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Jack Wood to Compete Full-Time for GMS Racing in 2021

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STATESVILLE N.C. (Nov. 2, 2020) – GMS Racing announced today that Jack Wood will pilot the No. 21 Chevrolet full-time for the team in the ARCA Menards Series East in 2021 as well as the full ARCA Menards Showdown schedule. Mardy Lindley will return to the team as crew chief.

“GMS is looking forward to this next chapter for our ARCA program,” said Mike Beam, president of GMS Racing. “Our ARCA team has accomplished amazing things these last two seasons and I’m confident Jack can take over and build on that success next season.”

The Loomis, CA native has competed part-time in the ARCA Menards Series West since 2019 and has collected one top-five and six top-10 finishes in seven starts this season. Wood will also be a part of the Drivers Edge Development program in 2021.

“I’m so thankful for the opportunity to compete with GMS in 2021,” said Wood. “To transition from a part-time schedule with our family-run team in the West series to running the East series full-time with a team like GMS who has won two consecutive East titles is awesome. I’m ready to get out there and learn and grow as a driver, but also to chase wins and a championship with this new team.”

About GMS Racing – GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series with drivers Brett Moffitt, Sheldon Creed, Tyler Ankrum and Zane Smith as well as part-time with David Gravel and Chase Purdy. The team also competes in the ARCA Racing Series with Sam Mayer. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 Gander Trucks Championship, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship as well as the 2019 ARCA East championship and has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at https:/gmsracing.net

Winward Racing leads run of three Mercedes-AMG GT4 teams with top-10 Finishes Saturday in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Competition at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

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IMSA, Laguna Seca, October-November 2020. (Photo by Brian Cleary/bcpix.com)

MONTEREY, California. Winward Racing’s fourth-place finish led a run of three Mercedes-AMG GT4 teams in the top-10 Saturday in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Russell Ward and Nico Bastian co-drove the No. 4 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 to the fourth-place Grand Sport (GS) class result after battling in the lead pack throughout the two-hour race. In the weekend’s featured IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship two-hour and 40-minute race on Sunday, co-drivers Gar Robinson and Lawson Aschenbach improved four race positions to finish ninth in the GT Daytona (GTD) class in the No. 74 Riley Technologies Mercedes-AMG GT3.

Ward and Winward came into the weekend as the defending IMSA Pilot Challenge Laguna Seca race winners and, joined by co-driver Bastian in his debut on the 2.238-mile Monterey circuit, did all they could to secure the repeat victory.

Ward ran third for the majority of his race-opening stint with Bastian, also running in the top three early in his run to the checkered flag.

The No. 56 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Jeff Mosing and Eric Foss continued its run of 2020 consistency with a seventh-place finish Saturday. Mosing, Foss and the No. 56 Murillo team have finished in the top-10 in each of this season’s nine races to date, and moved to third in the Pilot Challenge GS standings with only the season-ending race at Sebring International Raceway in two weeks remaining on the 2020 calendar.

Winward Racing’s sister entry of co-drivers Alec Udell and Ward’s father, Bryce Ward, was the third Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing team to hit the top-10 on Saturday.

The No. 35 Riley Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 and co-drivers Jim Cox and Dylan Murry, and the No. 65 Murillo Racing entry of Tim Probert and Kenny Murillo, each led a race lap Saturday. The No. 35 finished 13th, one spot ahead of the No. 65 in 14th place.

In Sunday’s WeatherTech Championship race, starting driver Robinson drove from 13th to ninth in his first career race at Laguna Seca.

Taking over from Robinson at the 45-minute mark, Aschenbach improved to eighth early in his race-closing stint. On a late restart after a yellow-flag caution period with 20 minutes to go, the Riley team called Aschenbach to the pits for a fresh set of tires.

The move needed another yellow to successfully play out, but the risk still payed off as Aschenbach crossed the finish line in ninth, the same position he and Robinson held most of the race.

Next up for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams in both the IMSA WeatherTech Championship and IMSA Michelin Pilot series is the season-ending 12 Hours of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway, November 11 – 14.

Russell Ward, Driver – No. 4 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “The good to take out of this race is the fourth place. It’s just one step off the podium, where we want to be. It’s always a blast driving here. I love Laguna Seca, and it’s pretty demanding on the drivers. The tires fall off pretty quick, and you just have to adapt to stay ahead. I think we had a pretty good strategy. There’s not really much we could have done. The cars behind us took a little more risk and it paid off for them, but there’s not really a risk that we could have taken. Sometimes that’s the way it goes here in IMSA.”

Nico Bastian, Driver – No. 4 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “I’m a pretty lucky guy to have Road Atlanta and Laguna Seca on my calendar as a replacement. It wasn’t planned at the beginning, but I was lucky enough to have these two races where I could come to IMSA for the first time. I had a lot of fun, the racing in America is great, the team is great. Everything was perfect, except I really wanted to have a podium finish. At the end, P4 and P5 is not bad, but it’s not the reason I took the 12-hour flight from Europe here to America. I hope I will come back one day. I really enjoy it, and it would be nice to do more in America. It’s great racing here.

Bryce Ward, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “It was a good race. I really enjoyed it. It was the first time I’ve been over and hour in the car, which is awesome. I felt really good on the start and the restart. I managed to bring the Mercedes-AMG GT4 in without a scratch on it, turned it over to Alec and he did a super job getting it home. I think we got it up to 10th, which was really good.”

Alec Udell, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “For me, the Mercedes-AMG GT4 was good. The conditions are always a little bit challenging at Laguna Seca, especially in the evening. You get the sun coming in and it’s challenging to see, guys are dropping wheels and there is sand and dust and dirt going all across the track which makes it abrasive on the tire. In that sense, I think we had a really good car. Overall, I’m happy with the car. The Mercedes-AMG GT4 is very good across a stint.”

Eric Foss, Driver – No. 56 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “I thought we had really good pace. We were one of the quickest cars at the end of the race. The Mercedes-AMG GT4 is just such a phenomenal car to drive. The balance is so good, and it was just really easy on the tires. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is known to be really hard on the tires, and our whole goal was trying to just manage the tire, and the car did a great job doing that. We’re looking forward to going into Sebring. We’re now one point ahead of the No. 35 car for third in the championship, and four points ahead of the No. 4 car. Unfortunately, we’re battling with two other Mercedes-AMG teams for third in the championship right now. I’d like to battle with other manufacturer cars, but at Sebring we’ll just do the best we can and execute and see where we finish.”

Kenny Murillo, Driver – No. 65 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “It was a really good experience to get back in the Mercedes-AMG GT4 after running other cars. The Mercedes-AMG is so driver friendly, it allows almost anyone to hop in and go fast. It gives you that confidence to go quick. Coupled with the Murillo Racing team, they always give you a good car, I’m really happy with the car’s performance and the team’s performance. The cards never really fell in our favor, strategy wise, we had the pace but couldn’t really race anybody. I was by myself for a good half of it. As a whole, the Murillo Racing team is leaving Laguna Seca very happy. It’s all going to come down to Sebring. That’s what we want, and we’re really excited for that.”

Lawson Aschenbach, Driver – No. 74 Riley Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Hands down, we’re probably more excited about Sebring than any other track on the schedule. This was a difficult day for us, these things happen, that’s just the way it goes, but I thought we had some pretty good speed. The guys were good in the pits. Sometimes, in places like this where track position is so important, it’s just hard to do anything or move forward. All eyes are definitely on Sebring. I think everybody is kind of primed for that race. I think if we can have a repeat of our car at the July race, we’re going to be in really good shape there to win that one.”

‘Blessed girl’ Enders perseveres in unprecedented season

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Houston native sets mark for most championships by a female driver

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 2, 2020) – First female with four championships has a nice ring, but it wasn’t top of mind for Erica Enders entering what appeared to be a normal National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

But because of COVID-19, nothing has been normal. Two races were in the books when racing was halted until July because of the novel coronavirus. Now, nearly nine months and only 10 Pro Stock races later, Enders can wrap her mind around earning the distinction.

The Houston native, driving the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS, added to her 2019, 2015 and 2014 Pro Stock championships in the Dodge NHRA Finals presented by Pennzoil at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Enders overtook 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. A year earlier at Las Vegas, Enders earned the 150th professional category victory for a female driver. In 298 career races, she has 29 wins and 349 elimination-round victories.

“Shirley Muldowney and Angelle Sampey mean a lot to me and I’m in good company with them,” said Enders, who picked up her first Pro Stock Wally in 2012 at Chicago.

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.

No one was as dominant in the 2014 and ’15 seasons as Enders, who won 15 races on the way to back-to-back Pro Stock world championships. In 24 races in 2015, Enders qualified No. 1 six times and started from the top half of the field 22 times in her Camaro. Two wins in the six-event Countdown to the Championship spurred Enders to the 2019 championship.

This season, Enders won the second race (Phoenix). Victories at Indianapolis and St. Louis followed the long layoff. She entered the finale with a 55-point lead over Jason Line and Jeg Coughlin Jr., who promptly lost their first-round matchups that handed Enders the championship. She raced to the final, defeating Kyle Koretsky’s Chevrolet Camaro for her series-high fourth victory.

“What an unbelievable day,” said Enders, who won for the sixth time at The Strip. “This place has been so good to me but I couldn’t do it without my team. 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.”

Team Hardpoint Scores IMSA WeatherTech GTD Top 10 at Laguna Seca on Sunday

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Rob Ferriol and Spencer Pumpelly Co-Drove the Audi R8 LMS GT3 In a True Team Effort Out West

MONTEREY, California (November 2, 2020) – Team Hardpoint earned a top-10 finish at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Sunday, finishing 10th in a hard-fought IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona (GTD) race. Co-driver Rob Ferriol and Spencer Pumpelly teamed to drive the No. 30 GridRival/Team Hardpoint Audi R8 LMS GT3 in a condensed weekend that showed the heart and soul of the young team.

The challenges began with the opening practice on Saturday morning, when the car broke an axle leaving pit road. That cost the team most of that session and left Ferriol with just 10 laps in the car prior to Sunday morning’s qualifying.

Ferriol qualified and opened the race in 12th and ran his 45 minute-stint on the lead lap before the entire GTD field stopped for the first time under green. The Hardpoint crew made a flawless start, leapfrogging one position with the driver change, fuel and tire.

That set the table for an eventful stint for Pumpelly in the final one-hour, 55 minutes.

The sandy surface surrounding WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca places tire wear at a premium throughout a stint. On fresh tires, the Pumpelly and Audi combination were the fastest car on the track. Three laps into his first stint, Pumpelly turned the fastest GTD lap of the race and had cut as much as seven seconds into the team’s lead.

The end of the stint was less kind, however. Team Hardpoint made a strategy call to stay out longer than any other GTD team, hoping for a caution that never came. Though he climbed to seventh position, Pumpelly stayed on worn tires as much as 15 minutes longer than the competition and, when the final pit stop happened under green flag conditions with 53 minutes to go, Team Hardpoint fell a lap down in 12th place.

The first and only full course caution of the race didn’t come until just over 20 minutes remained in the race. Following the restart, Pumpelly quickly made up two spots to move into the top ten, and then with eight minutes remaining passed the leader on the track to get back to the lead lap.

Though running times that matched the leaders and were often faster, the two-hour, 40-minute clock expired before Pumpelly could gain any more positions.

“We had a lot of difficult circumstances going into the race. We lost basically 50 percent of practice availability which left us with just one session,” Ferriol said. “We came together for practice two and learned as much as we could going into the race. We would have liked a better result, but we can’t beat each other up. We still managed a top 10.”

Team Hardpoint heads to Sebring International Raceway for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, November 11 – 14. The Michelin Endurance Cup race, still part of the full-season WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, was a late addition for Team Hardpoint’s 2020 plans and will mark the team’s debut at the 68th annual event.

About Hardpoint Motorsports:
Hardpoint Motorsports was founded by Rob Ferriol in 2018 with the vision of combining his experience as a successful entrepreneur with his passion for racing. The Hardpoint brand brings together three distinct entities into one motorsport ecosystem. Team Hardpoint is the brand’s racing arm, providing its partners and customers opportunities to compete, brand, and promote in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona class and the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. Hardpoint Outfitters helps other teams and drivers extract more value from their motorsport investment by bundling branding, activation, and digital marketing services into customized turnkey packages, including design, apparel, hospitality, and social media management. The Hardpoint Paddock Foundation is the newest element of the ecosystem, created as a charitable foundation to support out of work paddock workers through the COVID-19 shutdown. As the shutdown comes to an end, the 501(c)3 Foundation is expected to grow into a more sustained model of providing vocational and educational support services to the professional sports car paddock community. More information on all of the Hardpoint Motorsports enterprises can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

“Blue-Collar Day” Nets DiBenedetto a 10th-Place Finish at Martinsville

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After running in mid-pack for most of Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team worked on their Mustang, hit on some speed and surged forward to finish 10th. It was their second-straight top-10 and their 10th of 2020.

DiBenedetto started the 500-lapper at the Wood Brothers’ home track from 12th place, and ran mostly inside the top 15 for the first Stage before ending that run in 16th place.

In Stage Two, it was more of the same as he once again finished 16th.

Then, as the third segment of the race began to unfold, the situation began to improve. With 135 laps to go, DiBenedetto moved into 14th place. Three laps later he was 13th, and with 70 laps to go he was 12th.

With 47 laps remaining, he moved into the top 10 and except for a couple of exchanges, ran there until the checkered flag fell.

“We kind of missed it on the set-up,” DiBenedetto said. “There were some things we would have changed if we had practice, so we were kind of stuck with what we had.

“But, in what I’d call a “blue-collar day’ we worked on the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang, got it the best it could be and got a top-10 out of it.”

DiBenedetto said that’s what a good race team needs to do.

“When you can have what looks like it’s going to be a bad day and make a top-10 out of it, it shows the progress we’re making with this team,” he said. “We’re getting better.”

With Sunday’s race setting the field for the Championship Round of the Playoffs, DiBenedetto said he had to be careful racing around drivers trying to advance in the playoffs.

“I tried to be really aware of their situations,” he said, adding that there are risks to his team in racing around drivers in desperate circumstances. “I didn’t want to do something that would mess up our day, and I also didn’t want to interfere with the outcome of the playoff battle.”

The No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang did have some close calls, including one at the finish line when Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch spun as Harvick made a last-ditch attempt to secure a spot in the final four. DiBenedetto moved high, then low, to motor by Harvick and preserve his top-10 finish.

“There was a lot of smoke when I came off Turn Four, but I was able to get by him,” he said.

DiBenedetto and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team remain 14th in the Cup Series points standings, one point behind William Byron in 13th place and 11 points behind 12th-place Clint Bowyer.

The finish at Martinsville, specifically the runner-up run by Ryan Blaney, clinched the 2020 Manufacturers’ Championship for Ford Motor Company. It was Ford’s second crown in three years, and it’s the first for the Mustang since it joined the Cup Series last year. Mustang drivers have 18 wins so far this season and have one more chance in next Sunday’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Eddie Wood said he salutes all the drivers and teams that were a part of the championship effort.

“It’s a great accomplishment, and with two Team Penske Mustang drivers in the Final Four at Phoenix, hopefully there will be another big trophy in the Ford camp a week from now,” he said.

About Motorcraft:

Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Omnicraft:

Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center

Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Wood Brothers Racing

Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.

CORVETTE RACING AT WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA: Another Runner-Up for GTLM Champions Garcia, Taylor

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Official Release
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· Garcia, Taylor take second consecutive runner-up finish
· Chevrolet on verge of clinching GTLM Manufacturers championship
· Technical infraction spoils run for Gavin, Milner

MONTEREY, Calif. (Nov. 1, 2020) – Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor recorded their eighth podium finish of the season Sunday as the pairing finished second in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class of the Monterey Sports Car Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Garcia and Taylor placed second in the category with their No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R for the second race in a row. The result also sealed the GTLM Drivers and Team titles in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

In addition, Chevrolet moved into position to clinch the GTLM Manufacturers title as long as either of Corvette Racing’s two mid-engine Corvettes starts the final race of the year – the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in two weeks. It would be the third time since 2014 that the program has swept the full-season GTLM championships in the same year.

Corvette Racing’s second C8.R – the No. 4 of Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner – finished a hard-fought third in class Sunday. Unfortunately, the car was found to be out of technical compliance in post-race inspection and was relegated to sixth place.

Sunday’s race featured a myriad of tire strategies on the dusty and slippery Laguna Seca circuit. After starting on pole position, Taylor led for the first 16 laps before making the first of three pit stops in the No. 3 Corvette. He cycled back through to second place, which is where he and Garcia stayed most of the day.

Gavin and Milner finished on track in the same position the No. 4 Corvette started. With the team deciding to run a slightly longer opening stint, Gavin pitted from the lead five laps after Taylor as the No. 4 team eyed a potential two-stop strategy.

Those plans went by the wayside just past the halfway point. Garcia took over the second-place No. 3 Corvette with 86 minutes left in the two-hour, 40-minute event and attempted to regain the lead from Earl Bamber’s Porsche 40 minutes later by going a lap longer before making the final stop. Traffic stymied Garcia’s progress before he took his last service. Milner, who got in the No. 4 Corvette with 82 minutes left, came in a lap later and cycled back to fourth.

A full-course caution with 25 minutes remaining brought the top four GTLM cars – both Corvettes and both Porsches – together for a late-race dash. Milner came out the biggest winner, moving from fourth to third with a nifty move inside the final 15 minutes, and he set the fastest GTLM lap of the race shortly after the pass.

Meanwhile, Garcia got as close as a half-second to the leader but settled for second and ultimately the class championship.

The final round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring from Nov. 12-14 at Sebring International Raceway.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTLM: “Today was a good race, and we maximized everything we had. We lost track position to the 912 at the start, and it was tough to get that back. The safety car mixed things up a little bit and it gave me a chance to get closer, but they were able to open up the gap a little bit. The pace was very fast, and I couldn’t use the traffic in my favor. I pressured as much as I could, but they didn’t make any mistakes. Maybe I had one or two chances where I could have gone for it, but it wasn’t the right time or place to try something crazy. In that situation there is nothing you can do. It wasn’t easy to pass on this track. There was a ton of pressure on the crew guys to do three separate tire changes when we were relying on tires to be finished instead of fuel. I think we ran a perfect race. Unfortunately for us the 912 did, too. There was nothing I could do, and that’s why I congratulate them.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTLM: “It was a difficult race today with the tire wear and traffic that we expected. We can be happy with the result, especially not having been on this track before with the C8.R It continues to show the value of the simulator work we do. We will take this good momentum on to Sebring and hopefully close out the season with another strong run there.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SIXTH IN GTLM: “We were a little up and down with pace during the day. At the end, Tommy drove his last stint really well and was strong. My first stint was about managing the tire and looking after everything in thinking about how far we needed to go in the stint. But things were constantly developing and changing throughout, so we had to be flexible with the strategy. We hit a bit of a rough patch at that first stop. I had to go through some GTD traffic before the first stop, and that lost us some time. We didn’t necessarily get the rub with the traffic today, but as things turned out we got into that final 25 minutes in good position. Tommy drove well after the caution, and the cooler track temperatures seemed to suit our car.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SIXTH IN GTLM: “This race and this track always provide some tricky conditions with tire degradation for everyone. Trying understand the best strategy is always a head-scratcher early in the weekend. As the race plays out, it becomes more and more obvious what the right decision was. We had a good day going, for sure. We called an audible on our original plan and ended up going to a three-stop strategy, which I ultimately think was the right thing to do. More importantly, we were keying off what the BMWs were doing since they are the ones closest to us in the championship. All in all, we covered them and had a good strategy for the race anyway. I was super happy with the balance of the Corvette, and the pace in the car at the end was really strong. Olly drove more than he was expecting to, and he did an awesome job in those two stints.”

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.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION AT LAS VEGAS : Post-race Recap and Driver Quotes

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Official Release
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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.”

Garcia, Taylor, No. 3 Corvette C8.R Clinch GT Le Mans Championships

By
Official Release
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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.

Wright Motorsports Holds on to Second Place in Championship Following Laguna Result

By
Official Release
-

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

NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series Power Rankings – Martinsville II

By
Briar Starr
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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.

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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

  1. 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.

    Previous Week Ranking – Second
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