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CHEVROLET NCS AT WATKINS GLEN: Michael McDowell Media Availability Quotes

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Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
AUGUST 9, 2025

 Michael McDowell, driver of the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Camaro ZL1 and No. 11 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS, met with the media in advance of running double-duty in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series at Watkins Glen International.

Media Availability Quotes:

MICHAEL, JUMPING INTO THE XFINITY CAR THIS WEEKEND. UM, WHAT’S YOUR EXCITEMENT LEVEL ABOUT THAT? AND GETTING SOME EXTRA LAPS AROUND HERE?

“Yeah, it’s been a long time, so it’s been exciting. Yeah, it’s been fun. I haven’t driven the car yet, but just, you know, the prep work and some of the simulator work and yeah, it’s nerve racking too, just because the cars are very different than the Next Gen Cup cars. But, you know, thankful for the opportunity and I’m glad to get some, you know, more reps and, you know, last time I ran, Xfinity car was Road America 2016 and felt like, man, I’m not going to get it in one of these things again unless I could win, and I feel like this is a car that I can win in. So, I’m excited to give it a shot.”

ON THE CUP SIDE OF THINGS? WHAT’S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS WEEKEND? I WOULDN’T SAY THAT THIS IS YOUR, LAST CHANCE TO WIN.

“It’s do or die for sure, yeah. I mean, yes, we have more opportunities. I mean, we’re not we can go to Richmond and run well too, and obviously, Daytona, I feel like we have a shot at it. But to me, this is the only way you control your own destiny is to win here. The other two are very tough to execute and have everything go your way, so times winding down, as you guys know, right? And, the pressure always ramps up as the times winding down, but I’ve been in the spot before, and, yeah, definitely feel confident that our road course programs, you know, been really good. And if we do our job and we have a fast car and we qualify well today, and we can start up front, we we’ll have a shot at it.”

ONE BIG MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE THAT DID CHANGE WAS THAT 2016 WIN IN ROAD AMERICA, LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN, BUT CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT DAY, YOU KNOW, WITH RCR AND HOW YOU WON THAT RACE AND KIND OF WHAT IT DID TO YOU MENTALLY, AND HAD YOUR CAREER AT THE TIME.

“Yeah, it was it was a great moment. There’s a lot of funny stories. You know, I’d driven the Gibbs car a couple years prior to that at those places and sat on the pole and led the most laps and had shots at winning and just never got to the finish line. You know, green/white/checkers or fuel miles or whatever it is. and with the RCR group, I had one race, you know, sort of one race, one shot, and it all worked out. Just a good execution all day and no problems, and kind of like how you dreamed it up to be, where, you know, the last several before that that Gibbs cars, like, I probably had more speed and more of a dominant day, but it just didn’t work out, so to have it all finally come together was a big relief, honestly, just because it had been, you know, such a long time and so close. But just a funny part of, you know, the journey there is Sam Hornish was practicing qualifying my car in Michigan, my Cup car. And so, you know, he ran the car Saturday, and I obviously won the race, flew back to Michigan, and I talked to Sam for a little bit, and honestly, he just personally did me a favor of practicing qualifying that car. It’s not something I think he truly wanted to do. And I said, “How was it?” And he’s like, “Man, I know it’s probably me, ’cause I haven’t driven, but it’s so bad. I remember thinking, “Oh, it can’t be that bad, right? It’s going to be okay.” And then the next day, I don’t I’m going to exaggerate, but I’m telling you, I ran 38th, three laps down, and I got done with the race, and everything about Saturday had already been forgotten. Because you just get out and you’re like, how could it could it be that? I honestly was like, I wish I’d have flown home. I wish I’d have gone directly home because, you know, that moment, that high was gone so fast, but when you get back home and you see your family and all that, and you celebrate, but it’s just how humbling this sport is, you know, to go to Road America on Saturday and win. And, you know, I think the thing that I remember the most, honestly, was Sunday morning at the drivers meeting of, you know, just all the owners and other drivers, and people just congratulating me and coming up and going out of their way. And, you know, at that time, I’d driven for a lot of different teams, you know, and so that was a cool moment, and then humble pie came super quick in the race on Sunday and, yeah, it’s just funny how this sport works.”

I WANTED TO ASK YOU WHAT YOUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL IS LIKE THIS WEEKEND? I MEAN, IT FEELS LIKE YOU’VE DONE SO WELL ON THE ROAD COURSES AND THEN SOMETHING CRAZY HAS HAPPENED AND YOU HAVEN’T BEEN THERE AT THE VERY, VERY END. BUT WHAT IS YOUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL LIKE HERE AT WATKINS GLEN?

“Yeah, confidence is, you know, is interesting. We talk about a lot of our sport, and it’s a real thing. But I think momentum’s more of a real thing than confidence, and they correlate, they go together. I mean, I think I show up every weekend feeling like I can win. And, you know, obviously, the real courses are a little bit more pep in our step just because they’ve been our strength, and that’s more of the momentum, you know, when you run top five, most of them, you know that you have a fighting chance at it. And, yeah, but with confidence, I’ll say this, is that, you know, I showed up as Sonoma, thinking after Chicago, that we were gonna be the car to beat, and we weren’t. And that’s how finicky Cup racing is. We still ran well. We still ran in the top five, but we didn’t have the outright pace that we needed to do what we needed to do at Sonoma. But we come in here confident that we got it all right, and that we will. And so I feel like we this is probably our strongest track as a group last year, you know, all three Spire cars were in the top ten, and, you know, individually, even though the results won’t show it, this is probably my best track from an outright speed standpoint. You know, we’ve had an engine failure and a bunch of issues over the last three years, but let a lot of laps and been out front a lot here, so confidence is high. But you got to execute, and you know, you got to hit everything just right.”

YOU KIND OF MENTIONED HOW THIS PLACE IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITES. HOW SIMILAR DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE ROAD COURSE PROGRAMMING IS NOW INSPIRED COMPARED TO WHAT YOU WERE USED TO THE LAST FEW YEARS?

“Yeah, it’s not even close. Um, I sort of we sort of had to abandon that ship fairly early on of what we used to run versus what we run now. It just hasn’t worked. I think we’ve talked about that a few times, so we went to the mindset of this is gonna be a slower building process, than we had hoped, but it’s actually worked out because we, you know, we went to COTA and learned things there, and then, you know, I kind of transferred over into Mexico and felt like we made a next step, and then went to Chicago and made a next step, and then went to Sonoma and took a step back, and hopefully we’ve made that next step back forward. And so just slowly building that package around me and around the baseline that they’ve had, which is very different than what I’ve ran the last two years.”

MICHAEL, THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF WATKINS, GLEN. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THE FEEL? I MEAN, YOU TALKED ABOUT GETTING GOOD QUALIFYING ONE. WHAT DOES THAT FEEL? WHAT ARE SOME KEY AREAS YOU’LL BE LOOKING AT IN THAT PRACTICE SESSION TODAY TO SAY, “OH, WE’RE PRETTY GOOD, OR AH, WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO.” THIS SPECIFIC RACETRACK RELATED?”

“Yeah, it’s different here for the race than it is for qualifying, what you’re looking for, I should say, because we’re a lap time and speeds made is not necessarily where passing’s made. So, it’s a little bit of two different things. I mean, you got to be good in all the corners, you don’t have any room for throwaways, but, you know, your lap time and your speed’s going to come from the esses. The esses and the bus stop. But you don’t pass so much there, you pass into turn one and you pass into turn six. And so, for this practice here, you’re focusing on both of, what do I need to make, you know, ultimate lap time and am I good in these areas leading up to the passing zones? So, it is unique from that standpoint where some of the other tracks are more straightforward of where you need to be strong. This, I think, is different for lap time than it is for race.”

SO THAT BEING SAID, WHEN WE SEE WHAT SHANE HAS DONE WINNING THE LAST THREE ROAD COURSES, WHY IS IT THAT SOMEBODY LIKE HIM CAN BE AT TIMES THAT DOMINANT AND HAVE THAT MUCH SUCCESS WHEN EVERYBODY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT ALL THE DATA FROM HIM AND STUDY HIM IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE, THAT IT WOULD SEEM LIKE THE DATA WOULD PREVENT OR MAKE IT EASIER FOR SOMEBODY TO BREAK THAT STREAK, AND YOU WOULDN’T SEE SOMEBODY WIN THREE A ROW.

“Yeah, I mean, I would relate to this just because, um, you know, social media or Instagram, you see somebody working out on lifting weights, doesn’t mean that you know how to get fit. It’s kind of the same thing with data, is you can look at it all you want, and you can say, I need to do this, but actually doing it is different. You know, your muscle memory and having the car set up in the feel and, you know, all the uniqueness to a driving style. You know, the guys that talk about that were Denny and those guys that, you know, had a clear advantage in the old car and short tracks, Denny’s phenomenal with saving tires and all the things he did. So there was maybe a few little trade secrets that you could learn, but as we’ve seen, going and doing what he did there’s still hard to do, right? And so you can see the data, but duplicating it and duplicating the feel and you’re not driving their car as well. You don’t know what their setups are, you don’t know, you know, what they’re doing, that allows, you know, a person to approach it like that. So, it gives you, it gives you an area to work on. It gives you an area to identify, okay, this is where I’m getting beat. How can I get better?” But just trying to do what somebody else does is really hard. And you see that even with teammates. You know, you see inside of organizations, you know, guys that have the same cars and have all the information, can’t do the same things, and I think it’s more of driving style and each of us is fairly unique. but it does help to highlight where you got to get better.”

YOU SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT THE SUCCESS THAT SPIRE HAD LAST YEAR HERE. THEY ALSO HAD SUCCESS YESTERDAY WITH 15 YEAR OLD TRISTAN MCKEE, AND I’M CURIOUS, I KNOW YOU TAUGHT AT BONDURANT, BUT WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT 15?

“Yeah, not winning at Watkins Glen. Yeah, it’s really awesome to see and, you know, obviously, we’ve invested a lot into seeing the potential and where it could go, and at a young age, it’s so hard. It’s hard because. I would say if you just look at, like Joey Logano, you look at Kyle Larson, you look at all the young guys at that 14, 15, 16 age, they were dominant in everything that they did, but as you take that next step and next step and next step, it just gets harder and harder and harder and, you know, obviously, he rose to the occasion yesterday, and, you had things go his way, for sure. I mean, Brent Cruz was, you know, pretty dominant all day, but he put himself in position and he executed and to do that at 15 years old is extremely hard with a tremendous amount of pressure of it being his first race, so it was really cool to see. You know, it was it was a fun moment, too, you know, for me, because, you know, obviously I’m vested here at Spire and plan on being here a long time, and we’ll have a part in picking my replacement, which it looks like my replacement’s been picked, and the faster he gets through all these series, the faster I’m gonna be out of the seat. So it was a little bit of those moments of like, I still like driving. If this guy keeps doing this, this is gonna be really short for me. But, no, I mean, I feel like it’s great. And to have, you know, depth of young talent is super important, and, you know, I think the sky’s the limit, and it’s just gonna be about putting him in the right situations, and then also, too, you know, you got to be careful not to rush it, and, um, it’s easy for us to all do that, because of yesterday, right? I mean, we’ve seen it in our sport before, it’s like, ah, and then you just keep rushing it, rushing and rushing it, and sometimes that makes it a little bit too much, because you don’t get all the fundamentals that you need to progress to the next level. So, the good news is, is there’s a plan in place, and he has a lot of time available to him, right? And so it’s really not a rush because of how far ahead he is. And so, yeah, it was very cool to watch.”

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

CHEVROLET NCS AT WATKINS GLEN: Justin Marks and Shane van Gisbergen Media Availability Quotes

By
Official Release
-

NASCAR CUP SERIES
WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
AUGUST 9, 2025

 Justin Marks, founder of Trackhouse Racing, and Shane van Gisbergen, driver of the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, met with the media onsite at Watkins Glen International following the announcement of Van Gisbergen’s multi-year contract extension.

Media Availability Quotes:

Big announcement yesterday, Shane (van Gisbergen) has signed with Trackhouse Racing for a few more years. Can you talk to us about what that means for the team?

Justin Marks: “Yeah, this has been this has been a really, really fun project for the company. Obviously, you know, everything happened really, really quickly from Chicago to the Truck race (at IRP) a couple weeks later, into the Indianapolis Cup race, and then a season of Xfinity and now full-time in the Cup Series for Shane (van Gisbergen). I think we’ve got someone here that that can win anytime we show up on the road courses. Winning is so important here in the Cup Series, obviously, but I think what kind of excites us at Trackhouse more than anything is his speed of development on the ovals and just working with him day in and day out and recognizing that even though his history in racing has been not very similar to what the competitors in the Cup Series have with just a lack of experience on the ovals — just his talent, work ethic and kind of showing his progression on the ovals has put our company in a position where we feel excited and comfortable to make a longer-term commitment to Shane. We think he’s got an oval win in him in the Cup Series. Things are just coming together and really starting to gel, so it’s just a good time to make a commitment to each other and we’re thrilled that he that he accepted the offer. We just have to get back to work and keep doing what we’ve been doing.”

Shane, what does it mean to you to have this extension?

Shane van Gisbergen: “Yeah, it’s been an amazing couple of years, as Justin (Marks) touched on — how it’s all snowballed and how we’ve been going. And then this year, you know, it’s been a real learning year but I feel like we’ve made big progression. The road courses have obviously been a bonus the last couple of months. It’s just been a cool team to be a part of — the win lunches we’ve been doing and seeing how much it means to everyone. This week even, the atmosphere in the shop, the build-up and expectations now, it’s really cool. It’s cool to build a relationship with everyone there and, yeah, I’ve just been loving every minute. I’m looking forward to doing it for a few more years.”

Shane, at what point did you decide, I want to stay over here and I want to race in NASCAR? I’m assuming you didn’t necessarily show up in Chicago thinking that, but at what point did you feel comfortable and that this was a place that you thought, I want to stay, I want to do this?

Shane van Gisbergen: “It was probably after Indy when I ran 83rd and I had the most fun of my life just battling people all race on the oval there. Yeah, the truck race was awesome and I thought — this is going to be really cool to do. After Indy, I think we did a deal pretty quickly after that. Like I said, just right from the start, I’ve enjoyed life here and racing every week and the challenge. It was probably time for me to have a new challenge in my career. I’ve raced Supercars for 15 years or something, so yeah, the timing was just perfect and I don’t regret any minute. It’s been the most fun I’ve had in racing for a long time. It’s been really cool.”

Justin, can you address his work ethic to try to get better, to make the push, to be better on ovals because we know he’s got this road course uncovered…

Justin Marks: “Yeah, I mean, I think in this day and age in the Cup Series, it takes a huge commitment because the series is so competitive and it’s the accumulation or the aggregate of so many small things that end up in success in the Cup Series — that’s data, simulation, really understanding the cars, understanding the development of the cars and how things change week to week, all of that. Shane’s just proven very, very quickly that he likes to live in that area, that bubble, of just really understanding all the technical details; understanding how the cars are built and just what it takes to go fast. I think that there’s also just not a lot of noise. It’s just the work. It’s just getting in and doing the work and putting in the hours and the focus when that’s really what’s required to go fast these days — it’s really to understand these race cars and understand the technology, the aero and how to get the most out of them. I think that’s probably contributed to how fast he’s been able to develop on the ovals. He’s a student and he watches tape. He watches the races and looks at the data and really asks the questions of ‘why’. I think that, at this day and age and at this level, that level of commitment, that level of focus and that level of intelligence are real factors in being successful. He’s just demonstrated that from the first time he showed up at Chicago in 2023.”

Shane, this is going to be your first playoff appearance in Cup. What’s realistic for the No. 88 team? Justin, the same question to you.”

Shane van Gisbergen: “I really have no idea. I try not to race with expectations and just take it as it comes. But I feel like we’re ramping up a lot and we’re starting to go to tracks that will be the second time for me, and I felt like I got a lot better at that last year at Xfinity. And yeah, hopefully the same trend this year, but the first round is very difficult. We go to Darlington, which is my favorite oval. But the other two, Bristol and Gateway — I haven’t really been to Gateway before, so it’s going to be very difficult. But if we get to the second round, it’s probably going to be easier than the first one, you know? So I don’t really know how we’re going to end up, but I do feel like we’re improving every week and our average running position or pace is definitely trending in the right direction, so if we execute, who knows what can happen.”

Justin Marks: “Yeah, I don’t know if I think about what’s realistic or what the goals are from like a finishing standings position or anything like that. I think what we have an opportunity to do with the 88 team is to go into the playoffs, have a lot of playoff points and be able to have somewhat of a cushion, so if we go do a good job and he executes it at those first three races to be able to get to the second round, like you mentioned, I think as the momentum continues to grow and his experience continues to grow and we get through that first round and he has a good second round, I think the Round of Eight is something that’s very possible for us. And then you’re really among the best guys in this sport, executing at the most important time of the year, and that’s when it just gets really, really hard. So, I mean, I think the focus is to really just stay with the week in and week out of just improving and grinding. I think this is the first of many playoff appearances for him, so I think it would be good for him to just get the experience of how the dynamic of the championship changes once we get to those rounds.”

Justin, where are you in the Trackhouse 2.0 process right now?

Justin Marks: “Well, I think as we sit here today, I’m probably more excited about the future of this company than I’ve been ever since day one, and I think that started with hiring Todd Meredith, our President of Racing Operations, who’s come in the first three weeks and really done a very deep dive into the organization. This is a guy with decades of experience in the Cup Series and championships under his belt as an executive in the sport who really knows what it takes to assemble great working groups; how to maximize your opportunity every single week, where to push on things, where to organize budgets, where to organize people and org charts, and where to invest in tools and all that. So having him come in has really opened up the 2.0 process. He sat with me two weeks ago in Nashville and sort of presented his plan to me, and I left that meeting just so fired up and so excited. So, you know, it’s going to be a strengthening of our workforce. It’s going to be a strengthening of our tools. We’re right in the middle of that process right now and I think when we unload it at Daytona in 2026, I think the team will just be more powerful than it’s ever been since its inception and I’m really excited about it.”

I understand that teams evolve and teams don’t stay static. You came in with a big push and you guys did some really good things early and were kind of building and building. It seemed like you were kind of on the precipice of something really big and you haven’t been able to meet that, which is why you’re doing 2.0. Why did it get to a point where you were getting close, you couldn’t get over that hump, and then having to go through this 2.0 process? We learn from everything that we go through, so what did you learn from what wasn’t maybe done as well in that case?

Justin Marks: “Well I think if you look over the last decade, the history of the sport, there’s always ebbs and flows and periods of power at different teams and all that. It’s knowledge, technology and process development, things like that.

When the car first came out and the teams didn’t really know how to fully exploit the Next Gen car and we were going to the races in 2022 and 2023, it was really just kind of like an execution game of just getting the car on the racetrack and executing well, and we’re a great team at execution. That really fell into our wheelhouse, so we had a lot of success in ‘22 and ‘23.

Then you have the normal players, your Hendrick Motorsports, Gibbs and Penske, that over time really start to activate the depth in their organizations and the tools and technology they have to really understand what makes the car go fast, and so it’s a different ballgame now than it was in ‘22. As that knowledge center around the cars has developed, that’s where we have found where it’s been more difficult for us because, as an organization, we’re not as big as Penske and Gibbs and all that.

So I think how I’d answer that is just that sport’s gotten tougher and, you know, the cream kind of rises to the top. But with that being said, the plan that we have in front of us I think presents an opportunity for us to come back as strong or stronger than we’ve ever been and really contend for a championship. I’ve seen the plan and I’ve seen the methodology and the psychology around the plan, and it is a championship team framework. It’s going to take money, it’s going to take sacrifice, it’s going to take patience, it’s going to take a lot of work, but as these big teams with a lot of history in the sport now start to really understand the cars, we understand now where we have to make investments and focus our time to get back to where we need to be, and that’s the plan.”

Can you do that as essentially a third Chevy team? I know you’ve talked about just kind of that order. I know you get support from Chevrolet, but maybe just not getting as much as potential…

Justin Marks: “We get the same as Hendrick Motorsports does because we’re a key partner with Hendrick. But Hendrick does have a lot of depth in their organization that we don’t have. I think that I’m very bullish that we can do it because of this race car, and it’s why I’m in the sport to begin with because of this race car. I mean, if it was 2013, I think it would be a lot harder to do it because we’re not designing and manufacturing cars anymore. We understand what that window of success is, and we understand kind of the playbook to be able to get there.

It’s a huge thing for us to be key partners with Chevrolet, so we have access to data and we have access to support. But you’re only as good as what you can do with that support and what you can do with that access and that data, so that’s what we’re focusing on. I think ultimately, we’ll end up in a business structure that puts us in a position to succeed and contend for championships.”

You upended your whole life to come here, and your situation’s a little different, but how long do you want to be here for?

Shane van Gisbergen: “I don’t really know. I haven’t thought about it. I definitely have a lot of years left in me. We’re lucky as race car drivers. We have a very long shelf life, you know? You see guys competitive till their late 40s, so I can go as long as I want. But I do have other things in racing I want to try. I still want to do some European stuff. I want to do Nürburgring 24. That’s on my list to do that properly. I want to do a bit more rally car driving. I got into that 2021-22. That’s a crazy sport, so I’d love to do more of that. But definitely for now, I want to stay in NASCAR and concentrate on that, but I don’t have a timeline. Two years ago, I wasn’t meant to be here, so I’m really happy here at the moment and can see myself doing it for a while. But it is a sport that fully consumes you, you know? I am very homesick. I miss home a lot, and there’s no time to get back there. I’m a long way from home. I’ll move back there as soon as I’m done racing, but yeah, to answer your question, there’s no timeline. I’m happy here for now.”

Justin, Ross Chastain had the high of winning the Coca-Cola 600, and since then, I think he only has two top-10s. Qualifying’s not been great, which probably puts him behind for the whole weekend, so where do you kind of assess where the No. 1 team is at going into the playoffs?

Justin Marks: “Yeah, that’s a great question. The No. 1 team is a very, very talented group of people; very motivated group of people and working very hard. We’re trying a lot of different things right now. We’ve got just a couple weeks left to try a couple things. I mean, the pace in the race, I think, has been pretty good. I think we’re able to make lemonade out of lemons a lot more often than not. I think that for us, we do have to get better on Saturday’s. We absolutely have to get better on Saturday’s if the No. 1 team is going to have an opportunity to deep run into the playoffs because, like you said, if you qualify 28th, it’s just so hard to pull yourself out of that. So that’s where the focus is.

I’ll say that, if we can get those Saturday’s to be better, if we can get the No. 1 team off the hauler faster in practice, better qualifying, better pit selections, and better position for strategy, then we’ll see what that group is capable of. My hope is that we’ll get there. There’s certainly as much fight in that team as there’s ever been. We’ve just got to keep working really, really hard.”

Justin, Shane was definitely, I would imagine, the goal of PROJECT 91 when you started that. I know a lot has gone into Connor (Zilisch) for this year, but do you have any update on any interest for PROJECT 91 going into 2026 and beyond?

Justin Marks: “ I love PROJECT 91. It’s near and dear to my heart. I think it’s important for the sport. I think it’s obviously been very creative to our business. We’ve been able to do big sponsorship deals that have come through PROJECT 91, and obviously great talent through PROJECT 91. So it’s an important mechanism in the business. It is a draw on the company. It is tough. I mean, like Daytona was really, really tough this year to take four cars there, which is why with the races we’re doing with Connor (Zilisch), we just wanted to do Daytona and then park it. I very much would like to keep that program alive. We’ve got a couple of fairly interesting opportunities with everything that we’re trying to do in the company to get us back into championship form.

It’s No. 85 on the list right now, but it’s not dead. There are conversations happening. There is a strategy around it. Just right now, we’ve got to get these three race cars running better on Sunday’s.”

What are your thoughts on racing here at Watkins Glen?

Shane van Gisbergen: “Yeah, it’s a really cool track. It’s like Phillip Island with walls. I feel like it reminds me of that track in Australia. It’s so fast and flowing. We were just having a little walk around and the surface has held up really well for how old it is now. It’s a proper ‘tighten-your-belts’ type road course with no room for error. The walls are so close and it’ll bite you really hard. But yeah, I like it. When you get in a good rhythm here and you can flow the car and try not to use the tire, it’s one of the best feelings in a race car ever around here. Just got to not hit the bus stop wall this year and I’ll be fine.”

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

Toyota GAZOO Racing – NCTS Watkins Glen Post-Race Report – 08.08.25

By
Official Release
-

HEIM DELIVERS AGAIN, WINS SIXTH RACE OF THE SEASON
The Toyota Development Driver wins fourth straight road course race

WATKINS GLEN, NY (August 8, 2025) – Corey Heim battled through multiple overtime restarts and scored his series-leading sixth NASCAR Truck Series win of the season on Friday evening at Watkins Glen International. It is the Georgia-native’s fourth straight road course win, and 17th Truck Series win of his career.

It was a strong day for Team Toyota with three of the top-four finishers with Gio Ruggiero in third and Christopher Bell, filling in for an injured Stewart Friesen, finished fourth after leading 30 laps.

Toyota GAZOO Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS)
Watkins Glen International
Race 17 of 23 – 176.4 Miles, 72 Laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, COREY HEIM
2nd, Daniel Hemric*
3rd, GIO RUGGIERO
4th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
5th, Tyler Ankrum*
11th, WILLIAM SAWALICH
12th, WESLEY SLIMP
17th, BRENT CREWS
20th, TIMMY HILL
28th, TANNER GRAY
29th, TONI BREIDINGER
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

COREY HEIM, No. 11 Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 1st

What does this win say about you?

“Yeah, that we just never give up. I got behind in that last stage. I was scratching and clawing trying to get back through the field. I had my brakes pretty much go out on me on that long green flag. I was beating them up trying get back through the field. Blew the bus stop, made a lot of mistakes myself. I feel like we’ve had a lot of them get away from us this year with cautions or part failures, but we finally had one go our way, and we had some opportunities to finish it off, and a couple more at end for good measure. Huge thank you to TRICON Garage. This Mobil 1 Tundra was phenomenal. Thank you to Toyota – just everyone that is a part of this. Trevor (Bayne) and Blake (Koch) – they do a phenomenal job with my development. Just so many people to thank, so many people to keep impressing throughout the season. This helps us with the championship and that is our goal this year.”

GIO RUGGIERO, No. 17 First Auto Group Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 3rd

Can you talk about the finish to the race?

“I’ve got to be on it more. I was closer to him the first time, but good day for our First Auto Group Toyota team – coming back from a mistake on pit road on my part. We just needed some track position there, but our strategy worked out good there in the end, just needed a little bit more on that last restart. I had the speed to stay with him and run him back down – just needed to pull a move there going into turn one.”

CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 52 Halmar International Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, Halmar Friesen Racing

Finishing Position: 4th

Why did you pit there late?

“It stumbled, so we were out of fuel. So, I pitted – yeah, surprised of how we were able to get our Toyota back through there. I was like – one more restart, one more restart.”

What is your take away from today was?

“I thought it was awesome to see how good the stuff was. I was asking Jimmy (Villeneuve, crew chief) and Stewart (Friesen) – asking them what they thought the potential was coming here, and they were like, I think we will run top-five or so. It was good. The 11 (Corey Heim) was really strong. I felt like we were right there with him, so I was happy with it.”

About Toyota

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

Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 31 electrified options.

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

Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Recap: Watkins Glen International

By
Official Release
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NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE RECAP: WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL
Event: Mission 176 at The Glen (72 laps / 176.4 miles)
Round: 17 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Watkins Glen International
Location: Watkins Glen, New York
Date & Time: Friday, August 8 | 5:00 PM ET

No. 42 Utilitra / J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett

Start: 25th
Stage 1: 20th
Stage 2: 20th
Finish: 9th
Driver Points: 18th
Owner Points: 23rd

  • Key Takeaway: Matt Mills and the Utilitra team snuck away with an impressive top-10 result at Watkins Glen. Mills fought through adversity by overcoming fuel pickup issues which plagued a large amount of the field. After swapping a fuel pump out on pit road, and narrowly avoiding carnage on the track, Mills picked up his best finish ever on a road course in ninth-place.
  • Matt Mills’ Post-Race Thoughts:

Interviewer: First top 10 ever on road course and you guys had to fight for it. What’d you think of your race?

“Yeah, the truck was better than the driver for most of the race. At the end of stage two, we had a fuel pickup issue start to affect us. It sputtered pretty bad, especially going up the hill and on the right handers. But, the team worked really hard and got that fixed after a couple of stops. The caution kind of helped us out and gave us some more time to fix it. We knew we weren’t the fastest truck and didn’t have the fastest driver, but we were the smartest today. It was great to take advantage of what was given to us. We fought hard and honestly, had some speed there at the end. The way our season has been, we can’t complain with ninth. We’ll take it onto my favorite racetrack next week in Richmond and try to win it.”

About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.
About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.

No. 44 Protect Your Melon New York Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers

Start: 7th
Stage 1: 2nd
Stage 2: 17th
Finish: 30th
Driver Points: N/A
Owner Points: 17th

  • Key Takeaway: Ross Chastain and the Protect Your Melon team had a truck that contended for the lead early on, but became victims of a common fuel pickup issue which ended their day. Chastain started inside the top-10 and finished second in stage one, but were forced to change a fuel pump at the end of stage two. Unfortunately, the issue continued to plague the No. 44 for the rest of the event, and the team retired in 30th-place.
  • Ross Chastain’s Post-Race Thoughts: “That was a shame to end our day the way we did. The Niece Motorsports guys brought me a really fast Protect Your Melon Chevy, and I thought we had a chance to run up front all race. Just unfortunate for us to have those fuel pickup issues. I wish I could have ended my truck season by giving these guys a win, but I’ll be cheering them on for the rest of the season. Thanks to Al, Cody, and everyone that’s supported us this year!”

About The New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee: The New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) coordinates traffic safety activities in the state and shares useful, timely information about traffic safety and the state’s highway safety grant program.

The Committee is comprised of thirteen agencies who have missions related to transportation and safety. The GTSC is chaired by the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles and acts as the state’s official liaison with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Connor Zilisch | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Connor Zilisch
@ConnorZilisch
@ConnorZilisch
Website
Start: 14th
Stage 1: 4th
Stage 2: 28th
Finish: 8th
Driver Points: N/A
Owner Points: 6th

  • Key Takeaway: Connor Zilisch and the No. 45 team took the scenic top-10 finish in Watkins Gien. Zilisch started off strong by finishing fourth in stage one and was on his way to a repeat performance in stage two before getting punted off the track by another competitor. After getting stuck in the gravel pit, Zilisch was trapped a lap down for a good portion of the race. Finally, the team earned the free pass to get back in contention, and the No. 45 charged towards the front once again. Though the truck was battered at the checkered flag, Zilisch and team carried it home to an eighth-place finish.
  • Connor Zilisch’s Post-Race Thoughts: “That was a wild race. It felt like it never ended, and I think I got hit on every corner of the truck. So, that was less than ideal, but still to come away with decent points and a decent finish is something to take away from it. I hate that we couldn’t have a clean day and I felt like we had a truck that was able to contend for the win at the beginning of the race, but as soon as we got damage, it just kind of took away from what we had.”

About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2025, the team celebrates its 10th consecutive season competing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) where it fields the Nos. 41, 42, 44 and 45. Since its founding in 2016, Niece Motorsports has garnered nine wins, 50+ top-fives, 100+ top-10s, 200+ top-15 finishes and made five playoff appearances. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a trusted build shop for the Chevrolet Silverados of multiple NCTS teams as well as a customizable fabrication shop for any manufacturing needs.

Follow the Team: To keep up to date with the latest team news, visit niecemotorsports.com or connect on Facebook and Instagram (@NieceMotorsports) as well as X (@NieceMotorsport).

Best 8 Advanced Automotive Detailing Techniques for Motorsports Enthusiasts

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

Professional automotive detailing uses advanced cleaning methods to make your vehicle look as good as new. Whether getting hands-on experience in detailing or not, these specific motorsports techniques will give you excellent results.

Every car detailer working with high-performance vehicles must master these fundamental paint protection and car polishing strategies to achieve consistent, professional-grade outcomes that maintain performance and appearance.

1 – Start with a Strategic Car Wash

Proper car cleaning is the foundation of all automotive detailing work for motorsports vehicles that endure extreme conditions. Use a safe car shampoo and high-quality car wash soap to remove debris, brake dust, and contaminants.

The Two-Bucket Method

Use a two-bucket washing system for race cars to prevent scratches that harm aerodynamics and appearance. One bucket should contain pH-balanced car shampoo, like Chemical Guys or Meguiar’s, and the other should be for clean rinse water with grit guards. Premium microfiber towels and wash mitts designed for high-performance finishes ensure proper paint protection.

Always use a third bucket for wheels and brake components to prevent cross-contamination from metallic brake dust when using wheel cleaner and non-acidic wheel cleaner products.

Top-to-Bottom Washing

Following gravity’s natural flow is especially important for vehicles with aerodynamic components. Start with the roof and spoilers to clean airflow surfaces, then move to the main body sections’ hood, trunk, and side panels. Lower panels and splitters come last as high-contamination areas, followed by wheels and brake components, using dedicated detailing brushes and soft-bristle brush tools.

Invest in 500+ GSM waffle-weave microfiber towels for drying. Track vehicles require gentle pat-drying motions instead of dragging to preserve delicate paint finishes and maintain optimal protection.

2 – Decontaminating Your Paint

Race tracks can leave dirt on cars that regular washes can’t clean. Small bits of metal can stick to the paint and make it bumpy, making the car look bad and not go as fast. To fix this, you need special cleaning methods for the paint.

Clay Barring

Test contamination levels by running a plastic bag over freshly washed surfaces. The detailing clay bar process effectively removes bonded contaminants. Choose clay grade based on track exposure, from fine for weekend track cars to heavy grade for endurance racing vehicles. Work clay until soft using generous lubricant spray, maintain gentle pressure in straight lines, and schedule clay barring every 2-3 months for active track vehicles.

Iron Removal

Brake systems under extreme conditions create excessive ferrous particle buildup, requiring iron-removing products. These solutions effectively dissolve particles that cause rust spots and damage your vehicle’s finish. CarPro Iron X is pH-neutral and safe for wraps, while Chemical Guys Decon Pro is stronger for heavy-duty use.

Apply iron removal products to cool surfaces, allow 3-5 minutes for work, and look for a purple color change indicating the dissolution of active ferrous particles and the removal of sticky contaminants.

Using a Dual-Action Polisher

Professional car polishing requires quality equipment. The Porter Cable 7424XP offers entry-level performance for weekend warriors, while the Griots Garage 6″ provides serious enthusiast capabilities. The Rupes LHR15ES delivers professional-grade results for show cars requiring perfect finishes.

Work in 2×2 foot sections at speed 2-3 using appropriate polishing pad combinations with 50% overlap patterns for consistent results that achieve professional showroom shine standards.

Choosing the Right Polish

Match the aggressiveness of the light polish or heavy polish to the paint condition and vehicle use requirements. Light polish removes 90-95% of defects on daily drivers with minimal swirls, while heavy polish handles visible scratches from track use and racing incidents. Consider paint hardness when selecting products, as German and Japanese paints require stronger formulations than softer domestic paint finishes.

Multiple Polishing Rounds

To make your surface shine, follow these three easy steps. First, use a microfiber pad and go over the area 4 to 6 times to fix significant scratches. Next, use a foam pad and polish 3 to 4 times to make it smoother. Finally, use a soft pad and do 2 to 3 light passes to make it shiny.

Use LED inspection lights to reveal defects that sunlight misses during your car polishing process.

4 – Protecting Your Paint

Track exposure demands superior protection systems that withstand extreme temperatures and debris impact through ceramic coating applications, synthetic sealant treatments, and advanced paint protection methods.

Car Tint Application

Quality car tint application provides crucial benefits for motorsports vehicles. Professional installation blocks 99% UV protection radiation, protecting interior components while reducing cabin heat by 60% for improved driver comfort. Enhanced privacy protects valuable equipment from potential theft.

Wait 3-7 days before cleaning new tint installations and use only ammonia-free glass cleaner products to prevent damage to your automotive window treatments.

Sealants for Longevity

Synthetic sealant products offer superior durability over traditional car wax formulations. Wolfgang Deep Gloss provides 8+ months protection with excellent chemical resistance, while Chemical Guys JetSeal delivers track-proven durability that serious enthusiasts demand. Meguiar’s Ultimate offers easy application with consistent results for regular maintenance schedules.

Apply sealants in controlled temperatures between 60-75°F for optimal bonding and maximum paint protection barrier effectiveness.

Ceramic Coatings

Professional ceramic coating service provides 2-5+ year paint protection, ideal for high-value motorsports vehicles. These advanced formulations offer superior chemical resistance against track cleaning products, enhanced UV protection for extended outdoor storage, and easier maintenance between track events. Professional installation costs $800-2,000 but provides exceptional long-term value through dramatically reduced maintenance requirements.

5 – Interior Detailing Secrets

Race car interiors face problems because of safety gear, frequent getting in and out, and changes to make the car go faster. This means they need special cleaning and care.

Deep Vacuuming

Standard house vacuums lack sufficient power for thorough car cleaning applications. Invest in high-powered vacuum systems rated at 6+ horsepower for effective debris removal from roll cage joints, safety equipment mounting points, seat rail mechanisms, and HVAC systems. Use specialized nozzle attachments with soft brush tools for tight spaces around safety equipment without causing damage.

Work systematically from top to bottom using proper detailing brushes and crevice tools designed for motorsports applications.

Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning systems sanitize surfaces, killing 99.9% of bacteria without harsh chemicals that might damage safety equipment. The Dupray Neat offers professional versatility for serious detailing applications, while the McCulloch MC1385 provides budget-conscious performance for weekend warriors.

Using overlapping passes, maintain a 2-4 inch distance from surfaces, then follow immediately with clean microfiber towels for optimal results and complete moisture removal.

Leather Conditioning

Take care of racing seats and steering wheel covers by cleaning them with a special soap for leather. Clean them once a month when you are racing. Use a leather conditioner every few months to keep them nice.

6 – Special Attention to Windows Care and Wheels Care

These important safety parts need special maintenance to work well and ensure visibility and safety in high-speed motorsports.

Cleaning Automatic Tinted Windows

To protect the tint, use ammonia-free glass cleaner. Apply the cleaner to a microfiber towel instead of spraying it on the windows. Clean the outside with vertical strokes and the inside with horizontal strokes to easily spot streaks. During regular maintenance inspections, check weekly for tint bubbling or peeling, which indicates replacement needs.

Anti-Fog Treatment for Windshields

Use anti-fog treatments like Rain-X Anti-Fog or Invisible Glass Anti-Fog every 4-6 weeks to maintain visibility in varying temperatures typical in motorsports. Reapply before each track event for consistent performance and safety.

Wheel Detailing

Match your wheels care approach to wheel materials using appropriate non-acidic wheel cleaner formulations. Clear-coated aluminum wheels require non-acidic cleaners exclusively and should be treated like painted surfaces for optimal protection. Chrome wheels need specialized cleaners with immediate drying requirements, while powder-coated wheels are chemical-sensitive and require mild soap solutions only.

Never clean Hot Wheels immediately after track use.

7 – Advanced Techniques and Final Touches

Professional-level finishing techniques separate show-quality results from basic maintenance through comprehensive engine bay cleaning, headlight restoration, and odor elimination.

Engine Bay Cleaning

Track engines accumulate oil and debris, and cleaning product residue requires careful attention using appropriate degreaser products and engine dressing applications. Work on warm but not overheated engines while covering sensitive components, techniques to protect electronics, and air intake systems. Remove loose debris with a low-pressure rinse, apply degreasers appropriate for racing fluids, and finish with engine dressing on plastic and rubber components for a professional appearance.

Headlight Restoration

Track lighting demands optimal visibility for safety. Cloudy headlights reduce nighttime performance by 40% requiring professional headlight restoration techniques. Light yellowing responds to UV protection treatment applications, while moderate oxidation requires car polishing compounds for correction. Heavy oxidation demands progressive wet sanding using 400, 800, 1000, and 2000-grit sequences, though deep pitting requires professional replacement for safety.

With proper technique, expect 80-95% clarity restoration. Apply trim restorer to plastic components for comprehensive rejuvenation.

Odor Elimination

Racing environments introduce persistent odors from fuel, oil, and exhaust, requiring enzymatic odor eliminator products to thoroughly eliminate them without masking chemicals. To keep your car interior fresh, use baking soda and activated charcoal. Change the cabin air filter regularly and apply protectants to vinyl, plastic, and leather surfaces.

8 – Ongoing Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Car in Top Shape

Consistent scheduled detailing sessions prevent major issues and maintain peak appearance between events through systematic maintenance approaches and continuing education.

Regular Checks for Car Tint and Automatic Tinted Windows

Inspect weekly during racing season for tint bubbling, peeling, edge lifting, color consistency changes, adhesive failure points, and electronic component interference that could affect performance or safety.

Using Anti-Fog Treatment for Windshields Routinely

Fresh anti-fog reapplication is applied before each track event. Temperature differentials during high-performance driving can create dangerous visibility issues without proper preparation and maintenance.

Scheduled Detailing Sessions

Maintain a consistent cleaning schedule with pre-event preparations, including a quick car wash and dry, streak-free glass cleaners application, and anti-fog treatment for optimal visibility. Post-event maintenance requires thorough decontamination, car wash, brake dust removal, interior cleaners and conditioners application, and damage assessment.

Monthly maintenance includes complete clay barring treatment, iron removal processes using iron-removing product applications, paint protection renewal, and comprehensive interior detailing using upholstery cleaner and leather conditioning systems. Seasonal maintenance involves complete paint correction and car polishing, ceramic coating evaluation, engine bay cleaning with proper degreaser applications, and professional inspection services.

Education and Experimentation

Stay current with evolving products and techniques through ongoing detailing training opportunities. Join motorsports forums for technique sharing, attend workshops and detailing classes for skill development, network with professional car detailer experts servicing race teams, and document successful techniques for your specific vehicle and usage patterns.

Use detailing spray for quick clean-ups. Keep air fresheners for a pleasant smell inside. Protect plastic and rubber parts from track conditions with quality products.

Boost Your Motorsports Performance with Mobile Car Detailing Tampa, FL Techniques

Mobile Car Detailing Tampa brings these advanced techniques directly to your location, whether at the track, garage, or home—Tampa’s motorsports community benefits from specialized services that understand the unique demands of high-performance vehicles.

Corey Heim Survives Triple-Overtime to claim Watkins Glen Truck Series Victory

By
Angie Campbell
-
Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Corey Heim persevered through three overtime restarts at Watkins Glen International to capture his 17th career victory in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Mission 176 at The Glen.

He started on the pole and led 44 of 81 laps in the number 11 Tricon Garage Toyota to claim his sixth victory this season.  

However, it was not all smooth going for Heim.

On Lap 57, he had an issue with his brakes and came to a complete stop. He was in sixth place when the incident occurred and lost 3 spots. But he made the most of 7 caution periods and three overtimes.

“Just never give up,” Heim said. “I got behind in that last stage and was scratching and clawing, trying to get back through the field.”

“I had my brakes pretty much go out on me completely on that long green-flag run, was beating them up trying to get back through the field, blew the bus stop chicane between turns four and five, and made a lot of mistakes myself. I’ve had a lot of them get away from us this year by cautions or whatever else, finally had one go our way.” Heim said.

Daniel Hemric finished second, and Gio Ruggiero finished in third.

Christopher Bell, who was filling in for the injured Stewart Friesen, started in second place and led 30 laps. However, due to the multiple overtimes, he had to pit for fuel. Bell finished fourth, and Tyler Ankrum finished fifth to round out the top five finishers at Watkins Glen.

Sammy Smith, Ty Majeski, Connor Zilisch, Matt Mills, and Layne Riggs rounded out the top 10 in the finishing order.

After the Mission 176 at The Glen, Corey Heim leads the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings by 178 over Layne Riggs, 186 over Chandler Smith, 210 over Daniel Hemric, and 243 over Grant Enfinger

There is only one more regular-season race before the Playoffs begin. The Craftsman Truck Series heads to Richmond Raceway for the regular-season finale in the eero 250 on Friday, August 15th at 7:30 pm ET on FS1.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race Number 17
Race Results for the Mission 176 at The Glen – Friday, August 8, 2025
Watkins Glen International – Watkins Glen, NY – 2.45 – Mile Road
Total Race Length – 81 Laps – 198.45 Miles

PosStNoDriverTeamLapsS1S2S3PointsStatus
1111Corey HeimMobil 1 Toyota8114057Running
21719Daniel HemricNAPA Nightvision Chevrolet8180038Running
3517Giovanni Ruggiero #First Auto Group Toyota8160039Running
4252Christopher Bell(i)Halmar International Toyota813500Running
51318Tyler AnkrumLiUNA! Chevrolet8109034Running
637Sammy Smith(i)TMC Transportation Chevrolet810200Running
73398Ty MajeskiSoda Sense/Curb Records Ford8107034Running
81445Connor Zilisch(i)DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet814000Running
92542Matt MillsUtilitra/J.F. Electric Chevrolet8100028Running
10634Layne RiggsLove’s RV STOP Ford8190029Running
11161William Sawalich(i)Soundgear Toyota817300Running
122962Wesley SlimpHNTB Toyota8100025Running
132488Matt CraftonRepel/Menards Ford8100024Running
142226Dawson Sutton #Rackley Roofing Chevrolet8100023Running
151513Jake GarciaQuanta Services Ford8100022Running
161081Connor Mosack #Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Chevrolet811010023Running
171970Brent CrewsPristine Auction Toyota8100020Running
183076Spencer BoydFreedom Warranty Chevrolet8100019Running
193169Derek WhiteOCR Gaz bar Ford8100018Running
202656Timmy HillUNITS Storage Toyota8100017Running
21477Andres Perez De Lara #Telcel Chevrolet8100017Running
222166Chris Buescher(i)Farm Paint Ford780000Running
23838Chandler SmithLong John Silver’s Ford7700014Running
24329Grant EnfingerChampion Power Equipment Chevrolet7600013Accident
253622Gian BuffomanteGoodridge Ford7500012Running
26999Ben RhodesTSPORTS Trucks Ford6851027Accident
273433Frankie Muniz #More Core Ford6600010Running
281215Tanner GrayPlace of Hope Toyota6406014Accident
29285Toni Breidinger #Dave & Buster’s Toyota580008Engine
30744Ross Chastain(i)TrafficSafety.ny.gov Chevrolet512000Fuel Pump
311875Parker KligermanFood Country USA Chevrolet470809Suspension
322071Rajah CaruthHendrickCars.com Chevrolet360005Brakes
332391Jack WoodAdaptive One Calipers Chevrolet350004Accident
34352Kaden HoneycuttRANDCO Chevrolet290003Drivetrain
35272William LambrosSkip Barber Ford210002Suspension
36117Kyle Busch(i)Gainbridge Chevrolet130000Steering

Hauger Sends Message by Leading Opening Portland Practice

By
Official Release
-

PORTLAND, Ore. (Friday, Aug. 8, 2025) – It looks like Dennis Hauger is ready to right the title ship.

Hauger led the opening practice for the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland on Friday with a top lap of 1 minute, 2.8638 seconds in the No. 28 Nammo car fielded by Andretti Global. That was more than six-tenths of a second quicker than his closest pursuer, teammate Lochie Hughes, whose best lap was 1:03.5003 in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship machine.

“Good session,” Hauger said. “A few things to work on but a good start to the weekend.”

Rookie Hauger won four of the first five races of the season in the INDYCAR development series and appeared to be on cruise control to the championship. But he has won only one of the last six races, with veteran Caio Collet capturing three of those races and jumping to second in the standings, 42 points behind Hauger.

There are three races left this season, starting with this event at 1 p.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network) on the 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course.

Portland native Josh Pierson fared well in practice on his home track, ending up third at 1:03.5927 in the No. 14 HMD Motorsports car. Callum Hedge was fourth at 1:03.6196 in the No. 17 Abel Motorsports machine.

Michael d’Orlando was another bright spot during the 45-minute session, ending up fifth at 1:03.6454 in the No. 3 Priority/Rising Stars car of Andretti – Cape Motorsport. This is d’Orlando’s first start in the series since the season finale last September at Nashville Superspeedway.

“It feels great to be back,” d’Orlando said. “There’s been a smile on my face nonstop. Going down the backstraight, I was just laughing. It’s really great to be back. I wish I had the whole season.

“Coming from the couch to what was P1 for a time and ending the session P5, I think we’re in a good place to start the weekend.”

Collet ended up sixth at 1:03.7455 in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports car despite missing part of the session with a broken roll bar.

Up next is pre-qualifying practice at 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network), followed by qualifying at 8:30 p.m. ET Saturday (FS2, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).

ARCA Menards Series at Watkins Glen International: General Tire 100 at The Glen Post-race Notes

By
Official Release
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Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com
  • Tristan McKee (No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet) scored the victory in Friday’s General Tire 100 at The Glen, winning in his ARCA Menards Series debut. McKee became the 38th driver to win in his series debut since 1979. McKee, who turned 15 on August 3, also became the series’ second-youngest winner ever, behind only Todd Gilliland who won at Toledo Speedway two days after his 15th birthday in 2015.
  • Brent Crews (No. 18 JBL Audio Toyota) dominated the race, leading until the last caution flag of the day with less than five laps remaining. As the field was reassembling for the restart, Crews slowed to a stop with an alternator issue. Crews came to the pits for a battery change and rejoined the field; he finished ninth.
  • Tyler Reif (No. 23 Vegas Fastener / Sigma Performance Services Chevrolet) finished second, his best career ARCA Menards Series finish since he won at Phoenix Raceway in March 2023.
  • Kris Wright (No. 15 FNB Corporation Toyota) finished third, his best ARCA Menards Series finish since he finished third in the 2024 season finale at Toledo Speedway.
  • Glen Reen (No. 71 New Wave Homes Chevrolet) finished fourth, his best career series finish and first career top-five finish in two series starts; he finished 21st in his debut at Lime Rock Park in June.
  • Dale Quarterley (No. 4 Van-Dyk Recycling Solutions Chevrolet) finished fifth ; matching his best career ARCA Menards Series finish, set at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Watkins Glen in 2023.
  • Ryan Gemmell (No. 29 Multibuilding Inc. / TC3 Turf Toyota) finished sixth driving for team owner Joe Nemechek.
  • Andy Jankowiak (No. 73 Whelen Chevrolet) finished seventh, and with Reen’s fourth-place finish gave KLAS Motorsports two finishers in the top ten.
  • Isabella Robusto (No. 55 Mobil 1 Toyota) finished ninth, her ninth top-ten finish of the season.
  • Lavar Scott (No. 6 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) recovered from a flat left rear tire with six laps remaining to finish tenth, his 12th top-ten finish in 13 starts this season.
  • There was a 46-year age gap between the winner and the driver who finished fifth.
  • ARCA Menards Series championship points leader Brenden Queen (No. 28 BestRepair.net Chevrolet) suffered a broken transmission on the initial start and lost 19 laps while the Pinnace Racing Group team made repairs; he finished 21st.
  • Alex Clubb (No. 03 A. Clubb Lawn Care Ford) finished 16th driving the same car that less than a week ago was involved in a roll-over crash on I-80 returning home from the race at Iowa Speedway.
  • The next race for the ARCA Menards Series is the Allen Crowe 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The race will be televised live on FS1 starting at 3 pm ET. Live timing and scoring data and live race audio will be available at ARCARacing.com.

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.

Corey Heim captures his fourth Craftsman Truck Series pole of 2025 at Watkins Glen

By
Angie Campbell
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Corey Heim at Watkins Glen by Patrick Sue Chan for SpeedwayMedia. com

Corey Heim collected his fourth Craftsman Truck Series pole of the season Friday afternoon at Watkins Glen International in the No. 11 Tricon Garage Toyota. He has been dominant on road courses, scoring three straight wins this year.

Five drivers in the Cup race are also competing in the Truck race. Cup Series driver Christopher Bell will start beside Heim on the front row. Bell is filling in for the injured Stewart Friesen in the No. 52 Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota.

Cup Series drivers Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell, Chris Buescher and Connor Zilisch will also compete in the Truck Series Mission 176 at The Glen.

Only two races are remaining in the Truck Series regular season, this evening at Watkins Glen and Richmond Raceway on August 30.

The Craftsman Truck Series race is scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FS1 with radio overage provided by MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Qualifying Results

Watkins Glen International
Mission 176 at The Glen

PosNoDriverTeamTimeSpeed
111Corey HeimMobil 1 Toyota70.953124.308
252Christopher Bell(i)Halmar International Toyota71.145123.972
37Sammy Smith(i)TMC Transportation Chevrolet71.391123.545
477Andres Perez De Lara #Telcel Chevrolet71.554123.264
517Giovanni Ruggiero #First Auto Group Toyota71.579123.22
634Layne RiggsLove’s RV STOP Ford71.587123.207
744Ross Chastain(i)TrafficSafety.ny.gov Chevrolet71.591123.2
838Chandler SmithLong John Silver’s Ford71.614123.16
999Ben RhodesTSPORTS Trucks Ford71.725122.97
1081Connor Mosack #Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Chevrolet71.739122.946
117Kyle Busch(i)Gainbridge Chevrolet71.955122.577
1215Tanner GrayPlace of Hope Toyota71.966122.558
1318Tyler AnkrumLiUNA! Chevrolet72.043122.427
1445Connor Zilisch(i)DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet72.134122.272
1513Jake GarciaQuanta Services Ford72.146122.252
161William Sawalich(i)Soundgear Toyota72.18122.195
1719Daniel HemricNAPA Nightvision Chevrolet72.342121.921
1875Parker KligermanFood Country USA Chevrolet72.361121.889
1970Brent CrewsPristine Auction Toyota72.432121.769
2071Rajah CaruthHendrickCars.com Chevrolet72.481121.687
2166Chris Buescher(i)Farm Paint Ford72.514121.632
2226Dawson Sutton #Rackley Roofing Chevrolet72.517121.627
2391Jack WoodAdaptive One Calipers Chevrolet72.551121.57
2488Matt CraftonRepel/Menards Ford72.701121.319
2542Matt MillsUtilitra/J.F. Electric Chevrolet73.088120.676
2656Timmy HillUNITS Storage Toyota73.659119.741
272William LambrosSkip Barber Ford73.98119.221
285Toni Breidinger #Dave & Buster’s Toyota74.18118.9
2962Wesley SlimpHNTB Toyota74.408118.536
3076Spencer BoydFreedom Warranty Chevrolet76.362115.502
3169Derek WhiteOCR Gaz bar Ford79.626110.768
329Grant EnfingerChampion Power Equipment ChevroletOwner Points0
3398Ty MajeskiSoda Sense/Curb Records FordOwner Points0
3433Frankie Muniz #More Core FordOwner Points0
352Kaden HoneycuttRANDCO ChevroletOwner Points0
3622Gian BuffomanteGoodridge FordOwner Points0

AMERICAN REBEL FRIDAY NIGHT “BATTLE FOR THE REBEL AXE” COMING TO NHRA LUCAS OIL NATIONALS IN BRAINERD

By
Official Release
-

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 8, 2025) – Always a festive atmosphere, Friday night at Brainerd International Raceway during the 43rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals will have an extra dose of fun and excitement with the introduction of the American Rebel Light Friday Night “Battle for the Rebel Axe.”

The Friday night qualifying session at Brainerd, which starts at 6:15 p.m. CT on Aug. 15, will award the low qualifier in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock a special cash bonus, as well as a unique Rebel Axe trophy to kick off what will be another incredible weekend at Brainerd International Raceway.

The Rebel Axe trophy will be a fully functional electric cigar box guitar, custom-built in the shape of a 12-pack of American Rebel Light. Branded with the event and sponsor logos, the unique trophy also serves as a nod to Brainerd’s rich heritage and roots to Paul Bunyan. The top qualifier in the three NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series classes will sit on a special “Throne of the North” – made from American Rebel Light cases – until they are dethroned or they take the low qualifier of the session.

The bonus payouts include $4,000 to the No. 1 qualifier of Friday’s second session in Top Fuel and Funny Car, and $2,000 for the Pro Stock standout who takes the top spot. It’s all part of a lively, thoroughly entertaining Friday night at Brainerd, which has brought a special atmosphere and excitement level for more than 40 years.

“Brainerd has always had its own magic, but Friday’s ‘Battle for the Rebel Axe’ takes it to another level,” Brainerd International Raceway owner Kristi Copham said. “With the incredible support of American Rebel Light and Andy Ross, we’re able to give fans and racers an awesome Friday night with a bonus payout, a one-of-a-kind trophy, and some special Brainerd bragging rights. We’re grateful to Andy and American Rebel Beer for helping us create what will be an awesome Friday at BIR to kick off what is always a great weekend.”

The second qualifying session leads right into Friday night’s live music schedule at the Zoom entrance band shell, which kicks off at 8 p.m. and includes Andy Ross’ headline set at 10 p.m.

For more than four decades, Brainerd International Raceway has been one of the most unique stops on the NHRA tour and this year will include several can’t-miss moments on and off the track. The Mud Rhythm Truck Series will be running in the famed “Zoo” campground at the dirt track during the weekend, along with The Patriot monster truck and drift cars on display, cementing the track’s status as a major multi-functional facility.

Leading into the national event is this weekend’s double-divisional in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Brainerd, featuring nearly 500 entries. It is one of the largest car counts the facility has ever hosted for a LODRS event, creating plenty of excitement for an unbelievable two-week stretch at the standout track.

The 43rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals is the 13th of 20 events in 2025. The event will be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage on FOX on Sunday, Aug. 17, as world title hopefuls look to build momentum for the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Last year, Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Blake Alexander (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) all won in Brainerd, while Antron Brown, Austin Prock and Greg Anderson took home Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge wins.

Ashley picked up his first Brainerd win last season when he defeated Shawn Langdon. Langdon leads the points on the strength of three wins, while Top Fuel standouts include Tony Stewart, Brittany Force, who went 343 mph in Sonoma, Sonoma winner Doug Kalitta, reigning world champion Brown and Clay Millican.

This season, the Funny Car ranks have again been dominated by reigning Funny Car champion Prock, who leads the class with five wins on the season. Others to watch in Brainerd will be Jack Beckman, J.R. Todd, Paul Lee, Seattle winner Matt Hagan and Ron Capps, the winningest active driver at BIR with seven wins to his credit.

Pro Stock’s Glenn won his second consecutive Brainerd race last season and he leads the way in Pro Stock, holding a 37-point advantage over KB Titan Racing teammate and reigning world champion Anderson, who is a Duluth native. Greg Stanfield won the most recent event in Sonoma, snapping KB Titan’s 11-race winning streak.

The event will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as action in Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock and Pingel NHRA Top Fuel Motorcycle Series.

Fans are invited to the Nitro Alley Stage, the entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and more. Brainerd race fans can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate event winners.

As always, fans get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans get a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit Manufacturers Midway, an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 4 and 6:15 p.m. CT on Friday, Aug. 15 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Aug. 16 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. CT on Sunday, Aug. 17. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 10 p.m. ET on Friday and 7 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1, and eliminations on FOX at 3 p.m. ET Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, fans can visit www.birmn.com. Tickets will also be available for purchase on the day of the event at the gate. For more information on the NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

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