CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION DODGE NHRA FINALS PRESENTED BY PENNZOIL THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY NOV. 1, 2020
Chevrolet powers Enders to record fourth Pro Stock title First female to win four championships closes season with victory
LAS VEGAS (Nov. 1, 2020) – A social media post by Erica Enders leading up to the Dodge NHRA Finals presented by Pennzoil was self-motivational and prophetic.
“I can and I will. Watch me.”
Enders became the first female in National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World Drag Racing history to win four championships as the Houston native wrapped up the Pro Stock title at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Enders, driving the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS, brought a 55-point lead into the finale of the 10-race season abbreviated because of effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. After Enders won her first-round elimination race, elation quickly and surprisingly replaced anxiousness when closest challengers Jason Line and Jeg Coughlin Jr. both lost their opening-round matches.
“On behalf of Chevrolet, congratulations to Erica Enders, Richard Freeman and everyone at Elite Motorsports for winning the 2020 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Pro Stock championship for the second consecutive year and record fourth time overall for a female driver,” said Roger Allen, NHRA program manager, Chevrolet. “It was a challenging year for all teams and drivers in all professional categories.
“Not only is Erica a standout driver, she is a tireless champion for the sport, her team sponsors and for Chevrolet. We’re proud that all four of Erica’s Pro Stock championships have been won in a Chevrolet Camaro.”
Enders surpassed Shirley Muldowney, who won Top Fuel titles in 1977, ’80 and ’82, and Angelle Sampey with Pro Stock Motorcycle championships in 2000, 2001 and ’02.
“It’s a goal I set,” said Enders, who previously won the Pro Stock championship in 2019, 2015 and 2014. “Shirley Muldowney and Angelle Sampey mean a lot to me and I’m in good company with them.”
Enders also joined Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), Don Prudhomme (Funny Car), Gary Scelzi (Top Fuel/Funny Car), Lee Shepherd (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) with four titles on the all-time list.
“It’s no secret that I’ve struggled this year, the last couple of years honestly,” said Enders, who won her initial Pro Stock race at Chicago in 2012. “It’s been an uphill battle. I speak so highly of my team from the bottom of my heart. (Team owner) Richard Freeman organized the most amazing group of people. All of these guys, they give their lives to this. I could not be more proud. I’m so happy. I’ve never been in a situation like that where I’ve depended on other people to handle it for us.”
Enders recorded four victories, including the season finale when Kyle Koretsky (NitroFish Chevrolet Camaro SS) tripped the red light in his first Pro Stock final, and a 25-6 round record during the season shortened by eight races. She has 29 career wins in 55 finals.
“This is a lesson that you dig deep, you fight and pray with all the heart you have every single chase you get because you never know when it’s your last. I’m a blessed girl,” Enders said.
Coughlin and Line were completing their final season of full-time Pro Stock competition. They have combined for eight championships, 106 victories, 1,328 round wins and 92 top qualifier honors in Pro Stock competition alone.
“On behalf of Chevrolet, thank you Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Jason Line for many years of exciting Pro Stock competition in your Chevrolet Camaros, your engagement with fans and your support of Chevrolet Racing. Congratulations on championships you’ve won and treasure the memories and positive impact you’ve had on the sport you love,” Allen said.
Aaron Stanfield, driving a Janac Bros. Chevrolet COPO Camaro, earned his fifth consecutive victory in the SAM Tech.edu NHRA Factory Stock Showdown series. A week earlier at Houston, the 25-year-old from Bossier City, Louisiana, wrapped up the championship.
Justin Lamb of Henderson, Nevada, drove his 2019 Chevrolet COPO Camaro to victory in Stock Eliminator.
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT PRO STOCK:
ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE/ELITE MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: WHAT WILL BE YOUR LEADING MEMORY OF TODAY? “Being able to lock up our fourth world championship and becoming the winningest of all time for females. Shirley Muldowney and Angelle Sampey mean a lot to me and I’m in good company with them. I’ve not had the best year, but this is a lesson that you dig deep, you fight and pray with all the heart you have every single chase you get because you never know when it’s your last. Richard Freeman gave me this opportunity and I’m a blessed girl.”
WHERE DO YOU DRAW YOUR STRENGTH FROM? “The good Lord, honestly. It’s no secret that I’ve struggled this year, the last couple of years honestly. It’s been an uphill battle for me. I have to give a lot of credit to my sister. She stands beside me; she stands behind me. She’s the best friend I could ever ask for, as well as my father who gave me the mental strength to get through any of this. I speak so highly of my team from the bottom of my heart. (Team owner) Richard Freeman organized the most amazing group of people. All of these guys, they give their lives to this. I could not be more proud. I’m so happy. I’ve never been in a situation like that where I’ve depended on other people to handle it for us. I’m so blessed.”
JEG COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM/ELITE PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “We’ve had one heck of a good time out here racing NHRA – Pro Stock in particular. I’ve always enjoyed the challenges of the day, of the event and of the year, and to do as well as we’ve had, to win the races and championships we have has been nothing short of phenomenal. We’ll step away with pride. I’m sure we’ll tip toe in and out back here.”
JASON LINE, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “I have no regrets, no complaints. I’ve gotten to do more, see more, and be with some really good people. It’s been a good ride. It’s been an interesting season, without a doubt, and I’m thankful to have had my family with me so much this year. The circumstances that made that possible weren’t great, but having them with me out here was special.”
Banner season in first year for mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R
MONTEREY, Calif. (Nov. 1, 2020) – Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor clinched the GT Le Mans (GTLM) Drivers title Sunday in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – the 13th for Corvette Racing and with one event still to go in the season.
The two finished the Monterey Sports Car Championship second in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R. Garcia and Taylor have teamed to win five races in the No. 3 Corvette Racing C8.R entry – which also landed the GTLM Team Championship for Corvette Racing. It is the 14th time the program has claimed that honor since 2001 and comes near the end of the first year for the new, mid-engine Corvette race car.
Garcia is now a four-time IMSA Drivers’ champion – all coming with Corvette Racing – while Taylor added his first in GT competition to a pair from the prototype ranks. Following the return of racing in July due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the pair won at Daytona to give the Corvette C8.R its first victory as well as the 100th in IMSA competition for Corvette Racing.
Garcia and Taylor went on to win races at Road America, Virginia International Raceway, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and the Charlotte Roval. Taylor captured pole position at Sebring, Mid-Ohio, Charlotte and Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, as did Garcia in the previous IMSA event at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for Petit Le Mans. Garcia also set fastest GTLM race laps at Daytona, Road America and Mid-Ohio.
Chevrolet can complete a sweep of the full-season GTLM championships and wrap up the Manufacturers title by having one of the two Corvettes start the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on Saturday, Nov. 14.
About Chevrolet Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
MONTEREY, Calif., (November 1, 2020) – The No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R finished sixth on Sunday afternoon at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in the final sprint race of the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. The battle for the GTD class championship title will come down to the final race of the year, the 12 Hours of Sebring, in two weeks’ time. Following today’s result, Wright Motorsports continues to hold firm to second place in the points, seven points behind the No. 86 Acura of Meyer Shank Racing.
“We were aiming higher than a sixth-place finish today, but we gave it all we had,” said Team Owner John Wright. “That restart caused a little bit of a shuffle for us, but we’re still in the hunt for the championship and we’ll give it a stong final fight at Sebring.” Ryan Hardwick started the No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 in ninth, keeping position as the GTD field dove tightly into turn one. In the opening laps, he got pressure from behind by John Potter in the No. 44 Lamborghini but began to pull away as the faster prototypes began to lap the GT cars. Matching pace with the GTD class leaders, Hardwick was able to pass the No. 22 Acura of Till Bechtolsheimer and set his sites on the No. 76 McLaren of Jeff Kingsley 1.5 seconds ahead. Less than two laps later, Hardwick had reeled in the competition, passing the No. 76 in turn 11 and looking ahead to the No. 12 Lexus of Frankie Montecalvo 5.6 seconds ahead. He made quick work of the No. 12, expertly maneuvering the Porsche past to focus on the 6.8-second gap to the No. 23 Aston Martin of Ian James.
As Hardwick closed in on his final laps, he virtually eliminated the gap to the 23. As the GTD field came into pit lane under green for their first of two pit stops and mandatory driver changes, Hardwick entered right on the tail of the Aston Martin. He hit his marks in the pit box, jumping out of the Porsche for co-driver Patrick Long to take over. Long joined the race in sixth, with a 1.2-second gap to the No. 23, now with Roman De Angelis at the wheel and 70 minutes remaining in the race. Knowing tire degradation would be a factor for all competitors on the sandy road course, the team instructed Long to save the tires for a final-stint push.
Long held position to the second and final pit stop, entering pit lane at the same time as the Aston Martin. The Wright Motorsports crew worked their usual magic, filling the car with fuel and changing the tires in a perfectly orchestrated stop, which allowed for the No. 16 Porsche to exit pit lane ahead of the No. 23 car. Long began his final stint in fifth, with the No. 63 Ferrari just 2.2 seconds ahead. For 23 laps, Long fought to close in on the No. 63 while holding off pressure from the Aston Martin he had just bested. With 23 minutes remaining, a full course caution for debris on track paused the action and brought the field back together to prepare for a dash to the finish. The restart caused a shuffle, resulting in the No. 63 spinning and the Wright Porsche losing two spots to the No. 23 and No. 44 cars. Long pushed hard in the final laps to make up the lost ground, but the limited time resulted in a sixth-place finish.
While the result was not ideal for the Porsche team, they were still able to hold second place in the team and driver standings, just seven points away from the new leaders, the No 86 Acura of Meyer Shank Racing. The battle for the 2020 GTD class championship will play out at the Twelve Hours of Sebring November 11-14 at Sebring International Raceway. Wright Motorsports has proven themselves to be strong in the endurance races with excellence in the car set up to handle over the longer runs, driver endurance, and pit stop efficiency. To stay up-to-date on all event information, visit IMSA.com.
Driver Quotes
Ryan Hardwick Laguna is always a tough track for every team and every driver. I think our car was well-prepared for the challenging conditions. We had a good pace over the long stint, but we lacked the outright speed of some of the other cars to battle at the front. We made up some ground and got a solid finish for the championship. We still find ourselves second in points and we’re within striking distance to the leaders going into Sebring. The championship is still possible, but we definitely have some work to do. This team is going to be up to the challenge and I can’t wait for it.
Patrick Long It was a hard-fought day. Just wild class-to-class, and multi-class contact in that last yellow. I had heard “green” over the radio, but it was actually the announcer coming through the microphone, so I backed off and got caught out in everyone’s mess coming to the green. The BMW GTLM car just sent it down the No. 63, and I followed the BMW on the racing line, and we came together at the exit of turn two. I’d have to see the video to see how it all unfolded. It was one of those days where we never gave up. We made points on the leaders coming into this deal, but we lost some points on the Meyer Shank car. It’ll come down to Sebring. We’re still in this thing, and we have to be proud we fought so hard all year to be in the position to go out and fight for the championship in the last race
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1st Phorm 1st Phorm is a sports nutrition company based in St. Louis, MO. In 2009, CEO Andy Frisella and his business partner Chris Klein started the brand, and since then, it has become the fastest growing supplement company in the world. 1st Phorm has set the standards in the industry for quality and helping people reach their goals. This new racing partnership is not their first time in the exotic car scene either. 1st Phorm has been the title sponsor for the Gold Rush Rally for six years running. With over a million followers across social media, 1st Phorm has amassed a huge cult-like following known as, “The Legion of Boom.” They stand for a movement in the fitness world. To turn it back to what it was meant to be. Helping others improve their lives, to be a good human… and to drop the excuses and do the work. 1st Phorm is a winning brand and they don’t expect anything less when it comes to their race team. For additional info: www.1stphorm.com
Mountain Motorsports Mountain Motorsports is a group of motorcycle and powersports dealerships with multiple locations in the southeastern United States. The company was founded by lifelong friends Ryan Hardwick and Justin Price when they opened their first location as a single-line Honda dealership in Sevierville, Tennessee in 1999. The company has since grown into one of the largest retailers of motorcycle and powersports vehicles in the nation, spanning nine dealership locations representing eleven of the industry’s most well-known brands. For additional info: www.mountainmotorsports.com
Una Vida Tequila Una Vida translates to One Life. That is how this brand started. By people who want to live their “One Life” to the absolute fullest and to their highest potential. A group of guys from the Midwest who love great quality tequila, and want their One Life to have meaning and impact others.
One Life, One Tequila is our CORE BELIEF. We’re building the only tequila brand you will ever need to drink. Una Vida is bigger than just tequila we’re also building a culture of people who want to live their life to their utmost potential.
Our story begins and continues to grow bottle by bottle. It’s a life mission for us to create a community of people who all raise a glass knowing they’re living their ONE LIFE! For more information, visit unavidatequila.com
Wright Motorsports Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series, international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013 and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. The 2020 season will see the team return to IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship. For more information, visit wrightmotorsports.com
Matt Crafton and Stewart Friesen during the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series NASCAR Hall of Fame 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 30, 2020 in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images.
With just one race left before the Championship 4 event at Phoenix International Raceway, Truck Series drivers and teams were vying for the final two spots in the Playoffs. Two of those spots were already claimed by GMS Racing drivers Sheldon Creed and 2018 Truck Series Champion Brett Moffitt.
Positions third and fourth were up for grabs as six drivers were desperately trying to lock themselves in to fight for a championship spot with only two still available. At some points during the race it looked as though Austin Hill would race his way in, but due to engine woes, the Georgian would be out of the race early and his championship hopes were eliminated, as well. Despite six cautions making up the final stage, at the conclusion of the 200 laps, it was rookie Zane Smith and race winner Grant Enfinger who took the last two spots and earned a shot to win the championship.
However, there were other drivers like Austin Hill who was once inside the cut line but now find themselves having to wait until next year to try again. We’ll take a look at this week’s Power Rankings following the Martinsville Truck Series race.
Grant Enfinger – After years of trying, Grant Enfinger finally can make a bid for the Truck Series championship after being so close to advancing when the Championship 4 format was implemented. Enfinger was in a must-win situation heading into Martinsville, or in a worst-case scenario, needed a lot of help from other playoff drivers who experienced trouble throughout the night. Fortunately for Enfinger, he didn’t have any trouble at all in the race, aside from lining up behind the race leaders at one point during one of the late cautions. The Alabaman reclaimed the lead with just two laps to go, and never looked back, and ultimately advanced to the Championship 4 for the first time in his career. In addition, he led 49 laps and finished eighth and third, respectively, in Stage 1 and 2.
Previous Week Ranking – Third
Zane Smith – Smith led 20 laps before coming home with his sixth and most important top-five of the season. His finish was enough to get him locked into the Championship 4 at Phoenix. Smith was in a position to possibly win the race at some points. But his main objective was to fend off Matt Crafton to get the position, which he did, as Crafton finished behind Smith in the running order. Now, Smith will have to overcome his biggest challenge yet and that is to win the championship over his GMS Racing teammates at Phoenix.
Previous Week Ranking – Fourth
Sheldon Creed – Despite bringing out the caution at Lap 176, Creed rebounded to an eighth-place finishing position for his 12th Top 10 of the year. Creed won the first stage and led 65 laps en route to his eighth-place position. He will also be racing for his first championship alongside his teammate Zane Smith.
Previous Week Ranking – First
Matt Crafton – While it was a disappointing finish in Crafton’s eyes, it could have certainly been worse, such as not finishing the race. The ThorSport driver had the lead at certain moments in the race, including at one point when he was one of the four hopefuls to fight for the championship. He led six laps and finished second in both stages before finishing fifth in the running order for his ninth top-five of the season. Unfortunately for Crafton, he finished behind Zane Smith and that was not good enough to move on to defend his 2019 Truck Series Championship.
Previous Week Ranking – Fifth
Ben Rhodes – Rhodes came home in the second position after starting seventh. He was one of the unlucky ones that did not advance to the Championship 4, missing the position by one spot. Despite not advancing, the Kentucky native collected his ninth top-five of the year.
Fell Out
Austin Hill – Engines woes eliminated Austin Hill from championship contention and he was credited with a 35th place finish. Hill was above the cut line heading into the race and most likely would have been racing for the championship, had the engine not expired on his No. 16 Toyota. However, like many others, he will have to wait until next year to try again for the championship.
Anyone who was lucky enough to have grown up in the 1970s or 1908s is likely familiar with such racing classics such as Pole Position, F1 Race, and even the top-down platform Spy Hunter. In fact, some of us may even be avid racing fans as adults thanks to the impacts that such games exhibited during our youth. Of course, digital games have come a long way since the era of 16-bit graphics. Not only are they incredibly realistic, but many are beginning to take on a life of their own thanks to the growing presence of artificial intelligence (AI). What does this technology have to offer the gaming community? How will it further impact the way games are played and experienced? Let’s take a more thorough look at these two interesting questions.
More Than Graphics Alone
F1 2020, Project Cars 3, and Moto GP 2020 are some of the latest iterations to hit the marketplace and they are certainly impressive in terms of their graphics. The three-dimensional feel of these platforms leaves little to the imagination and as a result, we become truly immersed within the content itself.
However, the role of artificial intelligence involves more than meets the eye. The cars themselves are much more realistic in terms of how they handle. Track conditions will affect each game and indeed, no two scenarios are ever alike. This brings a whole new level of excitement to the table.
The Role of Customisation
Due to the fact that even seemingly simple online scratch games have taken on a life of their own, we should not be surprised that racing games are just as exciting. This is due to the fact that players can customize their own vehicles and even choose to place some of the most famous drivers in existence behind the wheel. Such options were hardly possible with more basic iterations.
All About the Challenge
Perhaps the most notable impact associated with artificial intelligence involves how much more challenging the races themselves have become. In the past, some competitions were predictable; particularly when playing against NPCs or the computer. Now, algorithms will determine how to best thwart your efforts so that you remain on your toes at all times.
The Advent of “Thinking” Games?
We can now begin to see that racing games are taking on a life of their own. In fact, some players have even started to believe that the games are “thinking” in a human sense. Of course, this is not really the case (at least not yet). The software has simply become more complex and therefore, more difficult to compete against. Might there ever come a day when digital racing platforms are indistinguishable from real-world competitions? The verdict is still out on this question. However, there is no doubt that racing fans of all ages will be amazed at what these new iterations have in offer. You can therefore always find what you are looking for.
On the final race day of the season, NHRA drivers, and teams took to the track for their 11th and final race of the year after a crazy chaotic season due to COVID-related issues.
While there were race winners to be celebrated, champions in every class such as Funny Car, Top Fuel, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle were yet to be decided as well.
Top Fuel
Coming into the last race of the year, Steve Torrence was looking to end on a high note after claiming victories as of late. He also had an opponent to watch out for as well, and that included his rival Doug Kalitta who still had a mathematical shot as each elimination was awarded 30 additional points to the respective winner of their round.
For Torrence, it was simple. All he had to do was just win and move on to the next round. The same can also be said for Kalitta. When the first round came, Torrence was already moving after getting the victory over Kebin Kinsley by going 3.736 seconds and 325.45 mph to advance to Round 2. Now, the Texan had to wait, and watch Kalitta do his job. Unfortunately for Kalitta, he was eliminated early after falling to Justin Ashley and ending his 2020 season early. With Kalitta out early, Torrence had the title wrapped up in his hands for the third time in his career and the second consecutive after winning last year.
However, just because the championship was already decided, a race winner for the Top Fuel class wasn’t. Antron Brown earned a Round 1 victory over last week’s winner Tony Schumacher by going 3.720 seconds and 326.87 mph to advance. Brown would capitalize on that momentum by getting victories over Clay Millican in the second round and Steve’s dad, Billy Torrence, in the semifinals. Brown ended up racing the 2020 Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence in the final round of the season after Steve got victories over Troy Buff in Round 2 and Justin Ashley in the semifinal.
When the final round came, it was a close drag race, as Antron Brown would get the hole shot victory over Torrence with the reaction time of .042 seconds. The Las Vegas victory was Brown’s first of the season and his first victory in over two years with his last victory coming at Seattle in 2018.
“This feels so good. The last race of the year to go out with a win, Lord knows, all the glory goes to him, and at the end of the day we had so many people that stuck with us this season,” said Brown who closed out the year ranked fifth in the Top Fuel standings.
“Getting (crew chief) Brian Corradi back in our stable and teaming up again with Mark Oswald and Brad Mason and the rest of this Matco team has been incredible. There are so many people who have stuck by us. The TRD support is amazing and Global Electronic Technology coming aboard this year, and Hangsterfer’s has been so loyal to us. Our supporters give us the motivation, and we beat the resistance with persistence. We have a great staff at DSR. We never gave up or quit. We put our heads down and Brian and Mark and the guys just kept marching forward. It feels so good to end the season with a win. We know we have our work cut out for us in ’21. We’re going to keep improving and working hard. We’ve got a great place to start next season. We can run with anybody out there. We just have to get better, be more consistent and do what we do and that’s win rounds. When you win rounds, you win races and when you win races you win championships.”
Antron Brown Hoist the Wally for the First Time This Season, Photo Courtesy of Auto Imagery
As Brown celebrated the victory, Torrence, the Kilgore, Texas native enjoyed the third Top Fuel championship of his career after being runner-up for the third time this season and the 22nd of his career.
“I am excited to win our third championship” he acknowledged, “(but) I’m a big Doug Kalitta fan. I know what it takes to get here, what it takes to be in this position and how hard every one of those guys over there (at Kalitta Racing) work and how hard Doug’s worked. “The amount of time that he’s spent out here, to come up short, not just one time, but so many times, it’s a mixed emotion for me,” he said. “I know where his head’s at right now. I know how he feels. I’m happy for my team and myself, but I was saddened for Doug and that whole Mac Tools team. They fought so hard. They had a great car.”
Torrence also gave credit to his team following his championship-winning victory and dedicated the title-winning effort to Dom Lagana (crew member for Torrence’s team) who was injured in a car accident following the U.S. Nationals event.
“These (Capco boys) spend countless hours and days and weeks working on this race car and then they give it to me with the hopes that I’m going to go do my job,” Torrence said. “(The Nationals), after Dom’s accident, was extremely difficult. I never found myself in an emotionally motivated situation where you’re trying to do it for your brother (who’s) fighting for his life.
“You want nothing more than to win that race for him (but) I went up there and lost on a holeshot (to Leah Pruett). I didn’t take it well,” he admitted. “I didn’t do my job that race but, fortunately, we were able to redirect our focus. “(Through) nothing short of a miracle and the grace of the Good Lord, Dom he said of the younger brother of car chief Bobby Lagana Jr. “He’s gonna be banged up, in bad shape, but we’re gonna do whatever we have to do to get him back out here with us.”
By winning the Top Fuel championship for the third consecutive time, Torrence made history by tying legendary greats Tony Schumacher and Joe Amato as the only driver to win three Top Fuel Championships. Torrence ends the 2020 season with four victories, three runner-ups and three No. 1 qualifiers.
Steve Torrence Wins His Third Top Fuel Championship, Photo Courtesy of NHRA.
Final Top Fuel Results
Antron Brown
Steve Torrence
Justin Ashley
Billy Torrence
Leah Pruett
Clay Millican
Troy Buff
Doug Kalitta
Jim Maroney
Kebin Kinsley
Shawn Langdon
Cameron Ferre
Chris Karamesines
Tony Schumacher
Funny Car
Three drivers had the chance to compete for the 2020 Funny Car Championship heading into the Las Vegas event. To no surprise of anyone, all three drivers running were all Don Schumacher Racing drivers with those being Matt Hagan, Jack Beckman and Tommy Johnson Jr. After leaving the SpringNationals event in Houston, those three drivers were separated by 43 points with Ron Capps having the slightest opportunity in fourth, but he would need a lot of help in order to make anything happen.
When Saturday rolled around for qualifying, Capps qualified on the pole for the first time this season and the 25th of his career. Jack Beckman would qualify in the 10th position with Matt Hagan in second and Tommy Johnson Jr. good enough for fourth. As qualifying was completed, Hagan left the sessions with 900 overall points. Johnson Jr. trailed in second, 45 points behind, while Beckman was 52 points back in third. Another interesting item to note, if Hagan and Beckman won their respective rounds, they would end up facing each other.
On Sunday, things took a quick turn for the worse. Hagan was able to accomplish his job and win over No. 16 qualifier Cruz Pedregon by going 3.901 seconds and 328.38 mph to advance to Round 2. Next was Jack Beckman who was squaring off against Paul Lee. In an upset, Lee ended Beckman’s championship chances by eliminating Beckman in the first round. However, Hagan still had to worry about Johnson Jr. who won over Jim Campbell and advanced into the second round.
Hagan and Johnson Jr. continued their winning ways by winning in Round 2 as well as the semifinals. Capps on the other hand was also enjoying success by claiming victories over Chris Morel and J.R. Todd. The most intriguing matchup came in the semifinal as Capps was facing his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tommy Johnson Jr. Capps fired off a 3.906 seconds and 329.83 mph over Johnson Jr.’s 3.943 seconds and 324.20 mph to move on to the finals. Unfortunately for Johnson Jr., his championship hopes were dashed as well by being eliminated early.
Meanwhile, in the semifinal for Hagan, he was able to clinch the Funny Car championship with a victory over Alexis Dejoria. This eventually set a final round match between the Don Schumacher cars of Hagan and Capps. As the Christmas tree lights went green, Hagan overcame Capps for the victory as Capps’ car blew up, going up in smoke. The victory was Hagan’s third of the season and the 36th of his career.
“Dodge and the DSR fab shop, they’ve put a great race car underneath us. My crew chief Dickie Venables, I can’t say enough about the guy. He’s won me two world championships (2014, 2020) and we’ve runnered-up a few times. There’s a handful of guys on this team who haven’t won a championship before. I’m just so proud to give them that opportunity and I know how bad everybody wanted it. For us to have won three world championships now in this sport, it’s incredible.
“It all comes back down to my guys and the car they put under me. It’s not just me. I try not to mess it up. This is one of the most humbling sports I’ve been involved in and it always seems to come down to the last race and that certainly doesn’t make me look any younger. Thank you to everyone who supports what we do and we hope we made you proud to be a part of this.”
Matt Hagan Wins the 2020 Funny Car Championship, Photo Courtesy of Auto Imagery.
Hagan, who celebrated for the third time in his career winning the Funny Car Championship, is now tied with drivers Raymond Beadle and Robert Hight.
Capps had to settle for yet again another runner-up finish. The second-place finish was Capps’ 60th of his career.
“What a weekend. It all came to plan. Especially getting the No. 1 qualifying spot and that Camping World hat. We did get a lucky break first round, but Rahn Tobler and the NAPA/Pennzoil guys did a great job turning it back around. It went almost to plan until the final round. The car was running great and I’m not sure what happened, but another one of those pretty big explosions. Thanks to Impact for great safety gear and everyone at the DSR fab shop for mounting a great Dodge body. Two wins this year, some finals, a pole, not a bad 2020 season for this NAPA team.”
All four Don Schumacher Racing cars finished one through fourth in points. Hagan first, Johnson Jr. in second, Beckman in third and Capps in fourth. Schumacher also enjoyed a great season by winning all 11 races.
Final Funny Car Results
Matt Hagan
Ron Capps
Tommy Johnson Jr
Alexis Dejoria
Bob Tasca III
Blake Alexander
J.R. Todd
Paul Lee
Jack Beckman
Cruz Pedregon
Terry Haddock
Tim Wilkerson
Jim Campbell
Steven Densham
Dave Richards
Chris Morel
Pro Stock
In the Pro Stock category, Erica Enders, the three-time Pro Stock Champion, was looking forward to defending her 2019 title. Enders entered the final round with a 55 point advantage over second-place Jason Line. Enders qualified her Chevrolet Camaro in the 12th position after going 6.652 seconds and 205.35 mph. Line qualified in the second position, going 6.635 seconds and 206.39 mph.
Line was set to face Cristian Cuadra in Round 1 while Enders was going to square off against Alex Laughlin in her round. As the time came for Enders to face Laughlin, the Houston, Texas native locked up the Pro Stock title after winning over Laughlin by going 6.662 seconds and 205.47 mph. Line had a losing effort in Round 1 after falling to Cuadra.
Despite winning the title early on, Enders was determined to win the race as well. She would move on to the finals after winning over Troy Coughlin Jr. in the second round and Greg Anderson in the semis to set herself up for a final round match with Kyle Koretsky. When those two met in the finals, it was Koretsky who ended up fouling in the left lane, automatically giving the victory to Enders for the fourth time this season and the 29th of her career. Enders is now a four-time champion after winning titles in 2014, 2015, and most recently, in 2019.
“Being able to lock up our fourth world championship and becoming the winningest of all time for females. Shirley Muldowney and Angelle Sampey mean a lot to me and I’m in good company with them. I’ve not had the best year, but this is a lesson that you dig deep, you fight and pray with all the heart, you have every single chase you get because you never know when it’s your last. Richard Freeman gave me this opportunity and I’m a blessed girl.”
Erica Enders Celebrates Fourth NHRA Pro Stock Championship, Photo Courtesy of Chevy Racing.
Laughlin finishes second in points, just 167 points back of Enders.
Final Pro Stock Results
Erica Enders
Kyle Koretsky
Greg Anderson
Cristian Cuadra
Aaron Stanfield
Troy Coughlin Jr
Bo Butner
Matt Hartford
Deric Kramer
Jason Line
Kenny Delco
Jeg Coughlin
Mason McGaha
Chris McGaha
Aaron Strong
Alex Laughlin
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Last, and certainly not least, was the Pro Stock Motorcycle division. Matt Smith in his DENSO Auto Parts/Stockseth/MSR EBR Motorcycle had to worry about one competitor and that was Scotty Pollacheck, who entered the final event 58 points back from the top spot.
On Saturday, Smith qualified in the second position with a time of 6.821 seconds and 198.38 mph while Pollacheck qualified fourth after setting a time of 6.900 seconds and 196.04 mph.
In the first round on Sunday, Pollacheck won over David Barron by going 7.020 seconds and 191.62 mph. Smith got his victory in Round 1 after winning over two-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Angelle Sampey. The victory for Smith set up the second-round match against Andrew Hines, as Pollacheck was set to face Angie Smith. Pollacheck would end up being eliminated by Angie and was unable to move onto any more rounds following the loss.
As for Smith, he got the victory over Hines by going 6.875 seconds and 196.13 mph to advance to the semifinals. By advancing, he would be set to face Steve Johnson in the semifinals. However, Smith would lose the round to Johnson, due to Smith’s bike not going off the starting line. Even though Smith could not race his way into the finals, the second-round win was enough for Smith to win his fourth Pro Stock Motorcycle Championship.
“This was a long hard deal today,” M. Smith said. “That [Vance & Hines] group played their cards right and I had to race them in the first and second rounds. If you want to be the champ you have to beat the champ and I just beat the champ [Hines] to win this, so we are the champions. I can’t thank Denso and Mark Stockseth enough for what they do for me.”
Matt Smith Celebrates Winning the Pro Stock Motorcycle Championship, Photo Courtesy of NHRA.
With winning the championship, Smith now has four titles to his credit and is right up there with names such as Andrew Hines, Dave Schulz and Eddie Krawiec who have four or more championships.
In the final round, Angie Smith rocketed her bike over Steve Johnson to win her first race of the season in just eight starts.
“You never know when you’re going to get back here and I’m so emotional,” A. Smith said. “I want to thank my team. They have built me up and have told me to never give up. This one’s for them.”
Up Next: The NHRA 2020 season is now complete. The focus will now turn to the offseason and the 2021 season which is currently set to open up at the 52nd annual Gatornationals on March 12-14.
Nine wins, earning the 2020 Regular Season Championship, capturing 20 top fives with 1,531 laps led; it’s been an impressive season by any standard. But it was not enough for Kevin Harvick to advance to the Championship 4.
Even his rivals were stunned.
“It’s hard to fathom,” Kurt Busch said.
Martin Truex Jr. agreed, saying, “It’s insane.”
After having arguably the best year of his career, Harvick came up short when it mattered most. But while disappointed, he still characterizes this as “a great year.”
“We had a great year. Like I said earlier, they aren’t won the same way that Earnhardt and Petty did,” Harvick said. “You have to put together a few weeks and we didn’t put together these last few weeks like we needed to and just came up short.”
Harvick was one of the favorites heading into the race, ranked second in the standings. However, things began to go wrong in Stage 2 after contact with Matt Kenseth caused damage to his tire and he had to make an unscheduled pit stop. After going two laps down, Harvick fought to work his way through the field and finally was able to get back on the lead lap and into the top 10.
As it became apparent that he could not compete for the win, Harvick set his sights on gaining one point over Brad Keselowski to claim the last spot in the Playoffs. In a last ditch effort, he put his bumper to Kyle Busch, hoping to pass him and gain that one elusive point. Unfortunately, he spun out himself and Busch, ending his title run with a 17th place finish.
Though it was certainly not the ending he wanted, he is proud of what he and his team accomplished. From his point of view, losing the chance to compete for the championship title does not diminish his dominant performance on the track this season.
“We won nine races, had a great year, and, like I said, the championship is kind of a bonus,” Harvick explained. “It would be great to win it, obviously, but I’d rather go through the year and win races and do the things that we did and just came up short.”
With one race left in the 2020 season, Harvick has two goals – to win next week at Phoenix and to say goodbye to what has been a tumultuous year for everyone.
“It’s been a great racetrack for us and obviously that’s what we want to do. I just want to get the season over with.”
Monterey, CA (November 1, 2020) – Coming in to the penultimate round of the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as the championship leaders, the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R team were focused on remaining firmly in the championship hunt. Despite relinquishing the championship lead for the first time this season, the Konica Minolta squad ensured that their championship challenge remains very much in tact with only two points separating them from the top of the standings.
After qualifying seventh on Sunday morning, Ryan Briscoe took the green flag at the picturesque road course for the penultimate race of the 2020 season. With decisive moves in the opening stages of the two-hour, 40-minute race, Briscoe moved up to fifth with half an hour complete. Deploying a similar strategy to the Petit Le Mans two weeks ago, the Cadillac-powered team stretched its first stint to open up strategic possibilities, moving them into the lead of the race.
At the 40-minute mark, Briscoe brought the black and blue Konica Minolta machine to pit lane for the team’s first pit stop and driver change of the day. With the pit cycles out of the way, Renger van der Zande rejoined the track in sixth place, working to maximize the alternate strategy. Gaining time throughout his first stint in the car, van der Zande made a decisive move to take fifth place with one-hour, 35 minutes remaining. Mirroring the strategy from the first stint, van der Zande took the lead prior to pitting for tires and fuel with an hour and 17 minutes remaining.
With van der Zande remaining in the car for last two stints of the race, the Dutchman was able to cycle up to the third position during the final round of pit stops, rejoining in sixth with 41 minutes remaining for the sprint to the end and turning the fastest lap of the race. A full course caution for debris added some drama into the mix with 24 minutes left on the clock. Ever the opportunist, van der Zande was able to make his way briefly into the fifth position at the re-start, before having to settle for the sixth position come the checkered flag.
With the final sprint race of the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship complete, the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac team heads to the season finale at Sebring International Raceway second in the championship standings, two points off the lead and with everything to play for.
“We struggled all weekend which is not normal,” said team owner Wayne Taylor. “We seemed to have had some brake issue during the race. After the yellow we thought we were going to have a good chance to get some good points. We were able to get up to fourth, but we had the same electrical issue that we had at petit le mans. We had rewired the car on Friday, so there must be something going on. It might be engine related, so everyone will do their job before we go to Sebring 12 Hour. The championship is not over, we’re only two points behind. Clearly, we didn’t have the pace this weekend. It’ll now be a shootout at Sebring in two weeks for the 12 Hours.”
The 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will be decided in just two weeks with the 12 Hours of Sebring on November 14. The race will see newly crowned NTT IndyCar Series Champion Scott Dixon rejoin the team, alongside Renger van der Zande and Ryan Briscoe. The 12-hour classic will be broadcast live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold at 10:05 a.m. ET on Saturday, November 14th. RENGER VAN DER ZANDE, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R “Today we had some great pace in the car, then we had no pace in one of the stints and we don’t know why. I think Ryan did a good job in the beginning and we were moving forward. The pit stops were good, I just had no grip in the middle stint, and we lost a lot of time there. Then on the restart I made a move to get up to fifth position. At least we were in the fight to move forward, but it’s the worst-case scenario for the championship. The Acuras have been on a streak for so long now. After the gremlins we had in the last stint we cruised home and now we have to figure out how to fix it and now we only have one shot at Sebring to clinch the championship.”
RYAN BRISCOE, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R “Tough race, but at the same time I’m happy to have finished. We had some electrical issues again this race that have been haunting us the last couple of rounds. It was pretty scary because the car shut off a couple times and had to reset the dash with Renger in the car. He did a good job on the last restart and moved us up to fifth and the car started having problems. Thankfully we were able to build up a lap over the other Cadillacs and we were able to bring it home in sixth, but it’s a pretty disappointing result today.”
About Konica Minolta Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future™ with its expansive smart office product portfolio from IT Services (All Covered), ECM, Managed Print Services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for twelve consecutive years, and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2017 America’s Best Employers list. The World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for eight consecutive years. It partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and work to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, Linked In and Twitter. Konica Minolta, as title sponsor, highlights Wayne Taylor Racing’s existing lineup of partners that also features Cadillac V-Performance Racing, AMETEK Electronic Systems Protection (ESP /SurgeX) and Powervar, and CIT.
Michael McDowell
No. 34 CarParts.com | Davico Mfg Ford Mustang
Started: 24th
Finished: 28th
Stage One: 37th
Stage Two: 33rd
Stage Three: 28th
The No. 34 CarParts.com | Davico Mfg Ford Mustang of Michael McDowell started Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway from the 24th position. Shortly after the green flag waved, McDowell cued the radio to say that he had a “big (left-rear tire) rub” and would be forced to pit under green for left-side tires and to clearance the fender, to which he would come out five laps down. At the Competition Caution on Lap 62, Crew Chief Drew Blickensderfer instructed McDowell to stay on track in order to take a wave-around opportunity and would then be scored four laps down. McDowell would go on to take the first green- and white-checkered flag from the 37th position, four laps down. During the Stage 1 Caution, the No. 34 CarParts.com | Davico Mfg Ford Mustang came to pit road for 4 tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment after McDowell noted that the “right-rear (tire) wants to chatter a little bit.”
Although being scored in the 36th position and four laps down, McDowell would continue to lay down fast lap times and show off the speed in his No. 34 CarParts.com | Davico Mfg Ford Mustang. The caution flag would fly on Lap 184 and McDowell would stay on track to take another wave-around opportunity and close the deficit to three laps. After a long stint on old tires, the caution flag would be displayed once again on Lap 217 and McDowell would pit for 4 tires and fuel; telling the team that his race car was “getting tight rolling the middle (of the corner).” He would go on to finish Stage 2 in 33rd place, three laps down. During the second Stage Break Caution, McDowell would stay on track to take advantage of another wave-around opportunity, closing the gap to two laps down.
The Final Stage of Sunday’s 263-mile race at Martinsville Speedway would see a total of three cautions; the first coming on Lap 353 to which McDowell would pit for fuel and 4 fresh Goodyear tires after a lengthy 136-lap run on his previous set. The remaining two cautions would fall on Laps 401 and 442 and McDowell would stay on track during both to take two more wave-around opportunities, however he would still remain two laps down as he was passed by the leader just prior to both cautions occurring. McDowell and the No. 34 CarParts.com | Davico Mfg team continued to battle hard all race. Unfortunately the five lap deficit was too large to overcome and the No. 34 CarParts.com | Davico Mfg Ford Mustang would take the checkered flag at Martnsville Speedway from the 28th position, three laps down.
McDowell on Martinsville:
“I’m really disappointed with the way that our race unfolded today at Martinsville Speedway. We got hit hard in the left-rear quarter panel shortly after the green flag dropped, causing a bad tire rub and forced us to have to pit under green for left-side tires and damage repair. At Martinsville, you never want to come to pit road unless it’s during a caution because a green flag pit stop pretty much guarantees that you’re going to lose a few laps. From that point on, our goal was to try and take advantage of as many wave-around and Lucky Dog opportunities as possible in order to get back on the Lead Lap. Unfortunately, with cautions falling at unfavorable times and having to race on old tires for long stints, it made it difficult for us to get all of our laps back. It’s unfortunate because our No. 34 CarParts.com / Davico Manufacturing Ford Mustang was so fast all race long. I can’t thank CarParts.com enough for all of their support this season and it was great to welcome their friends at Davico Manufacturing on board with us this weekend as well. We still have one more race in the season, so we’ll head home tonight and shift our focus to Phoenix and try to close out the 2020 season on a high note, next Sunday.”
Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report
Track: Martinsville Speedway
Race: Xfinity 500
Date: November 1, 2020
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No. 2 Dent Wizard Ford Mustang – Brad Keselowski
Start: 1st
Stage 1: 3rd
Stage 2: 7th
Finish: 4th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 500/500
Laps Led: 3
Point Standings (behind first): 1st (-0)
Notes:
Brad Keselowski rallied back from a pit road speeding penalty to score a fourth-place finish Sunday afternoon at Martinsville Speedway and will race for the NASCAR Cup Series championship next week at Phoenix Raceway. Keselowski grabbed his 12th top-five finish of the season and collected his 11th top-five in 22 races at Martinsville. This is the second time Keselowski will race for a series title since the elimination format debuted in 2014.
Keselowski started from the pole and scored a third-place finish when Stage 1 ended but it wasn’t that simple for the Dent Wizard team. There were four cautions sprinkled throughout the 130-lap segment and Keselowski pitted twice during the stage for tires and adjustments. He restarted eighth on lap 109 and sliced his way through traffic over the next 21 laps to claim third place at the conclusion of the stage. He pitted during the stage caution on lap 134 and restarted 13th on lap 139 when the first six cars in the running order didn’t pit.
The battle for track position consumed much of Stage 2 for Keselowski and the Dent Wizard team. He fell back to 17th with 100 laps left in the segment but told his team he just needed a long run to get the track position back. Keselowski again fought his way through traffic and claimed an eighth-place finish when the stage ended on lap 260. The driver of the No. 2 Mustang pitted for four tires and adjustments during the stage caution on lap 263 and restarted ninth on lap 267.
The third and final stage will be remembered for Keselowski’s dramatic drive to the front. He had just made a four-tire stop on lap 404 during the 11th caution when he was hit with a speeding penalty leaving pit road. Keselowski restarted 22nd when the race went green on lap 408 and from there the charge was on. While Keselowski was steamrolling through the field, crew chief Jeremy Bullins and the Dent Wizard team were keeping close tabs on Kevin Harvick. As Keselowski marched up the leaderboard, Harvick stayed close enough to hold a one- or two-point edge over Keselowski in the battle for the final spot in the Championship 4. Keselowski grabbed fourth position with eight laps to go and held a one-point lead over his rival on the final lap of the race when Harvick spun on the final lap.
Quotes: “I thought I was part race car driver and part mathematician. I am so happy for Team Penske. It was a hard-fought day. I got a speeding penalty there with 70 or 80 to go and I’m not sure how. The box where I got the speeding penalty was where my car was pitted. I’m just really thankful to be going on to the Championship 4. There was nothing I could do but pass as many cars as I could with our Dent Wizard Ford. I know we’ve got great cars on these short tracks and one-mile tracks. We bring this kind of effort at the end of the race at Phoenix we’ve got a great shot at it.”
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No. 12 Menards/Libman Ford Mustang – Ryan Blaney
Start: 10th
Stage 1: 20th
Stage 2: 4th
Finish: 2nd
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 500/500
Laps Led: 36
Point Standings (behind first): 9th (-2702)
Notes:
Ryan Blaney finished second in Sunday’s penultimate race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season at the Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. The driver of the Menards/Libman Ford Mustang collected his 11th top-five finish of 2020 and led 36 laps in the event. Blaney finished second in both races at the .526-mile short track this year.
Blaney started 10th and made his way up to sixth by the competition caution on lap 60. He would pit on lap 63, taking four tires, fuel, and a track bar adjustment. Restarting ninth, he would make his way back to fifth prior to the third caution on lap 105, which would see him return to pit road for four tires and no changes. Unfortunately, Blaney would have to start at the rear of the field after being too fast on entry to pit road. Restarting 25th, he would make his way to 20th at the conclusion of Stage 1 on lap 130.
Blaney began Stage 2 from the 18th position. He would make his way up to seventh by lap 200. He stayed out under the eighth caution of the race on lap 217. Restarting second, Blaney would lose two spots to cars on fresher tires and came home fourth in Stage 2.
Blaney would start the final stage of the race from the eighth position on lap 267. The race’s longest green flag run would take place and Blaney would drive his way to third position by lap 290. Blaney was fourth when the caution waved again on lap 353. Strong service by the Menards/Libman crew got Blaney out in the second position. When racing resumed on lap 358, Blaney would take the lead from teammate Joey Logano on lap 369. He would lead until the 11th caution on lap 401. Blaney would pit on lap 403, taking four tires and a wedge adjustment. Restarting in the second position, he would remain there until the 12th and final caution on lap 442. He would make his final stop of the day shortly after and restart fifth. Blaney would battle back, making his way back up to second where he would cross the line at the end of 500 laps.
Blaney is ninth in the NASCAR Cup Series standings heading to the final race of the season at Phoenix Raceway next Sunday.
Quote: “Our Menards/Libman Ford was pretty decent all day and we got progressively better. I sped on pit road before that first stage and that really set us back. Overall, it was not a bad night, but it stinks to finish second here both times this year. I’m proud of this 12 group. The past 10 full weeks we’ve been strong and had a chance to win a couple races We just need to put it all together.”
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No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang – Joey Logano
Start: 7th
Stage 1: 5th
Stage 2: 8th
Finish: 3rd
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 500/500
Laps Led: 19
Point Standings (Behind First): 1st (-0)
Notes:
Joey Logano started seventh and finished third in Sunday afternoon’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Logano entered the event as the only driver locked into the Championship 4 race next weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Stellar pit work by the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang team would keep Logano contending inside the top-five throughout the event.
Through the opening 60 laps Logano ran inside the top-10, reporting the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang needed to rotate a little better from the center off the corner, leading crew chief Paul Wolfe to make an air pressure and trackbar adjustment on the first stop of the race. Quick work by the crew netted the team four positions, lining the team up in third position for the restart. Under caution at lap 104, the team again made air pressure and trackbar adjustments to gain additional center turn. Logano finished the opening stage in the fifth position.
Through the second stage Logano continued to run inside the top-10, reporting the Shell-Pennzoil Mustang was better directionally, but still needed more turn despite running some of the fastest laps on the track. The team elected to pit, making only a stagger change to the No. 22 Ford Mustang. Logano finished the second stage in the eighth position, right behind teammate Brad Keselowski.
Logano would spend the majority of the final stage inside the top-five, with the Shell-Pennzoil pit crew grabbing the lead twice on pit road. On the final pit stop of the race, the crew would send Logano off pit road in second, but with the No. 32 car remaining on the track, Logano would be pinned in third position where he’d finish the race.
The No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang team will head to Phoenix for Joey Logano’s fourth appearance in the Championship Four in the past seven years. Logano is the most recent NASCAR Cup Series Champion among those qualified for the race with teammate Brad Keselowski being the only other former series champion left standing.
Quote: “Everyone on the Shell-Pennzoil team is excited and we’re ready to go. This is a great opportunity. We were able to lock ourselves in a couple weeks ago and we’re able to breathe for a minute and get through these last couple races. What a crazy race it was today for those guys trying to get their way in. The advantage we earned the last couple of weeks was to be able to focus on our Phoenix car before everybody. Our batteries are charged up and we’re ready to go.”
