EPPING, N.H. (May 30, 2025) – Reigning Funny Car world champion Austin Prock led the way on Friday at New England Dragway, taking the provisional No. 1 spot for John Force Racing at the 12th annual NHRA New England Nationals.
Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Cody Coughlin (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the seventh of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Friday’s second session also included the “No. 1 Clawifier Award presented by NAPA.” A special chair made of lobster pots awaited drivers on the top end, with the evening’s No. 1 qualifier sitting in the chair until they were replaced by a new No. 1 “Clawifier” or claim the award. The top team in each class were awarded lobster dinners.
Nobody replaced Prock as he kicked off the session, while Kalitta bumped Antron Brown out of the chair. A handful of Pro Stock drivers were on top on Friday before Coughlin grabbed control.
After struggling during the opening session on Friday, Prock and his team more than made up for it to close out the day, going 3.860-seconds at 331.69 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS. It puts the Funny Car points leader on track for his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and 20th in his career. Prock was the runner-up at the event a year ago to legendary Funny Car driver John Force, and also advanced to the finals at the most recent event in Chicago.
“It took a lot to get this thing tamed down, but the guys did a great job diagnosing it and we laid down a really nice lap,” Prock said. “John Force Racing has had a lot of success here. Last year was a really special moment in my life and all I’ve ever wanted to do is drive a Funny Car.
“I always try to do the best I can every time I get in this car. That’s what these guys deserve, what our team deserve and what our partners deserve. I’m just trying to get in there and drive to the best of my ability.”
Racing at his home track, Bob Tasca III is currently second with a 3.891 at 335.40 and Paul Lee’s 3.891 at 329.18 puts him third.
In Top Fuel, Doug Kalitta was the only driver to dip into the 3.60s and continued to roll in qualifying, going to the top spot with a run of 3.697 at 331.36 in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster. If it holds, it would be the veteran’s fourth straight top qualifier of 2025, which would continue an incredible streak.
It would also be the former world champion’s fifth No. 1 qualifier in the first seven races of the season and New England Dragway continues to be very good to Kalitta. Brown made a strong run to open the session, but Kalitta bumped him for a seat in the lobster pot chair as he aims to win in Epping for a second consecutive year.
“The car shook a little bit at the beginning, got cleaned up and then it set sail,” Kalitta said. “It was definitely what we were looking for. We were all gunning for the lobster and the way the team has this car running, I was hoping it would make it and it did.
“We’re very fortunate after the first day and Epping is a cool area. I’ve had a great running car all year (but) haven’t gotten the win yet, so I’m real hungry for that. This would be a great place to do it. We got it done last year, which was cool. We’re just trying to go rounds, keep our heads down and hope like heck it goes our way Sunday.”
Shawn Reed is currently second thanks to a pass of 3.702 at 334.24 and Brittany Force went 3.713 at 334.48 as she sits in the third position.
After a standout run during the second session, Pro Stock rookie Cody Coughlin is in position to claim his first career No. 1 qualifier thanks to a run of 6.537 at 210.28 in his Cody Coughlin Construction Chevrolet Camaro. In a field loaded with fast cars, Coughlin made the most of the cool conditions in the second session for KB Titan Racing, sitting on top heading into Saturday.
It’s been an up and down debut season for Coughlin, but Friday’s run certainly gives him momentum and marks the high point of his year thus far.
“It felt so seamless that I thought it was going to be slow,” Coughlin said. “But as they say, slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Greg and Dallas have been fast — everybody has been fast here with KB Titan power — so I figured they’d edge me out because they know all the tricks of the trade.
“I spoke to Greg during the off-season to congratulate him on his championship and we just meshed. I’ve always been a fan of the Hendrick [Motorsports] team, and when Greg invited me out to a test, I was hooked.”
Coughlin squeezed past Anderson on speed for the current No. 1 spot as the reigning world champion went an identical 6.537 at a slightly slower 209.95. Points leader Dallas Glenn is third following his run of 6.539 at 210.28.
Qualifying continues at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at the New England Nationals at New England Dragway.
EPPING, N.H. — Friday’s results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 12th annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway, seventh of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.
Top Fuel — 1. Doug Kalitta, 3.697 seconds, 331.36 mph; 2. Shawn Reed, 3.702, 334.24; 3. Brittany Force, 3.713, 334.48; 4. Antron Brown, 3.715, 335.40; 5. Shawn Langdon, 3.716, 331.69; 6. Tony Stewart, 3.742, 330.47; 7. Steve Torrence, 3.750, 335.07; 8. Justin Ashley, 3.752, 307.86; 9. Dan Mercier, 3.761, 329.18; 10. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.780, 328.78; 11. Josh Hart, 3.793, 315.86; 12. Scott Farley, 7.523, 76.34; 13. Clay Millican, 7.719, 84.94; 14. Rit Pustari, 9.724, 75.76. Not Qualified: 15. Mike Bucher, broke.
Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.860, 331.69; 2. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.891, 335.40; 3. Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 3.891, 329.18; 4. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.908, 326.87; 5. Alexis DeJoria, Charger, 3.909, 329.58; 6. Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 3.914, 328.70; 7. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.917, 329.83; 8. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 3.922, 329.75; 9. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.930, 327.74; 10. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.965, 316.01; 11. Blake Alexander, Charger, 3.969, 323.97; 12. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.000, 280.66; 13. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.022, 317.49; 14. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 4.106, 268.60; 15. Buddy Hull, Charger, 8.843, 76.01. Not Qualified: 16. Phil Burkart, broke.
Boosting your YouTube channel with purchased views and likes has become a common practice in 2025 — especially for creators aiming to stand out in an overcrowded space. But not all providers offer the same level of safety, quality, or speed. Here’s a list of the top 7 platforms you can trust.
1. Graming
Graming is one of the most reliable platforms in the YouTube promotion space. It offers high-retention views, real-looking likes, and fast delivery — often starting within an hour after payment. One of the key advantages of Graming is its transparent pricing structure and round-the-clock support.
If you’re serious about growing your engagement with a trusted partner, Graming is a solid first choice. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned creator, the platform adapts to your needs without compromising on quality.
2. UseViral
UseViral is a long-standing name in the social media marketing world. They offer a wide variety of YouTube services — from views and likes to shares and comments. What makes UseViral stand out is its network of real users and partnerships across multiple platforms.
If you’re aiming for organic-looking results with international targeting options, UseViral is worth checking out. Their customer base includes influencers, marketers, and even businesses looking for quick social proof.
3. HeroLikes
HeroLikes has built a strong reputation for delivering fast YouTube growth. It focuses on high-quality engagement rather than just inflated numbers. Their YouTube likes and views packages are curated for retention and designed to pass platform checks.
If you’re looking for a smooth and effective boost, HeroLikes keeps things simple and efficient. Their dashboard is easy to navigate, and their delivery is reliable, making them a favorite among content creators who prioritize time and consistency.
4. SocialPros
SocialPros is known for delivering fast results without compromising on security. Their YouTube services come with flexible packages, perfect for testing out or scaling up. One notable feature is their optional drip-feed delivery to make engagement look more natural.
For anyone concerned about sudden spikes raising flags, SocialPros offers a practical way to grow steadily while maintaining credibility. Their pricing is competitive, and their support team is responsive and professional.
5. Media Mister
Media Mister is a full-spectrum platform offering services across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and more. For YouTube specifically, they allow granular customization: targeting by geography, specific interaction types, and delivery speed.
If you like to control every detail of your campaign, Media Mister gives you tools to tweak the promotion to match your strategy. It’s especially suitable for businesses or marketing agencies managing multiple channels.
6. SidesMedia
SidesMedia delivers social media growth across various platforms, but its YouTube service is among the most popular. They offer real-looking likes and views, with a promise of discreet and secure delivery. One of their strengths lies in consistency — what you order is exactly what you get, every time.
For creators who need a hands-off approach with guaranteed results, SidesMedia provides the reliability and automation needed to keep the momentum going.
7. StormViews
StormViews rounds out our list with an affordable and beginner-friendly service. Their packages cater to small and medium creators who want to test the waters before scaling up. What makes StormViews appealing is its simplicity — you pick a package, make a payment, and see results in hours.
While they don’t offer the same customization as some larger platforms, StormViews is ideal for straightforward campaigns that focus on views and likes without the extra noise.
Creators on Reddit often share their experiences when buying views and likes. This discussion on buying YouTube views and likes provides insights into what works in 2025 — including real-user recommendations and red flags to avoid.
Conclusion
Buying YouTube views and likes is no longer taboo — it’s part of many creators’ strategy to break out of the algorithm’s shadow. Just make sure you’re choosing platforms that value quality and security. Each service on this list brings something unique to the table, whether it’s customization, speed, or support.
Ready to take your channel to the next level? Choose the service that fits your style and start building your presence today.
LEBANON, TENNESSEE - MAY 30: Rajah Caruth, driver of the #71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway on May 30, 2025 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images).
Rajah Caruth capitalized on flawless pit services that got him the lead before he outdueled Corey Heim and Layne Riggs through a 47-lap dash to win the Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway on Friday, May 30.
The 22-year-old Caruth from Washington, D.C. led twice for a race-high 61 of 150 scheduled laps. He rolled off the starting grid in 10th place and raced up front from start to finish.
Despite falling short of capturing the event’s first two stage victories on the track to Riggs and Heim, respectively, Caruth’s key move to the overall race victory occurred on pit road. During the first two stage break periods, Caruth’s No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team executed flawless pit stops that enabled the driver to exit pit road first.
With the lead in his possession at the start of the final stage period with 47 laps remaining, Caruth would use both clean air and strong defensive driving through every turn and corner to fend off both Heim and Riggs for the remainder of the event. In addition to weaving his way through lapped traffic, these factors allowed Caruth to emerge victorious for his first elusive NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory of the 2025 season
On-track qualifying was canceled due to inclement weather. The starting lineup was determined by a metric formula per the NASCAR rulebook. As a result, Corey Heim, winner of last weekend’s event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, was awarded the pole position. Joining Heim on the front row was Kaden Honeycutt. Before the event, Stewart Friesen dropped to the rear of the field due to an engine change.
When the green flag waved, Corey Heim jumped ahead of Kaden Honeycutt and the field through the frontstretch. Heim led through the first two turns. Layne Riggs, who was racing underneath Honeycutt in an early bid for the runner-up spot, got loose as both he and Honeycutt briefly went up the track amid light contact from Riggs. Despite keeping their respective trucks racing straight, both Riggs and Honeycutt would then be mixed in a bevy of battles as the field fanned out the backstretch. Amid the early jostles within the field, Heim led the first lap while Corey Day moved into second place.
During the second lap, the event’s first caution flew due to fluid reported on the track. At the time of caution, rookie Frankie Muniz took his No. 33 Buy American Veteran Ford F-150 entry to the garage due to an engine issue.
The event restarted on the 10th lap following an extensive caution period. Corey Day received a draft from teammate Rajah Caruth to challenge Heim from the outside lane through the frontstretch. Despite Day’s effort to muscle ahead, Heim gained a slight advantage from the inside lane through the first two turns, though Day fought back from the outside lane. Caruth then executed a bold three-wide move beneath both Heim and Day. This allowed the HendrickCars.com duo of Caruth and Day to overtake Heim exiting the backstretch as Day proceeded to lead the next lap.
During the following lap (Lap 12), Heim wasted no time bolting his way back to the front. He used the outside lane to overtake Day through the first two turns. With the lead back in Heim’s possession, Riggs muscled his No. 34 Love’s Ford F-150 entry into the runner-up spot. Day and Caruth dropped to third and fourth, respectively, in front of Honeycutt. As both Caruth and Day fended off Honeycutt for third and fourth on the track, Heim retained the lead by four-tenths of a second over Riggs by Lap 15.
Just past the Lap 20 mark, Riggs, who assumed the lead from Heim following a duel through the frontstretch on Lap 19, was leading by four-tenths of a second over Heim. Behind, Caruth, Day and Honeycutt followed suit in the top five ahead of Daniel Hemric, Grant Enfinger, Bayley Currey, Tyler Ankrum and Ben Rhodes while Jake Garcia, rookie Giovanni Ruggiero, William Sawalich, Matt Mills, rookie Connor Mosack, Chandler Smith, rookie Andres Perez de Lara, Tanner Gray, Matt Crafton and Luke Fenhaus trailed in the top 20, respectively.
Through the first 30 scheduled laps, Riggs extended his early advantage to more than a second over Heim while Caruth, Honeycutt and Day continued to pursue in the top five. Riggs would proceed to stabilize his advantage to nine-tenths of a second over Heim at the Lap 35 mark while Hemric, Enfinger, Currey, Ankrum and Rhodes all continued to race in the top 10, respectively.
When the first stage period concluded on Lap 45, Riggs, who spent the previous few laps encountering issues navigating through lapped traffic, among which included Kyle Busch and Matt Crafton, fended off a hard-charging Heim by two-tenths of a second to capture his third Truck stage victory of the 2025 season. Heim settled in second ahead of Caruth, Hemric and Honeycutt. Day, Ankrum, Enfinger, Currey and Rhodes were scored in the top 10, respectively.
By then, Busch, who was mired back in 25th place after he served an early pass-through penalty through pit road due to a restart violation on the 10th lap, managed to fend off Riggs to remain on the lead lap. Crafton, who was mired in 24th place, also managed to remain on the lead lap.
Under the stage break, the lead lap field led by Riggs pitted for a first round of pit service. Following the pit stops, Caruth exited pit road first ahead of Heim, Riggs (who had a slow pit service on the right-front tire area), Honeycutt and Hemric while Day, Currey, Ankrum, Ruggiero and Rhodes followed suit, respectively.
The second stage period started on Lap 53 as Caruth and Heim occupied the front row. At the start, Caruth used the inside lane to rocket ahead of Heim and the field through the first two turns and the backstretch. With the field fanning out, Honeycutt pursued Heim for the runner-up spot as Caruth led the following lap.
Then on Lap 55, the caution returned when Jack Wood, who was racing within the top-20 mark and trying to get underneath Ty Majeski, spun his No. 91 Adaptive One Calipers Chevrolet Silverado RST entry through the middle of Turns 3 and 4. While Wood avoided catastrophe as the field dodged him, Akinori Ogata spun and made rear-end contact with the outside wall. At the moment of caution, Caruth had reassumed the lead from a hard-charging Heim despite the latter’s move to lead the previous lap.
The start of the following restart on Lap 60 featured the field fanning out through the frontstretch. Heim used the outside lane and a strong push from Riggs to muscle his No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry ahead of Caruth through the first two turns. Heim proceeded to lead the following lap while Riggs closed in on Caruth for the runner-up spot.
Behind, Day would retain fifth place ahead of Enfinger, Currey, Ankrum, Hemric and Garcia while Honeycutt retained fourth place. Amid the battles around the field, Heim stretched his lead to nine-tenths of a second over Caruth by Lap 65.
At the halfway mark on Lap 75, Heim was leading by seven-tenths of a second over runner-up Caruth and by a second over third-place Riggs while Honeycutt and Day pursued in the top five. Behind, Enfinger, Currey, Ankrum, Hemric and Jake Garcia raced in the top 10. By then, Dawson Sutton was up in 11th place ahead of Rhodes, Ty Majeski, Stewart Friesen and Ruggiero while Perez de Lara, Kyle Busch, Mosack, Tanner Gray and William Sawalich occupied the top-20 spots ahead of Luke Fenhaus, Chandler Smith, Jack Wood, Matt Mills and Matt Crafton, respectively.
By Lap 80, Riggs, who overtook Caruth for the runner-up spot two laps earlier, trailed Heim for the lead by nearly eight-tenths of a second. Heim, however, would stretch his lead to more than a second another five laps later as Caruth, Honeycutt and Day all trailed the lead by in the top-five mark.
When the second stage period concluded on Lap 95, Heim, who extended his lead to more than two seconds, captured his ninth Truck stage victory of the 2025 season. Riggs followed suit in second ahead of Caruth, Day and Honeycutt while Enfinger, Currey, Hemric, Garcia and Ankrum were scored in the top 10, respectively,
During the stage break, the lead lap field led by Heim returned to pit road for service. Following the pit stops, Caruth exited pit road first and he was followed by Heim, Enfinger, Day, Honeycutt, Hemric and Currey. Meanwhile, Riggs, who encountered a slow pit service due to issues having his right-front tire removed for a second consecutive time, plummeted to eighth place ahead of Majeski and Ruggiero.
With 47 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as Caruth and Heim occupied the front row. At the start, Caruth steadily jumped ahead from the inside lane before he muscled ahead of both Heim and the field that had fanned out to lead through the first two turns. Caruth would lead both Heim and Day through the backstretch as Hemric battled and overtook Enfinger for fourth place. As Riggs battled both Enfinger and Honeycutt for fifth place in his late efforts to charge back to the front, Caruth led the following lap over Heim and he would stabilize his lead to four-tenths of a second with 45 laps remaining.
Down to the final 40 laps of the event, Caruth was leading by seven-tenths of a second over Heim while third-place Hemric trailed by two seconds. With Day racing in fourth place, Riggs carved his way back up to fifth place, where he trailed the lead by three seconds, while Honeycutt, Enfinger, Currey, Majeski and Chandler Smith were in the top 10, respectively.
Ten laps later, Caruth slightly stretched his advantage to eight-tenths of a second over Heim while Riggs, who moved into third place a lap earlier, trailed the lead by more than two seconds. Meanwhile, Hemric dropped to fourth place while Day occupied fifth place. With Honeycutt, Enfinger, Currey, Majeski and Chandler Smith racing in the top 10, Caruth, who led by a second a few laps earlier, had his advantage shrink to half a second over Heim with 20 laps remaining.
With 15 laps remaining, Caruth, who was navigating his way through lapped traffic, among which included Matt Crafton, maintained the lead by seven-tenths of a second over a hard-charging Heim. Behind, Riggs continued to trail in third place by more than a second while both Hemric and Day retained fourth and fifth, respectively, on the track. Meanwhile, Caruth, who managed to navigate his way through a bevy of lapped traffic, had his lead decreased to four-tenths of a second as Heim reeled Caruth back in with 10 laps remaining.
Down to the final five laps of the event, a three-truck battle for the lead ensued as Caruth held a one-tenth-of-a-second lead over Heim. Third-place Riggs joined the battle as the latter trailed by four-tenths of a second.
Through the turns, Heim used the outside lane to try and get to Caruth’s right-rear quarter panel. But Caruth would transition to the outside lane to briefly stall Heim’s momentum. Caruth would then have enough muscle to power his No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST entry ahead entering the straightaways. Amid Caruth’s defensive driving on Heim, this allowed Riggs to start making attempts on getting alongside Heim for the runner-up spot.
Over the final four laps, Riggs would try and use the corners to get alongside Heim in his bid for the runner-up spot. Heim, however, would have enough horsepower to fend off Riggs to maintain the spot, all while trying to pursue and reel back Caruth in for the lead. Caruth would then use the straightaways to break the draft and not allow both Heim and Riggs to gain any draft. To go along with Riggs’ repeated attempts to claim the runner-up spot over Heim, Caruth slightly stretched his advantage back up to over half a second as time was slowly running out for both Heim and Riggs.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Caruth remained in the lead by within half a second over both Heim and Riggs. As Caruth retained the lead through the first two turns, Heim would then start to gain a draft on the latter through the backstretch. Heim then tried to peddle his truck as hard as he could to get to Caruth’s rear bumper, but he was not within reach as Caruth managed to cycle back to the frontstretch and claim the checkered flag to win by half a second.
With the victory, Caruth, who entered Nashville situated in 13th place in the driver’s standings with two top-five results through 11 events, notched his second career win in the Craftsman Truck Series division and his first since he won his first series’ event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March 2024. Caruth, who became the fifth series’ regular to be guaranteed a 2025 Truck Series Playoff berth by winning, also achieved his first victory with his new veteran crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion. The victory was also the fourth of the year for Spire Motorsports and the sixth of the 2025 campaign for the Chevrolet nameplate.
“I didn’t expect that at all,” Caruth, who credited his pit crew for the victory, said on the frontstretch on FS1. “[Heim and Riggs] were breathing down my neck the whole run. My pit crew won that race. [They] Got us off pit road twice. Thanks to them. We’ve been off this year, but good to get it done tonight. I’m out of breath, but that was a lot of fun.
He continued, “I just asked myself, ‘How bad you wanted it?’ I don’t know. I just tried my best. We had clean air and their stuff was better, but I just did my best. That was it.”
Corey Heim, who led 58 laps compared to Caruth’s high of 61, settled in second place for his fifth top-two result of the year while Layne Riggs, who led 30 laps and had to rally from two slow pit services, ended up in third place for his fifth top-five result of the year. Despite falling short of winning, both Heim and Riggs were left satisfied with their runs and praised Caruth’s defensive driving for the victory.
“[Caruth] did an awesome job managing from the lead,” Heim said. “I was really free behind him and he made pretty much the right choice every time as far as where I was gonna go. It’s nice racing against people that aren’t going to wreck you racing for the lead, so that was cool and big congrats to him. I would have loved to get my first [Gibson] guitar, but [there’s] always next time.”
“That was unfortunate,” Riggs said. “[My pit crew] just couldn’t get the [right-front] tire back on. We lost spots in the first stop and I got’em back mostly. I just feel like I gave [the race] away on pit road tonight, but overall, the truck has no damage on it. Good racing with [Caruth and Heim] there at the end. We had a good time. I’m leaving here with a smile. Good points day for everybody.”
Daniel Hemric came home in fourth place while Corey Day achieved his first top-five result in the series in fifth place. Kaden Honeycutt, Chandler Smith, Ty Majeski, Bayley Currey and Grant Enfinger completed the top 10 in the final running order.
There were seven lead changes for four different leaders. The race featured four cautions for 27 laps. In addition, 23 of 32 starters finished on the lead lap.
Following the 12th event of the 2025 Craftsman Truck Series season, Corey Heim leads the regular-season standings by 122 points over Daniel Hemric, 125 over Chandler Smith and 160 over both Tyler Ankrum and Grant Enfinger.
Results:
1. Rajah Caruth, 61 laps led 2. Corey Heim, 58 laps led, Stage 2 winner 3. Layne Riggs, 30 laps led, Stage 1 winner 4. Daniel Hemric 5. Corey Day, one lap led 6. Kaden Honeycutt 7. Chandler Smith 8. Ty Majeski 9. Bayley Currey 10. Grant Enfinger 11. Dawson Sutton 12. Jake Garcia 13. Giovanni Ruggiero 14. Ben Rhodes 15. Kyle Busch 16. Tanner Gray 17. Tyler Ankrum 18. Luke Fenhaus 19. Andres Perez de Lara 20. Jack Wood 21. Stewart Friesen 22. Matt Mills 23. Connor Mosack 24. William Sawalich, one lap down 25. Matt Crafton, one lap down 26. Spencer Boyd, two laps down 27. Clayton Green, two laps down 28. Nathan Byrd, three laps down 29. Tyler Tomassi, three laps down 30. Toni Breidinger, six laps down 31. Akinori Ogata, six laps down 32. Frankie Muniz – OUT, Engine
Next on the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule is the series’ return to Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, for the DQS Solutions & Staffing 200. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, June 7, and air at noon ET on FOX.
CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES CHEVROLET DETROIT GRAND PRIX STREETS OF DETROIT DETROIT, MICHIGAN TEAM CHEVY FRIDAY PRACTICE
MAY 30, 2025
Chevrolet-powered drivers Scott McLaughlin in the No. 3 TireRack.com Team Penske Chevrolet, Will Power in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet and Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet held spots in the top five of Friday’s first practice on the tight 1.645-mile, 10-turn, downtown Detroit street circuit, in the shadow of General Motors global headquarters.
David Malukas, in No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet (A.J. Foyt Racing), was the quickest driver in the full field session, where the drivers utilized the harder Firestone primary tires (Blacks) with a lap at 62.819 seconds, with McLaughlin and Newgarden were also in the top four.
To decrease traffic during the driver’s runs on the softer Firestone alternate tires (Greens), the field was split into two and given 12 minutes to complete a quick lap. Power, Newgarden and Lundgaard were the fastest in the first portion, while the second portion saw McLaughlin and Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet second and third quickest.
Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear Friday Practice Results:
Tune-In Alert
Saturday
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #2 – 9am (ET)/8am (CT)/7am (MT)/6am (PT) – FS1/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying – noon (ET)/11am (CT)/10am (MT)/9am (PT) – FS1/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218
Sunday
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 9:30am (ET)/8:30am (CT)/7:30am (MT)/6:30am (PT) – FS1/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix (85 laps) – 12:30pm (ET)/11:30am (CT)/10:30am (MT)/9:30am (PT) – FOX/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (QUOTES):
A.J. FOYT RACING
David Malukas, No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet:
“It seems that the momentum from the five hundred and indy, the whole month of may, i think we did a good job building the chemistry with the team, and it seems like we’re carrying that momentum here in detroit. We had a good session, obviously, very tough to get track time and try to put it all together. but overall, i thought we were fast. Kind of hard to tell roughly where we’re at, since I think a lot of guys are struggling to get laps in but that’s just the characteristic of Detroit, so very happy to start off this weekend and we’ll carry it into tomorrow.”
“Okay. Honestly, nice to be back in Detroit, you know, we were just very locked down with the Chevy. Other than that, I’m pretty happy with a bunch of other changes we made, I think we know what the big thing is coming into free practice two tomorrow. Should be fun.”
ARROW MCLAREN
Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:
“Back in bumpy Detroit, and we need to make the car a little bit better in the window for Qualifying. We’ll see what we can make better overnight.”
Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:
“Practice 1 was a bit hectic. We’re back in the swing of things on the street course. I don’t think our pace is bad. I didn’t really do a lap on the Firestone Alternates, at least not a lap that I was happy with. No concerns for the rest of the weekend. I think we’ll figure it out. There is pace in the car. I just need to put it altogether. It’s my first time in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES here, so I’ll give myself a learning session, and we’ll be back at it tomorrow.”
Christian Lundgaard, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:
“At the end of the day, we have a really good package. We’ve had a good package all year. We’ve scored very good points. We’re third in the championship, coming off a career best Indy (500). We’re here to be competitive once again and that’s our main goal. I think my Chevy feels great. We had a good morning session here. I think that’s the first time this year we’ve rolled off relatively competitive, so I think there is a lot of positives to come for the rest of the weekend.”
PREMA
Robert Shwartzman, No. 83 PREMA Racing Chevrolet:
“I have completed the first free practice here in Detroit. The first free practice for me at this track. I had quite a bit of fun. I finally managed to do a full practice session, which was the first achievement. Later on, we tried a few things. Getting used to the bumps, the turns. Overall, we’re not as bad as I would expect. I think we can have some good potential. Obviously, not with the top, top guys, but to battle in the mid (pack), we can have a chance. Overall, it went pretty decent. We need to have a look at the data. Overall the car and engine felt really good. Thanks Chevy for that. The car overall feels quite good, we just need to find the way to tune it a bit better for the bumps. Hopefully, the car will be a bit faster tomorrow.”
Callum Ilott, No, 90 PREMA Racing Chevrolet:
“Overall, a good start to the weekend. The car felt good straightaway and we were able to make quick improvements with the car on the damper side and some other little things. Over the bumps, that is the main thing to get right. I think the team has done a good job and the Chevy engine pulls quite well down the straight. Let’s see what we can do tomorrow.”
TEAM PENSKE
Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 TireRack.com Team Penske Chevrolet:
“Pretty solid day for us in the TireRack.com Chevy. We went through our paces and went through our laps and we’ve got a pretty good car. I really want to do this for Chevy on their home ground.”
Will Power, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet:
“The Verizon Chevy was very good on the softer tire. Struggled a bit on blacks to get it exactly right. Yeah. Big, big difference. The soft tires are not bad. They lasted three, four laps, like, pushing really hard. So maybe that bodes well for the race. You can actually use them. The first two street courses we’ve done, they’ve degraded a lot, but that didn’t feel terrible. That may be okay. But my car is certainly better on reds. We just have to work out what to do for blacks. There’s always a lot of traffic here, a lot of chaos.”
David Malukas Press Conference
THE MODERATOR: David Malukas, driver of the No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet for AJ Foyt Enterprises. Sunday will mark his third Detroit GP, P1 in that alt car session to lead things off here this weekend. Car acting well, are you happy so far?
DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, I’m really happy. We managed to get some laps in the beginning. It’s a bit tough to kind of judge where we are compared to everybody else because I think everybody is struggling to get laps. But we got a good lap in, and the lap time was there at the start.
Second time around, we were struggling, but I also kind of flew off the track a couple times and didn’t myself.
But I think we’re in a happy spot and very comfortable with the car.
Q. Can you elaborate on that a little bit more? Seemed like Turn 1 got you twice.
DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, so actually it was kind of just driver error. I started losing the rears on the primaries, so ended up having a moment initially there, so I moved the bias more to the rear because I locked the fronts on the primaries, but then we put the alternates on and then i locked the rears because I never put it back.
Yeah, learned my lesson. I think I’ve done that too many times now, so that was kind of the issue we won.
Overall, yeah, we’re kind of trying to judge the movement going from primaries to alternates. Didn’t really get that right. We were looking at that first group, seemed like people were taking a little bit of time to get it up to temp and get that peak tire, but for us it kind of came in immediately and we weren’t really expecting that, so caught us off guard.
Q. Is it frustrating when you can only get one lap in during that session? Maybe it’s your fault, maybe it’s other people’s fault, but is it frustrating to only have that one lap on those tires?
DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, but it’s kind of just how it’s going to be for qualifying and how it’s kind of been for the street courses.
Yeah, it’s frustrating, but it’s kind of been like that so far this season, so…
Q. They went back to the original tire rules. There was that change for Indy Grand Prix. Does it matter to you?
DAVID MALUKAS: I think it’s just I prefer the way it is now because I feel like in Indy GP they were kind of cutting us a little bit from options when it comes to race strategy, forcing those rules.
But I think here having the option to choose what we want for the race is preferable.
Q. In recent years, this track has been known to create some mayhem. Do you see more or less happening this Sunday?
DAVID MALUKAS: Well, with this season, it seems like everything has been a lot less when it comes to yellows. But I’ll be surprised if there’s not going to be a yellow for this race. It’s very — with the way it’s set up, Turn 1, it’s very wide on entry and it looks inviting and then all of a sudden it gets very, very tight on the exit, and it happens a lot around this track.
It’s going to be — we’ll see. I’m not going to say anything because I’ve been saying and looking at data and the data says 100 percent chance that it’s not going to be a yellow, and we do setups for it and then there isn’t a yellow and then there is a yellow, and then the data has been incorrect with how it’s been this year. So I don’t know what to say.
Q. Also they’ve changed the start zone. What do you think of that?
DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, I think it’s better. Kyle reached out to me, and I think all the drivers have got to give some feedback beforehand. I think it’s a good change, and obviously we’ll see how it goes when we get on track.
Q. Can you just kind of elaborate on that and describe the challenge of this track, how you manage the bumps, obviously the narrowness of it? How hard is this place to drive around, especially coming from Indy to here and the reset that you’ve got to make?
DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, it’s very difficult. Thankfully I went on the simulator before coming here and did over 100 laps to kind of prepare for it just because I know that transition is very tough from previous years, going for a whole month on an oval and now coming to I think one of the most technical courses for us.
I had a little bit of preparation beforehand but it’s just so tough because the way this track is, all the bumps tend to be mid to out when you’re trying to accelerate, and those bumps throw you what is a wall.
It gets very tough, especially entering 8 where the alt start line is. That bump is a big one and it’s very aggressive, so I think it’s catching a lot of people off guard. That’s kind of the one that we’re heavily focused on, but that’s just the general layout of this entire track is all the exits are a little bit more those bumps.
But yeah, I enjoy it. The margin for error is very small.
Q. Obviously a really strong 500, but the season before that maybe hadn’t been where we’d seen the team last year on the Santino side. What are the improvements that maybe had to be made from those first five rounds of the season, and are you confident now, especially with the momentum coming from the 500 that a bit of an upswing can be seen?
DAVID MALUKAS: I’ve kind of said throughout the start of the entire season that we really are looking forward to the month of May because we’re with the team for the entire month. We can really build on the car and work on the chemistry of each other and really understand what we want and start building some momentum for the second half of the season.
I feel like that’s kind of what’s happened, and it’s something that I’ve experienced on my first year in INDYCAR where really things didn’t turn around for me until the month of May. That’s just kind of being with a new team, how it is. We’ve made really good improvements with the setup and different things that we wanted throughout the month of May, and I think it’s going to be shown for us this week.
Q. I’m pretty sure you were the car that Power and Kirkwood went past during their little incident?
DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, that was really cool.
Q. What was your view of that?
DAVID MALUKAS: I mean, for a second, getting back in the car, for me it just felt like I was back playing iRacing or rFactor. I was like, yeah, I’d totally do that in a video game. It was pretty cool to see him just push Ericsson, and actually in my peripheral vision, because Ericsson went off and Power just blasted through, and I just drove by and I just see Ericsson’s hand like going in the air, like, what the hell is going on.
But it was interesting to see. I couldn’t believe it. I was very confused at the start. I thought something was wrong with Ericsson and Power was towing him across like the “Cars” movie. It was interesting at first but then I realized it was not that, so…
Q. Can you elaborate maybe on the dust issue? Is that kind of the nature of street circuits, or is it maybe the time of day —
DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, I keep coughing right now because there’s a bunch of dust inside of me. Yeah, it’s always the first session just with the air tube coming in. There’s just a lot of dust and cleaning that we have to do. Unfortunately that dust comes off of that car and goes straight into that tube and straight into my face. That’s the one downside to having the Darth Vader mask, but I only have that issue for the first practice session, and then the rest I just look really cool.
Q. David, at St. Pete the tires for the alternates were the ones that the drivers said were one-lap wonders, and in terms of getting up to speed and then the speed falling off after one lap in qualifying, what do you think they’re going to be like here? Is it a similar situation?
DAVID MALUKAS: I think so. We were thinking it was maybe going to take a little bit longer, but it seemed for us it was coming in pretty fast, so I think it’s going to be something very similar.
Q. David, to go back to the whole dust thing, is it exacerbated here because you have IMSA and INDY NXT? At St. Pete you have all different Road to Indy series, MX-5 Cup, limited running here from everybody else to help clean up the track beforehand, quote-unquote?
DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, I mean, that could probably be it, yeah. But I don’t really know. All I know is there’s a lot of dust going in my face, so…
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.
DETROIT (Friday, May 30, 2025) – In an interesting twist to the racing euphemism “bump and run,” Kyle Kirkwood got the bump and then made a superb run to lead practice Friday for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear.
Kirkwood topped the 80-minute session, separated into groups, with a lap of 1 minute, 1.7509 seconds in the No. 27 Siemens AWS Honda of Andretti Global. That quick trip around the nine-turn, 1.645-mile street circuit in downtown Detroit came after Kirkwood spent considerable time in the pits for repairs to the rear of his car after being nudged from behind through a short section of the circuit amid slower traffic by the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet of two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Will Power.
“I don’t know,” Kirkwood said. “Everyone goes slow around here. The track’s not big enough to fit all the cars, and he got frustrated. Whatever, I guess. I’m not upset. I don’t care. We’re P1.”
Said Power: “I came around, and he slowed up in the middle and made contact. So, I thought, ‘Well, I may as well get a gap now,’ so I just pushed him past the car in front, just moved him out of the way and got a really nice gap.”
Scott McLaughlin began his recovery from crashing out of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on the pace lap last Sunday by ending up second today at 1:02.0301 in the No. 3 TireRack.com Team Penske Chevrolet. Power was third at 1:02.3862.
Two-time series champion Josef Newgarden was the third Team Penske driver in the top four with his best lap of 1:02.4819 in the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet. Christian Lundgaard rounded out the top five at 1:02.6047 in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.
Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Alex Palou, the runaway series points leader with five wins in the first six races this season, looked mortal in this session. Three-time series champion Palou ended up 15th out of 27 cars at 1:03.0381 in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou locked up his front Firestone Firehawk tires entering a braking zone during the session and rolled past the corner but made no contact in the run-off area.
Defending Detroit winner and six-time series champion Scott Dixon was 18th at 1:03.0985 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Up next is practice at 9 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by NTT P1 Award qualifying at noon (both sessions FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). The 100-lap race starts at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday (FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).
DETROIT (Friday, May 30, 2025) – Just when it appeared Dennis Hauger might be mortal, he sent a message Friday afternoon to the rest of the INDY NXT by Firestone field during the final moments of the first practice for the Detroit Grand Prix.
Series points leader Hauger turned the quickest lap of the opening session of the weekend, 1 minute, 6.8158 seconds, in the No. 28 Rental Group car fielded by Andretti Global on his final trip around the nine-turn, 1.645-mile street circuit in downtown Detroit.
“Good run,” Hauger said. “We were having some issue in the middle of practice, which wasn’t ideal, and we didn’t get to do as many laps as the others. But we still found good pace. Getting laps was the most important thing with a new track (for me), and a track like this, it’s not easy to get on with quickly.
“A good start. We have to keep improving for tomorrow.”
Those are ominous words for Hauger’s rivals. He has won three of the first four races this season in the INDYCAR development series and is 15 points ahead of fellow Andretti Global series rookie Lochie Hughes atop the standings.
Up next is practice at 8 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by qualifying at 11:30 a.m. (both sessions FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). The 45-lap race starts at 10:30 a.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).
2024 series Rookie of the Year Caio Collet ended up second at 1:07.1961 in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports machine, also ripping off his quickest lap late in the 45-minute session.
Rookie Max Taylor, just 17 years old, sat atop the time sheets with one minute to go but ended up still an impressive third at 1:07.2210 in the No. 18 HMD Motorsports car. Series veteran Myles Rowe was fourth at 1:07.3022 in the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy machine.
Veteran Salvador de Alba rounded out the top five at 1:07.3826 in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car of Andretti Global. That team put three drivers in the top six as Hughes’ best lap was 1:07.4375 in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car.
The unforgiving concrete walls around tight, bumpy street circuit in downtown Detroit collected their share of cars during the session.
Andretti Global’s James Roe brought out a red flag with heavy left-side contact in Turn 7 in his No. 29 Topcon machine, while Liam Sceats later made contact in Turn 4 in his No. 30 HMD Motorsports car shortly after the track opened following Roe’s incident.
Also making light contact without causing a red flag were rookie Tommy Smith in the No. 16 HMD Motorsports machine and veteran Niels Koolen in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing car.
None of the drivers involved in the incidents was hurt.
LEBANON, Tenn. – Country music star and former NASCAR pit crew member Chase Rice will take the wheel as the honorary pace car driver for the Cracker Barrel 400 this Sunday at Nashville Superspeedway.
“A show like the Cracker Barrel 400 with this much horsepower deserves plenty of star power, too,” said Nashville Superspeedway general manager Matt Greci. “We are looking forward to welcoming Chase as our honorary pace car driver. His high-energy style and connection with fans make him the perfect fit to lead the field and kick off our celebration of ‘Guitars and Fast Cars.’”
With more than 2.8 million albums sold and over 2.9 billion total streams, plus a legion of passionate fans at his high-energy concerts across the globe, Rice has established himself as a powerful force in Nashville and beyond. With independent album Go Down Singin’ available everywhere now as the follow-up to the critically acclaimed I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell, and both brought together on the songwriter-focused Fireside Sessions, Rice’s sound continues to evolve to reflect the realities of his life; from emotional reckoning to an admiration of the American West. The new music serves as a follow up to his three-part project, The Album, which featured his latest Platinum-certified No. 1 hit, “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” and the Platinum-certified Top 10 hit “Lonely If You Are.”
This is the same gravelly-voiced Rice fans first fell in love with years ago – but better, freer; unbeholden and uninhibited. The new music builds upon the success of his sophomore album, Lambs & Lions, which featured the three-time Platinum, two-week chart topper “Eyes On You” – Rice’s first No. 1 as an artist and the most-streamed song of his career. Lambs & Lions followed Platinum-certified Ignite the Night, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums and No. 3 on the all-genre chart, producing a pair of Top 5 hits; Platinum-certified “Gonna Wanna Tonight” and double Platinum “Ready Set Roll.”
In addition to guesting on sold-out stadium shows with Kenny Chesney and Garth Brooks, Rice consistently sells out venues on his own headlining tours across the U.S. and beyond, with the Go Down Singin’ International Tour underway now.
Serving in Sunday’s role of honorary starter will be Cracker Barrel chief marketing officer Sarah Moore.
Moore joined Cracker Barrel, Nashville Superspeedway’s NASCAR Cup Series race entitlement partner, in 2024 and is responsible for leading all activities in the company’s marketing function including culinary innovation, menu strategy, advertising and digital media, loyalty, creative development, marketing communications and guest relations.
For more information, visit ChaseRice.com and follow Rice on Facebook, X and TikTok @ChaseRiceMusic and on Instagram @ChaseRice.
The Cracker Barrel 400 anchors a triple-header race weekend at Nashville Superspeedway, featuring NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series races from May 30 to June 1. A limited number of tickets are on sale now at nashvillesuperspeedway.com or by calling 866.RACE.TIX.
Friday, May 30 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Rackley Roofing 200 (7 p.m. CT, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday, May 31 Wilson County Convention and Visitors Bureau Qualifying (2:10 p.m. Xfinity Series, The CW, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) (4:40 p.m. Cup Series, Amazon Prime Video, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
NASCAR Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250 (6:30 p.m. CT, The CW, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday, June 1
NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 (6 p.m. CT, Amazon Prime Video, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday, Aug. 31
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Big Machine Music City Grand Prix (2:30 p.m. CT, FOX, INDYCAR Live, SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation) Call 866.RACE.TIX to discuss your options with an account representative, or visit nashvillesuperspeedway.com.
Keep track of all of Nashville Superspeedway’s events by following on X and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan.
About Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway stands as Middle Tennessee’s premier racing destination, nestled in one of America’s most dynamic and rapidly expanding regions. Our 1.33-mile D-shaped concrete track, featuring 14 degrees of banking, holds the distinction of being NASCAR’s largest all-concrete venue. Nashville Superspeedway’s rich racing heritage includes four NASCAR Cup Series races, 25 NASCAR Xfinity Series events, 17 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitions and nine INDYCAR SERIES battles — including the 2024 INDYCAR SERIES championship finale. As a Speedway Motorsports property, Nashville Superspeedway serves as a year-round entertainment venue welcoming families and race fans from across the nation.
INDIANAPOLIS - MAY 25: Robert Shwartzman's crew services his car during the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 of the NTT IndyCar Series at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025. Photo: Paul Hurley/Penske Entertainment
DETROIT — Robert Shwartzman experienced both an incredible high and a low point of his Indianapolis 500.
Two weeks ago, he topped the charts to win the pole for the NTT IndyCar Series’ crown jewel. The first rookie to do so since Teo Fabi in 1983, and the first INDYCAR pole for Prema Racing.
“That’s the most crazy thing that we’ve done,” he said. “It was just so happy and so excited. I mean, it’s a history. It’s awesome.”
Then came the race itself, where it all fell apart.
First was brake issues that his team couldn’t fix.
“So it was, it would be, you know, starting already the race with those brakes was already a game over,” he said. “Let’s call this way, because there was actual mechanical issue in them. So it’s very unfortunate.”
Then Shwartzman came into his pit stall too fast, hit some crew members, and damaged the front wing of his car.
“Obviously, I had no rear brakes anymore, coming with the old front tires,” he said. “Obviously, with the weight of the car, you just cannot stop. So I just barely touched the brakes, both front wheels and by inertia, which is going straight in the wall.”
Thankfully, nobody was seriously injured. Just some bruises and a toe injury to his fueler.
“I’m very happy, and luckily nobody got seriously injured, because that’s the most important thing,” he said. “And I’m happy that my first main impact was actually with the wall and not with someone’s legs. That was the main thing, because all of the damage they guys had, it was sort of a collateral. So they just had my side bolts and, you know, front wing. So there is just only one guy that had the injury to his toe, but all of the other guys just had bruises and, like, just some. Obviously, they need to also recover. But luckily, they’re all walking all fine and happy.”
Shwartzman visited his fueler, Spencer, in the hospital, and he was laughing about it.
“He’s such an awesome guy,” he said. “Is like, he was the one that had the engineer with the toe, and he was like, ‘I still fueled your car?’ Like the guy with a broken toe sort of still managed to fuel my car. And it’s just awesome to see the mentality of the guy. And he will recover. He’s going to be back where, you know, he’s going to take a bit of, couple of weeks to take back, and he’s also having a kid coming, so yeah, so he’s gonna be a dead and then when he’s gonna have all that, he’s gonna come back stronger, I’m sure, and we’re gonna get back to him.”
He finished the Indy 500 26th and left 23rd in points.
EPPING, N.H. (May 30, 2025) – As the NHRA Pro Stock class returns to competition at this weekend’s 12th annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway, reigning winner Troy Coughlin Jr. hopes the added time off helps him return to the winner’s circle with his Elite Motorsports team.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series’ Pro Stock division last took the track in Charlotte in late April, giving the Elite Motorsports added time to make progress. After the extended chance to work on things in the shop, Coughlin in his JEGS.com car and the rest of the Pro Stock drivers are excited take to the race track to compete for a coveted NHRA Wally trophy in Epping.
“Winning in Epping last year was definitely a great moment, but what truly sets us apart is our consistent team morale and positive attitude,” Coughlin said. “Even when things aren’t going our way, the spirit within this group never wavers.”
The sold-out crowd at last year’s race in Epping saw John Force (Funny Car), Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Coughlin (Pro Stock) claim race wins. It was Force, Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) who picked up Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge wins. Eliminations on FOX will be broadcast on Sunday, June 1 at 6 p.m. ET.
It is the seventh of 20 races during the 2025 season and Coughlin will also compete for the “No. 1 Clawifier Award presented by NAPA.” It will be on the line during Friday’s second session and a special chair made of lobster pots will await drivers on the top end, with the evening’s No. 1 qualifier sitting in the chair until they are replaced by a new No. 1 qualifier or claim the award. The driver will receive a large lobster, while the teams will be given lobster dinners.
It’s an added incentive for Coughlin, who won his first NHRA New England Nationals last year when he defeated his Elite Motorsports teammate and six-time champion Erica Enders in the finals. This season the Elite camp has struggled to match the performance of their long-time rivals at KB Titan Racing, with Dallas Glenn and reigning world champ Greg Anderson winning the first five races of 2025. But Coughlin believes New England will be the turning point in their season.
“The team at Elite Motorsports has been working tirelessly since we left Charlotte,” Coughlin said. “From long hours in the engine shop to the detailed maintenance on each car, every member of this group is fully committed to excellence. It’s truly impressive to witness the dedication and effort that goes into chasing a Mission Foods championship. Their relentless drive pushes me to bring my absolute best every time I strap in and let the clutch out.”
Former Top Fuel champion Kalitta is after his first victory of the season, taking on the likes of points leader and racing legend Tony Stewart, teammate Shawn Langdon, two-time champ Brittany Force, four-time champ Torrence, Josh Hart and reigning world champ Antron Brown.
Jack Beckman took over driving duties for Force after the legend’s crash in Richmond, and has won four times, including twice this year. He’s second in points with John Force Racing teammate and reigning champ Austin Prock sitting in first. Other standouts include Ron Capps, Matt Hagan, Paul Lee and local native Bob Tasca III.
Fans will be invited to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits. The stage hosts Nitro School, meet and greets, autograph sessions and much more. Race fans in Epping can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce each driver and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. Fans are also invited to congratulate the event winners at the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday.
As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their cars, get autographs and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 30 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, May 31 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 1. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, 7 p.m. on Saturday, and then eliminations action from 6-9 p.m. ET on Sunday on FOX.
To purchase tickets to the NHRA New England Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. For more information about NHRA, 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.
In today’s competitive automotive landscape, the success of car sales relies heavily on strategic promotion and brand visibility. The auto industry has evolved from traditional showrooms and newspaper advertisements to dynamic digital experiences and data-driven marketing. Whether a company is launching a new model or looking to sustain interest in existing vehicles, effective automotive marketing plays a pivotal role.
An experienced automotive marketing company can help bridge the gap between car manufacturers and consumers, ensuring that the right message reaches the right audience at the right time. This article explores the various facets of promoting cars through automotive marketing, highlighting essential strategies and modern tools that help brands stand out in a crowded market.
Understanding the Automotive Market Landscape
Before diving into specific strategies, it’s crucial to understand the current landscape of the automotive market. Modern consumers are more informed than ever, using online platforms to research car models, read reviews, and compare prices before stepping into a dealership. This shift has made it imperative for car brands to establish a strong online presence and engage customers at multiple touchpoints throughout their buying journey.
Moreover, environmental concerns, economic factors, and technological advancements like electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous driving are reshaping consumer preferences, requiring brands to stay agile and innovative in their marketing efforts.
Building a Strong Brand Identity
A compelling brand identity is the foundation of any successful marketing campaign. For automotive companies, this means clearly defining what their brand stands for—whether it’s performance, luxury, sustainability, affordability, or innovation. The brand message must be consistent across all marketing channels, from social media and email campaigns to television commercials and showroom displays.
Elements such as logo design, color schemes, slogans, and tone of voice all contribute to building a recognizable and trustworthy brand. A strong identity not only attracts potential customers but also fosters loyalty among existing ones.
Leveraging Digital Marketing Channels
Digital marketing has revolutionized the way cars are promoted. From SEO and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to influencer collaborations and social media campaigns, automotive brands now have an arsenal of tools to reach prospective buyers. SEO strategies help improve a brand’s visibility on search engines, ensuring that car shoppers find their website when looking for specific models or services. PPC campaigns can be highly targeted, displaying ads to users based on demographics, search history, and location. Social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok are ideal for showcasing vehicle features through engaging video content and customer testimonials.
Influencer and Content Marketing
Influencer marketing has emerged as a powerful strategy in the automotive space. Collaborating with car enthusiasts, tech reviewers, or lifestyle influencers can generate authentic content and reach niche audiences. When influencers share real-life experiences with a vehicle—whether it’s a test drive, unboxing, or a road trip vlog—it creates social proof and builds credibility. In parallel, content marketing in the form of blogs, videos, and downloadable guides educates potential buyers and keeps them engaged. High-quality, informative content helps build trust, answer common questions, and guide users through the purchasing process.
Experiential Marketing and Test Drives
Despite the rise of digital, physical experiences remain crucial in automotive marketing. Experiential marketing allows potential customers to interact with the vehicle firsthand. This could include setting up pop-up events in high-traffic areas, organizing roadshows, or hosting track days for performance models. Offering test drives is one of the most effective ways to convert interest into sales, as it gives buyers a tangible sense of the car’s performance, comfort, and features. These experiences can be enhanced with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies, allowing customers to explore car models in immersive environments even before stepping into a dealership.
The Role of Dealership Marketing
Dealerships are still a critical touchpoint in the car buying journey. A robust marketing strategy at the dealership level ensures a cohesive experience for the customer. This includes localized digital advertising, community engagement, special promotions, and maintaining a user-friendly website with inventory updates. Effective customer relationship management (CRM) systems can help dealerships nurture leads, follow up on inquiries, and personalize the sales process. Training dealership staff to align with brand values and offer superior customer service is equally important in reinforcing a positive brand image.
Harnessing Data and Analytics
Data-driven marketing is becoming the norm across industries, and automotive is no exception. Analytics tools can track user behavior, campaign performance, and lead conversions in real time. By analyzing this data, marketers can identify what’s working and what isn’t, enabling them to make informed decisions and adjust strategies accordingly. For example, tracking which keywords lead to the most test drive bookings or analyzing drop-off points on a website can uncover valuable insights. Marketing automation platforms also allow for personalized messaging, drip campaigns, and retargeting, improving both efficiency and effectiveness.
Email Marketing and Customer Retention
Email remains one of the most cost-effective tools for nurturing leads and maintaining customer relationships. Automotive brands can use email campaigns to follow up with leads, share new model announcements, offer service reminders, and provide personalized promotions. Segmenting the email list by customer interests, behavior, or stage in the buying cycle allows for more relevant communication. Post-sale engagement is equally important—offering service discounts, loyalty rewards, and satisfaction surveys can help turn one-time buyers into lifelong customers.
Search Engine Optimization for Local Reach
Local SEO is especially important for car dealerships and regional auto brands. Most people looking for a car will search terms like “dealership near me” or “best SUV in [city].” Ensuring your website is optimized for local searches—including location-based keywords, Google Business Profile updates, and local citations—can significantly increase visibility in your target market. Positive customer reviews and ratings also enhance local SEO performance, helping build trust and authority online.
Video Marketing and Visual Storytelling
Cars are visual products, and video marketing is one of the most impactful ways to showcase them. High-quality videos can highlight features, demonstrate performance, and evoke emotion. Whether it’s a cinematic advertisement, a walkaround video, or a behind-the-scenes look at vehicle production, visual content can greatly influence a buyer’s perception. Live streaming events such as new model unveilings or Q&A sessions with designers and engineers can further humanize the brand and create real-time engagement with the audience.
Social Proof and Customer Testimonials
Buyers trust other buyers. Incorporating customer reviews, testimonials, and case studies into marketing materials adds authenticity to a brand’s messaging. Video testimonials, Google reviews, and social media shoutouts from satisfied customers provide reassurance to potential buyers. Encouraging customers to share their car experiences using branded hashtags or user-generated content campaigns not only builds community but also extends the brand’s organic reach.
Eco-Friendly and Purpose-Driven Marketing
Today’s consumers—especially younger ones—are more environmentally conscious and purpose-driven. Highlighting a brand’s commitment to sustainability, whether through electric vehicles, carbon-neutral production processes, or community initiatives, can resonate strongly with this demographic. Campaigns focused on social impact, diversity, and environmental responsibility not only enhance brand image but also differentiate the brand in a meaningful way.
Conclusion
Promoting cars through automotive marketing is a multi-faceted endeavor that blends creativity, data, and strategy. As consumer behavior continues to shift toward digital experiences, automotive brands must adapt their marketing efforts to remain relevant and competitive. From digital campaigns and influencer partnerships to dealership experiences and data analytics, each component plays a vital role in connecting with potential buyers. Collaborating with a skilled automotive marketing company can streamline these efforts, ensuring that your brand drives attention, engagement, and ultimately, sales. In a market where visibility and trust are everything, smart automotive marketing is not just an advantage—it’s a necessity.
