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Rajah Caruth’s late rally spoiled by fuel pickup issues at Darlington

Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Rajah Caruth endured a roller-coaster run in his first event as a Chase contender in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series division that concluded on a down note during the Fleetio 200 at Darlington Raceway on Saturday, September 5. 

The 24-year-old Caruth from Washington, D.C., took the green flag in ninth place and was racing in the exact spot when he made an unscheduled pit stop under green flag conditions on Lap 26 after reporting an alternator issue, later turned fuel pickup issue, to his No. 88 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro entry. After his pit crew went under the hood to diagnose the issue, Caruth returned to the track and was pinned two laps behind the leaders.

During the event’s first caution period that first flew on Lap 33 due to Preston Pardus spinning on the frontstretch, mixed pit strategies amongst the field ensued, which kept Caruth pinned two laps down. After settling in 33rd place at the conclusion of the first stage period and notching no stage points, he pitted for service prior to the start of the second stage period. 

In the early stages of the second stage period, Caruth cycled his way back on the lead lap after he regained his two-lost laps: the first on Lap 59 when Daniel Dye wrecked on the frontstretch and the second on Lap 69 when Corey Day wrecked William Sawalich following the latter duo’s run-ins. Despite navigating his way back to the front, Caruth did not accumulate stage points when the second stage period concluded as he was scored in 17th place.

After enduring a slow pit service that had him restarting outside the top-20 mark for the third and final stage period, Caruth spent the latter stage’s first three laps navigating his way up to 16th place when a multi-car wreck with 46 laps remaining generated an opportunity for Caruth, who returned to pit road for four fresh tires. During the final restart with 40 laps remaining, he used the tires to motor up as high as sixth place on the track.

Then with eighth laps remaining, Caruth’s late run was spoiled when he fell off the pace for a second time due to a fuel pickup issue. Despite coasting his entry back to pit road after coasting it for a full lap under reduced pace on the track when weaving it back and forth, Caruth lost two laps to the leaders for a second time and took the checkered flag in 26th place.

With the result, Caruth, who commenced his first O’Reilly Chase in 12th place in the standings with 2,020 points, racked up a total of 11 points and retains his points position. He now faces a 104-point deficit to commence his first Chase for the series’ championship. Despite capping off his first Chase event on a low note, Caruth leaned on the positives and the on-track pace gained from the Darlington event.

“[I’m] Just looking at the positives,” Caruth said on the CW Network. “We were respectable in the first stage before we had, I’m guessing it was a fuel pickup issue. No way to totally know before we go back and read and dissect it. I just was proud of all our effort. We could have easily took ourselves out of it by pusying the issue or putting ourselves in bad spots working through traffic. We got up to sixth place and was in good position to get a good result, but it happens, man. It’s sports.”

Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

To go along with the positives, Caruth expressed confidence as he looks ahead to the remaining eight Chase events and draw both himself and his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team back into championship contention prior to this year’s finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November.

“I definitely feel that confidence,” Caruth added. “I definitely feel it. Just gotta keep showing up and keep working hard. We’ll just keep digging.”

Rajah Caruth’s Chase for the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship resumes next Saturday, September 12, at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, for the Nu Way 225. The event’s broadcast time is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET on the CW Network, MRN Radio and SiriusXM.

ARCA Menards West at All American Speedway: NAPA Auto Parts 150 Pres by West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame Post-race Notes

  • Ethan Nascimento (No. 4 Nascimento Motorsports / RJ’s Paintshop Chevrolet) prevailed in a frantic five-lap dash to the finish in Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series West NAPA Auto Parts 150 Presented by West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame at All American Speedway. Nascimento traded the lead three times with reigning series champion Trevor Huddleston (No. 50 High Point Racing / Racecar Factory Ford) after the final restart at lap 146, and traded paint with him on the final lap to move Huddleston up the track and out of the lead down the backstretch. The two made more contact in turns three and four and then had a drag race to the finish line, which Nascimento got to first by just 0.039 seconds.
  • Nascimento is the tenth first-time winner at All American Speedway in the last 13 ARCA Menards Series West races at the track.
  • Nascimento’s victory is the third time in the last seven races that saw a last-lap pass for the victory. Gio Scelzi (2020) and PJ Pedroncelli (2021) also made a last-lap pass to seal the victory.
  • Hailie Deegan (No. 16 Columbia Bank Chevrolet) notched her second consecutive third-place finish at team owner Bill McAnally’s home track, finishing just 0.219 seconds behind Nascimento. The BMR shop is located just 10 minutes from the track, and McAnally is a former promoter of the speedway.
  • Defending race winner Robbie Kennealy (No. 1 Jan’s Towing / Jan’s Racing Ford), the defending race winner, ran as high as second but was pinned in the inside lane on a restart inside the final 50 laps and gave up a couple of positions before racing his way back to fourth. It is his fifth top-five finish of the season.
  • Will Robinson (No. 25 Ivy Asset Group Toyota) had a quiet run to finish fifth, his best career series finish; he previously finished 16th at Tucson Speedway and 13th at Colorado National Speedway.
  • Cole Denton (No. 71 Jan’s Towing / Jan’s Racing Ford) started from the Sioux Chief PowerPEX Pole and led early but slowly faded through the field, often due to starting in the inside lane on restarts. Denton, who turned 16 just before the previous race at Portland International Raceway, scored his series leading third Sioux Chief PowerPEX Pole Award of the season earlier in the day.
  • Eric Johnson, Jr. (No. 5 Pacific Office Automation Toyota) battled just to get to the racetrack after his flight from home in La Center, Washington to Sacramento was canceled. He and his father rented a car and made the 14-hour drive to the track, arriving just 10 minutes before the driver’s meeting. Johnson qualified a career-best second and led the first handful of laps before fading through the field, eventually finishing seventh.
  • Andrew Chapman (No. 55 High Point Racing / Racecar Factory Ford) recovered from a spin with Kenna Mitchell (No. 13 Central Coast Cabinets Ford) to finish eighth. Mitchell, who clinched the track’s Late Model championship earlier in the night, needed to pit for repairs and finished 15th, 31 laps in arrears.
  • Josiah Reaume (No. 72 RBR Engineering Chevrolet) finished ninth, his second career top-ten finish and best of his career. He finished tenth earlier this season at Tri-City Raceway.
  • Fifteen-year-old Donald Witkowski (No. 77 King Taco / REX MD / Wallace Signs Toyota) finished tenth in his ARCA Menards West debut.
  • Mason Massey (No 19 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet) entered the night 18 points out of the ARCA Menards West points lead, but engine issues sidelined him after 87 laps. With his 17th-place finish, and combined with Huddleston’s second place finish and bonus points for leading the most laps, Huddleston unofficially leads the series standings by 35 points over Massey with four races remaining.
  • The next race for the ARCA Menards Series West is the Madera 150 Presented by the West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame on Saturday, September 26. The race, set to begin at 10:20 pm ET / 7:20 pm PT, will be televised live on FloRacing. ARCARacing.com will have live timing & scoring data throughout all on-track activity and live race audio. Follow @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly Twitter) for up-to-the-minute updates.

About ARCA 
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization to sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit , or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing). 
About Menards
A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states.  Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building.  You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more.  To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!
 
Menards has what you need to complete your outdoor projects and keep your yard in tip-top shape including mowers, trimmers, blowers, pressure washers and more, plus a beautiful garden center stocked with plants, shrubs, trees, landscaping tools, grass seed, fertilizer options, outdoor décor and patio furniture.  Menards also has everyday essentials like health & beauty products, housewares, pet and wildlife supplies, automotive items and even groceries.  And at Christmas, an Enchanted Forest display area with impressive trees, lighting, decorations, ornaments, inflatables and more. 

Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too!  For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.

TOYOTA RACING – NOAPS Darlington Post-Race Report – 09.05.26

CREWS IMPRESSIVE IN DARLINGTON DEBUT
Gray, Jones start Chase fight with top-10 runs

DARLINGTON, S.C. (September 5, 2026) – Toyota Development Driver Brent Crews had an impressive debut at Darlington Raceway as the 18-year-old drove through the field in the final stage to finish third in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series race on Saturday evening. The Rookie of the Year leader earned his ninth top-five finish of the season.

Taylor Gray (seventh) and Brandon Jones (10th) started their Chase runs with solid top-10 finishes, as both teams remain in the Championship fight. Sam Hunt Racing’s Dean Thompson (11th) continued the organization’s recent performance surge as he just missed the team’s third straight race with a top-10 finish.

TOYOTA RACING Post-Race Recap
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS)
Darlington Raceway
Race 25 of 33 – 200 miles, 147 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Sheldon Creed*
2nd, Corey Day*
3rd, BRENT CREWS
4th, Sammy Smith*
5th, Austin Hill*
7th, TAYLOR GRAY
10th, BRANDON JONES
11th, DEAN THOMPSON
20th, HARRISON BURTON
30th, WILLIAM SAWALICH
34th, GLEN REEN
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES
BRENT CREWS, No. 19 Mobil 1 Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd
What did you learn about Darlington tonight?
“Well, it was a lot of fun. I got to move around a bunch. It was a hot day. It was a lot of fun. Learning a lot of different things. We tried a lot of different things in practice and just kept learning all night. At the end, when I was running everyone down, it kind of felt like Millbridge (Speedway). That was really cool. Blessed with the opportunity to come here and race. Wish I could have raced here earlier in the year, and maybe our result would have been a little different here, but it was a great learning day, and we had a super-fast No. 19 Mobil 1 Toyota GR Supra.”

TAYLOR GRAY, No. 54 Operation 300 Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 7th
Solid top-10 to start the Chase, and continuing to show improvement at Darlington. How was your race?
“Really proud of everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing. Thankful for everyone at Operation 300 and TOYOTA RACING, M-Experiment. This is probably my weakest track in the Chase, so we went to work really hard on this place over the last few months knowing we were coming here the first race of the Chase, and we made good improvements. I feel like we struggled a little bit firing off, and honestly, didn’t expect the race to go that green there at the end, but yeah, really proud of progression and the effort from the 54 group. We will go on to Gateway.”

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 over 50 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.

PROCK, PRUETT, C. ANDERSON & HERRERA WIN MISSION #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE AT CORNWELL QUALITY TOOLS NHRA U.S. NATIONALS

Langdon, Capps, Hartford and Herrera are provisional No. 1 qualifiers at The Big Go

INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 5, 2026) – Back-to-back Funny Car world champion Austin Prock claimed his third Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win of the year on Saturday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, defeating J.R. Todd in the final round of the specialty race as part of this weekend’s prestigious Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals.

Leah Pruett (Top Fuel), Cody Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday in Indy, while Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are the provisional No. 1 qualifiers in Indianapolis at the 14th of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Selections in the opening round of Sunday’s PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout were also made on Saturday. Top seed Jack Beckman selected Chad Green, Matt Hagan picked Spencer Hyde, Ron Capps called out Alexis DeJoria and defending Callout winner Prock will meet Todd for the second straight day.

Prock, who has won the U.S. Nationals the past two years, went 3.921-seconds at 317.87 in his 12,000-horsepower Ford Racing Mustang to power past Todd’s 4.006 at 325.06. It gives Prock the Mission #2Fast2Tasty title for 2026, as well as 16 bonus points for the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Prock has been red-hot in recent months, advancing to five final rounds in the Challenge since May. Indy was a perfect capper to that as he looks to have another huge weekend at The Big Go and become the first Funny Car driver in NHRA history to win Indy three straight years.

“We went the first six races without winning a single round, and then after Chicago, we made it to our first semifinal round, and I think we’ve been almost we’ve been in every Mission #2fast2Tasty Challenge except one. It just shows how far this team’s come. Those are the kind of stats that’ll win you a third championship in a row,” Prock said.

“Both runs that we’ve made were full pulls that had a few cylinders out, and the E.T. board still shows we’re second quick, we’re third quick. We’re making impressive runs on six cylinders in this Ford Mustang. There’s a lot of racing to go and I guarantee you this Ford Mustang will be dialed in on Monday.”

Capps jumped to the provisional No. 1 spot in his 12,000-horsepower Carlye Tools/NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra with a 3.914 at 332.18.

Top Fuel’s Leah Pruett was thrilled to find Indy success on Saturday, defeating points leader Doug Kalitta in the final round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge with a run of 3.873 at 319.98 in her 12,000-horsepower Dodge dragster. It is Pruett’s first Challenge victory of the season and it came at the perfect time as the standout looks to try and chase down the reigning world champion in the Countdown to the Championship.

Kalitta earned a whopping 22 bonus points for the Countdown through his success in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge this year, but it was Pruett who got the final bonus win of the season, giving her momentum and confidence as she chases her first U.S. Nationals victory in Top Fuel.

“I barely even hit the light, I was like, ‘That sucked,’ and I am not happy at all. I’m just waiting for Doug to just scream on by at 340-mph and he didn’t. That car saved that round. I saved our first round against Maddi, and yeah, it’s it all comes back to unity and team,” Pruett said.

“To get a win like that at Indy with the crowd, with the changing variables, the history, the pageantry, everything about it is fulfilling. I’m embracing it because all this is emotional warfare in preparation for the biggest, baddest Big Go that there could ever be. That’s where I’m at.”

Langdon stayed in the top spot thanks to Friday’s run of 3.727 at 334.98 in his 12,000-horsepower SealMaster dragster for Kalitta Motorsports. Tony Stewart is second with a 3.744 at 328.22 and Pruett is third with Friday’s 3.772 at 326.24.

Pro Stock rookie Cody Anderson enjoyed the first victory of his young career, taking down veteran Greg Stanfield in the final round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge with a run of 6.642 at 204.91 in his Troy Humphrey Motorsports/Daiken/HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Anderson left with an strong .020 reaction time and held off Stanfield to enjoy a winning moment on the sport’s grandest stage.

His father, six-time world champion and points leader Greg Anderson, won the overall Mission #2Fast2Tasty title, but Saturday belonged to his son, as Cody continues to show impressive improvements in his debut season.

“It’s super special, and any win feels good,” Cody said. “This place is extra special and iconic since it’s Indy. This win gives me a lot of confidence. It’s hard to win one round, especially on race day, and just to get two win lights is a huge confidence boost, and to be able to leave on Greg Stanfield is a big deal. Hopefully I can keep the momentum going for race day.”

Added Greg: “It’s pretty damn cool. I felt so bad when I crossed the finish line in the first round of the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty round and got my butt whipped. Cody held up his end of the bargain. I’m so very, very proud of the boy. It’s pretty cool to see, and for it to happen at Indy means more since I’ve said all my career, I love this place more than anywhere else.”

Matt Hartford moved into the provisional No. 1 spot with his run of 6.626 at 205.54 in his Total Seal Chevrolet Camaro.

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera and Richard Gadson dueled in the final of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, with Herrera clinching victory – and the season title – when Gadson went red by .002. Herrera would have been tough to beat, going to No. 1 as well with a standout run of 6.842 at 196.50 on his RevZilla/Vance & Hines Suzuki.

It could be the start of a big weekend for Herrera, who is after his third straight Indy victory as well, which is something only Dave Schultz has done in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

“This was kind of how I saw it playing out that one of us was going to possibly go red,” Herrera said. “I mean, that’s how it’s been with us. I feel like we’re both going to lay it all out there. I won’t lie. I went up there and squeezed my [clutch] lever a little extra tighter than normal to make sure I wasn’t the one to go red. We go out there to cut each other’s head off and it’s live or die by the sword.

“I’m also very happy to get this Mission [2Fast2Tasty overall win. This is a great deal and it makes it a lot more fun to race on Saturdays.”

Qualifying continues at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday at the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. The first round of the PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout is slated for 12:45 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS — Saturday’s results after the first three of five rounds of qualifying for the 72nd 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. Shawn Langdon, 3.727 seconds, 334.98 mph; 2. Tony Stewart, 3.744, 328.22; 3. Leah Pruett, 3.772, 326.24; 4. Jasmine Salinas, 3.776, 329.91; 5. Justin Ashley, 3.781, 331.12; 6. Antron Brown, 3.797, 330.07; 7. Tripp Tatum, 3.805, 308.43; 8. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.809, 328.46; 9. Josh Hart, 3.812, 323.50; 10. Maddi Gordon, 3.818, 324.67; 11. Doug Kalitta, 3.825, 331.12; 12. Clay Millican, 3.844, 327.11; 13. Dan Mercier, 3.873, 314.75; 14. Jake Sanders, 3.878, 306.26; 15. Tony Schumacher, 3.920, 312.93; 16. T.J. Zizzo, 3.934, 288.89.

Not Qualified: 17. Will Smith, 4.499, 166.76; 18. Billy Torrence, 4.674, 216.24; 19. Lex Joon, 5.213, 143.73; 20. Shawn Reed, 5.218, 131.79; 21. Krista Baldwin, 5.399, 128.07; 22. Jacob Opatrny, broke.

Funny Car — 1. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.914, 332.18; 2. Austin Prock, Ford Mustang, 3.921, 317.87; 3. Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 3.937, 326.79; 4. Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 3.944, 319.45; 5. Alexis DeJoria, Camaro, 3.947, 329.26; 6. Cruz Pedregon, Dodge Charger, 3.970, 319.98; 7. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.974, 321.96; 8. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.979, 327.59; 9. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.998, 323.89; 10. Jordan Vandergriff, Camaro, 4.002, 315.49; 11. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.037, 324.05;

  1. Chad Green, Mustang, 4.044, 283.49; 13. Hunter Green, Charger, 4.045, 318.77; 14. Jeff Arend, Charger, 4.076, 303.78; 15. Chris King, Charger, 4.112, 287.96; 16. Dylan Winefsky, Charger, 4.119, 308.43.

Not Qualified: 17. Bobby Bode, 4.134, 252.52; 18. Dave Richards, 4.196, 303.71; 19. Julie

Nataas, 4.205, 295.79; 20. Blake Alexander, 4.793, 171.99; 21. Justin Schriefer, 4.809, 169.13; 22. Terry Haddock, 6.713, 110.47; 23. John Smith, broke.

Pro Stock — 1. Matt Hartford, Chevy Camaro, 6.626, 205.54; 2. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.637, 204.29; 3. Cody Anderson, Camaro, 6.642, 204.91; 4. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.645, 205.47; 5. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.645, 203.58; 6. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.652, 204.79; 7. Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.654, 205.72; 8. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.656, 203.40; 9. Chris Vang, Camaro, 6.660, 203.40; 10. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.661, 205.04; 11. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.661, 203.31; 12. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.663, 203.12; 13. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.665, 203.77; 14. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.683, 205.01; 15. Jeg

Coughlin, Camaro, 6.686, 206.20; 16. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.711, 206.07.

Not Qualified: 17. Shane Tucker, 6.740, 206.16; 18. Alan Prusiensky, 6.826, 197.94; 19. David Vaseloff, 6.863, 199.20.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.842, 196.50; 2. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.858, 199.26; 3. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.875, 195.99; 4. Clayton Howey, Suzuki, 6.886, 194.35; 5. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.905, 196.64; 6. John Hall, Beull, 6.910, 195.65; 7. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 6.927, 193.18; 8. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.947, 193.38; 9. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.954, 195.82; 10. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.967, 194.04; 11. Malcolm Phillips Jr., Suzuki, 6.976, 192.08; 12. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.983, 192.63; 13. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.994, 190.73; 14. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 7.002, 194.27; 15. Wesley

Wells, Suzuki, 7.085, 187.42; 16. Hector Arana, EBR, 7.091, 192.06.

Not Qualified: 17. Mark Paquette, 7.158, 179.83; 18. Steve Johnson, 7.822, 167.88; 19. Michael Ray, 10.841, 72.94.

INDIANAPOLIS — Saturday’s final results from the NHRA Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at the 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Top Fuel Challenge — Leah Pruett, 3.873 seconds, 319.98 mph def. Doug Kalitta, 4.502 seconds, 187.16 mph.

Funny Car Challenge — Austin Prock, Ford Mustang, 3.921, 317.87 def. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 4.006, 325.06.

Pro Stock Challenge — Cody Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.642, 204.91 def. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.645, 203.58.

Pro Stock Motorcycle Challenge — Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.842, 196.50 def. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, Foul – Red Light.

INDIANAPOLIS — NHRA Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge final round-by-round results from the 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

TOP FUEL CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Doug Kalitta, 3.825, 331.12 def. Justin Ashley, 4.189, 214.04; Leah Pruett, 4.083, 263.20 def. Maddi Gordon, 4.242, 210.97;

FINAL — L. Pruett, 3.873, 319.98 def. D. Kalitta, 4.502, 187.16.

FUNNY CAR CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 4.538, 264.55 def. Jordan Vandergriff, Chevy Camaro, 5.427, 148.10; Austin Prock, Ford Mustang, 4.229, 263.00 def. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.950, 159.97;

FINAL — A. Prock, 3.921, 317.87 def. J. Todd, 4.006, 325.06.

PRO STOCK CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Cody Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.668, 205.22 def. Chris Vang, Camaro, 6.668, 204.48; Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.672, 205.94 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.648, 205.41;

FINAL — C. Anderson, 6.642, 204.91 def. G. Stanfield, 6.645, 203.58.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.858, 196.99 def. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.910, 195.39; Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.875, 195.99 def. Matt Smith, Buell, Foul – Red Light;

FINAL — G. Herrera, 6.842, 196.50 def. R. Gadson, Foul – Red Light.

What Can a Vehicle’s History Reveal?

Photo by Gustavo Fring on Pexels

Buying a used car can be a smart financial decision, but it also comes with risks that are not always visible during a test drive or visual inspection. A vehicle may look excellent on the outside while having a complicated past involving accidents, insurance claims, auction sales, or significant repairs.

That is why researching a vehicle’s history has become an important part of the used-car buying process.

What Can a Vehicle’s History Reveal?

Every vehicle has a unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which can be used to identify the car and connect it with information recorded throughout its life.

Depending on the vehicle and available data sources, a history search may reveal information such as previous auction listings, historical photographs, reported damage, sale records, vehicle specifications, or other records associated with the VIN.

For buyers, this information provides additional context that cannot always be discovered through a standard inspection alone.

For example, a car may have been professionally repaired after an accident and appear to be in excellent condition today. Historical auction photographs could still show the extent of the previous damage and help a potential buyer make a more informed decision.

Why Auction History Is Particularly Useful

Many used vehicles, especially cars imported from international markets, have previously appeared at automotive auctions.

Auction listings can contain valuable historical information, including photographs of the vehicle at the time of sale, recorded mileage, damage descriptions, auction dates, and other details.

Platforms such as CarHistory.autos help make vehicle and auction history easier to research using a VIN.

Having access to historical information can help buyers compare a seller’s description with records that may have been available earlier in the vehicle’s life.

Historical Photos Can Tell a Different Story

One of the most useful elements of vehicle research is access to older photographs.

Written descriptions such as “minor damage” can be difficult to interpret because the actual severity may vary considerably. Photos provide additional visual context.

They may help reveal whether previous damage affected a bumper or body panel, or whether the vehicle had more extensive damage before being repaired.

This does not automatically mean that a previously damaged vehicle is a bad purchase. Properly repaired vehicles can continue to provide years of reliable service. The important factor is transparency: buyers should understand what they are purchasing and evaluate the price accordingly.

A VIN Check Should Complement a Physical Inspection

Online vehicle-history research should not replace a professional inspection.

Instead, the two methods work best together.

A VIN search can provide historical context, while a mechanic can evaluate the vehicle’s current mechanical and structural condition. If historical records indicate significant previous damage, the buyer can also ask the mechanic to pay particular attention to the affected areas.

Combining digital research with a physical inspection creates a much clearer picture of the vehicle.

What to Check Before Buying a Used Vehicle

Before completing a purchase, buyers should verify the VIN displayed on the vehicle against its documents, research available vehicle-history and auction records, review historical photographs when available, and compare the findings with the seller’s description.

It is also worth checking the vehicle’s current condition with a qualified mechanic and investigating the applicable title, registration, lien, theft, recall, and insurance information through authoritative sources available in the relevant country or jurisdiction.

No single database contains every event in a vehicle’s history, so using multiple sources is often the safest approach.

Transparency Benefits Buyers and Sellers

Vehicle-history research is not only useful for buyers.

Sellers can also benefit from understanding what information exists about a vehicle online. Knowing its documented history allows a seller to answer questions more accurately and explain previous repairs instead of allowing potential buyers to discover unexpected information themselves.

For dealerships and automotive professionals, transparency can also help build trust with customers.

Final Thoughts

The used-car market contains excellent opportunities, but making a good purchase requires more than finding the right model at the right price.

Researching a vehicle’s VIN, reviewing available historical records and auction photographs, and arranging a professional inspection can significantly improve the quality of the information available before making a decision.

Services such as CarHistory.autos can be one part of that research process by helping users discover available vehicle and auction history connected with a VIN.

A few minutes of research before purchasing a vehicle can uncover information that might otherwise remain hidden until much later.

Pierson Breaks Through With First Career Win at Laguna Seca

Josh Pierson
Monterey, CA - 2026 GRAND PRIX OF MONTEREY - Monterey, CA(Photo by Travis Hinkle | IMS Photo)

MONTEREY, Calif. (Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026) – This time, Josh Pierson left absolutely no doubt.

Pierson earned his first career INDY NXT by Firestone victory in his fourth season in the INDYCAR development series, taking the checkered flag in the Saturday’s opening race of the Grand Prix of Monterey doubleheader at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The breakthrough and dominant victory – Pierson led all 35 laps from pole – came in his 53rd career start in the series and less than one week after the anguish of crashing out of the lead after starting on the pole at the Milwaukee Mile.

“Big relief,” Pierson said. “I think the pole position did a lot for me at Milwaukee. It was really great for my confidence level. I feel like this series has really mentally destroyed me over the years, especially coming from the World Endurance Championship and everything I was able to do there. It’s tough here. Coming back into a formula car wasn’t easy.

“I put so much hard work into this, and I can’t thank everyone at Andretti Global enough. These guys, they kept believing in me. Nobody ever doubted me even when I doubted myself. Super grateful. It’s such a relief to finally be here.”

Andretti Global driver Pierson endured three restarts and drove his No. 29 Starchive Andretti car to victory by 2.6294 seconds over championship leader Nikita Johnson in the No. 21 Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR entry. Max Garcia completed the podium in the No. 12 Abel Motorsports car six days after earning his first career victory at Milwaukee.

JM Correa finished fourth in the No. 68 Cusick Morgan Motorsports machine, while Niels Koolen rounded out the top five in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing entry.

Rookie Johnson’s smooth, composed drive from the fifth starting position put in good position to earn the INDY NXT championship and the accompanying INDYCAR SERIES career enhancement package in the season finale at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

Johnson expanded his lead from three to 19 points over fellow rookie Enzo Fittipaldi in the standings, as Fittipaldi finished eighth in the No. 67 HMD Motorsports car. Johnson needs to finish third or better Sunday to clinch the title regardless of Fittipaldi’s result. Johnson starts sixth, Fittipaldi 12th.

“Yeah, it’s pretty good job done,” Johnson said. “We still have work to do tomorrow. We still have another day of this. We just have to go continue the pressure tomorrow.”

Rookie Tymek Kucharczyk entered this race in the title fight, 29 points back. But his title chances ended with his 10th-place finish in the No. 71 HMD Motorsports car after contact from Myles Rowe in the No. 99 Abel Motorsports with Force Indy machine sent Kucharczyk into a spin and to the bottom of the field on the first lap.

Kucharczyk remains third in the standings but dropped 48 points behind Johnson and will be eliminated from title contention when the season finale starts Sunday.

Pierson showed complete control during the race. His lead grew to 4.5 seconds when the first caution flag flew on Lap 13.

But Pierson pulled away from Johnson on the restart on Lap 15 and did the same on subsequent restarts on Laps 20 and 27.

Pierson became the 10th different winner in the series this season, tying a record set in 2008. He also is the seventh first-time winner this season in the series, tying a record set in 1998, 2008 and 2011.

“I knew we had a fast car,” Pierson said. “I knew if we timed the restarts right, I knew we would be in good shape. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Pierson starts second Sunday, with Kucharczyk on the pole.

Best Jaguar Engine Specialist in Ilford: Top 5 Options

Photo by depositphotos at https://depositphotos.com/

Finding the best Jaguar engine specialist in Ilford is important when your vehicle develops serious engine problems such as knocking, timing chain noise, excessive smoke, overheating, oil-pressure warnings, loss of power, or complete engine failure.

Modern Jaguars use sophisticated petrol and diesel engines that require more than general mechanical knowledge. Models such as the Jaguar XE, XF, F-PACE and E-PACE use Ingenium engines, while other Jaguar models may use V6, V8 or supercharged powertrains with very different diagnostic and rebuilding requirements.

For this reason, choosing a workshop with genuine Jaguar and JLR engine experience can be particularly important when considering a major repair, rebuild or replacement engine.

We compared specialists in and around Ilford based on location, Jaguar experience, engine-focused services, diagnostic capabilities and publicly available workshop information.

1. Jaguar and Land Rover Specialist Engine Repairs

Address: 36-A Fowler Road, Ilford, IG6 3UT
Website: Jaguar and Land Rover Engine Specialist

For drivers searching for the best Jaguar engine specialist in Ilford, Jaguar and Land Rover Specialist Engine Repairs is our first choice.

The Ilford workshop specializes specifically in Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover engines rather than operating as a general multi-brand garage. Its engine services cover full rebuilds, targeted engine repairs, reconditioning, replacement engines, diagnostics and complete supply-and-fit solutions.

Jaguar models covered include:

  • Jaguar XE
  • Jaguar XF
  • Jaguar F-PACE
  • Jaguar E-PACE
  • Jaguar XJ
  • Jaguar F-TYPE

The workshop states that its technicians have more than 20 years of experience working specifically with JLR platforms. Diagnostic work uses JLR-focused systems including SDD and Pathfinder, while engine rebuilds can include strip-down, inspection, machining, replacement internal components, rebuilding and post-repair testing.

Why We Ranked Them #1

The biggest advantage is the combination of Jaguar-specific knowledge and dedicated engine rebuilding capability.

Instead of assuming that every serious symptom requires a replacement engine, the workshop follows a diagnosis-first approach. Customers can have the existing engine assessed before deciding whether targeted repair, rebuilding, reconditioning or complete replacement is appropriate.

That is particularly important with Jaguar vehicles because several different problems can produce similar symptoms.

A timing-related fault, turbocharger problem, fuel-system issue or cooling-system problem may initially appear to be complete engine failure. Correct diagnosis can therefore prevent unnecessary replacement work.

The company specifically lists full or targeted engine repairs for the Jaguar XF, F-PACE, XE and E-PACE, alongside engine reconditioning and reconditioned engine supply-and-fit services.

The workshop also provides registration-based engine matching, which helps identify the exact engine specification before repair or replacement options are recommended.

For customers needing a Jaguar engine rebuild in Ilford, a reconditioned Jaguar engine or specialist diagnosis following a major engine problem, this combination makes Jaguar and Land Rover Specialist Engine Repairs our strongest overall choice.

2. Jaguar Specialist London

Address: 181C Forest Road, Hainault, Ilford, IG6 3HZ

Jaguar Specialist London is another Jaguar-focused workshop operating from Hainault in Ilford.

The business offers a broad range of Jaguar services including diagnostics, servicing and major engine repair. Its published service information covers Jaguar AJ-V8, AJ-V6, Ingenium and supercharged V6/V8 engines, including timing-related repairs and other major engine work.

It also uses JLR SDD and Pathfinder diagnostic systems and works specifically with Jaguar vehicles.

This makes it another relevant option for Jaguar owners who need fault diagnosis or mechanical repairs.

For customers specifically seeking a complete engine rebuild or reconditioned replacement engine, however, it is worth confirming exactly what engine rebuilding, machining, replacement and supply-and-fit services are included before booking.

3. All Engines 4 You

Address: 38 Fowler Road, Ilford, IG6 3UW

All Engines 4 You is an engine rebuilding service located close to our #1 choice on Fowler Road in Ilford.

As a general engine rebuilding business rather than a dedicated Jaguar-only workshop, it gives motorists another local option when comparing engine rebuild or replacement services.

Jaguar owners considering a general engine rebuilder should ask several questions before proceeding.

In particular, confirm whether the workshop regularly rebuilds your exact Jaguar engine code, whether diagnostic testing is carried out before removal and what components will be replaced during the rebuild.

For Ingenium-powered vehicles, specialist experience becomes particularly important because the correct repair process depends on the nature and extent of internal damage.

4. Engine Care Uk Limited

Address: 11-17 Fowler Road, Ilford, IG6 3UJ

Engine Care UK Limited is another engine rebuilding service operating in the Fowler Road area of Ilford.

It may be worth considering when comparing quotations for general engine rebuilding work.

However, Jaguar owners should distinguish between a general engine rebuilder and a workshop that works specifically on Jaguar engines every day.

Before authorising work, ask whether the workshop has previous experience with your Jaguar model and engine code, whether the engine will undergo complete strip-down and measurement and what post-rebuild testing is included.

A written breakdown of parts, labour, machining and warranty coverage can make different quotations much easier to compare.

5. 4×4 Engine Rebuilds

Address: Unit 16, Riverside Industrial Estate, 27 Thames Road, Barking, IG11 0ND

For Jaguar owners willing to travel a short distance outside Ilford, 4×4 Engine Rebuilds in nearby Barking is another engine rebuilding option.

Because it is outside Ilford and is not presented here as a Jaguar-only engine workshop, customers should confirm Jaguar-specific engine experience before booking.

Ask for the exact engine rebuild specification, parts included, testing procedure, fitting costs and warranty conditions before comparing its quotation with a dedicated Jaguar specialist.

What Makes a Good Jaguar Engine Specialist?

Choosing a Jaguar engine specialist should involve much more than comparing prices.

Modern Jaguar vehicles combine sophisticated mechanical systems with electronic engine management, turbocharging, emissions controls, fuel systems and manufacturer-specific software.

A reliable specialist should therefore start with diagnosis rather than immediately recommending an expensive engine replacement.

Depending on the fault, testing may include:

  • JLR diagnostic scanning
  • Live engine data analysis
  • Compression testing
  • Oil-pressure testing
  • Timing system inspection
  • Fuel-system testing
  • Injector assessment
  • Turbocharger inspection
  • Cooling-system pressure testing
  • Internal engine examination

Once the cause of the problem has been confirmed, the workshop can determine whether the correct solution is repair, rebuilding, reconditioning or replacement.

Jaguar Engine Repair vs Rebuild vs Replacement

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they describe very different levels of work.

Jaguar Engine Repair

A Jaguar engine repair normally addresses one or more specific failed components while retaining the majority of the original engine.

For example, a diagnosed problem may involve the timing system, cylinder head, cooling system, fuel system or another engine-related component.

When the main engine structure remains serviceable, targeted repair may be more appropriate than complete replacement.

Jaguar Engine Rebuild

A Jaguar engine rebuild involves much more extensive work.

The engine is removed and dismantled so internal parts can be inspected and measured.

Depending on the condition of the engine, rebuilding may involve machining and replacing damaged or worn components before the unit is reassembled and tested.

A proper rebuild should have a clearly defined specification rather than simply replacing whichever component originally failed.

Reconditioned Jaguar Engine

A reconditioned engine has generally undergone inspection and rebuilding before being supplied as a replacement unit.

Exactly what “reconditioned” means can differ substantially between suppliers.

Before purchasing one, ask:

  • Has the engine been completely stripped?
  • Which internal parts have been replaced?
  • Has machining been carried out?
  • Has the cylinder head been inspected?
  • Have bearings and seals been replaced where required?
  • Has oil pressure been tested?
  • Has compression been tested?
  • What warranty is included?

Used Jaguar Engine

A used engine is generally removed from another vehicle and installed without undergoing a complete rebuild.

It may provide a lower initial cost, but its previous maintenance, operating conditions and internal wear may not always be known.

This is why warranty and testing information are particularly important when buying a used Jaguar engine.

Jaguar Ingenium Engine Specialist in Ilford

The Ingenium engine deserves particular attention because it is used across several popular modern Jaguar models.

Applications include versions of the:

  • Jaguar XE
  • Jaguar XF
  • Jaguar F-PACE
  • Jaguar E-PACE

Specialist knowledge can be important when diagnosing timing chain problems, oil-pressure issues, internal wear or other faults associated with an Ingenium-powered vehicle.

The workshop at Jaguar and Land Rover Specialist Engine Repairs specifically works with Jaguar Ingenium engines and lists Jaguar XE, XF, F-PACE and E-PACE among its engine rebuild and repair coverage.

If an Ingenium engine develops rattling, knocking, oil-pressure warnings, excessive smoke or loss of performance, further diagnosis should be carried out before assuming that complete replacement is necessary.

Jaguar XF Engine Specialist in Ilford

The Jaguar XF is one of the most common models likely to require specialist independent maintenance and engine repair.

Depending on year and specification, the XF has been offered with multiple diesel and petrol engine configurations.

Typical symptoms requiring investigation can include:

  • Engine warning lights
  • Timing-related noise
  • Loss of power
  • Excessive exhaust smoke
  • Oil-pressure problems
  • Coolant loss
  • Overheating
  • Rough running
  • Turbocharger faults

Because the cause can vary significantly, the vehicle should ideally be diagnosed using Jaguar-compatible equipment before major parts are replaced.

Jaguar and Land Rover Specialist Engine Repairs specifically lists Jaguar XF engine rebuilding and repair among its specialist services.

Jaguar XE Engine Specialist

The Jaguar XE commonly uses Ingenium powertrains, making model-specific engine knowledge particularly valuable.

If an XE develops timing noise, warning lights, reduced performance or signs of oil-pressure trouble, continuing to drive without diagnosis can potentially increase the extent of damage.

A specialist can establish whether the problem can be resolved through targeted repair or whether internal engine work is required.

Registration-based engine matching is also useful for the XE because it allows the workshop to identify the exact engine specification before quoting for a replacement or reconditioned engine.

Jaguar F-PACE Engine Specialist in Ilford

The Jaguar F-PACE combines Jaguar performance with SUV practicality and is another important model for independent JLR specialists.

Engine options vary according to model year and specification.

When an F-PACE experiences serious mechanical symptoms, the workshop should first determine whether the fault comes from the engine itself or associated systems such as the turbo, fueling, cooling or electronic engine management.

Jaguar and Land Rover Specialist Engine Repairs lists F-PACE among the Jaguar models covered by its engine services, with engine options also listed through its Jaguar inventory.

This makes it particularly relevant for owners searching for a Jaguar F-PACE engine specialist in Ilford.

Jaguar E-PACE Engine Repair

The E-PACE is another modern Jaguar where correct electronic and mechanical diagnosis can prevent unnecessary parts replacement.

Many engine-related symptoms can overlap.

For example, reduced power could result from internal engine damage, but it could also relate to the turbocharger, fuel delivery, sensors, DPF, EGR or other emissions systems.

An experienced Jaguar specialist should therefore investigate the root cause before deciding whether major engine work is required.

Jaguar XJ and F-TYPE Engine Specialists

Jaguar XJ and F-TYPE vehicles may use powertrains that differ significantly from the four-cylinder Ingenium units found in many XE and XF models.

V6, V8 and supercharged engines require their own repair procedures, internal tolerances and diagnostic knowledge.

Jaguar and Land Rover Specialist Engine Repairs lists XJ among its supported Jaguar range, while its wider specialist services also cover different Jaguar petrol and diesel engine configurations.

For high-performance engines, it is particularly important to establish exactly what machining, measurement, replacement components and testing are included in any rebuild quotation.

Common Jaguar Engine Problems and Warning Signs

Serious Jaguar engine problems do not always begin with complete engine failure.

Early warning signs may include:

  • Rattling when starting
  • Engine knocking
  • Tapping noises
  • Excessive exhaust smoke
  • Increased oil consumption
  • Oil-pressure warning
  • Coolant loss
  • Repeated overheating
  • Poor acceleration
  • Rough idling
  • Engine warning lights
  • Turbocharger symptoms
  • Difficulty starting
  • Engine seizure

The safest response depends on the symptom.

A persistent warning light may allow the vehicle to be diagnosed normally, while severe knocking, oil-pressure loss or overheating can justify stopping the engine and arranging recovery rather than continuing to drive.

Why Choose a Jaguar Specialist Instead of a General Garage?

A competent general garage can handle many routine repairs.

Major Jaguar engine work is different.

Jaguar engines often require manufacturer-specific diagnostic systems, engine-code knowledge, specialist tooling and familiarity with common model-specific faults.

A technician who regularly works with the Jaguar range may therefore be better positioned to determine whether a fault requires:

  • A minor component repair
  • Timing system work
  • Cylinder head repair
  • Internal engine rebuilding
  • Engine reconditioning
  • Complete engine replacement

This distinction matters because major engine work can represent a substantial financial commitment.

The objective should be to repair what has actually failed rather than replace the largest possible assembly.

How to Choose the Best Jaguar Engine Specialist in Ilford

Before booking major work, ask the workshop the following questions.

Do you specialise in Jaguar engines?

Ask whether technicians regularly work on the specific Jaguar model and engine you own.

Will the engine be diagnosed before removal?

A complete replacement should not normally be recommended purely from a dashboard warning or brief visual inspection.

Do you use Jaguar/JLR diagnostic equipment?

Manufacturer-compatible diagnostics can provide significantly more information than basic fault-code readers.

What is included in the rebuild?

Request details of the strip-down, inspection, measurement, machining and replacement parts.

Are the replacement parts OEM or OE-equivalent?

Component quality is particularly important inside a rebuilt engine.

Do you offer supply and fit?

Confirm whether removal of the damaged engine, installation, fluids and post-installation testing are included.

Is there a written warranty?

Always request warranty terms before authorising expensive engine work.

Will I receive a written quotation?

The quotation should explain the scope of work so you can compare specialists accurately.

How Much Does a Jaguar Engine Rebuild Cost?

There is no single price for every Jaguar engine rebuild.

Cost varies according to:

  • Jaguar model
  • Engine code
  • Petrol or diesel configuration
  • Extent of internal damage
  • Parts required
  • Machining required
  • Labour
  • Associated engine damage
  • Turbo or fuel-system condition
  • Installation requirements

A four-cylinder Ingenium engine and a supercharged Jaguar V8 are fundamentally different engines and should not be expected to have identical rebuild costs.

A specialist inspection or diagnosis is therefore preferable to relying on a generic advertised price.

Is It Worth Rebuilding a Jaguar Engine?

A Jaguar engine rebuild can be worthwhile when the rest of the vehicle is in good condition and the original engine can be professionally restored.

Factors to consider include:

  • Vehicle age
  • Mileage
  • Service history
  • Overall vehicle condition
  • Extent of engine damage
  • Rebuild cost
  • Replacement engine availability
  • Warranty
  • Vehicle market value

A specialist should be able to explain whether rebuilding your existing unit or installing a replacement represents the more practical option.

Areas Covered Around Ilford

For customers looking for a Jaguar engine specialist near Ilford, relevant surrounding areas include:

  • Hainault
  • Barkingside
  • Gants Hill
  • Newbury Park
  • Redbridge
  • Seven Kings
  • Goodmayes
  • Chadwell Heath
  • Barking
  • Dagenham
  • Romford
  • Stratford
  • East London
  • Essex

Jaguar and Land Rover Specialist Engine Repairs operates from its Ilford workshop and also advertises collection, delivery and wider UK support for engine customers.

Best Jaguar Engine Specialist in Ilford: Our Verdict

For motorists searching for the best Jaguar engine specialist in Ilford, our first recommendation is Jaguar and Land Rover Specialist Engine Repairs at 36-A Fowler Road, Ilford, IG6 3UT.

Its main advantage is that it combines Jaguar-specific engine experience with complete engine rebuilding facilities.

The workshop provides:

  • Jaguar engine diagnostics
  • Targeted engine repairs
  • Full engine rebuilds
  • Engine reconditioning
  • Reconditioned engines
  • Used engine options
  • Engine matching by registration
  • Supply-only options
  • Supply and fit
  • Written warranty options
  • UK-wide support

Its Jaguar coverage includes XE, XF, F-PACE, E-PACE, XJ and other JLR engine applications.

For customers dealing with engine knocking, timing problems, oil-pressure warnings, overheating, smoke or complete engine failure, having the existing engine professionally diagnosed before choosing repair or replacement can provide a much clearer way forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the best Jaguar engine specialist in Ilford?

Our first choice is Jaguar and Land Rover Specialist Engine Repairs at 36-A Fowler Road, Ilford, IG6 3UT. The workshop specialises in JLR engines and provides Jaguar engine diagnostics, repairs, rebuilds, reconditioning and replacement engine services.

Where can I get a Jaguar engine rebuilt in Ilford?

Several engine rebuilding workshops operate around Ilford and Hainault. For Jaguar-specific work, Jaguar and Land Rover Specialist Engine Repairs offers engine rebuilding from its Fowler Road workshop.

Can a Jaguar Ingenium engine be rebuilt?

Depending on the nature and extent of the damage, an Ingenium engine may be suitable for rebuilding. The engine should first be diagnosed and inspected to determine whether repair, rebuilding or replacement is the appropriate option.

Which Jaguar models can an engine specialist work on?

Specialist Jaguar workshops may cover models including the XE, XF, F-PACE, E-PACE, XJ and F-TYPE. The exact engine configuration should be identified before major repair work is quoted.

Is a reconditioned Jaguar engine better than a used engine?

They are different options. A used engine is normally removed from another vehicle, while a properly reconditioned engine has undergone inspection and rebuilding work. Ask the supplier to explain exactly what has been replaced and tested.

Should I rebuild or replace my Jaguar engine?

That depends on the engine’s internal condition, extent of damage, rebuilding cost and availability of suitable replacement units. Professional inspection is necessary before making the decision.

Can I get a Jaguar engine supplied and fitted in Ilford?

Yes. Specialist engine workshops, including Jaguar and Land Rover Specialist Engine Repairs, offer supply-and-fit solutions. Confirm the engine specification, fitting costs, fluids, testing and warranty in writing before proceeding.

What are common signs of Jaguar engine failure?

Possible warning signs include knocking, timing chain rattling, excessive smoke, overheating, loss of oil pressure, increased oil consumption, reduced power, and engine seizure. These symptoms should be professionally diagnosed because they can have several different causes.

Do Jaguar engine specialists work on both petrol and diesel engines?

Yes, although capability varies between workshops. Jaguar has used four-cylinder diesel and petrol Ingenium engines as well as larger V6, V8 and supercharged engines, so it is important to choose a specialist familiar with the exact engine fitted to your vehicle.

Sheldon Creed scores second O’Reilly career victory in Chase opener at Darlington

Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Sheldon Creed struck first in the Chase for this year’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship by winning the Fleetio 200 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, on Saturday, September 5.

The 2020 Craftsman Truck Series champion from Alpine, California, led the final 53 of 147-scheduled laps in an event where he qualified in 13th place and was racing within the bottom half of the top-10 mark on the track before he settled in 12th place following the first stage’s conclusion. Creed then used fresh tires he received before the start of the second stage to motor his way toward the front. Through three cautions, he navigated his way to a third-place result.

For the final stage period, Creed received a stellar pit service from his No. 00 Haas Factory Team pit crew that allowed him to beat Corey Day off of pit road first and inherit the lead. From there, Creed, who withstood two late-race restarts, including the last one with 40 laps remaining, outdueled his Chase competition, including runner-up finisher Day, to achieve his first victory at the track deemed Too Tough to Tame and gain the first advantage towards his championship hopes in 2026.

With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Saturday, Chaser Carson Kvapil won his first-ever pole position with a pole-winning lap at 161.636 mph in 30.424 seconds. Teammate and Chaser Justin Allgaier qualified in second place with a lap of 161.312 mph in 30.485 seconds.

Prior to the event, a host of names, including Ryan Ellis, Brent Crews, Brad Perez and Jeremy Clements, dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments to their respective entries.

When the green flag waved and the event commenced, pole-sitter Carson Kvapil and teammate Justin Allgaier briefly dueled against one another until Allgaier used the outside lane to motor his No. 7 Arby’s Steak Nuggets Chevrolet Camaro entry ahead through the first two turns. With a variety of early on-track battles ensuing around the field, Allgaier led the first lap, and he proceeded to extend his early advantage by a second over Kvapil while Jesse Love, Brandon Jones and Austin Hill trailed in the top five, respectively. Behind, Sam Mayer, Parker Retzlaff, Taylor Gray, Rajah Caruth and Anthony Alfredo were racing in the top 10 while Sammy Smith, Corey Day and Sheldon Creed, the three-lowest Chasers on the track, trailed in the top 13, respectively.

Through the Lap 10 mark, Allgaier continued to extend his advantage as he led by nearly two seconds over Kvapil, while Love, Jones and Hill maintained the remaining top-five spots over Mayer, Retzlaff, Caruth, Alfredo and Gray, while Sammy Smith, Creed and Day trailed in the top 13, respectively. By then, Alfredo was the lone non-Chaser mired within the 12-car Chase field in ninth place as Allgaier’s lead grew by more than two seconds just past the Lap 15 mark and by nearly three seconds at the Lap 20 mark.

On Lap 26, Caruth, who was racing within the top-10 mark, made an unscheduled pit stop after reporting an alternator issue to his No. 88 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro entry. With Caruth returning to the track while two laps behind the leaders, teammate Allgaier stabilized his early advantage by more than three seconds over teammate Kvapil as Jones, Love, Hill and Mayer followed suit in the top six, respectively. Behind, Alfredo was up in seventh place ahead of Retzlaff, Gray, Creed and Day while Sammy Smith had fallen to 18th place.

On Lap 33, the event’s first caution flew due to Preston Pardus getting sideways and spinning off of the fourth turn and the frontstretch as he dragged sparks while limping his entry away from his spinning scene. During this caution period, a majority of the field and Chasers led by Allgaier and Kvapil pitted while the rest, seven total, led by Chasers Brandon Jones and Corey Day remained on the track. Following the pit stops, Allgaier exited pit road first ahead of Lavar Scott, Kvapil, Hill and Alfredo.

With the first stage period restarting with six laps remaining, the field fanned out as Allgaier made a bold three-move move to move into the runner-up spot behind Jones through the first two turns. As the field continued to fan out through the backstretch along with Turns 3 and 4, Allgaier overtook Jones through Turns 3 and 4 to reassume the lead for the following lap. Behind, Kvapil and Hill quickly motored past Jones on fresher tires while Allgaier, who also had fresher tires, motored away by the Lap 40 mark.

When the first stage period concluded on Lap 45, Allgaier fended off a late charge from Kvapil to capture his ninth O’Reilly stage victory of the 2026 season. Kvapil settled in second ahead of Hill, Mayer and Retzlaff while Alfredo, Jeremy Clements, Love, Nick Sanchez and Gray were scored in the top 10, respectively. Behind, Chasers Sammy Smith, Creed, Jones and Day settled in 11th, 12th, 17th and 18th, respectively, while Caruth was still mired two laps down in 33rd place. Under the event’s first stage break period, some Chasers led by Retzlaff and including Creed, Jones, Day and Caruth pitted while the rest led by Allgaier remained on the track.

The second stage period started on Lap 51 as teammates Allgaier and Kvapil occupied the front row. At the start, Allgaier motored ahead of Kvapil and retained the lead for the following lap. Despite being reeled in and pressed by Kvapil for the lead, Allgaier fended off the latter through Lap 59 before the caution returned due to Daniel Dye getting bumped by Dean Thompson, where the former was trying to block the latter and turned into the outside wall through the front stretch. By then, Creed and Retzlaff, both of whom pitted during the first stage break period for fresh tires, had carved their way up to ninth and 10th, respectively, while Caruth reclaimed one of his two laps lost from his early alternator issues.

For the next restart on Lap 64, a stack-up ensued at the front, and Allgaier nearly got turned after he got bumped by Hill on the outside lane while struggling to launch. Amid the scramble, Kvapil, who fended off a dive attempt by Alfredo, motored ahead with the lead. As the field fanned out and jostled for spots, Kvapil led the next lap over Allgaier, who recovered to retain the runner-up spot, while Alfredo, Hill, Mayer, Love and Gray pursued in the top seven, respectively.

On Lap 69, the caution returned when Day, who had repeated bumps and contact with Sawalich over the previous laps, bumped and turned Sawalich into the backstretch’s outside wall. The contact, which was a battle towards the top-15 mark, caused Sawalich to spin below the backstretch after he was hit by Day again and backed up the track while having right-side damage to his No. 18 SoundGear Toyota Supra entry while the rest of the field scattered. The run-in with Sawalich and Day allowed Caruth to cycle back on the lead lap as Day, who sustained right-front fender damage, and Sammy Smith pitted their respective Chevrolets.

The next restart on Lap 73 featured Kvapil motoring ahead of teammate Allgaier despite both wiggling to launch ahead of the field entering the first two turns. Seconds later, the caution quickly returned when Jeb Burton, who was racing within the top-15 mark, was hit by a sliding Sanchez entering the backstretch. As Burton slid back down the track towards oncoming traffic and tried to straighten it to the left, he was hit by Glen Reen, and Mason Maggio slammed into Reen while Caruth barely dodged the carnage.

As the event restarted with 10 laps remaining in the first stage period, Kvapil retained the lead while Alfredo overtook Allgaier for the runner-up spot. Hill then challenged Allgaier for third, while Love, Creed, and Gray pursued. Meanwhile, Kvapil led the next lap while Creed and Love fiercely battled for fourth place in front of Gray and Mayer as Ryan Sieg made a bold three-wide move to muscle his way into the top-10 mark. Amid the battles, Alfredo battled and overtook Kvapil for the lead following a bold slide in front of the latter through the first two turns on Lap 84.

When the second stage period concluded on Lap 90, Alfredo motored his way to his second O’Reilly stage victory of the 2026 season. Creed and Day motored their way up to second and third, respectively, with fresh tires, while Sammy Smith, Kvapil, Allgaier, Hill, Mayer, Kyle Sieg, and Ryan Sieg were scored in the top 10, respectively. Behind, Retzlaff, Love, Jones and Gray settled in 11th through 14th, respectively, while Caruth navigated his way up to 17th place.

During the event’s second stage break period, the field led by Alfredo pitted for service. Following the pit stops, Creed edged Day off of pit road first as they were followed by Sammy Smith, Kvapil, Allgaier, Alfredo, Mayer, Hill, Jones and Gray, respectively. Meanwhile, Love, Retzlaff and Caruth were mired in 12th, 14th and 19th, respectively.

With 49 laps remaining, the third and final stage period commenced as Creed and Day occupied the front row. At the start, Creed motored ahead from a push by Sammy Smith from the outside lane while Kvapil tried to make a move beneath Day through the frontstretch. Amid the battles, Creed motored away, and he led the next lap while Sammy Smith was trying to fend off teammate Allgaier along with Day and Hill for the runner-up spot. Meanwhile, Kvapil was mired in sixth place as the field fanned out and jostled for late spots. Soon after, the caution returned when Joey Gase got loose while battling beneath Garrett Smithley. As Gase got sideways entering the backstretch, he wrecked against Lavar Scott towards the outside wall, and the duo spun along with Sawalich, who got sideways to avoid the carnage, as the trio made further contact with the inside wall.

During the next restart with 40 laps remaining, Creed and Allgaier dueled for the lead through the frontstretch until Creed used the outside lane to motor ahead of the latter through the first two turns. As teammates Sammy Smith and Allgaier battled for the runner-up spot, with Smith prevailing through Turns 3 and 4, Creed led the next lap while Hill and Day followed suit in the top five, respectively. Behind, Kvapil and Ryan Sieg trailed in sixth and seventh ahead of Mayer, Alfredo, Jones, and Gray, while Retzlaff and Love were mired within the top-15 mark. Behind, Caruth, who pitted during the previous caution, was racing in 22nd place while Creed led by seven-tenths of a second with 35 laps remaining.

Down to the final 30 laps, Creed extended his late advantage by more than a second over Sammy Smith, Allgaier and Day while fifth-place Hill trailed by two-and-a-half seconds in fifth place. Behind, Kvapil and Mayer occupied sixth and seventh, respectively, while Gray, Jones, Caruth, Retzlaff and Love raced from 12th to 16th, respectively, on the track. Caruth utilized the fresh tires he received in the late stages to motor past Jones for 13th place, and Jones continued to slowly slip back as he was outdueled by Jones for 14th place. Meanwhile, Allgaier lost third place to Day, and he was pressured by Hill for fourth place while Creed led by nearly two seconds with 25 laps remaining.

As the event reached its final 20-lap mark, Creed stabilized his lead by more than two seconds over Day, who overtook Sammy Smith for the runner-up spot three laps earlier. Meanwhile, Allgaier, who hit the outside wall entering the third turn, slipped to fifth place behind Hill. Allgaier was then being pressured by Kvapil for fifth place while teammate Caruth motored his way up to 11th place. Crews then reeled in both Kvapil and Allgaier in a battle for a top-five spot with 19 laps remaining. For the next two laps, Kvapil dropped to ninth place, and Caruth motored up to eighth place while Allgaier lost fifth place to Crews. With Caruth overtaking Allgaier for sixth place with 16 laps remaining, Creed continued to lead by more than two seconds over Day and by four seconds over third-place Sammy Smith with 15 laps remaining.

With 10 laps remaining, Creed had his lead stand at more than two seconds over Day while Sammy Smith, Hill and Crews trailed in the top five, respectively. Behind, Caruth was up to sixth place until he dropped off the pace with a fuel pickup issue. Despite nursing his entry to pit road after coasting it for a full lap, he lost two laps in the process. Back at the front, Crews reeled in on Smith for third place while Creed maintained the lead by more than a second over Day with five laps remaining. Meanwhile, Allgaier slipped out of the top-10 mark due to his rear tires chattering. Kvapil was also mired with racing with Allgaier as both competitors had potential race victories slip from their grasp.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Creed remained in the lead by two-and-a-half seconds over Day. With Day unable to reel in to Creed’s rear bumper and the latter smoothly nursing his No. 00 Ollie’s Chevrolet Camaro entry around Darlington’s tough turns, Creed was able to cycle back to the frontstretch and claim the checkered flag with the victory by nearly three seconds.

With the victory, Creed, who previously finished as high as second at Darlington, became the 140th competitor overall to achieve multiple victories in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series as he notched his second career win in the series, his first at Darlington Raceway, and the eighth competitor to notch multiple victories in 2026. The Californian also recorded the second victory of this season for Haas Factory Team and the 22nd for Chevrolet.

Creed, who also accumulated eight stage points by finishing in third place in the second stage period, is ranked in the runner-up spot in the Chase standings. As he trails points leader Justin Allgaier by seven points, he has eight Chase races remaining on the schedule to extend his early momentum and contend for his first series championship.

Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

“This [victory] is everything to me,” Creed said in Victory Lane on the CW Network. “I’ve been so close here so many times. If I could pick a place on the schedule to get a win, this is it. I finally get that. To be honest, I wasn’t real happy with the car the first run. We worked on it all night. [Crew chief Jonathan Toney] and the [No. 00] boys just gave me kind of what I needed there at the end. I was able to get away. Super proud of everyone at Haas Factory Team. Just super happy to open the Chase with a win. I don’t know where everyone stacked us, but hopefully, we put our name in the card. Hopefully, we can make a run for the championship.”

Corey Day nursed his damaged No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro entry to a runner-up result while rookie Brent Crews, Sammy Smith and Austin Hill finished in the top five. Anthony Alfredo, who lost the lead due to a slow pit service prior to the final stage period, rallied to finish in sixth place while Taylor Gray, Sam Mayer, Jeremy Clements and Brandon Jones completed the top 10 in the final running order.

Overall, Crews, Alfredo and Clements were the non-Chasers who finished in the top 10 on the track at Darlington. Meanwhile, the remaining Chasers, including Carson Kvapil, Jesse Love, Justin Allgaier, Parker Retzlaff and Rajah Caruth, ended up 12th, 13th, 17th, 21st and 26th, respectively.

The 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ Chase opener generated eight lead changes for seven different leaders, and seven cautions for 38 laps. In addition, 25 of 38 starters finished on the lead lap.

Race Results:

  1. Sheldon Creed, 53 laps led
  2. Corey Day, one lap led
  3. Brent Crews
  4. Sammy Smith
  5. Austin Hill
  6. Anthony Alfredo, nine laps led, Stage 2 winner
  7. Taylor Gray
  8. Sam Mayer
  9. Jeremy Clements
  10. Brandon Jones, three laps led
  11. Dean Thompson
  12. Carson Kvapil, 20 laps led
  13. Jesse Love, one lap led
  14. Nick Sanchez
  15. Brennan Poole
  16. Kyle Sieg
  17. Justin Allgaier, 60 laps led, Stage 1 winner
  18. Jake Finch
  19. Ryan Sieg
  20. Harrison Burton
  21. Parker Retzlaff
  22. Blaine Perkins
  23. Preston Pardus
  24. Josh Bilicki
  25. Garrett Smithley
  26. Rajah Caruth, two laps down
  27. Daniel Dye, two laps down
  28. Logan Bearden, two laps down
  29. Joey Gase – OUT, Overheating
  30. William Sawalich – OUT, Accident
  31. Lavar Scott – OUT, Accident
  32. Patrick Staropoli – OUT, Engine
  33. Jeb Burton – OUT, Accident
  34. Glen Reen – OUT, Accident
  35. Mason Maggio – OUT, Accident
  36. Dawson Cram – OUT, Electrical
  37. Ryan Ellis – OUT, Clutch
  38. Brad Perez – OUT, Brakes

*Bold indicates Chase Drivers

Following the first Chase event of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Justin Allgaier leads the standings by seven points over Sheldon Creed. The rest of the 12-car Chase field is displayed below, with the points advantage indicating their deficit to points leader Allgaier.

Chase Standings:

  1. Justin Allgaier
  2. Sheldon Creed -7
  3. Carson Kvapil -19
  4. Austin Hill -36
  5. Corey Day -46
  6. Jesse Love -48
  7. Sammy Smith -55
  8. Brandon Jones -58
  9. Sam Mayer -66
  10. Parker Retzlaff -78
  11. Taylor Gray -79
  12. Rajah Caruth -104

With the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase officially underway, the next event on the schedule is World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, for the Nu Way 225. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, September 12, at 7:30 p.m. ET on the CW Network, MRN Radio, and SiriusXM.

Alpha Prime Racing fielding Fords for 2027 O’Reilly season

Photo by Logan Allen for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Alpha Prime Racing will begin a new chapter in the organization’s history by switching manufacturers from Chevrolet to Ford for the 2027 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season.

The news, which was announced at Darlington Raceway on September 5, comes as Alpha Prime Racing, which launched in 2009, is currently in its fifth consecutive season under its current brand name. The organization currently fields two full-time entries: the Nos. 44 and 45 Chevrolet entries for Brennan Poole and Lavar Scott, respectively. The No. 4 Chevrolet entry has also been fielded on a part-time basis while split between Anthony Alfredo and Caesar Bacarella, the latter of whom is also the owner of Alpha Prime Racing and believes the manufacturer change will establish the organization for long-term success.

“This is the biggest decision we’ve ever made,” Bacarella said. “We have built Alpha Prime Racing by being resourceful and competitive against teams with significantly more resources. That’s our identity. And we don’t want to change that. We want to build on it. Competing with the Ford Mustang is an opportunity to take another step forward.”

As part of the manufacturer change to Ford for the 2027 season, Alpha Prime Racing will utilize Ford equipment and resources for select events of the remainder of the 2026 season. The organization will also utilize Roush Yates Engines for its future engine program and significantly invest in Ford technology.

“Our objective throughout this process has been to build a stronger and more sustainable Alpha Prime Racing,” Jusan Hamilton, President of Alpha Prime Racing, said. “We see an opportunity to build an organization around a two-car O’Reilly Series program and continue investing in our people, equipment and infrastructure. The Ford Racing platform, Roush Yates Engines and the broader ecosystem surrounding Ford in NASCAR align with what we want Alpha Prime Racing to be.”

“Alpha Prime Racing has grown because of the amazing people we’ve had on this team,” Tommy Joe Martins, Founder of Alpha Prime Racing, added, “and the Ford Mustang gives them the best chance to compete moving forward. We’re committed to a long-term, competitive and sustainable Alpha Prime Racing. We want to stand out as an organization, on and off the racetrack. This move is a giant step toward that.”

Alpha Prime Racing’s decision on its multi-car driver lineup for 2027 remains to be determined, with Poole and Scott currently ranked 17th and 26th in the 2026 driver standings, respectively, and both pursuing their first victory for themselves and Alpha Prime Racing.

Prior to next season, Alpha Prime Racing’s 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season continues this Saturday, September 5, at Darlington Raceway for the Fleetio 200. The event is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET on the CW Network, MRN Radio, and SiriusXM.

McLaughlin Delivers Milestone Pole to Chevy at Laguna Seca

MONTEREY, Calif. (Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026) – One goal down for Scott McLaughlin this weekend, one to go.

McLaughlin delivered Chevrolet its 250th INDYCAR SERIES pole position, taking the top spot for the season-ending Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey with a lap of 1 minute, 9.1363 seconds in the No. 3 DEX Team Penske Chevrolet.

Now, McLaughlin hopes that speed will help him win the race Sunday, ending a 36-race dry spell since his last NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory in August 2024 at the Milwaukee Mile. A good omen: The pole winner has driven to victory in this race in 18 of the 28 INDYCAR SERIES races held at this iconic Central California Coast road course.

“Since the thing left the hauler, this thing has been unreal,” McLaughlin said. “So stoked for Chevy to get the 250th pole, but I’ve got to try and transition this into a win. Really proud of everyone.

“We were a little bit lost there for a little bit, but to finally get back a little pace on road courses, which we’ve been a little bit lost, I’m really proud of Raul (Prados, race engineer) and the team.”

Live coverage of the 95-lap race starts at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX One and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls.

McLaughlin used his final lap in the Firestone Fast Six to earn his third NTT P1 Award of the season, as he won the pole for the season-opening race on the street circuit at St. Petersburg and last weekend on the Milwaukee Mile oval. This was his first pole on a road course since April 2024 at Barber Motorsports Park.

The impressive speed by McLaughlin, who also led practice this morning, was enough to dislodge five-time series champion and Laguna Seca dominator Alex Palou from the top spot.

Reigning series champion Palou ended up second at 1:09.1540 in the No. 10 DHL Lightning Bolt Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing. Palou has won this race three of the last four years, including in 2024 and 2025 from the pole.

Despite just missing his series-leading ninth pole of the season, Palou’s metronomic speed should serve him well in the race Sunday and send a shiver down the spines of his rivals. Palou led the first round of qualifying at 1:09.1398 and the Fast 12 round at 1:09.1496.

Just .0142 of a second separated Palou’s three best laps from each round of qualifying. He earned his 12th front-row qualifying position in 18 races this season.

“It’s not the race, so consistency doesn’t matter much,” Palou said. “But honestly, happy. We went for it. We tried to get the pole. Really happy with another front-row start. Scott did a great lap.”

Felix Rosenqvist also continued his consistent weekend by qualifying third at 1:09.1931 in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Honda. Rosenqvist was second in both practice sessions at this event preceding qualifying on the 11-turn, 2.238-mile circuit.

Alexander Rossi produced his best non-oval qualifying position of the season with ease, as he will join Rosenqvist in Row 2 Sunday after earning the fourth spot at 1:09.3247 in the No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet. Rossi’s previous best this year on a road or street circuit was eighth at Markham.

Christian Lundgaard qualified fifth at 1:10.2227 in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, but he will line up 11th Sunday due to a six-spot grid penalty for an unapproved engine change after the doubleheader last weekend at Milwaukee.

David Malukas rounded out the Firestone Fast Six at 1:12.8461 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet.

Lundgaard and Malukas are locked in a four-driver fight for second place. Lundgaard is second with Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global two points behind in third, Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren four points back in fourth and Malukas 23 points behind Lundgaard.

Kirkwood qualified seventh in the No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda, while O’Ward was narrowly eliminated in the first round of qualifying and earned the 13th spot in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.