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Blaney and Ford Mustang Punch Ticket to the Round of 8 With New Hampshire Win

By
Official Release
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Ford Racing Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Mobil 1 301 — New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sunday, September 21, 2025

RYAN BLANEY AND MUSTANG PUNCH THEIR TICKET TO THE ROUND OF 8

  • Ryan Blaney won his third race of 2025 and the 16th Cup race of his career today.
  • Today’s victory automatically advances Blaney to the Round of 8.
  • It also marks the third time Blaney has won three races in a season, a personal best.
  • In addition, today is Blaney’s sixth playoff victory.
  • Today’s win is the sixth of the season for Ford and 747th all-time in NASCAR Cup Series competition
  • It also marks Team Penske’s 106th series win with Ford.

Ford Unofficial Finishing Results:

1st – Ryan Blaney
2nd – Josh Berry
4th – Joey Logano
14th – Ryan Preece
16th – Noah Gragson
17th – Austin Cindric
18th – Chris Buescher
19th – Todd Gilliland
23rd – Brad Keselowski
24th – Cole Custer
27th – Zane Smith
31st – Cody Ware

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards/Libman Ford Mustang Dark Horse –

VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW

YOU’RE ABOUT TO GET THE LOBSTER. “I’m looking forward to it and see how it tastes. I’ve wanted a lobster ever since I was a little kid coming to watch these races. I’ve always wanted one of those things, so I’m looking forward to it.”

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE TODAY? “I don’t know. The way the pit cycles went sometimes. We lost control for a little bit, but then we were able to get it back before the green flag stops in stage three. We were just kind of biding our time after the green flag stop and then the caution came out and two was a great call. We saw two worked well in the first stage for a while and I figured if we could come out on the front row or something we would have a good shot and Josh definitely didn’t make it easy on me. His car got rolling there for 10 or 15 laps and I really had to find new lanes and push harder. My car was going really free and then we were able to gap him there at the end with his right-rear going away. It was a great race and a cool weekend, honestly. I couldn’t be prouder of everybody.”

CAN YOU SEE THE PATH TO PHOENIX NOW? “It’s starting to light up.”

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Autotrader Ford Mustang Dark Horse – YOU REBOUNDED WITH STRATEGY AND FINISHED 17TH. WHAT POSITIVES CAN YOU TAKE FROM TODAY? “It’s probably what our average was throughout the day. I think between screwing up qualifying on my end, I thought we had a great long run car with our Autotrader Ford Mustang, just weren’t able to capitalize on it. I felt like I really struggled to get going, so not enough positives to outweigh the negatives. It’s obviously a great day for the team with the 12 and the 22, but the saving grace is I think a lot of the guys I’m racing didn’t get stage points either and probably had a smaller loss than what we could have. You’ve got to expect to want to run in the top 10 and get stage points to advance out of this round, so not everything we needed, but we’re still in the game.” KANSAS NEXT WEEK AND THEN THE ROVAL. WHAT’S THE MINDSET? “I think this weekend is proof. You can’t take anything for granted, but I don’t think we’re in a position to be desperate. We’ve just got to go out the next two weekends and do better than we did this weekend. If we have a repeat of this weekend, it’s not gonna be enough to make it through. We’re capable of it and I believe in that. I feel good about Kansas.”

JOSH BERRY, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT MORE DID YOU NEED TO PASS THE 12 AT THE END? “I don’t know. We lacked a little bit of fire off, but, honestly, ever since the start of the race we were just mired in so much traffic. It was hard to know what we needed. Our long run seemed really strong, so I think it could have gone a couple different ways. Obviously, if it stays green, I think we have a chance at it. Maybe we should have taken two tires there, but, ultimately, we were down a set from the spin, so we didn’t want to take our last tires that early. Still, it’s just a great day. We had a great car. Everybody did a great job. The pit stops were awesome and we have a lot to look forward to.” HOW ABOUT THE WAY YOU RECOVERED FROM THE SPIN. WHAT WAS THE KEY? “For one, we had a really good car. It was a grind for sure, but we had a really good car and we just chipped away at it. I kind of wish at times maybe we should have stayed out or took two tires. I don’t know, but we just kept putting four on it and kept moving forward and did it the old fashioned way. It was a lot of fun.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “The 12 was wicked fast in practice and he showed that again in the race. Our only chance was beating him on pit road and beating on details, but they were able to make up their track position when they put four on. Over time they got back up there. That last restart, I could have restarted behind him and probably finished third in the race, but I wanted a chance to win and if I was behind the 12, I wasn’t gonna win. I went for it and it cost us a spot, but, overall, I’m proud of the execution. We obviously got a ton of points today. I think we got a second and a first in the first two stages and a top four finish, so we did what we needed to do. We’re plus the cut line. I’d rather win. That’s just the greed in me, especially when it’s home.”

PROCK, ASHLEY, GLENN & GADSON MAKE HISTORY WITH WINS AT NHRA 4-WIDE CAROLINA NATIONALS

By
Official Release
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  • Ashley posts TF playoff victory
  • FC’s Prock sweeps 4-Wide races in 2025
  • Glenn stays perfect in PS Countdown
  • Gadson gets first career playoff win

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2025) – Funny Car points leader Austin Prock won the first four-wide playoff race in NHRA history on Sunday at zMAX Dragway, defeating Matt Hagan, Chad Green and Dan Wilkerson in the final round of the NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals.

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 16th of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Prock went 3.912-seconds at 332.43 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS in the championship quad, powering to his eighth victory of the season and 20th in his career. The victory, Prock’s 16th since moving to Funny Car last year, also gave the reigning world champ a season sweep at all three four-wide races in 2025.

After a rough start in Reading, falling in the second round and crossing the centerline, Prock rebounded in dominant fashion on Sunday, winning the first two quads and then quickly chasing down Wilkerson. He held off Hagan at the finish line to keep a stranglehold on the points lead, which now stands 79 points over Hagan.

“That was a big win, especially after everything that went on in the semifinals when a few of the front-runners went out and we capitalized on it,” Prock said. “We extended our lead a little bit going into St. Louis next weekend and there’s only four [races] left so it was good to keep up our performance this weekend and extend our points lead. To get it done here in Charlotte with for HendrickCars.com is really special. Mr. H [Rick Hendrick] is pretty, pretty pumped right now.

“The ‘Prock Rocket’ was on point all weekend. Our package just seemed suited for Bruton Smith race tracks. I wasn’t my typical self on the starting line this weekend. I was good, but not where I wanted to be, but the car ran good enough and our total package was good enough to win.”

Hagan, who qualified No. 1, finished as the runner-up in his third appearance in the finals this year.

In Top Fuel, Justin Ashley picked up his fourth victory in 2025 and had another brilliant Sunday on the starting line, defeating a quad that featured Shawn Langdon, Doug Kalitta and Clay Millican with a stellar run of 3.784 at 329.83 in his 12,000-horsepower Scag Power Equipment dragster.

Ashley and Doug Kalitta posted identical times in the final round, but Ashley was quicker on the starting line, thanks to a standout .043 reaction time. A round earlier, Ashley made history by posting the first triple holeshot in Top Fuel history, coming out on top in a quad that featured Langdon, Brittany Force and Tony Stewart.

Ashley was slowest in the quad but won with a .036 reaction time en route to his 19th career win. It’s also Ashley’s second win in the last three races, sending him to second in points with four races remaining this season. He also posted his second career win at zMAX Dragway, celebrating another special moment in what’s shaping up to be an incredible late-season run. He now trails Kalitta by just 38 points.

“It’s a great feeling. Obviously, winning any four-wide race, or any race for that matter, is great, but to win it right here for the first four-wide race in the fall that NHRA has ever had in the Countdown, this was a critical day for us,” Ashley said. “When you look through some of those quads, even specifically when you get to those final two rounds, it’s just brutal. The margin for error now is so small. Obviously four races left, but these races are hard to win, so I’m a firm believer in the fact you have to enjoy them when they come before shifting your focus over the next one.

“If the car is not put together the same way each and every time, the reaction times are not going to be good, or they’re not going to be within a certain window. Holeshots can be misleading because it really is a team effort. You have to collectively look at the combination together, and then hopefully at the end of the day, it leads to results that you’re looking for.”

Kalitta stayed in the points lead with the runner-up finish, advancing to the final round for the fifth time this season. Kalitta leads Ashley by 38 points and teammate Shawn Langdon, who finished third in the quad, by 59 points.

Pro Stock’s Dallas Glenn couldn’t have asked for a better start to the Countdown to the Championship, winning his second straight race thanks to a run of 6.554 at 209.95 in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro to get past a quad that also featured runner-up Greg Anderson, Erica Enders and Aaron Stanfield.

Glenn has been red-hot in the postseason, qualifying No. 1 at both playoff races and winning in both Reading and Charlotte, and pushing his season win total to six. He impressed throughout eliminations on Sunday, posting a stellar .016 reaction time in a wire-to-wire victory.

It is his 19th career win and Glenn stayed unstoppable at zMAX Dragway as well, as the points leader has now won three straight races at the track, dating back to last year. He swept both four-wide races at the phenomenal facility, opening up a 79-point lead over Greg Anderson in the process.

“I knew I had a fantastic car coming in, so I really just wanted to try to keep the momentum,” Glenn said. “I really felt like I let everybody down in Indy when I let my foot up a little against Erica [Enders]. I made that mistake. So, I just wanted to come into this race, and step it up just a little bit more and be a little more aggressive.

“You look at the ladder and you’re like, this is going to be a tough day, so you just got to try to bring your A-game. I made a small pedal [adjustment] and went up there and just tried to do everything I could do kind of throw a Hail Mary and hope it stuck.”

“I think I have 79 points right now, so I still count that as basically three rounds, because that’s what it’s going to be in Pomona. I want to keep my foot on their throats and keep pressure on until they hand me a trophy.”

Anderson finished as the runner-up with a run of 6.562 in his eighth trip to the final round this year. Stanfield, who was fourth in the quad, moved to third in points, but he’s a distant 172 points behind Glenn.

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Richard Gadson earned his first career victory in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, beating a quad that was Matt Smith Racing-dominant with a run of 6.803 at 199.55 on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki to defeat Matt Smith, Angie Smith and Jianna Evaristo.

Gadson had a lightning-quick .015 reaction time and rode away from the trio, picking up his third victory of the season and moving into the points lead for the first time in his professional career.

Teammate Gaige Herrera suffered a shocking first-round loss, but that opened the door for Gadson, who won his first two quads and then rolled to the victory in the final round with another standout performance. After a long wait for his first career win, Gadson has now won three races in the past three months, setting up what could be a thrilling championship run. His points lead now stands at eight over Matt Smith.

“When you say points leader, I just I can’t believe you’re talking about me,” Gadson said. “Sometimes, when I’m at home and I look at the points and even see my name in second place, I have to read it twice because I just can’t believe it’s really me in this position.

“You know, you just want to avenge your team. You’re racing against three bikes from a rival team and you don’t want to go up there and do anything stupid. If they’re going to outrun you, then that’s going to be what it is. You just don’t want to beat yourself and when you’re the lone ranger up there racing for your team, you carry it with a little bit more pride. These bikes are really easy to do something stupid on.”

M. Smith finished as the runner-up with a pass of 6.821 at 199.37 in what was his fourth appearance in the final round this year.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action Sept. 26-28 with the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis.

CONCORD, N.C. — Final finish order (1-16) for professional categories at the 17th annual NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway. The race is the 16th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

  1. Justin Ashley; 2. Doug Kalitta; 3. Shawn Langdon; 4. Clay Millican; 5. Brittany Force; 6. Antron Brown; 7. Tony Stewart; 8. Steve Torrence; 9. Dan Mercier; 10. Shawn Reed; 11. Josh Hart; 12. Tony Schumacher; 13. Doug Foley; 14. Cameron Ferre.

FUNNY CAR:

  1. Austin Prock; 2. Matt Hagan; 3. Daniel Wilkerson; 4. Chad Green; 5. Jack Beckman; 6. Ron Capps; 7. Spencer Hyde; 8. Bob Tasca III; 9. Alex Laughlin; 10. Paul Lee; 11. Cruz Pedregon; 12. J.R. Todd; 13. Dave Richards; 14. Hunter Green; 15. Alexis DeJoria; 16. John Smith.

PRO STOCK:

  1. Dallas Glenn; 2. Greg Anderson; 3. Erica Enders; 4. Aaron Stanfield; 5. Matt Hartford; 6. Cory Reed; 7. Cody Coughlin; 8. Stephen Bell; 9. Eric Latino; 10. Greg Stanfield; 11. Jeg Coughlin; 12. Cristian Cuadra; 13. David Cuadra; 14. Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 15. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 16. Deric Kramer.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

  1. Richard Gadson; 2. Matt Smith; 3. Angie Smith; 4. Jianna Evaristo; 5. Kelly Clontz; 6. Marcus Hylton; 7. John Hall; 8. Marc Ingwersen; 9. Brayden Davis; 10. Ron Tornow; 11. Ryan Oehler; 12. Chase Van Sant; 13. Brandon Litten; 14. Gaige Herrera; 15. Chris Bostick; 16. Steve Johnson.

CONCORD, N.C. — Sunday’s final results from the 17th annual NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway. The race is the 16th of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel — Justin Ashley, 3.784 seconds, 329.83 mph def. Doug Kalitta, 3.784 seconds, 332.84 mph and Shawn Langdon, 3.814 seconds, 334.24 mph and Clay Millican, 4.235 seconds, 195.19 mph;

Funny Car — Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.912, 332.43 def. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.952, 324.12 and Daniel Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.389, 195.87 and Chad Green, Mustang, foul;

Pro Stock — Dallas Glenn, Chevy Camaro, 6.554, 209.95 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.562, 209.01 and Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.572, 209.20 and Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 13.390, 65.73;

Pro Stock Motorcycle — Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.803, 199.55 def. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.821, 199.37 and Angie Smith, Buell, 6.842, 198.99 and Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.943, 197.05;

Top Alcohol Dragster — Matthew Cummings, 5.182, 276.86 def. Jon Bradford, 5.225, 274.78 and Jackie Fricke, 5.215, 273.72 and Joey Severance, 6.710, 135.44;

Top Alcohol Funny Car — Brian Hough, Chevy Camaro, 5.548, 262.08 def. Sean Bellemeur, Camaro, 5.464, 266.11 and Chip Beverett, Camaro, 12.561, 56.21 and Bob McCosh, Camaro, broke;

Competition Eliminator — Wes Leopold, Dodge Stratus, 7.876, 168.89 def. Larry Pritchett, Pontiac Sunfire, 7.915, 157.06.

Super Stock — Byron Worner, Chevy Camaro, 9.958, 116.42 def. Marion Stephenson, Chevy Cobalt, 9.781, 142.40.

Stock Eliminator — Morgan Taylor, Chevy Nova, 10.567, 121.02 def. Jeff Longhany, Chevy Corvette, 10.609, 122.23.

Super Comp — Allan Ackles, Dragster, 8.917, 177.56 def. Tori Iacono, Dragster, 8.912, 174.44.

Super Gas — David Griffith, Chevy Camaro, 9.912, 156.92 def. JJ Brock, Camaro, 9.925, 160.23.

Top Sportsman — Sandy Wilkins, Chevy Camaro, 6.339, 210.37 def. Jeff Brooks, Henry J, Foul – Red Light.

Pro Modified — Billy Banaka, Chevy Camaro, 6.551, 140.63 def. Mike Castellana, Camaro, broke and Sidnei Frigo, Camaro, broke and Mason Wright, Camaro, broke;

Mountain Motor Pro Stock — Vincent Nobile, Chevy Camaro, 6.306, 221.38 def. Mike Coughlin, Camaro, 6.342, 222.55.

CONCORD, N.C. — Final round-by-round results from the 17th annual NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, the 16th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE — Shawn Langdon, 3.792, 332.10 and Justin Ashley, 3.811, 323.81 def. Tony Schumacher, 3.865, 290.76 and Doug Foley, 4.054, 217.42; Steve Torrence, 3.754, 331.61 and Clay Millican, 3.785, 326.56 def. Dan Mercier, 3.761, 327.66 and Cameron Ferre, broke; Tony Stewart, 3.766, 326.79 and Brittany Force, 3.758, 338.34 def. Shawn Reed, 3.787, 327.66; Doug Kalitta, 3.757, 327.43 and Antron Brown, 3.780, 330.31 def. Josh Hart, 3.820, 331.20;

SEMIFINALS — Ashley, 3.788, 326.56 and Langdon, 3.761, 333.82 def. Force, 3.773, 338.26 and Stewart, 3.784, 328.62; Kalitta, 3.797, 326.48 and Millican, 3.821, 327.74 def. Brown, 3.844, 326.79 and Torrence, 4.141, 261.67;

FINAL — Ashley, 3.784, 329.83 def. Kalitta, 3.784, 332.84, Langdon, 3.814, 334.24 and Millican, 4.235, 195.19.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE — Spencer Hyde, Ford Mustang, 3.944, 325.06 and Chad Green, Mustang, 3.975, 325.61 def. Cruz Pedregon, Dodge Charger, 4.021, 311.13 and Alexis DeJoria, Charger, 4.689, 173.38; Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.894, 329.67 and Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.957, 328.14 def. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.020, 310.91 and Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.023, 314.17; Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 3.939, 328.46 and Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.949, 327.74 def. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 4.302, 212.23 and John Smith, Charger, 6.664, 105.69; Austin Prock, Camaro, 3.926, 329.34 and Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.930, 331.69 def. Alex Laughlin, Charger, 3.987, 318.24 and Hunter Green, Charger, 4.068, 292.96;

SEMIFINALS — Hagan, 3.963, 327.19 and C. Green, 4.011, 322.50 def. Beckman, 3.939, 325.69 and Hyde, 4.006, 318.02; Prock, 3.930, 328.78 and Wilkerson, 4.072, 254.04 def. Capps, 4.358, 189.44 and Tasca III, 4.014, 318.92;

FINAL — Prock, 3.912, 332.43 def. Hagan, 3.952, 324.12, Wilkerson, 4.389, 195.87 and C. Green, foul.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE — Matt Hartford, Chevy Camaro, 6.522, 208.94 and Cody Coughlin, Camaro, 6.586, 206.99 def. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.962, 208.17 and Deric Kramer, Camaro, 11.434, 79.08; Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.542, 208.94 and Stephen Bell, Camaro, 6.593, 208.14 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.544, 207.56 and Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.855, 207.11; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.534, 208.68 and Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.562, 209.52 def. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.562, 209.14 and David Cuadra, Camaro, 6.589, 208.36; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.529, 209.65 and Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.545, 209.56 def. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.547, 208.65 and Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 10.952, 82.15;

SEMIFINALS — Enders, 6.574, 209.59 and Anderson, 6.538, 208.94 def. Reed, 6.607, 208.59 and Bell, 6.595, 208.07; A. Stanfield, 6.559, 209.36 and Glenn, 6.540, 209.62 def. Hartford, 6.534, 209.17 and C. Coughlin, 6.565, 208.84;

FINAL — Glenn, 6.554, 209.95 def. Anderson, 6.562, 209.01, Enders, 6.572, 209.20 and A. Stanfield, 13.390, 65.73.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

ROUND ONE — Angie Smith, Buell 1190RX, 6.779, 198.38 and Jianna Evaristo, 1190RX, 6.854, 198.90 def. Ron Tornow, Victory, 6.906, 196.85 and Steve Johnson, Suzuki Hayabusa, broke; Matt Smith, 1190RX, 6.757, 200.59 and Kelly Clontz, Suzuki TL, 6.834, 198.29 def. Brayden Davis, Hayabusa, 6.849, 199.70 and Brandon Litten, Hayabusa, 6.914, 195.14; Richard Gadson, Hayabusa, 6.796, 199.88 and John Hall, Beull 1190RX, 6.817, 199.11 def. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 7.028, 190.59 and Chris Bostick, Hayabusa, 8.304, 113.15; Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.863, 195.36 and Marcus Hylton, 7.055, 187.83 def. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki TL 1000, 7.197, 151.61 and Gaige Herrera, Hayabusa, 7.370, 141.31;

SEMIFINALS — Evaristo, 6.842, 200.23 and A. Smith, 6.839, 197.22 def. Hylton, 7.140, 180.60 and Ingwersen, DQ; Gadson, 6.809, 198.99 and M. Smith, 6.821, 198.20 def. Clontz, 6.863, 197.91 and Hall, 7.042, 168.70;

FINAL — Gadson, 6.803, 199.55 def. M. Smith, 6.821, 199.37, A. Smith, 6.842, 198.99 and Evaristo, 6.943, 197.05.

CONCORD, N.C. — Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 17th annual NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, the 16th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series –

Top Fuel

  1. Doug Kalitta, 2,287; 2. Justin Ashley, 2,249; 3. Shawn Langdon, 2,228; 4. Tony Stewart, 2,219; 5. Clay Millican, 2,192; 6. Brittany Force, 2,179; 7. Shawn Reed, 2,156; 8. Steve Torrence, 2,151; 9. Antron Brown, 2,128; 10. Josh Hart, 2,085.

Funny Car

  1. Austin Prock, 2,298; 2. Matt Hagan, 2,219; 3. Ron Capps, 2,204; 4. Jack Beckman, 2,200; 5. Paul Lee, 2,171; 6. Cruz Pedregon, 2,146; 7. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,142; 8. Spencer Hyde, 2,132; 9. J.R. Todd, 2,116; 10. Alexis DeJoria, 2,107.

Pro Stock

  1. Dallas Glenn, 2,364; 2. Greg Anderson, 2,285; 3. Aaron Stanfield, 2,192; 4. Matt Hartford, 2,171; 5. Cory Reed, 2,169; 6. Cody Coughlin, 2,156; 7. Erica Enders, 2,154; 8. Eric Latino, 2,152; 9. Jeg Coughlin, 2,100; 10. Deric Kramer, 2,079.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

  1. Richard Gadson, 2,296; 2. Matt Smith, 2,288; 3. John Hall, 2,230; 4. Gaige Herrera, 2,225; 5. Angie Smith, 2,185; 6. Jianna Evaristo, 2,157; 7. Chase Van Sant, 2,126; 8. Brayden Davis, 2,123; 9. Chris Bostick, 2,085; 10. Steve Johnson, 2,066.

Tasca Racing Shows Strength and Consistency at NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals

By
Official Release
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Concord, NC – September 21, 2025 – Bob Tasca III and his Tasca Racing team delivered a weekend of consistent, competitive runs with the Ford Racing nitro Mustang Dark Horse Funny Car at the NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway. The team advanced to the semi-finals on Sunday, showcasing both speed and determination as the 2025 NHRA Countdown to the Championship intensifies.

Qualifying opened on Friday under scorching conditions, with Tasca laying down a strong 3.966 ET at 326.79 mph in Q1 to settle into the No. 4 position. Despite dropping a cylinder in
Q2, Tasca’s 3.956 at 319.29 mph kept the team within striking distance, ending the day 7th overall.

Saturday brought more progress as Tasca ran a smooth 3.949 at 327.66 mph in Q3, followed by an impressive 3.917 blast at 330.31 mph in Q4. That run secured the No. 6 qualifying spot
heading into Sunday’s eliminations, with Tasca noting, “Four for four down the track. Very consistent this weekend. Feeling good going into Sunday.”

In round one of eliminations, Tasca left strong with a 0.092 reaction time and powered to a 3.93 ET at 331.69 mph, advancing to the semi-finals alongside Austin Prock. Facing a tough
quad of Prock, Ron Capps, and Daniel Wilkerson, Tasca pushed hard but left the line two thousandths (0.002) of a second too early, resulting in a red-light disqualification.

“I went for it, trying to get as much out of the car as I could and just left too soon by two thousandths,” said Tasca. “It was still a great weekend for this Mustang Funny Car. We’ve
got more racing to do in this Countdown, and the boys and I are ready for it.”

The Tasca Racing now looks ahead next week to St. Louis and the NHRA Midwest Nationals with confidence, having demonstrated reliability, speed, and the ability to adapt on a demanding
racetrack.

Charlotte Event Recap for the NHRA Four-Wide Carolina Nationals

By
Official Release
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Tony Stewart & Matt Hagan
Dodge Direct Connection Top Fuel & Funny Car Drivers
NHRA Four-Wide Carolina Nationals
Sept. 19-21 | Charlotte, North Carolina

Event Recap

Tony Stewart, driver of the TSR Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Top Fuel Dragster:

  • No time in Q1 on Friday (car was shut off due to a malfunction)
  • Earned No. 9 provisional qualifying position in Q2 on Friday (3.760 ET at 329.67 mph)
  • Maintained No. 9 provisional qualifying position based off of Friday’s Q2 run. In Q3 on Saturday, Stewart ran a 3.787 ET at 328.38 mph.
  • Secured No. 9 qualifying position based off of Friday’s Q2 run. In Q4 on Saturday, Stewart ran a 4.488 ET at 174.66 mph.
  • Advanced to Semifinals on Sunday:
  • Round 1: 3.766 ET at 326.79 mph, defeated Shawn Reed (3.787 ET at 327.66 mph). Brittany Force also advanced to Round 2 (3.758 ET at 338.34 mph). The fourth lane was a bye.
  • Semifinals: 3.784 ET at 328.62 mph, lost to Justin Ashley on a triple holeshot in first (3.788 ET at 326.56 mph) and Shawn Langdon in second (3.761 ET at 333.82 mph). Brittany Force also got defeated (3.773 ET at 338.26 mph).
  • Currently fourth in the Top Fuel championship standings, 68 points behind leader Doug Kalitta

Matt Hagan, driver of TSR Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Hellcat Funny Car:

  • Earned No. 7 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (3.989 ET at 324.75 mph)
  • Earned No. 1 provisional qualifying position in Q2 on Friday (3.891 ET at 329.67 mph)
  • Scored three bonus points for quickest run of the session
  • Maintained No. 1 qualifying position based off of Friday’s Q2 run. In Q3 on Saturday, Hagan ran a 4.017 ET at 322.27 mph.
  • Secured No. 1 qualifying position based off of Friday’s Q2 run. In Q4 on Saturday, Hagan ran a 3.970 ET at 325.85 mph.
  • Advanced to Finals on Sunday:
  • Round 1: 3.949 ET at 327.74 mph, defeated J.R. Todd (4.302 ET at 212.23 mph) and John Smith (6.664 ET at 105.69 mph). Jack Beckman also advanced to Round 2 (3.939 ET at 328.46 mph).
  • Semifinals: 3.963 ET at 327.19 mph, defeated Jack Beckman (3.939 ET 325.69 mph) and Spencer Hyde (4.006 ET at 318.02 mph). Chad Green also advanced (4.011 ET at 322.50 mph).
  • Finals: 3.952 ET at 324.12 mph, lost to Austin Prock (3.912 ET at 332.43 mph). Daniel Wilkerson finished third (4.389 ET at 195.87 mph) and Chad Green finished fourth (3.959 ET at 323.66 mph).
  • Currently second in the Funny Car championship standings, 79 points behind leader Austin Prock

Notes of Interest

  • 2025 marks the first time the NHRA has held four-wide events at Charlotte in both the Spring and Fall events and the Four-Wide Carolina Nationals marks the first NHRA four-wide event in the Countdown to the Championship.
  • Hagan advanced to the Finals in both zMAX Dragway events this season. He has made six final-round appearances at the Carolina Nationals (2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2024, and 2025).
  • Hagan’s No. 1 qualifying position marked his second of the 2025 season, with the NHRA Sonoma Nationals in Sonoma, California being his first No. 1 start of the season. This weekend’s No. 1 qualifier marks Hagan’s third at the Carolina Nationals (previous No. 1 starts came in 2011 and 2024) and the 54th No. 1 qualifier of his career.
  • Hagan advanced from fifth to second in the Funny Car championship point standings.

Tony Stewart, Driver of the TSR Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Top Fuel Dragster

“We had an issue on Friday in round one of qualifying. I heard it while I was backing up and Neal (Strausbaugh – crew chief) heard it, so we shut the car off and didn’t hurt any parts. It backed us in the corner a bit for the Friday night session not having a run under our belt, but we still put ourselves in a good quad for round one today and won that on a holeshot. We had a tough second round with three tough teams you’re going up against. The guy that beat us (Justin Ashley) won the race, so that’s just part of the sport. We have four more races to go dig and try to gain ground back. We’re not out of this thing by any means. We have the bit in our teeth, so we’ll go bust our butts next week and see what we can do to keep gaining some of these points back.”

Matt Hagan, Driver of the TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car

“What a wild Final. Usually, when someone (Chad Green) goes red next to you and you look at the tree, I almost double stepped the start. And if you go red too, you are out, and others automatically win. It’s not like a usual two-wide race, and it throws you off your game. You just aren’t ready for the guys next to you to go red. My crew guys have been great. We have gone through some adversity the last few weeks and the guys are getting blisters on their feet from working so hard on the race car. They had 15 hours at the track on Thursday and then the whole weekend too. We have been trying to figure out what was going on. It was a good weekend overall with the No. 1 qualifier and seven for seven strong runs down the track. We have a good race car now after our troubles last week. We have to keep grinding and we have more parts on order. The three-race swing (Reading-Charlotte-St. Louis) is a grind for everyone on the tour. It’s like the Western Swing back in the days. It’s tough. I think the crew chiefs (Mike Knudsen and Phil Shuler) have discovered those problems and we are ready for the final four races.”

Next Up
The next event on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule is the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals Sept. 26-28 near St. Louis, Missouri. It is the third event in the Countdown to the Championship and the fourth-to-last race of the season.

Privacy-first productivity tracking: The ethical choice for modern teams

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

Modern remote and hybrid workplaces demand productivity tools that balance visibility and respect. Full keyboard loggers—once seen as all‑seeing tools—can feel invasive and erode trust. That’s why many organizations now rely on keystroke tracking as a respectful alternative. It captures typing frequency, not content, enabling managers to better understand work habits without compromising privacy.

By quantifying how many times a user interacts with their keyboard, rather than recording each keystroke’s content, companies uphold transparency and cultivate safer digital practices. This method prevents capturing sensitive correspondence, login details, or personal notes—areas that can expose organizations to compliance issues or internal distrust.

WorkTime’s platform demonstrates how privacy and productivity don’t need to be mutually exclusive. Through secure data handling and ethical design, it empowers teams to stay productive while staying compliant with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA.

Why invasive keylogging often backfires

Tools that log every keystroke may offer deep detail, but they also collect private information that shouldn’t be seen by anyone else. Logging typed messages means risking exposure of passwords, confidential client communications, and private dialogues—clear legal and ethical red flags.

Employees aware of this kind of monitoring often feel disrespected or surveilled. That sense of being watched erodes trust, saps motivation, and can lead to staff disengagement. The resulting low morale and high turnover offset any superficial gains in oversight.

Non‑invasive tracking delivers actionable insights

Ethical analytics takes a different route: it measures behavioral patterns rather than content. WorkTime’s solutions use a keystroke tracker that normalizes activity data into meaningful reports—covering active typing bursts, idle durations, and overall engagement trends without ever seeing what was typed.

This model gives managers the ability to optimize workflows and allocate resources more effectively. By spotting where engagement dips or peaks, leadership can refine processes, support high performers, and address burnout risk proactively—all grounded in anonymized activity, not intrusive oversight.

While the data is anonymous at the keystroke content level, it’s precise enough to guide strategic improvements—from balancing team workloads to enhancing focus during peak sessions.

What makes WorkTime different

WorkTime’s approach stands out for its ethical architecture. Its keystroke logging software avoids capturing any text input whatsoever. Instead, it captures structured keystroke metrics, enabling performance tracking that respects both individual privacy and regulatory frameworks.

  • No content monitoring: captures only keystroke quantities, never typed words
  • Fully compliant: offers features aligned with GDPR, HIPAA, and other privacy laws
  • Minimal footprint: operates unobtrusively in the background
  • Versatile reporting: supports breakdowns by user, period, and application
  • Enterprise scale ready: suitable for both distributed teams and onsite staff

This design ensures leaders receive actionable oversight while allowing employees to stay focused and secure. No hidden activity. No unnecessary data exposure.

Culture matters: monitoring with integrity

When monitoring tools are used thoughtfully, they can reinforce a culture of openness. WorkTime’s model promotes transparency through clear communication about what is tracked and what isn’t. Employees feel secure rather than surveilled.

That atmosphere yields stronger collaboration, healthier feedback loops, and greater accountability. Teams aren’t compelled to micromanage—they engage more naturally when they know the system is built for support, not oversight.

This mutual respect between leadership and staff helps retain talent, fuel innovation, and establish a company’s reputation as an ethical employer.

Moving beyond surveillance to smarter monitoring

WorkTime’s useful analytics allow organizations to make smarter decisions. By observing patterns—like when typing drops off or surges—leaders can recalibrate schedules, identify distraction zones, or support staff in need—all without reading sensitive content.

This kind of monitoring supports sustainable productivity. It shifts focus from “who typed what” to “what work habits matter,” enabling a proactive, data-driven leadership approach grounded in respect.

Organizations using non-invasive tools are better equipped to scale responsibly, adapt to hybrid workflows, and support employees across geographies—without breaching trust or compliance thresholds.

Conclusion: Ethical oversight, smarter outcomes

The future of workplace monitoring lies in tools that respect boundaries and still deliver insights. WorkTime’s keystroke tracking method provides both—ensuring organizations remain compliant, informed, and trusted. It’s not surveillance—it’s strategic visibility that empowers all stakeholders.

As you evolve your monitoring practices, consider a tool built for the modern workforce: privacy-preserving, regulatory-aligned, and productivity-focused. With WorkTime, you can see how work gets done—without ever sacrificing human dignity.

Christian Brooks Wins in FR Americas Debut at VIR

By
Official Release
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#95 Christian Brooks, Toney Driver Development,

ALTON, Va. (September 20, 2025) – Christian Brooks dominated in his Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) debut to take the victory in Race 1 at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) on Saturday afternoon. The race was not without challenge, as a series of restarts left him to defend his position, and his teammate Brady Golan (No. 80 Attire / Toney Driver Development Ligier JS F3) put up a valiant fight. When the checkered flag waved, it was Brooks (No. 95 Toney Driver Development Ligier JS F3) who crossed the line first to claim his first FR Americas win at the same circuit where he won his first Formula 4 United States Championship race six years ago. Golan finished second, while Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Rayne Nutrition / Ronald McDonald House Charities / Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F3) was third.

One of the biggest storylines of the day was points leader Bruno Ribeiro (No. 01 Alfa Cem / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3). After starting the race in third, Ribeiro was running second when his car slowed on the circuit to bring out the full-course caution. Unable to continue, Ribeiro was not classified on the official results, scoring no points for the round. Meanwhile, Nicolas Ambiado (No. 55 Velox USA / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3), who ranked second in the championship standings entering the weekend, finished fourth, which allowed him to take the points lead. With Sherlock claiming third-place points, he also passed Ribeiro in the standings.

Notes of Interest:

  • Christian Brooks scored his first-career victory during his series debut at VIR. He is the sixth driver to win an FR Americas race this season.
  • Brady Golan claimed his third podium of the year, returning to the box for the first time since Round 6 at Road America.
  • Titus Sherlock earned his 10th podium of 2025 with a third-place finish in today’s race.
  • Bruno Ribeiro was unable to finish today’s event. With zero points scored, both Nicolas Ambiado and Titus Sherlock were able to pass him in the standings. Ambiado is the new points leader, while Sherlock trails by 4.5 points, leaving Ribeiro eight markers out of the points lead.
  • Today’s race was the first time Toney Driver Development finished one-two in an FR Americas race, and also marks the first time they’ve had two drivers place on the podium.

“This car is pretty similar to the INDY NXT car that I drove previously, and the Toney Driver Development guys did a really good job of getting me up to speed,” said Brooks atop the podium. “They show a lot of confidence in me, which I think gives me some confidence in myself, too. Huge thanks to Nathan Toney and all the TDD boys, they did an amazing job and it just feels good to be back. Brady [Golan] was doing an amazing job on every restart—you know there’s a zone for the restart, so you can’t go as early as I would like to, and honestly, he timed all of them perfectly. I’m glad it came out this way, but he gave me a good fight.”

FR Americas is back on track tomorrow at 4:25 p.m. E.T. for Race 2 from the VIR SpeedTour. The race airs live on SPEED SPORT 1 and will also stream on SpeedTour.TV. Additional news and updates from the weekend will be posted on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Cooper Shipman Ties Consecutive Win Record, Gets Eighth-Straight Victory in VIR’s Race 1

By
Official Release
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#14 Cooper Shipman, Kiwi Motorsport, winner

ALTON, Va. (September 20, 2025) – Cooper Shipman was once again the driver to beat in Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) competition, taking the victory at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) on Saturday morning. Earning his eighth-consecutive victory of 2025, Shipman (No. 14 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) has tied the record for most consecutive wins, matching the effort of Cameron Das during the championship’s inaugural 2016 season.

Quickest in qualifying, Shipman brought the field to the green flag and never checked up, leading the race all the way to the checkered flag. With Shipman immediately jumping to the point, they were three wide behind him racing for second. Caleb Campbell (No. 68 Kids Help Phone / Camtacc Properties / Legacy Foundation of Canada / LC Racing Ligier JS F422) initially grabbed the spot, but just a few turns later, Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 N-E-Where Transport / Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F422) completed the overtake. Second-place starter Alex Popow (No. 55 Dr. Michael Thompson MS DDS PPLS / MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) was not going to be left behind, quietly overtaking Campbell and then making his way around Hauanio. With the race settling into a rhythm, Shipman had pulled away, opening up a three-plus second gap over second-place Popow.

Some of the best racing of the day was between Demitri Nolan (No. 5 Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F422), Clemente Huerta Raab (No. 17 Velox USA / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) and Oliver Savoie (No. 88 YXE Auto / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) as they battled for fifth. Unfortunately, the heated battled led to a spin by Huerta, which brought out a full-course caution during the race’s final minutes. Unable to restart the event, the field took the checkered flag behind the safety car, with Shipman taking the victory, followed by Popow and Hauanio.

Notes of Interest:

  • Cooper Shipman earned his eighth win of the 2025 season, tying the record for most-consecutive victories, which was set by Cameron Das during the series’ inaugural season.
  • Alex Popow finished second to mark his ninth podium of the season for MLT Motorsports.
  • Kekai Hauanio, who entered the weekend second in the championship point standings, finished third.
  • Following the race, the stewards received a report and ruled that Hauanio proceeded to his paddock before going to parc ferme for technical inspection. As a result, Hauanio was issued a penalty, dropping him five grid positions for Sunday’s race. The driver will now start Sunday’s race from the ninth position.
  • Going into Sunday’s Round 15, Shipman has a 57-point advantage over Hauanio. To clinch the 2025 Championship, Shipman must leave tomorrow’s race with at least a 50-point advantage.

“Through practice, we knew that we had the speed if we were able to just take the lead to control, and we kind of dominated from there,” explained Shipman. “I made sure that I got a good start, and then I just managed the tires toward the end. It was super, super fun, and kind of a calm race at the front. Everyone at Kiwi Motorsport has been helping me a lot and they gave me an awesome car today. Teena, Garry, Brock, Shane, Taylor, Shoe, Roberto—everybody who’s been helping me be fast this weekend—I can’t thank them enough, and, of course, my parents who’ve supported me all the way. Thanks to all of them.”

F4 U.S. is back on track tomorrow at 3:35 p.m. ET for Race 2 from the VIR SpeedTour. The race airs live on SPEED SPORT 1 and will also stream on SpeedTour.TV. Additional news and updates from the weekend will be posted on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

New England Native Joey Logano Secures Pole for Tomorrow’s Mobil 1 301 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Race at NHMS

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Official Release
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Middletown, Conn.’s Logano set the fastest qualifying lap time of 29.159 seconds.

LOUDON, N.H. – Defending NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) champion and New England native Joey Logano earned the pole position during qualifying for Sunday’s Mobil 1 301 NCS Playoffs race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) on Saturday.

“It’s New Hampshire…it means a lot. It’s neat when I do come to Loudon, because I feel like I am representing everyone who lives around here. You gotta root for the hometown guy. It’s fun to enjoy that piece of it,” Logano said. “When I look at Loudon on the schedule, I feel like it’s one of the racetracks in my wheelhouse. It seems like it’s a Team Penske kind of thing.”

When asked about how much racing in New England means to him, Logano mentioned, “I was watching the Modified race with my son – my oldest son – and you just kind of go back. He’s seven. I was seven the first time I came here. I was watching the races this morning, like, ‘This is pretty cool,’ so it’s a full circle moment.”

Logano’s teammate Ryan Blaney will join him on the front row in his No. 12 Ford with a lap time of 29.239 seconds, and their affiliate teammate Josh Berry will be starting in third in his No. 21 with a time of 29.354 seconds.

The Mobil 1 301 is the 53rd NCS race at NHMS. NHMS’s NCS qualifying record was set by Brad Keselowski in Sept. 2014 with a lap of 140.598 mph (27.090 seconds). Tomorrow’s Mobil 1 301 NCS Playoffs race is set for green flag at 2 p.m.

New England’s only NASCAR Playoffs weekend will take the checkered following Sunday’s Mobile 1 301 to kick off the Round of 12. Don’t miss all of the exciting off-track action including Trackside Live, The Groove fan hangout, driver appearances, a variety of live performances and much more.

For a full NASCAR weekend schedule, visit NHMS.com/Events/Mobil-1-301/Schedule/.

Tickets:

For tickets and camping for New England’s only NASCAR Playoffs weekend, featuring the Mobil 1 301 NCS Playoffs race, fans should visit NHMS.com or call 833-4LOUDON. Tickets for kids 12 and under are just $10 on Sunday.

Follow Us:

Keep track of all of New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s events by following on Facebook (@NHMotorSpeedway), X (@NHMS) and Instagram (@NHMS). Keep up with all the latest information on the speedway website (NHMS.com) and mobile app.

Kurt Busch Named Grand Marshal for Mobil 1 301 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
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The 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee and 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion has three career NASCAR Cup Series wins at “The Magic Mile.”

LOUDON, N.H. – New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) has named 2004 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) champion, 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee and three-time NHMS race winner Kurt Busch as Grand Marshal for the Mobil 1 301 NCS Playoffs race this Sunday, Sept. 21. Busch will deliver the most famous words in motorsports – “Drivers, start your engines!” – to kick off an unforgettable afternoon of racing in Loudon.

This year marks the first NCS Playoffs race in New Hampshire since 2017, adding to the track’s storied legacy as the Granite State welcomes back championship drama. Fittingly, history will come full circle with Busch’s return to the spotlight.

In 2004, NHMS hosted the very first playoff race in NASCAR history – the launch of the then “Chase for the Championship.” That day, Busch etched his name into the record books by winning the race and sweeping the year with another win in New Hampshire earlier in the year, setting the tone for his run to the championship. Over the course of his career, Busch would add two more NHMS victories, cementing his place as one of the speedway’s most successful competitors.

“We’re thrilled to have Kurt Busch join us as Grand Marshal for this landmark event,” said New Hampshire Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager David McGrath. “Kurt’s accomplishments at New Hampshire, including his historic win in the inaugural playoff race, make him the perfect person to fire up the field as we usher in another chapter of playoff racing at ‘The Magic Mile.’”

Fans can witness Busch’s command and the thrilling playoff action live at NHMS this Sunday, Sept. 21 when the NCS takes on “The Magic Mile” to kick off the Round of 12 with the Mobil 1 301. Don’t miss all of the exciting off-track action including “The Magic Mile” Happy Hour Show, Trackside Live, The Groove fan hangout, a Draw the Line concert, driver appearances, a variety of live performances and much more.

For a full NASCAR weekend schedule, visit NHMS.com/Events/Mobil-1-301/Schedule/.

Tickets:

For tickets and camping for New England’s only NASCAR Playoffs weekend, featuring the Mobil 1 301 NCS Playoffs race, fans should visit NHMS.com or call 833-4LOUDON. Tickets for kids 12 and under are just $10 on Sunday.

Follow Us:

Keep track of all of New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s events by following on Facebook (@NHMotorSpeedway), X (@NHMS) and Instagram (@NHMS). Keep up with all the latest information on the speedway website (NHMS.com) and mobile app.

Mustang Sweeps Top Three Spots in New Hampshire Cup Qualifying; Logano on Pole

By
Official Release
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Ford Racing Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Mobil 1 301 Qualifying — New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Saturday, September 20, 2025

FORD MUSTANG SWEEPS TOP THREE QUALIFYING SPOTS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

  • Joey Logano won the pole for tomorrow’s NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
  • Ryan Blaney and Josh Berry made it a Ford sweep by qualifying second and third, respectively.
  • The pole is Logano’s second of the year (Atlanta-2) and 33rd of his career.

Ford Qualifying Results:

1st – Joey Logano
2nd – Ryan Blaney
3rd – Josh Berry
15th – Chris Buescher
17th – Brad Keselowski
20th – Zane Smith
22nd – Austin Cindric
23rd – Ryan Preece
31st – Cole Custer
33rd – Noah Gragson
35th – Cody Ware
36th – Todd Gilliland

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse – POLE-WINNING PRESS CONFERENCE

BEING A NEW ENGLAND DRIVER, RYAN PREECE SAID BECAUSE OF THE GEOGRAPHY IT’S HARDER FOR DRIVERS TO GET NOTICED FROM HERE. DO YOU AGREE? “He’s probably right. With that said, there is an incredible history of New England and motorsports. If you want to know what it is, Dick Berggren has done a pretty good job virtually up the road from here at a really cool museum that can show you a lot of that. There’s a lot of great racers that have come from here. We were talking about it in our hauler today. Of the road crew we have, I think at least five of them are from up this way, so there’s only seven or eight, so it’s not that many – the majority are that way. I don’t know why it’s like that, but it’s the team that I’ve had around me for a while. I think all of us when we come up here we really want to perform because it’s home. You’re representing New England, to your point, if it may be harder for people to make it in NASCAR. I mean, most of the time you’ve got to move to Charlotte no matter where you’re from. You have to move to Charlotte if you want to do it right because that’s where all the race teams are. You have to do it. So, yeah, you have to move and that makes it tough, but when you come home you want to be able to show what you can do, so you feel like you’re representing everyone up here.”

WHERE WAS THE EMOTION COMING FROM WHEN YOU WON THE POLE? “I like winning (laughing). That part hasn’t changed over the year. It’s hard. It’s honestly become harder over the years, just because the field is so close and I think part of the emotion is it’s New Hampshire. For me it means a lot and the other part is I just got out of the car. It’s one thing if you’re like Josh and you have to sit there the whole time and watch. It’s more of a relief when you win the pole. It’s because you sat there and your adrenaline is gone and you’re just chilling and you’re just watching, nervous the whole time. This was like I just got out of the car and I’m still shaking. I haven’t calmed down yet. And the other piece of it, like I said it’s New Hampshire, but the fans cheer for me (laughter). It’s freaking cool. That doesn’t happen everywhere. It’s like just here, so I love that. It’s a little bit more exciting when you’re able to win the pole when the whole grandstand is happy for you. That’s kind of neat.”

THE FORDS LOOK STRONG TODAY AND EVERYONE SAYS YOU’RE THE ONES TO BEAT. HOW MUCH CONFIDENCE DOES IT GIVE YOU TO BE UP FRONT AND THE RACE? “I think we’ve got a good shot there’s no doubt. When I look at Loudon on the schedule, I feel like it’s one of those racetracks that’s in our wheelhouse – flat one-mile type tracks seems like it’s a Team Penske kind of thing. Hopefully, we can translate this pole into a win because that’s what really matters. This is just a good starting spot. There are no points for it and it’s really about the points or getting a win and moving onto the next round no matter how you do it. I do think we have a great shot at it. The 12 looked really fast. I think we can get there with some adjustments, hopefully, and be able to compete with him, but with that said the 24 looked pretty strong too. There are some other cars that are definitely in the mix, so we’ve got to be perfect. That’s how it is to win these races these days. Everyone is close. It’s not like someone is just two-tenths faster than the field like we’ve seen here in the old car. First to 20th is pretty close, so a lot of times you can put the best car and put it 20th and it’s gonna run 20th. It’s just really hard to move through the field when everyone is running the same speed, so you’ve just got to be really good. We’ve got the track position to start. There’s a lot of opportunities in this race if cautions fall in interesting places where two tires are options, no tires. We’ve seen that happen a lot here, where the field can get jumbled out pretty quickly, so you’ve got to be great on strategy, which I’ve got a really good team when it comes to that piece of it.”

WHAT WAS MORE PREDICTABLE – GATEWAY OR HERE? WERE YOU CONCERNED COMING HERE BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T HAVE THE SPEED AT GATEWAY? “I guess after Gateway you’re a little concerned saying, ‘Hmm, what’s going on?’ But you also know that Loudon is different than Gateway. There are characteristics that are similar, but if you look at one and two at Gateway, it’s nothing like Loudon. It’s not even close. Three and four is somewhat like it, but even then it’s really not like Loudon. This is a different beast here, so I still felt pretty solid about this weekend. Flying up here I was like, ‘If we don’t have speed here, I’m gonna be really confused.’ Because the test went well. I really feel like we should be fast when we got here and I’m glad we are.”

HOW NICE IS IT TO BE HERE THIS WEEKEND AND TO HAVE IT AS THE FIRST RACE OF THE SECOND ROUND? “Like I said, I love coming up here because it’s home. You feel that as soon as you get off the airplane. The weather, looking around, just the way the buildings look. You’re used to that, so it’s fun to see all that stuff. Even this morning I was watching the modified race with my oldest son and you just kind of go back. He’s seven. I was seven the first time I came here and I remember watching at the time it was the Busch North Series and watching my first Cup race and have my family all camped out here. I don’t know. I was watching the race with him this morning and I was like, ‘This is pretty cool.’ It was kind of a full circle moment. The weather was similar that weekend. There’s not many memories as a seven year old that probably any of us can remember, but you remember your first NASCAR race, and I thought that was really neat this morning. I was just reflecting on that a little bit, but obviously a special day to end it with a pole on top of that. I’m sorry to get sentimental on you guys, but I do think that was kind of neat. It’s always been a special place for me, whether it’s watching my first race, starting my first Cup race here, winning my first Cup race here. There are so many great memories here.”

IT’S THE FIRST TIME HERE IN SEPTEMBER WITH THE NEXT GEN CAR. HOW DOES IT TRANSLATE FROM RACING IN THE JULY HEAT TO NOW? “It’s a lot of comparisons you’ve asked for there. The car is way different. There are no comparisons to the cars. Even the last race here to this race is quite a bit different because the tire is a lot different. There’s some more fall off in the tire. It seems like the track is pretty wide. You saw in practice they were already above the sealer, so they were like in the fourth lane up there, so I expect tomorrow that a lot of the cars will move way up there. There’s plenty of room to race. You can race below the yellow line to the fourth lane, which is pretty impressive if you think about that. It’s a pretty racy racetrack, so I think everyone is in for a good race tomorrow.”

ARE THERE SHARED CHARACTERISTICS IN A TEAM THAT YOU RECOGNIZE ABOUT THIS YEAR THAT YOU HAD IN THOSE OTHER CHAMPIONSHIP 4 SEASONS? “Yeah. I feel like it’s almost been the same every time, where we just seem like we’re a grind it out kind of race team. We just keep plugging away and winning the races that matter and capitalizing on situations when we can and even if we’re not the fastest car, a lot of times we’re able to somehow manipulate something to put ourselves in position. It’s so cliche’ – never quit – but it seems like our team just keeps grinding and grinding and eventually you find yourself there. There’s something to say for us being consistent and prepping the same way and doing everything all-out all the time. You might not see the rewards immediately, but over time you start to see some of that. I think that’s just the kind of team we are. You just keep going. You keep asking the hard questions. You keep challenging yourself. You challenge your teammates. It’s not fun to do it that way. It would be enjoyable just to show up to the racetrack and drive in circles. Sure, that would be fun, but I don’t find that being great either because I want to win.”

DO YOU RELISH PEOPLE ROOTING AGAINST YOU FOR WHATEVER REASON? “I dread the day they don’t say anything. That’s the worst part, and I don’t understand it because I don’t know why. I wish I understood why a little bit more. I feel like I’m misunderstood a lot of times. I think the industry knows me really well and the kind of person I am. I don’t know if all the fans understand the kind of person I am or don’t understand how you can race one way and be happy all the other times. It doesn’t add up. I guess that’s the only reason I can try to understand it. I don’t understand it completely, but there is a lot of 22 fans out there. As a society, we focus too much on the haters. We just do that in general and a lot of times it’s just louder than cheers, but when you look at whatever it is – sales in the merch haulers or if you just look in the grandstands, there’s a lot of yellow stuff out there. There’s a lot of Shell/Pennzoil stuff out there. Although we do talk about about the haters too much, there’s a lot of 22 fans out there and I’m happy to have every one of them. Like I said, though, it is neat when I do come to Loudon because I am representing, I feel like, everyone who lives around here. I feel like you’ve got to root for the hometown guy. You’ve got to do that and it’s fun to enjoy that piece of it. It’s the only time I ever feel a little bit like Dale Jr. – just a little bit. It’s super cool. It’s really neat to be Dale Jr. I’ve learned.”

DO YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THE POINTS AT THE START OF THE ROUND WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE AS THE END OF THE ROUND? “I look at them all the time. I can’t obviously look at them live like everyone else can, but I can put two and two together inside the race car and see where certain cars are running and have an idea of where I’m at. I think everybody races that way. Maybe some drivers say that they don’t do that. I don’t know how you can’t because the goal is to win the championship, so why wouldn’t you pay attention to it? Like, it’s the biggest thing you can do, so why wouldn’t you focus the most on that? That’s always been my opinion.”

COULD YOU FEEL THAT THE TIRE YOU LIKED DURING THE TEST IS THE ONE OUT THERE NOW? “Yeah, it’s the one that everybody kind of went with. There was another tire that fell off a lot, and I kind of was leaning like, ‘Hey, let’s give it a shot.’ It would have been pretty risky to do, especially in the playoffs. If it doesn’t work out, it could be a total fiasco, but it was pretty cool to see that Goodyear can build a tire like that and probably just be able to develop that a little bit more and build some more confidence in running something like that. There was a tire we ran that 40 laps, you had to manage the tire to make it 40. I like that. Look at what happened in Bristol last week. I think everybody likes it. As a driver, I thought it was awesome. I think a lot of fans loved it. You want to create passing and differences in speed and your decisions mattering more, that was pretty fun.”

DID YOU EXPECT TO WIN THE POLE AND HOW THE FORDS ARE LOOKING GOOD HERE? “You always hope. The expectation is to win all the time. That’s why I’m here. That’s why Paul is here. That’s why Roger is here and expects that from us is to win, so the expectation is always to be first. It’s a hard sport. What other sport is there a 1 in 40 chance to make that happen? It’s pretty tough. You don’t get that very often, so it’s enjoyable when you’re able to do that. Like I said, Loudon, we expect to be fast here. Paul has always had fast cars here. The last few years our cars have been really fast. We haven’t capitalized on it, but we’ve had speed that is good enough to win the last few races here, so hopefully we’re able to have a nice, smooth race tomorrow and maintain that track position.”

YOU GUYS SEEM TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TIME WHEN YOU TEST. HOW METHODICAL IS PAUL THAT YOU GUYS LEARN SO MUCH SO QUICK? “I would give the credit to Paul with that. Paul is one of the most disciplined people you’ve probably ever met on every aspect of his life. You can look at him and tell. Everything is perfect. Everything has a place. He eats a certain way. He works out a certain way. Everything is just boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. This is how the guy lives his life. When you put that type of discipline towards a test, it’s very methodical. You just do it this way and that’s the way we’re gonna do it. That paired with the experience that Paul has and I have as well, to be able to see through some of the BS when you’re at a test. I mean, there is some of that. Your track may not be completely rubbered up. There are a lot of different variables that are there, so being able to cut through all that to be able to see the clear picture and get some clear answers, he does a really good job of that.”

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Autotrader Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “That was pretty terrible, actually. It’s a track position racetrack and it’s frustrating to not quite get a good enough lap to set us up well for points. We kind of needed to maximize every stage of the game here and we’ve been behind compared to the competition.” HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT PRACTICE? “Our first run was pretty far off and made some good adjustments and we were able to get our Autotrader Ford Mustang turning definitely a lot better across the center and probably just overshot it in qualifying too loose.”

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards/Libman Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “I think all of our cars are pretty close. I thought we all had good practice sessions. I was happy with my race run and to qualify on the front row is really good, so it’s a huge testament to everybody. The 22 group got to do the tire test up here and I feel like we learned a little bit off of that and then building off of it and applying it to all of your teams. I think the 2 would have been right up there with us if he didn’t have his moment off of four, but, overall, it was a good day. I’m proud of the whole team effort.” SOME DRIVERS SAID THE PENSKE CARS ARE IN THEIR OWN ZIP CODE. DOES IT FEEL THAT WAY? “No, I don’t ever feel that way. You’re just trying to piece your weekend together and then piece together your day to day. We did a good job today and now can we do a good job tomorrow? I definitely think our cars are fast. There’s a couple others that stood out to me as well through practice that are really good, so it’s just a matter of trying to run 301 laps around here tomorrow. I’m just proud that we’re in the game.” DOES THE PACKAGE FEEL SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT WITH THE TIRE CONSTRUCTION CHANGE? “A little bit, yeah. I feel like you can kind of piss your right-rear off pretty easy. It feels like it spins the tire more on exit, so that’s good. Hopefully, that continues to go that way during the race. I think it will, so, yeah, I think they’ve made an improvement with the tire as far as it falling off and can kind of make it angry, so that’s a good start.” DOES THE COLDER WEATHER OFFSET THAT? “Yeah, maybe a little bit. I’ve got to think it’s colder up here right now than what it was at the test when they ran this tire, so it surprised me how chilly it was when I got here this morning, but, yeah, it might offset it a little bit, but I still think it’s the right direction to go, for sure.”

JOSH BERRY, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “It was a really solid lap, for sure for going out that early. I felt like it was a pretty good lap, but I definitely didn’t expect it to hold on for as long as it did. I started to get a little nervous there watching those guys at the end seeing how close it was getting, but the credit goes to these guys for the car they brought. To come here and qualify third after the last three weeks we’ve had proves that we’re doing the right things and we have the speed and, like I said, we just need some things to go our way tomorrow.” WAS ROLLING THE SPEED THROUGH THE CORNER THE KEY TODAY? “Yeah, I think so. I think your entry speed and just rolling through the first part of the corner is so important here, especially in qualifying and I felt like our car did that really well in practice. Obviously, in qualifying you’re just trying to guess at what the grip is and I felt like I did a pretty good job. I was happy with it and I’m excited for tomorrow.” HOW DO YOU PLAY SPOILER NOW? “I think, for one, we just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing. We’re showing up with good cars and executing on Saturdays and qualifying well and being up towards the front. Obviously, we have the benefit tomorrow that we don’t have to worry about stage points or anything like that, so maybe that opportunity will present itself where we can flip a stage or something and keep our track position and take advantage of that. We’re a long way from the end of these races and I’m just excited to have a good starting spot.”

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