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Rosenqvist Overcomes Early Race Setback To Finish Seventh For MSR at Nashville

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Official Release
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Nashville, Tenn. (31 August 2025) – Meyer Shank Racing’s (MSR) NTT INDYCAR SERIES squad experienced all the emotions during Sunday’s season-ending Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix at the Nashville Superspeedway oval, but in the end the team put a successful cap on its strongest-ever INDYCAR SERIES campaign.

Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 SiriusXM Honda) took his Maximum Metallica (SiriusXM channel 42) Honda to the seventh spot with a strong run in the second-half of the race while Marcus Armstrong (No. 66 ROOT Insurance Honda), had a potential podium dashed by a spate of late race issues which left him 19th.

The day’s results allowed MSR to establish new season-bests in the INDYCAR championship standings as Rosenqvist vaulted all the way to sixth in the final series points with his finish while Armstrong held on to eighth, marking the first time since joining the series in 2017 that both MSR machines finished the season in the top 10 in points.

It was nowhere near as easy as all that though, as Rosenqvist made his day harder on his way to the green flag, incurring a penalty for jumping the start, which dropped him from ninth to 26th place.

The 60 stand made a race-changing strategic decision to pit Felix early for the final stop of the race, putting him back out on track in clean air and able to pick up several positions, moving into the top 10. Armstrong had a strong run going in his final stint, climbing all the way to third where he stayed going into the final round of pit stops. Unfortunately in the closing laps a blocking penalty forced him to pit and dropped him out of contention.

But the incident failed to dull the team’s best INDYCAR SERIES season, as the Ohio-based team’s new season standards set in 2025 includes number of races led (10), times led (11), top-10 finishes (22), top-five finishes (six) and podiums while its drivers are both poised to earn MSR’s best-ever finishes in the series standings.

Meyer Shank Racing Driver Quotes:

Felix Rosenqvist: “It’s been an up and down weekend, we had lots of promise at time and we struggled at times and it was kind of the same in the race. I had a jump start, and it was kind of in the grey zone, it was what it was. I didn’t move through the cars in the back as quickly as I wanted, but then we made a few changes and it brought the thing alive. We were flying. The end of the race was really cool and happy we could get back to P7 in the end.”

Marcus Armstrong: “Disappointing end to a good day. We had driven forward to P3 from P14 and had a podium in sight. But I made a mistake in pit lane, so we had slower stop than usual. Then shortly after, got a drive-through penalty. It is what it is and I’m disappointed. But also really proud of our season and the 66 crew. 2026 should be great.”

Rowe Charges From Deep in Pack To Win at Nashville

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Official Release
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LEBANON, Tenn. (Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025) – A decision made Saturday afternoon paid off with a stirring victory Sunday morning for Myles Rowe.

Rowe earned his second career victory – both coming this year – in the season-ending INDY NXT by Firestone Music City Grand Prix on Sunday at Nashville Superspeedway after starting ninth. It was the deepest starting position for a race winner in the INDYCAR development series since Matheus Leist won from 10th in 2017 on the Iowa Speedway oval.

“It’s amazing,” Rowe said. “It’s been a good season this year with Abel Motorsports, and I can’t thank Force Indy and Abel enough for what they do for me. It’s been a good journey, and I can’t wait to do it again with them next year. Just so happy I could give this to them at the end of the year.”

Rowe drove his No. 99 Abel/Force Indy machine to victory by .4376 of a second over Salvador de Alba in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car of Andretti Global. Season champion Dennis Hauger finished third in the No. 28 Nammo entry, giving Andretti Global two of the three podium positions.

Caio Collet finished fourth in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports car, while Lochie Hughes delivered Andretti Global three of the top five finishers in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship machine.

This was an impound event for the series, in which teams could not change their car setups after qualifying Saturday. So, Rowe and his crew decided to set up their car with more downforce than usual for qualifying, with an eye toward the 65-lap race on the 1.33-mile concrete oval.

The decision paid off.

“We weren’t quite pleased with the qualifying, but we knew the strategy was that we come here to race,” Rowe said. “Starting ninth wasn’t what we wanted, but we knew we could race from there.

“It was just about keeping composure and making all the right moves and making them count. I’m glad we were able to do that. The crew gave me an amazing car to be able to do that.”

Rowe wasted little time climbing through the field, jumping to fourth place by Lap 5. He then prevailed over the next 10 laps in a spirited defense of that position against Michael d’Orlando in the No. 3 Priority/Rising Stars car of Andretti – Cape Motorsport.

Georgia native Rowe then dove under Collet on Lap 25 to take second and set his sights on pole sitter de Alba, who had led every lap from the start of the race.

De Alba led Rowe by .435 of a second on Lap 32 when the only caution flag of the race flew. D’Orlando nudged Callum Hedge’s No. 17 Abel Motorsports car into the SAFER Barrier in Turn 2 during a side-by-side duel for seventh place.

Mexican de Alba rocketed away on the restart on Lap 44, but it didn’t take long for Rowe to catch him and make a decisive move for victory. Rowe looked to the high groove as he trailed de Alba to start Lap 46 and then quickly dove under de Alba in Turn 1 to take a lead he would not surrender.

Rowe then maintained a gap to de Alba ranging from three-tenths to one-half of a second over the final 20 laps and never was threatened.

The sizzling race featured action up and down the 18-car field, resulting in 147 on-track passes, including 81 for position, 56 in the top 10 and 26 in the top five – all INDY NXT by Firestone records for Nashville Superspeedway.

De Alba Continues Oval Momentum with Nashville Pole

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Official Release
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Lebanon, TN - 2025 Music City Grand Prix (Photo by Travis Hinkle | IMS Photo)

LEBANON, Tenn. (Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025) – The good times kept rolling for Salvador de Alba as he was the fastest qualifier Saturday for the INDY NXT by Firestone Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway, his first career pole in the INDYCAR development series.

De Alba was fastest with a two-lap average speed of 184.471 mph in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car fielded by Andretti Global. His first career pole, which comes in his 28th career start in the series, came less than a week after he earned his first series victory last Sunday at the Milwaukee Mile.

“It took a while, but it’s great timing to have all these achievements, first career pole, first win last weekend,” de Alba said. “We have one more day to keep doing it. I have a race tomorrow, and I want to win as badly as when I first started doing this. Really happy to be here now and pushing forward for tomorrow.”

The 65-lap race is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX One, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Caio Collet will join de Alba in the front row Sunday after qualifying second at 184.116 in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports entry.

Andretti Global cars filled the second row. Series champion Dennis Hauger qualified third at 183.979 in the No. 28 Nammo machine, while fellow rookie teammate Lochie Hughes was fourth at 183.776 in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship entry.

Michael d’Orlando, who led practice this morning, qualified fifth at 182.690 in the No. 3 Priority/Rising Stars car, tying his career best starting spot in just his third race this season for Andretti – Cape Motorsport. James Roe will join d’Orlando in Row 3 after qualifying a season-best sixth at 182.582 in the No. 29 Topcon car of Andretti Global, a team that placed all four of its cars in the first six spots on the qualifying speed chart.

De Alba’s previous best qualifying spot was second last weekend at Milwaukee. But he took the lead from pole sitter Hauger on the first lap of that race and never trailed thereafter for his breakthrough first victory. De Alba wasn’t calling his shot qualifying today, but he’s confident of a repeat performance Sunday.

“The car, we have dialed it up for the race, especially,” de Alba said. “It’s a very good car we have for the race. All four Andretti cars are there, so we’re going to have a very good fight tomorrow, and hopefully we get the win.”

Zilisch wins the Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland

By
SM Staff
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Connor Zilisch
Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images

Connor Zilisch won the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland International Raceway for the series-best eighth NXS win of the season. This win is also the best series victory total ever for a rookie driver for the 19-year-old driver.

“To come back two weeks after collarbone surgery, it hurt, but it hurt so good,” said Zilisch. “So proud of this 88 team. It’s been such a fun year. Let’s go get ourselves a championship.”

Zilisch won the first stage by more than 14 seconds and won the second stage by more than eight seconds. He led 70 laps, including the first 67 of the race’s 78 laps, his No. 88 JRM Chevrolet crossing the finish line 1.572 seconds ahead of William Sawalich, Nick Sanchez, and Christian Eckes.

Austin Hill led eight laps and took the lead on a restart with seven laps remaining in regulation. But another late race caution came out, giving Zilisch the lead on the overtime restart heading into Turn 1.

“As soon as I hit the brakes, I wheel-hopped, but kind of committed to it as soon as I realized I wasn’t going to make the corner. And it worked out. I wasn’t really planning on it, but last resort, you’ve gotta do what you gotta do.” Zilisch said about reclaiming the lead on the restart.

“The No. 88 was obviously the best car, but we were able to hang with him on the final restarts. The overtime one didn’t go as planned, and I’m frustrated to not get the job done, but I’m still extremely proud of this team. We are gaining momentum at the right time of the season, and we’ll be ready for the Playoffs in a couple weeks.” said Hill.

Sawalich finished in second in his Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 SoundGear Toyota and was close to his first Xfinity Series win.

“Not too bad. It is a career-best, and the team had a good day. We had a good SoundGear GR Supra – it was as fast as Xfinity Mobile. Just kind of back-and-forth all day. We didn’t have the fire off speed that we wanted, but our long run speed was on par with the 88 (Connor Zilisch), from what I know. I’m not sure if he was taking it easy or what, but we had a good day. We finished P2, so I’m pretty happy.” Sawalich said.

Nick Sanchez finished third, Christian Eckes fourth, and Austin Hill finished fifth.

“I’m proud of Kaulig Racing for fighting hard today. We had a really good No. 16 Action Industries Chevy; once we got going, I felt like we were easily a top-five car. We tried a couple things differently this race, and we feel like we made some gains, so we’ll take those into the ROVAL and move on to Gateway next week with one more shot at the playoffs.” said Eckes.

Carson Kvapil finished sixth and clinched his spot on points for the playoffs. One more race remains to formalize the 12-driver field for the 2025 playoffs, with three spots up for grabs at World Wide Technology Raceway.

The race featured four caution flags for 14 laps, and two lead changes among two drivers (Zilisch, Hill).

After Portland, Zilisch leads the series standings by 20 points over Justin Allgaier, 50 points over Sam Mayer, 120 points over Jesse Love, and 158 points over Austin Hill.

Up Next:

The Xfinity Series heads to World Wide Technology Raceway for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at World Wide Technology Raceway on Saturday, September 6th, at 7:30 pm ET on the CW Network.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Number 25
Race Results for the Pacific Office Automation 147 – Saturday, August 30, 2025
Portland International Raceway – Portland, OR – 1.97 – Mile Paved

PosStNoDriverTeamLapsS1S2S3PointsStatus
1188Connor Zilisch #WeatherTech Chevrolet7811061Running
2418William Sawalich #Soundgear Toyota7854048Running
3748Nick Sanchez #Caroline Jones No Tellin Chevrolet7800034Running
41516Christian Eckes #Action Industries Chevrolet7809035Running
5321Austin HillBennett Transportation Chevrolet7822050Running
691Carson Kvapil #Bass Pro Shops/Clarience Tech Chevrolet7866041Running
71727Jeb BurtonOpti-Coat Chevrolet7800030Running
81432Austin Green3Dimensional.com Chevrolet7800029Running
92331Blaine PerkinsOpti-Coat Chevrolet7800028Running
10102Jesse LoveWhelen Chevrolet7870031Running
112610Daniel Dye #Race to Stop Suicide Chevrolet7800026Running
121825Harrison BurtonAirBox Ford7800025Running
132844Brennan PooleFreedom Pro Chevrolet7800024Running
141354Taylor Gray #Operation 300 Toyota7800023Running
1527Justin AllgaierBRANDT Chevrolet7833038Running
16541Sam MayerAudibel Ford7845034Running
172551Jeremy ClementsAlliance Driveway Solutions Chevrolet7800020Running
181120Brandon JonesMenards/Pelonis Toyota7888025Running
191928Joey HandFord Performance Ford7800018Running
20624Alon DayJSSI Toyota7800017Running
213071Ryan EllisClassic Collision Chevrolet7800016Running
2288Sammy SmithPilot Chevrolet78010016Running
233391Josh WilliamsOACEUS Chevrolet7800014Running
242039Ryan SiegSci Aps Ford7800013Running
253114Garrett SmithleyKnight Fire/Dozer Winch Chevrolet7800012Running
263453Kyle SiegChevrolet7800011Running
27160Sheldon CreedFriends of Jaclyn Ford78100011Running
283670Thomas AnnunziataCROW Credit Repair Chevrolet780009Running
293535Takuma KogaMacnica Toyota750008Running
30294Parker RetzlaffZiploc Chevrolet740007Electrical
311219Jack PerkinsShaw and Partners Toyota7197012Suspension
322226Dean Thompson #OSU/Thompson Pipe Group Toyota710005Running
332142Anthony AlfredoBig Rack Spirits Chevrolet630004Transmission
342499Matt DiBenedettoViking Motorsports Chevrolet560003Suspension
352711Will BrownMobile X Chevrolet490002Suspension
36377Alex LabbeLockard Security Chevrolet490001Fuel Pump
373245Vicente SalasPrime Bites Mini Muffins Chevrolet430001Running

Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Pacific Office Automation 147

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Official Release
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No. 16 Action Industries Chevrolet

Start: 15th
Stage 1 Finish: 11th
Stage 2 Finish: 9th
Finish: 4th

Capitalizing on the long-run speed of the No. 16 Action Industries Chevrolet, Eckes gained four spots during the opening stage to finish 11th. During Stage 2, He entered the top 10 by lap 36 and consistently clicked off top-three speeds throughout the segment. Eckes finished Stage 2 in ninth place, radioing that despite firing off tight, the No. 16 Chevy built freer as the run went on. He started the final stage from 10th place and continued running top-three lap times. When a late-race caution came out with four laps remaining, Eckes sat sixth. Following an overtime attempt, Eckes finished fourth, earning his fourth top-five result of the season.

“I’m proud of Kaulig Racing for fighting hard today. We had a really good No. 16 Action Industries Chevy; once we got going, I felt like we were easily a top-five car. We tried a couple things differently this race, and we feel like we made some gains, so we’ll take those into the ROVAL and move on to Gateway next week with one more shot at the playoffs.” – Christian Eckes

No. 10 Race to Stop Suicide Chevrolet

Start: 26th
Stage 1 Finish: 20th
Stage 2 Finish: 25th
Finish: 11th

Happy with the fire off of the No. 10 Race to Stop Suicide Chevrolet, Daniel Dye finished Stage 1 in 20th place. He continued the charge forward during the opening laps of the second stage, finding his way to 14th place in just five laps. In the closing laps of Stage 2, Dye was assessed with a pass-thru penalty after short-cutting the course. He went on to finish the stage in 25th. Confident in the capability and speed of the No. 10 Chevy, crew chief Kevin Walter told Dye to remain focused. After starting the final stage from 24th, Dye sat 17th when the caution flag came out with 12 laps remaining. After chaos on the restart, Dye saw himself in 12th, when a late-race caution fell with four laps to go. Following one overtime attempt, Dye finished 11th.

“This was definitely one of our better road-course races. Our No. 10 Race to Stop Suicide Chevy had top-15 speed all day. I made a mistake and had to do a pass-thru, which set us back a bit. I think we maybe could have gotten a top 10 otherwise, but overall not a bad result.” – Daniel Dye

No. 11 MobileX Chevrolet

Start: 27th
Stage 1 Finish: 28th
Stage 2 Finish: 31st
Finish: 35th

Will Brown started the Pacific Office Automation 147 at the rear, due to unapproved adjustments to change the transmission of the No. 11 MobileX Chevrolet. Learning the car more and more each lap, Brown gained multiple spots to finish the opening Stage in 28th. Continuing to trend positively, Brown entered the top 20 in just a handful of laps to start Stage 2. Coming to the final lap of the stage, Brown was forced to pit road, radioing that something was broken on the No. 11 Chevy. The team assessed that the right-side track bar mount was broken. Brown’s race ended early; he was scored 35th.

“Not how we wanted today to end. It felt like the car wasn’t driving right for the last few laps there before I felt something broken in the rear end. I hate it for the Kaulig crew, because I know they really wanted to have a good run this weekend. I’m super thankful to everyone for bringing me back and giving me another opportunity.” – Will Brown  

About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 27 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

RCR NXS Race Recap: Portland International Raceway

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Official Release
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Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team Rebound from Mid-Race Damage to Capture Top-10 Result at Portland International Raceway

Finish: 10th
Start: 10th
Points: 4th

“The Whelen team never gave up today. Portland wasn’t a great race for us last year, so we basically did a 180 coming back here. I thought it was better for sure, and we learned a lot throughout the day. Our No. 2 Chevrolet struggled to get the power down in Turns 2 and 12, but overall, we showed a lot of speed in the first half. We got contact from the No. 18 which damaged our right rear fender. After that, the car was loose on the backstretch and draggy down the frontstretch. The guys fixed it the best they could under the last stage break, and we restarted deep in the field. Just kept our heads down and made up ground to finish inside the top-10. I’ve worked really hard on the road courses the last couple of seasons and I think that helped when it mattered most.” -Jesse Love

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Team Lead Closing Laps and Earn Fifth-Place Finish at Portland International Raceway

Finish: 5th
Start: 3rd
Points: 5th

“One of these days, this No. 21 team is going to win a road course race. We have come close so many times and today was no different. Our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet had speed and was one of the top two cars. During the first stage, we needed more turn in the right handers, and I was willing to give up a little on the lefts to get more on the rights. Chad (Haney, crew chief) made good adjustments in the break, and we definitely made gains during Stage 2. The car was still tight in the right handers in the closing laps, but we were in the hunt. The No. 88 was obviously the best car, but we were able to hang with him on the final restarts. The overtime one didn’t go as planned and I’m frustrated to not get the job done, but I’m still extremely proud of this team. We are gaining momentum at the right time of the season, and we’ll be ready for the Playoffs in a couple weeks.” -Austin Hill

Toyota GAZOO Racing – NXS Portland Post-Race Report – 08.30.25

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Official Release
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SAWALICH DELIVERS CAREER-BEST RUNNER-UP FINISH IN PORTLAND
Taylor Gray closes in on a Playoff berth

PORTLAND, Ore. (August 30, 2025) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver William Sawalich finished a career-best second in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Portland International Raceway on Saturday evening. Sawalich had a solid weekend overall as he also won the ARCA West race at the track on Friday.

With one race remaining, Taylor Gray remains in a solid position to make the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs as he holds a 60-point advantage heading into the final race of the regular season – World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, just outside of St. Louis – next weekend.

Toyota GAZOO Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
Portland International Raceway
Race 25 of 33 – 147.75 miles, 75 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Connor Zilisch*

2nd, WILLIAM SAWALICH

3rd, Nick Sanchez*

4th, Christian Eckes*

5th, Austin Hill*

14th, TAYLOR GRAY

18th, BRANDON JONES

20th, ALON DAY

29th, TAKUMA KOGA

31st, JACK PERKINS

32nd, DEAN THOMPSON

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

WILLIAM SAWALICH, No. 18 SoundGear Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 2nd

What is the emotion like being as close as you were to your first win?

“Not too bad. It is a career-best and the team had a good day. We had a good SoundGear GR Supra – it was as fast as Xfinity Mobile. Just kind back-and-forth all day. We didn’t have the fire off speed that we wanted, but our long run speed was on par with the 88 (Connor Zilisch) – from what I know. I’m not sure if he was taking it easy or what, but we had a good day. We finished P2, so I’m pretty happy.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Cooper Shipman Continues Win Streak, Taking Race 2 at CTMP

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Official Release
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#14 Cooper Shipman, Kiwi Motorsport, winner

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada (August 30, 2025) – Cooper Shipman extended his Formula 4 United States Championship presented by Mosport Karting Centre (F4 U.S.) win streak, taking the victory in Race 2 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) on Saturday afternoon. In one of the most action-packed races this season, the top four engaged in tight racing and close battles all afternoon, with Shipman (No. 14 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) having to overcome the charges of his championship rivals to eventually emerge with the victory.

Clemente Huerta Raab (No. 17 Velox USA / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) led the field to green after setting the fastest lap in Race 1. Shipman lined up to his outside, but Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 N-E-Where Transport / Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F422) and Alex Popow (No. 55 Dr. Michael Thompson MS DDS PPLS / MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) put on an early charge, with Hauanio moving to second and Popow to third on the opening lap, while Shipman fell to fourth.

Keeping a level head, it only took Shipman five minutes to restart his forward progress, moving back into third and then setting his sights forward. Meanwhile, Hauanio looked toward Huerta Raab, closing in on the Chilean to take the point. His lead, however, was short lived, as side-by-side racing between Hauanio and Huerta Raab allowed Shipman to reach their gearboxes. Shipman made his way around both drivers to pace the field and begin opening a gap as the clock ticked down.

Behind him, Hauanio, Huerta Raab and Popow continued to dice it up. The trio raced three-wide down the front straight, with Popow racing wide to claim second, and Huerta Raab using the inside line for an overtake. Hauanio was able to slingshot past Huerta Raab in the following corner, and the three raced nose to stern toward the checkered flag. With the white flag in sight, Huerta Raab got loose entering Turn 1, losing control and sailing into the tire barrier. As a result, the safety car brought the field to the checkered flag, with Shipman taking the win, Popow following in second, and Hauanio in third.

Notes of Interest:

  • Cooper Shipman won his sixth race of the 2026 season while extending his championship points lead.
  • With six-consecutive victories, Cooper Shipman is now tied with 2017 F4 U.S. Champion and current INDYCAR Driver Kyle Kirkwood for the second-longest win streak in F4 U.S. history. Cameron Das holds the record with eight-consecutive victories.
  • Alex Popow finished second to record his seventh podium of 2025. The Venezuelan American finished on the podium in both of today’s events.
  • With a third-place result, Kekai Hauanio secured his ninth podium of the year. Hauanio remains second in the point standings, now trailing Cooper Shipman by 40 points.
  • Luke Powers (No. 51 Corporate Commercial Group / Toney Driver Development Ligier JS F422) earned a career-best finish with his fourth-place result.
  • Three teams were represented on today’s podium, with Kiwi Motorsport securing the victory, MLT Motorsports taking second, and Crosslink Motorsports finishing third.

“It was a bit of a chaotic start,” said Shipman after climbing from the car. “I knew the guys behind me were going to be aggressive with me and try and shuffle me back, but I stayed calm, stayed consistent and made my way back through the field. Then, I controlled my race from the front. I have to thank all of Kiwi Motorsport, Teena [Larsen], Garry [Orton], and both my parents for supporting me and getting me this far.”

F4 U.S. will finish out their weekend at the Labour Day Weekend Sprints tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. ET. The race will stream live on SpeedTour.TV, and live timing and scoring will be available on the Race Monitor app. Additional news and updates from the weekend will be posted on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Paul Menard Earns Second Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Victory

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Official Release
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Canadian Drivers James Beaton and Roberto Sabato Claim Wins in XGT and Pro/Am Challenge

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario (August 30, 2025) ― The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli returned to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) and was once again met with exciting battles and results affecting championship hunts. In the TA class, defending champion Paul Menard scored his second-consecutive win at the Bowmanville, Ontario track, while rookie Tristan McKee tallied his third CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series victory in four races. Toronto-born Roberto Sabato found vindication at his home track, winning in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Pro/Am Challenge after an early crash took him out of contention last season. Finally, Ontario native James Beaton earned the win in the XGT class with his second-consecutive victory in the class.

Notes of Interest:

  • Paul Menard earned his fifth victory of the 2025 season and his second-consecutive CTMP win, extending his points lead in the TA class.
  • Tristan McKee padded his points lead with his third victory of 2025. McKee also tops the Rookie of the Year and Young Gun Award standings.
  • With 15-year-old McKee, 17-year-old Sam Corry and 21-year-old Tyler Gonzalez in the top three, the average age of the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series podium was 17.6.
  • Nitro Motorsports claimed second through fifth in TA2.
  • Roberto Sabato scored his second-consecutive victory after taking the checkered flag at Watkins Glen International last month. Sabato was born in Toronto and his team, 6th Gear Garage, is based in the area.
  • James Beaton, who hails from Manotick, Ontario, claimed the victory in XGT, and also earned his second checkered flag in a row after winning at Watkins Glen.
  • Many competitors on the podium paid their respects to Pro/Am Challenge competitor Barry Boes, who passed away last week in an aviation accident.

Polesitter Chris Dyson controlled the start of the race in his No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang and showed incredible speed as he led the first six laps. Unfortunately, a tire issue required a pit stop the following lap, and he relinquished the lead and dropped to the back of the TA class. From there, last year’s winner Paul Menard (No. 31 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Ford Mustang) took over the point position. Behind him, Adam Andretti (No. 17 TOP LINER Chevrolet Camaro) remained tight on his bumper, closing in to attempt the pass multiple times, but he was unable to close the deal. A late-race restart caused commotion for the TA competitors in the front of the field, as a miscue resulted in both Dyson and Tomy Drissi (No. 8 Trench Shoring Co./Motul Chevrolet Camaro) getting penalized for jumping the start. As the race reached its conclusion, the running order sorted out, and when the checkered flag waved, Menard led Andretti and Drissi over the finish line. Amy Ruman in the No. 23 McNichols Co./Valley Automotive Group Chevrolet Corvette was scored fourth and Dyson finished fifth.

“It was an eventful race,” said Menard. “It’s always great to come back up here to Canada. There’s great race fans, and seeing the crowd all the way around the track and the support that we get with the series is amazing. I had a great car all weekend. We didn’t have to adjust on the car much, just little tweaks here and there. You know, [Chris] Dyson got us in qualifying, and he kind of set sail at the start. I thought I had a tire rub, but I was smelling the smoke coming from his car. Once he had his issue, it cleared up for us. We had a little power steering issue and the restart was crazy. We’re chipping away. Adam [Andretti]’s keeping us honest week in and week out. 3GT just does an amazing job every week. On to Virginia.”

TA Results:

  1. Paul Menard, No. 31 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Ford Mustang
  2. Adam Andretti, No. 17 TOP LINER Chevrolet Camaro
  3. Tomy Drissi, No. 8 Trench Shoring Co./Motul Chevrolet Camaro
  4. Amy Ruman, No. 23 McNichols Co./Valley Automotive Group Chevrolet Corvette
  5. Chris Dyson, No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang

EMCO Gears Lap Leader:

Paul Menard, No. 31 Menards/Masterforce Tools Ford Mustang

Omologato Watches Fastest Lap of the Race:

Chris Dyson, No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang

After securing the pole in yesterday’s qualifying session, Tyler Gonzalez led the field to green in his No. 10 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry. Gonzalez controlled the race for the first five laps, but a tire issue required the leader to drop to pit road before the beginning of lap six. From there, second-place starter Tristan McKee (No. 28 Spire/Gainbridge/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro) took over the point position and remained unchallenged for the remainder of the race. Sam Corry (No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry) had advanced from his fourth-place starting position to follow McKee across the finish line. Remarkably, Gonzalez, who had dropped to the very back of the field when he went to pit road but remained on the lead lap, was able to take advantage of the late-race caution bunching the field and picked his way through his competitors, ultimately rising to

claim the third podium spot. Julian DaCosta (No. 30 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry) crossed the finish line fourth, and Gian Buffomante (No. 95 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry) finished fifth.

“It was a really good race,” said McKee atop the podium. “Obviously, the No. 10 had some issues there, so it’s unfortunate for them, but once we got past them, we controlled the race and just maintained. Everyone was kind of worried about some tire issues there throughout the whole race, and throughout practice, we knew some people had some issues, so that was all a thought in the back of our minds. My TeamSLR guys brought me a really fast Chevy, so props to them. They worked hard this weekend getting this car dialed in. Had a lot of changes since the past race, so it feels really good to be just as fast as we were after the changes. Thank you to Gainbridge, HendrickCars.com, Franklin Road Apparel and everyone at Spire. They prepared me really well to come to this race, and I’m thankful to all of them.”

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Top Five:

  1. Tristan McKee, No. 28 Spire/Gainbridge/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro
  2. Sam Corry, No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry
  3. Tyler Gonzalez, No. 10 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry
  4. Julian DaCosta, No. 30 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry
  5. Gian Buffomante, No. 95 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry

Bassett Hard Charger:

Sam Corry, No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry

Hometown driver Roberto Sabato (No. 61 6th Gear Garage Ford Mustang) led from flag to flag in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Pro/Am Challenge, but he was not without challenge from Jared Odrick (No. 00 Black Underwear/CoolBoxx Chevrolet Camaro), who remained on his tail throughout the race. Odrick made a move in the final corner of the final lap, but it was not enough. Sabato captured his second-consecutive win of 2025, followed by Odrick and Keith Prociuk (No. 9 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang).

“First, I’d like to thank CUBE 3, Trans Am, and Mosport for having us back,” said Sabato. “My team, guys, you were unbelievable. Thank you. To my competitors, unbelievable. This is a humble win, because if Barry [Boes] was here, the podium might look a little bit different. It was a great race, such a clean drive. It’s great redemption from last year, getting bumped in the third lap, to come back here again this year and actually be able to finish and win. Thank you.”

TA2 Pro/Am Podium:

  1. Roberto Sabato, No. 61 6th Gear Garage Ford Mustang
  2. Jared Odrick, No. 00 Black Underwear/CoolBoxx Chevrolet Camaro
  3. Keith Prociuk, No. 9 HP Tuners/Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang

As the only competitor in the XGT class, James Beaton (No. 82 Playtime Hot Rods & Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette) stood atop the podium in today’s event. He recovered from a mid-race off in which he nosed into the wall, and then recovered from a late mechanical issue to still finish the race, earning his second-career Trans Am victory.

“Well, it started off pretty good, and then we sort of overheated the tires after about 10 laps,” said Beaton. “From then, we just tried to make sure we didn’t mess with too many other people’s races, and hopefully, I didn’t. So, after that, it was just surviving to the end. I’ve got to thank my wife at home; for 38 years, she has been letting me do this. We have two beautiful kids and two beautiful grandkids. And of course, thanks to the crew.”

XGT Results:

  1. James Beaton, No. 82 Playtime Hot Rods & Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette

Full race results can be found here.

An encore presentation of today’s race will air tomorrow on SPEED SPORT 1 at 12:00 p.m. ET.

The Trans Am Series returns to action at action at VIRginia International Raceway, September 18-21. Tickets can be purchased here.

KALITTA, TODD, ANDERSON & GADSON WIN MISSION #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE AT INDY

By
Official Release
-

Force, Beckman, Anderson and Herrera remain No. 1 qualifiers at Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals

INDIANAPOLIS (August 30, 2025) – Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge for the fifth time this season on Saturday at a packed Lucas Oil Raceway Indianapolis Raceway Park, defeating Clay Millican in the final round of the specialty race as part of this weekend’s prestigious Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals.

J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Anderson and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) remained the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 14th of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Selections were made for the first round of Sunday’s PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout. No. 1 seed Austin Prock selected Cruz Pedregon, while Beckman picked Bob Tasca III. Ron Capps chose Daniel Wilkerson, leaving Matt Hagan and J.R. Todd as the other matchup.

Kalitta’s dominance continued in the bonus race, running a Saturday-best 3.730-seconds at 332.92 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster to power past Millican in the finals. The former world champion had already clinched the season crown in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge entering the weekend, but Kalitta added a little icing on the cake with Saturday’s triumph.

Between Kalitta and teammate Shawn Langdon, the duo won 10 of the 13 bonus races in 2025, an impressive performance in the regular-season specialty race capped off by Kalitta’s dominant win on Saturday.

“That was really cool, especially down at the end. Mr. [Juan] Gonzalez [of Mission Foods] was down there, so that was very cool,” Kalitta said. “We definitely appreciate what Mission Foods does for the NHRA, and the cool part is being able to race before race day and it’s good for the drivers too, to have an opportunity to race.

“It didn’t seem like a lot of cars were getting down the track, and I was thinking, ‘If anybody can get my car down the track, it’s Alan [Johnson] and Mac [Savage] and all these Mac Tools/Toyota guys on my car.’ It went straight down through there, so I was very, very happy to see that.”

Force’s blast of 3.666 at a track-record 339.79 from Friday easily held up in her 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Quality Tools dragster, as the two-time champion stayed in line to earn her fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 56th in her career. Jordan Vandergriff stayed in second with his 3.683 at 333.33 and T.J. Zizzo remains third thanks to his 3.695 at 333.08.

In Funny Car, J.R. Todd made it a Kalitta Motorsports sweep for the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, defeating Austin Prock in a wild final round when the points leader and reigning world champion went red.

That handed the victory to Todd, who earned his second specialty race win of the year in his 12,000-horsepower DHL Toyota GR Supra. It’s also the second straight bonus race win at Indy for Todd, who can make it a historic weekend with a Callout victory tomorrow and a U.S. Nationals win on Monday.

Todd defeated Jack Beckman earlier in the day with a strong run and will now get focused on trying to take down Hagan in the opening round of the Callout on Sunday.

“I heard him go, and I was about to go at the same time, and caught myself, and then thought, ‘I think he red-lit, and saw my win light come on,” Todd said. “We’re definitely having some luck on our side, racing two JFR cars and neither of them make it to the finish under power. That’s pretty wild. I wish this was Monday and this happened.

“It’s our goal to win three races in one week, so that was a step one. Dickie [Venables, crew chief] said he was just trying to find the limit, and I like his approach, being aggressive. He wants to be aggressive, and the car is responding to the changes he’s making.”

Matt Hagan finished the regular season as the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge winner, earning 16 bonus points for the Countdown to the Championship.

Beckman stayed at the top in his “Brute Force” tribute car thanks to Friday’s 3.865 at 332.26 in his 12,000-horsepower Peak Chevrolet SS. He is looking for his fifth No. 1 qualifier this season. Ron Capps is second thanks to a run of 3.877 at 331.69 and Alexis DeJoria stayed third after going 3.891 at 329.02.

Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson enjoyed a stellar Saturday, winning his second straight Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and taking the overall specialty race championship in the process, defeating Erica Enders in the final round with a run of 6.523 at 210.14 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro.

He stayed as the No. 1 qualifier thanks to Friday’s track-record run of 6.491 at 210.44 and followed it up with a pair of spectacular runs on Saturday. The victory over Enders gave him the overall Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge crown by one point over Matt Hartford. Next up is trying to wrap up the regular-season championship and picking up a U.S. Nationals victory on Monday.

“Obviously, the drag race with my old nemesis, they’re certainly knocking on the door again,” Anderson said. “They’re capable of winning again and hopefully that drives me even harder to try and do something special. It turned out right for me at that time. We’ll see what happens on Monday, but after today, I’m pretty damn happy.

“As I said last night, my plan coming in here was to try and have a perfect weekend for the Black family, for Judy and Kent Black. And so far, we’re right on schedule. I’m doing all I can to try and lighten her heart a little bit and give her something to smile at this weekend.”

Glenn is second with a 6.523 at 209.59 and Erica Enders is third after going 6.528 at 211.26.

Richard Gadson got the best of Matt Smith in the final round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Pro Stock Motorcycle, going an impressive 6.744 at 201.01 on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki.

It’s his second victory in the specialty race and sent the young standout to second in qualifying. Gadson was thrilled with the opportunity to take on Smith after a disappointing loss to him in the Callout in Sonoma.

“This was my first shot at him [Smith] since Sonoma, so I wanted to win that a little bit more than normal. I knew he’d probably do something at the start line. I didn’t know what it was going to be. I didn’t care what he did, so this one that one was all business,” Herrera said.

“It’s always a pleasure to race Matt. I’ve got a lot of respect for him. We have a lot of back-and-forth banter, but he’s not a six-time champ for no reason. You’ve got to kind of savor it because it can go the other way at any moment.”

Gaige Herrera stayed No. 1 with Friday’s run of 6.739 at 200.98, while Brayden Davis is third with a 6.762 at 199.64.

Qualifying continues at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday at the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

INDIANAPOLIS — Saturday’s results after the first three of five rounds of qualifying for the 71st annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, 14th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Sunday for Monday’s final eliminations.

Top Fuel — 1. Brittany Force, 3.666 seconds, 339.79 mph; 2. Jordan Vandergriff, 3.683, 333.33; 3. T.J. Zizzo, 3.695, 333.08; 4. Doug Kalitta, 3.697, 329.99; 5. Antron Brown, 3.702, 332.75; 6. Shawn Langdon, 3.712, 337.24; 7. Steve Torrence, 3.727, 332.10; 8. Josh Hart, 3.733, 334.73; 9. Tripp Tatum, 3.737, 316.60; 10. Tony Stewart, 3.744, 328.78; 11. Clay Millican, 3.745, 334.65; 12. Justin Ashley, 3.757, 333.41; 13. Jasmine Salinas, 3.775, 326.56; 14. Kyle Wurtzel, 3.799, 296.63; 15. Tony Schumacher, 3.829, 331.04; 16. Ida Zetterstrom, 4.168, 209.23.

Not Qualified: 17. Lex Joon, 5.065, 150.25.

Funny Car — 1. Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 3.865, 332.26; 2. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.877, 331.69; 3. Alexis DeJoria, Dodge Charger, 3.891, 329.02; 4. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.893, 330.88; 5. Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 3.900, 324.83; 6. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.904, 323.50; 7. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.909, 326.40; 8. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.927, 322.81; 9. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.935, 299.93; 10. Austin Prock, Camaro, 3.939, 324.90; 11. Blake Alexander, Charger, 3.952, 325.30; 12. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.957, 311.56; 13. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 3.962, 307.02; 14. Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 3.976, 326.71; 15. Justin Schriefer, Charger, 4.103, 280.78; 16. Chris King, Charger, 4.120,

299.53.

Not Qualified: 17. Julie Nataas, 4.401, 199.52; 18. Alex Laughlin, 4.578, 188.83; 19. Dave

Richards, 5.309, 145.42.

Pro Stock — 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.491, 210.44; 2. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.523, 209.59; 3. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.525, 211.23; 4. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.529, 210.08; 5. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.532, 210.44; 6. Cody Coughlin, Camaro, 6.533, 209.04; 7. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.538, 209.69; 8. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.540, 209.79; 9. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.541, 209.88; 10. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.545, 210.18; 11. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.549, 209.62; 12. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.553, 208.39; 13. David Cuadra, Camaro, 6.556, 210.34; 14. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.566,

209.46; 15. Stephen Bell, Camaro, 6.583, 209.79; 16. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.591, 209.30.

Not Qualified: 17. Chris McGaha, 6.603, 209.98; 18. Kenny Delco, 6.621, 207.11; 19. Derrick Reese, 6.684, 206.64; 20. Troy Coughlin Jr., 10.514, 85.18.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.739, 200.98; 2. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.744, 201.01; 3. Brayden Davis, Suzuki, 6.762, 199.64; 4. John Hall, Beull, 6.775, 197.42; 5. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.779, 199.88; 6. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.817, 199.29; 7. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.835, 197.86; 8. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.837, 196.10; 9. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.841, 198.67; 10. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.842, 198.79; 11. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 6.863, 196.42; 12. Dystany Spurlock, Buell, 6.867, 197.25; 13. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.883, 196.50; 14. Malcolm Phillips Jr., Suzuki, 6.888, 195.73; 15. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.899, 195.19; 16. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.970, 196.04.

Not Qualified: 17. Geno Scali, 7.156, 189.12; 18. Charles Poskey, 7.193, 189.55; 19. Wesley Wells, 7.233, 185.92.

NDIANAPOLIS — Saturday’s final results from the 71st annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. The race is the 14th of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel Challenge — Doug Kalitta, 3.730 seconds, 332.92 mph def. Clay Millican, 7.126 seconds, 85.09 mph.

Funny Car Challenge — J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 6.265, 107.21 def. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, Foul – Red Light.

Pro Stock Challenge — Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.523, 210.14 def. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.531, 210.87.

Pro Stock Motorcycle Challenge — Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.744, 201.01 def. Matt Smith, Buell, 7.003, 158.76.

INDIANAPOLIS — Final round-by-round results from the 71st annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, the 14th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Doug Kalitta, 3.749, 338.00 def. Jordan Vandergriff, 3.956, 253.04; Clay Millican, 3.745, 334.65 def. Brittany Force, 8.698, 71.69;

FINAL — D. Kalitta, 3.730, 332.92 def. C. Millican, 7.126, 85.09.

FUNNY CAR CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.939, 324.90 def. Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 6.518, 100.02; J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 4.270, 214.59 def. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 4.949, 154.74;

FINAL — J. Todd, 6.265, 107.21 def. A. Prock, Foul – Red Light.

PRO STOCK CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.525, 211.23 def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.532, 210.73; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.535, 210.41 def. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.557, 209.75;

FINAL — G. Anderson, 6.523, 210.14 def. E. Enders, 6.531, 210.87.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.766, 200.35 def. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.842, 198.79; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.790, 199.64 def. John Hall, 6.792, 200.14;

FINAL — R. Gadson, 6.744, 201.01 def. M. Smith, 7.003, 158.76.

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