a lot. But as long as we’re racing, there’s not any reason we can’t keep winning and hopefully contend for our fifth championship.”

GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (four-time winner at track; four-time class champion): “(The CTECH World Doorslammer Nationals presented by JEGS) was a chance to assess how our new setup was going to work. Jason (Line) was there to tune the race cars and basically he had a lot more time to look things over. My car ran really great and should have won. Made a small mistake in the semifinals with tire shake, but really happy with how the (KB Racing) cars ran all weekend. I’m expecting we’ll go to Gainesville and compete for the win with several of our team cars (Anderson, Kyle Koretsky, Dallas Glenn and Deric Kramer and Matt Hartford as engine rental customers).”

CHRIS MCGAHA, HARLOW SAMMONS RACING, HARLOW SAMMONS OF ODESSA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (competing in 169th Pro Stock race; quarterfinalist at Gainesville in 2020): “It feels weird being at the racetrack without my dad. He is currently back in Odessa in the hospital with COVID. There hasn’t been an NHRA race where my dad and mom both haven’t been here. My parents are a huge part of our race team and them not being here is definitely a loss. I can’t thank everyone enough who has reached out to support my family during this time. It has been an overwhelming amount of support. We have worked hard on our Harlow Sammons Racing program over the offseason. We are very proud of the leaps and bounds that we have made as far as performance and look forward to it transcending on the racetrack.”

MASON MCGAHA, HARLOW SAMMONS RACING, HARLOW SAMMONS OF ODESSA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (competing in ninth Pro Stock race; qualified 10th at Gainesville in 2020): “I am looking forward to getting back in the seat this weekend at the Gators. I am currently a full-time freshman in college and getting to go back racing is a mental break from school. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy class but getting to run a Pro Stock car is so much more fun. Now that I know what to expect from racing last year, I am a little more confident when it comes to driving. I am looking forward to more round wins and hopefully my first national event win this year.”

KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, NITRO FISH CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (made Pro Stock debut at track in 2020): “We ran eight races last season, but with the KB guys – Greg Anderson and Jason Line – I feel like I have nothing but the best equipment to go out there and win. Last year was sort of a learning curve; we’re still learning. We had good runs in the Doorslammer Nationals in Orlando last weekend and the Chevy Camaro is just running great.”

TROY COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM/ELITE MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (taking over the ride from uncle and five-time Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr.): “Going into the Gators as part of Team JEGS and racing Pro Stock with this team is a dream come true. We were fortunate enough to race most of the events last year with another team car but now the spotlight is directly on me. It’s a real challenge and very exciting at the same time. I don’t have any real expectations of what’s going to happen. I’ll be happy if I continue to get better and limit my mistakes. The car’s basically the same as when Uncle Jeg got out of it last year. We just inserted my seat and clutch pedal.”

Aintree Racecourse and the legacy of legendary British pilot Sterling Moss

By
SM
-

A lesser-known fact about one of the most celebrated horseracing venues in Great Britain is its glorious car racing past, when it hosted five editions of the British Formula One Grand Prix in 1955, 1957, 1959, 1961, and 1962. The old Motor Racing Circuit borders with the horse track. The Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool is feverishly preparing for one of the season’s main horse events on April 8th – 10th. If you love the four-legged in addition to the four-wheeled runners, have a look at bet-grand-national.co.uk sign up offers and take your pick. As for the old Motor Racing Circuit, last year the chance to drive a car for 3 laps of a real Grand Prix historic track was already sold out before winter was over. The 65th Anniversary Parade of the other racecourse at Aintree, on July 16th, was very successful.

An emotional wave carried the event, since the legend of Formula One, sir Stirling Moss, passed away on Easter Sunday, aged 90. In the eyes of the public, Moss was probably Britain’s most famous racing driver of all time. He started his career in 1948, as a kid of 19, though his first car had come long before, as a gift from his father Alfred when he was barely nine years old. Moss senior was himself a racing driver, though amateur, and the one who gave his son his original name as a good luck charm. His father’s 328 BMW, DPX 653, was the first car that young Stirling drove in a race. But he soon bought himself a Cooper 500, a proper racing car, using the money prizes he won as a horse rider. That’s it, Moss was a skilled, competitive horse rider before making history in car racing.

Moss raced from 1948 to 1962, when he crashed his Lotus heavily during the Glover Trophy at Goodwood. He was in a coma for a month and partially paralyzed for six. He gave up professional racing as a consequence, feeling he was not the same as before despite his physical recovery. He had won 212 of the 529 races he ran in his relatively short career, including 16 Formula One Grand Prix. The one in 1955, his first World Championship victory was the first of those organized in Aintree. On that occasion, Moss was the first British driver to win a Grand Prix.

The Aintree Motor Racing Circuit was built specifically for the Grand Prix. The 3-mile track was opened in 1954 by Earl Howe and Raymond Mays. After the first edition in 1955, the 1957 race saw the first British driver’s victory driving a British car (Moss had driven a Mercedes W196), when Moss and Tony Brooks shared a Vanwall. The event was also honored with the title “Grand Prix d’Europe”. Aintree hosted three more Grand Prix events (1959, 1961, 1962) and a further eleven non-Championship Aintree “200” Formula One events.

Since then, more modern racetracks have taken over the role of hosts of Formula One races. Nevertheless, the track is still alive: for over twenty years Liverpool Motor Club has been running its season of highly popular Sprints on the Club Circuit at the historic Aintree Motor Racing Circuit.

Bridget Burgess Teams Up with HMH Construction to Compete Full Time in the ARCA Menards West Series

By
Official Release
-

TOOELE, UT, March 10, 2021 – Bridget Burgess and BMI Racing announced today their partnership with HMH Construction to compete full time ARCA Menards West Series for 2021.

This is an exciting opportunity for Bridget and BMI Racing as she enters her first full year of competing in the series, and this time with her own car. The Australian family-run team is based at Utah Motorsports Campus in Tooele UT and gained recognition last year with the unique mother/daughter team, and running a 2007 chassis loaned to them by Bill McAnally.

This work ethic by the family is what caught the attention of John Odom, CEO of HMH Construction, and had this to say about the partnership, “The team at HMH Construction and I are proud to be partnered with this great team and we are excited to see what Bridget can do this year and, in the future, behind the wheel”.

Bridget’s first race kicks off this Friday, March 12 at Phoenix Raceway

Bridget is powered by these great companies: HMH Construction, GEARWRENCH, Rugged Radios, Cometic Gasket, Ferrea Racing Components, FK Rod Ends, Fragola Peformance Systems, GC Cooling Fan, GT Radial, Hawk Performance, Impact Race Products, K&N Filters, Konig, Miller Electric, ProAm, PSC Motorsports, Sunoco Race Fuel, Tilton, XS Power

Facebook page: BridgetBurgess8
Instagram: BridgetBurgess8
Twitter: 8BridgetBurgess

Things To Remember Before Buying A Second-Hand Car

By
SM
-

Everyone wants to own their brand-new dream car. Unfortunately, most people can’t buy a new car due to financial reasons or some other issues. Additionally, the pandemic has led to a financial crunch. In such cases, purchasing a second-hand car is the most viable option. However, buying a second-hand car can be challenging too. But don’t worry. We have provided you with five easy tips that can help simplify your second-hand car purchase.

Setting A Budget

Before you start with the car buying process, make sure you have a set budget in mind. Similar to the process of buying a new car, you can easily end up overspending if you don’t have a fixed budget in mind. While deciding on the budget, you need to consider various factors such as:

Based on all these calculations, you need to set a budget range that will prove to be the most financially viable.

Deciding On The Car Model

Once you have set a budget, the next step is to decide the type of car you want to own. There are various types of cars that you can choose from, such as a hatchback, sedan, or SUV, to name a few. You will need to do extensive research and compare various car types and then the car model that fits your budget before deciding on one or leasing might even be an option. You can search for some Hatchback Lease Deals and lease your dream car.

Some factors that you need to consider while deciding on the car model are:

  • Your budget, including the expected maintenance and service costs.
  • Your requirements, such as the number of passengers that you will usually have along with you. For instance, will you be traveling solo or have friends or family members on trips?
  • The purpose of the owner. Will you be using the car for commuting to the office or for traveling?

As a word of advice, find a car that perfectly suits all your needs instead of buying your dream car.

Inspecting The Car

Once you have decided on the car model and found a car that checks all the boxes at a car dealer, you need to inspect the car. You need to check for dents, damages, rust, tire condition, or other signs of wear and tear. A damaged car can add to your already tight budget. For instance, if the car has a broken headlight, the headlight restorations costs can range from fifty to one hundred and fifty dollars, increasing the car’s cost. You can prepare ahead of time by also shopping online at brattleboroford.com and selecting your favorite vehicles before heading to the dealership. If possible, take a friend or other individual, such as a mechanic, who can better guide you.

Similarly, take the car for a ride to ensure that the car is functioning properly. Try to drive the car at different speeds and different road conditions, if possible, to get a better idea of the car’s performance. Additionally, check whether all the electronics in the car, like the sound system and air conditioning, are working properly or not.

Checking The Car’s History

Even if the car seems to be in good condition after inspection, you should also ask and check the car’s history. First, do some research about the common problems encountered with the car model. Next, check the service and maintenance records of the vehicle to get a better idea about the car’s history and current condition. Additionally, check the car’s original documents like the registration papers, the existing insurance policy, and tax papers, to name a few.

Negotiating A Deal

Once you have everything inspected, verified, and cleared, don’t hesitate to negotiate a deal with the car dealer or car owner. Whatever the price is on offer, there’s always room for some negotiation. Use your communication skills to get the car at a lower price, helping you save money which you can spend for other purposes.

As a word of caution, be wary of deals that seem too good to be true, and don’t hesitate to walk away from a deal that you find suspicious. There have been instances where car buyers are duped. So, better be careful when making a purchase. Similarly, don’t buy a car that seems out of your budget. Instead, check out other car sellers or models that provide you with a better deal.

Buying a used car can seem to be a difficult task. But, if you diligently follow the above-mentioned steps, then you will most likely end up with an amazing car that perfectly suits your budget and needs.

Capstone Motorsports Opens Pirelli GT4 America Season with Second-Place Finishes at Sonoma Raceway

By
Official Release
-

New Racing Team Based in Parker, Colorado Moves 2021 Pirelli GT4 America Am-Class Championship Bid Off to Strong Start in California

Capstone Supports University of Alabama College of Engineering Sports Car Racing Internship Program in 2021 and Beyond

PARKER, Colorado (March 10, 2021) — Capstone Motorsports, a new sports car racing and motorsports company based in Parker, Colorado, made a successful debut in its first race last weekend at Sonoma Raceway where team co-drivers John Allen and Kris Wilson scored a pair of second-place finishes in the Pirelli GT4 America doubleheader on the 2.358-mile California road course.

Allen and Wilson compete this year in the Pirelli GT4 America “Am” class driving the No. 16 Capstone Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4. Capstone and its drivers battled for the class victory in both 60 minute races last Saturday and Sunday at Sonoma where they left with a good foundation of championship points after the twin runner-up finishes.

Capstone carries Allen’s longtime support of his alma mater, the University of Alabama College of Engineering, with a trackside sports car racing internship program designed specifically to immerse UA Engineering students in the data-driven and technology aspects of modern-day sports car racing.

“It just feels great to get our new program, Capstone Motorsports, off to this kind of a start,” Allen said. “Two podiums is just fantastic. I’m really pleased with how our internship program is coming together. I think we’re really making a difference in the lives of these kids. I love coming out here and working with them. It gives me energy and gives me a reason to keep coming out here. I’m fighting hard to give them experience and fighting hard to get a championship.”

Saturday’s first 60-minute race highlight was a pair of late passes by Wilson. After a solid race-opening stint by Allen, Wilson took over at the halfway mark and began a charge to the front. He moved into third with just a few minutes remaining and then locked down second-place with a last lap pass.

Wilson started Sunday’s final race and opened up a comfortable lead on the Am-class field. Allen took over and maintained the gap until fading tires late in the race saw him slip to second with less than two laps remaining.

“Obviously, for a new team, two second place finishes is not a bad way to start,” Wilson said. Of course, first loser is not great but at least we’re on the podium. We’ve got a good base for moving forward. We learned a lot of things this weekend. Compared to last year, we had a really good car in qualifying. This year, we have a good race car, but not so good a qualifying car. So we’ve got to figure out that aspect of it, how to get a better qualifying car so we can have a bigger gap before the pit stop. That’s our mission now.”

The Capstone team featured at Sonoma returning UA Engineering intern Oakley Prell and program newcomers Julian Caudillo and Evan Jewson, two more UA Engineering students who will intern all season with Capstone.

In addition to maintaining an interface with Allen and Wilson throughout race weekends, the interns work under the direct leadership of race and championship winning engineer Rick Cameron.

“The interns are doing a great job, and Ricky is leading them the right way,” Wilson said. “We’re going to start having them do some homework before we come to the races, that way they can actually contribute when we get here and give us some spreadsheets of what they think we should be doing.”

The establishment of Capstone Motorsports continues an evolution for Allen and the UA Engineering internship program which has been an at-track technical curriculum the last couple of years. Prell is in his third season as a UA intern.

“What’s great about this program is that it does give us that real world experience,” said Prell, who graduates from UA next year with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. “We’re at the race track, we’re working on the car and we’re interacting with all of these people out here: the engineers and the business and marketing people, and that’s not something we get in the classroom. We have several automotive design teams through the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Eco Car Mobility challenges, and those are great, but we’re wanting to accelerate and enhance the learning for the students, especially in the field of motorsports. The program that John Allen is setting up through Capstone is really beneficial for us. We’re seeing things that not many students around the country ever think of experiencing, so this is a fantastic program.”

Next up for Capstone Motorsports in the Pirelli GT4 America series is Rounds 3 and 4 of the series with a doubleheader at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, April 30 – May 2.

About Capstone Motorsports: A professional sports car racing team headquartered in Parker, Colorado, Capstone Motorsports competes with the support of the University of Alabama College of Engineering, Class VI Partners, K3 Energizing Beverages, Long Game Financial, NuCalm, Pocono Outdoor Adventure Tours and Dr. Sanjay Jatana.

Has Michael Jordan made the right choice between horses and cars?

By
SM
-

The MBA legend is no equally legendary when it comes to his love of gambling with an unmistakable preference for sports. MJ has been spotted at horseracing courses, so he must have a strong interest in the best horses to watch when a race is approaching. Yet, he chose cars when he felt the time was right to get into racing as an entrepreneur. Jordan thus became the first Black principal owner of a full-time Cup team since Hall of Famer Wendell Scott in 1973 with Bubba Wallace as the driver.

The new team’s debut was at Daytona International Speedway in the Daytona 500 and it was disappointing. The No. 23 Toyota Camry failed pre-race inspection twice and Wallace had to start in the rear of the field. Bubba did manage to improve his position in the second stage and grab the lead on lap 129, but then he lost it to the co-owner of his own firm, two-time defending champion Denny Hamlin. The contradiction of Hamlin’s competing against his own team could be a worse problem than the partners’ thought at first. It might be something to keep an eye on as the season moves on.

A loose wheel in Wallace’s 23XI Toyota was an even worse story. Bubba felt a vibration and was forced to pit with 22 laps left in the race. “Fast car, can’t have loose wheels. Onto the right turns.” he tweeted. In the end, he was caught up in the last-lap wreck and finished 17th, far from the aspirations for a fiery start of the season.

23XI Racing is fully covered for the 2021 season, having secured DoorDash, McDonald’s, Columbia Sportswear, Dr. Pepper, and Root Insurance, but sponsorships cannot fix everything. The constant shortage of sufficient sponsorships in his three seasons with Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), was always regarded as one of the factors preventing Wallace from developing into his full potential. While at the wheel of the iconic No. 43, he had three top-5’s and nine top-10’s. Bubba cannot be satisfied with those results and he has always made it clear that his ambitions run much higher than that.

The good thing is that his new boss believes in the 27-year old driver. The epidemics prevented them from meeting in person until the day of Daytona 500. After the disappointing result of the race, Jordan gave support to his driver in an interview with Fox Sports.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Austin Cindric Phoenix Media Availability

By
Official Release
-

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR XFINITY Series
Phoenix Media Availability | Wednesday, March 10, 2021

NASCAR XFINITY Series Champion Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 22 CarShop Ford Mustang, has posted four straight top-five finishes to start the 2021 season, including a victory in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway. He was a guest earlier today on a NASCAR Zoom call, where he talked about this weekend’s race at Phoenix Raceway.

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 22 CarShop Ford Mustang — IT’S BEEN A YEAR SINCE THINGS SHUT DOWN. CAN YOU TAKE ME THROUGH WHAT WAS GOING ON FOR YOU? “I actually thought about that a little bit this week just knowing that this week was the week last year that everything changed for everyone. Obviously, every week that we had off was a week that we needed to be on the racetrack. In a lot of ways, and obviously Roger touched on that after winning the championship. I think we all kind of knew in the back of our minds that there were some challenges for us to continue the year if we didn’t get races early on, so I give a ton of credit to NASCAR. We say a lot that NASCAR was the first professional sports league to get back on track, but that was a huge catalyst for me to be able to continue the year last year and my team to be able to show what we were capable of, so I’m pretty grateful for those efforts. I know it probably helped a lot of other people out too, but definitely a big deal for us.”

ANY UPDATE ON YOUR CUP SCHEDULE? “No, no updates. I think we’re doing a little bit more clarity as you get more races in and see the guys that enter races and don’t enter races — the challenges, as I’ve said before, are who enters the races and if we have enough points. I think the 33 car is like 36th in Cup owner’s points, so I would say a lot of the races we’re looking at that don’t have practice or qualifying are looking good so far, and hopefully some updates soon.”

IS IT ACCURATE TO SAY YOU RACED TY GIBBS AND CHALLENGED HIM AS MUCH AS YOU COULD THE LAST TIME HE RACED? “Yeah, absolutely. At Daytona, I said it after the race as well, I thought Ty did an incredible job. I put him in some really tough spots trying to hang onto the lead. Obviously, we had some damage and that made my life really difficult and I knew if I got behind my shot of winning was a lot less, so he handled everything really well and was in a position on those restarts and made some decisions and won the race because of it, so I thought they did a great job. Oval racing, for me, was the next. I feel like he’s showcased that he has the pace and he has the talent and it’s for everyone else to observe and for him to decide how the next couple races are gonna go, so it’s cool for him. It’s a great opportunity and I’m sure he’ll do well with it.”

SHOULD PEOPLE EXPECT HIM TO BE VERY GOOD AGAIN AT PHOENIX? “He’ll obviously have capable equipment, but I think to have an anomaly you have to have more of a data set, so he’s only done one race. I think he’ll do just fine.”

WHAT CHANGES DO YOU EXPECT AT PHOENIX THIS TIME AROUND? “The time of the day is obviously a bit of a factor, but we had a really great package, a really great race and we were able to just execute and put ourselves in a position to win the championship. All in all, that was a perfect day and we’ll try to push this weekend on little things and try to improve on that package. I don’t think we need to do anything crazy and reinvent the wheel because we brought an incredibly good race car and we plan on bringing the same equipment this weekend. I’m excited for that. I’m excited to see that translate over and excited to see how other guys have stepped up throughout the offseason, especially at that track given it’s the most important throughout the year. It will be a great baseline for us heading into hopefully running to the Championship 4.”

ARE YOU IMPRESSED WITH HOW COMPETITIVE THE SERIES HAS BEEN SO FAR AND IS IT THE MOST COMPETITIVE SINCE YOU STARTED RACING FULL-TIME? “Yeah, I think when we get a couple more races I’ll probably have a better idea. I think Vegas was probably the first race you could sit down in all three series and recognize who has done the work in the offseason and who has come more prepared and who has speed. I think you saw that on Sunday as well. I think the guys at Kaulig have definitely stepped up and AJ has brought that program forward as well, so it’s cool to see him win, but I want to beat him. At the same time, we’ve got to keep getting better. I think everyone around us is getting better, so there’s no reason to stop trying, that’s for sure. It’ll be interesting to see how competitive it stays. I felt like there’s a lot of guys that ran up front at Vegas and were able to have some speed in their cars and a lot of it came down to track position by the end of the race, so something we didn’t have. I look forward to doing more races and probably come up with more opinions.”

WHAT FACTORS INTO THE DECISION OF MOVING FROM THE LOW TO HIGH GROOVE WHERE THE PJ1 IS ON THE TRACK? “I think it all depends on what’s happened before you race. For us, there’s the ARCA race and I don’t believe there’s anything else. We had the truck race last year and there was a whole weekend of practice and qualifying before we did it in the spring, so I think the factors will maybe be a little bit different for our race versus the championship weekend, so it’s a good opportunity to learn more about that traction compound. I think everyone is constantly learning about what gets it activated, what makes it fall off, so I think it’ll be another good example of that for us.”

DO YOU THINK ABOUT EVER TRYING TO GET AWAY WITH BRINGING OUT A CAUTION YOURSELF OR IS THAT NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT IN YOUR PLAYBOOK? LAST WEEK YOU GOT A FLAT TIRE AND LIMPED IT AROUND WHEN THE CAUTION CAME OUT. “I definitely feel like we got almost as lucky as we got unlucky. Obviously, having a tire puncture is never fun and on the restart when everyone’s got new tires, so you’re not even at a tire advantage but putting on tires and missing the pit entry, I was pretty much in a position where I was gonna go two to three laps down. I had accepted that was going to be my reality and past that I was on the apron in one and two and saw a car spinning and we got a new lease on life. That’s pretty much all there is to it on my end. Past that, it was a fight to get back up through the field all day and we still had a bit of a tire deficit at the end of the race even for the final restarts, but, all in all, like you said, got a little bit lucky.”

HOW GOOD IS IT TO HAVE ANOTHER PARTNERSHIP ON YOUR CAR THIS WEEKEND? “The car is obviously pretty striking. It’s bright. It’s gonna be easy to spot and easy to read. It’s great to have CarShop on board. I’m excited about that. They’re part of Penske Automotive Group, so definitely in-house there and I’m excited to represent them and help them grow that brand and honestly pretty proud to have them on our car and have the support of those guys on our program. I’m looking forward to having that car in a lot of races this year and hopefully they have some success as well.”

THE DEAL WITH HARRISON BURTON LAST WEEK. IS THAT JUST SOMETHING YOU MOVE ON FROM? “Yeah, I honestly don’t even know what comments he made. I just went up and talked to him after the race behind the hauler. We had a good conversation. Harrison and I have raced really well. He’s honestly one of the few guys in the field that I know I can race really hard. He’s very race smart. He’s grown up around racing and he and I can usually race pretty close and pretty hard and not have any issues, so I think we both surprised each other there on the front straightaway and there’s some things to learn from it, but, past that, yeah, I think it’s behind us as far as I’m concerned.”

WHAT’S THE SECRET TO BEING STRONG AT PHOENIX? “I think there’s a few factors. Obviously, the tires they’ve brought the last couple of years have seemed to fall off a little bit and depending on short runs versus long runs your car’s balance is very dependent on that, so trying to match that up correctly and trying to have overall speed is important, but then when you throw in the traction compound that obviously plays a lot of factors. There are probably more factors at Phoenix than what there was a couple years ago. I will say I’ve done more NASCAR races at Phoenix than any other racetrack, so there’s a certain comfort level with that knowing where you’re at. Obviously, I’ve been to enough of these places enough times in my career, but it’s definitely somewhere where I feel really comfortable.”

HOW MUCH HAS THE PJ1 CHANGED THE RACING AT PHOENIX? “I definitely think it’s changed more than we realize. It’s still somewhat of a track position race. It’s difficult to pass. You’re pretty handling limited at those racetracks, but if you go back and watch past Phoenix races and the lines that we use and the speed that we’re carrying into the corners, especially later in a run or side-by-side, a lot of normal laps with the traction compound we would have spun out and hit the wall, like especially in turns one and two with as flat as that is and there’s no grip. It’s pretty incredible, honestly. It would be bad if they took it away and you tried to do a lap immediately because you kind of have to reel it back in and get reacclimated because it makes a huge difference and you’re able to actually do some slide jobs and make moves if you have speed.”

YOU WILL BE IN THE BOOTH FOR THE ARCA RACE. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? “I’ve spent my entire life watching races and listening to broadcasters and even my weekly prep before races I listen to broadcasters from the prior race. I’ve heard it a lot, so I’m excited to get some perspective. It’ll be cool. In another sense, from a performance side, it gives me an opportunity to watch the race maybe a little closer with a few more angles and try to read up on what to expect for Saturday’s race, but the ARCA Menards Series usually puts on a great show there. I remember watching the race there during championship weekend. I think it was Gilliland, Ty Gibbs and those guys were racing really hard, so hopefully it’s a good race. I looked over the entry list doing a little bit of homework and there are quite a few good cars entered, so it should be fun. It’s definitely a new experience for me. It was a little bit last-minute, but definitely cool to get some time and some new perspective in the ARCA Menards stuff.”

1...2,6562,6572,658...6,762Page 2,657 of 6,762