Home Blog Page 497

RCR Race Preview: Dover Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
-

RCR in the NASCAR Cup Series at Dover Motor Speedway… Richard Childress Racing has four NASCAR Cup Series victories at Dover Motor Speedway. Dale Earnhardt won three times, including a sweep of both races in 1989 and the 1993 spring event. Jeff Burton won the 2006 fall event to claim his first win at Dover and first victory of the season. The Welcome, N.C., based organization has 25 top-five and 60 top-10 finishes at the Monster Mile.

RCR’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at the Monster Mile… Richard Childress Racing owns three NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at Dover Motor Speedway, two of which belong to Clint Bowyer (fall races in 2006 and 2009). Jeff Burton won the spring event in 2006, rallying from the 36th-place starting position and giving RCR a sweep of the Xfinity Series races that season. RCR has earned six poles, 23 top-five and 52 top-10 finishes in 105 starts.

Tickets to the 2025 Carolina Cowboys Home Stand Are Available Now… Driven by the same passion for performance that guides his race team, Richard Childress’ latest endeavor brings Professional Bull Riding to the Carolinas. The Carolina Cowboys represent the Carolinas in the PBR Team Series, an elite league featuring the world’s top bull riders competing in games throughout the country. The team is owned by Childress and Jeff Broin with 2018 Daytona 500 Champion Austin Dillon serving as General Manager. Don’t miss the Carolina Cowboys 2025 “Cowboy Days” Home Stand September 12-14 at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tickets are on sale at PBR.com and Ticketmaster.

Catch the Action on Saturday… The NASCAR Xfinity Series at Dover Motor Speedway will be televised live Saturday, July 19, beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET on The CW. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions will be shown for free on The CW App.

Watch Us on TNT Sports… The NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, July 20, beginning at 2 p.m. ET on TNT Sports, the fourth of five consecutive races this season that will air on TNT Sports. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. NASCAR Cup Series practice & qualifying at Dover Motor Speedway will be broadcast on truTV and Max. Ride shotgun all season long with live, in-car camera feeds and scanner audio with a paid subscription to Max as part of their NASCAR driver cam experience during the race.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet at Dover Motor Speedway… Austin Dillon has made 19 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Dover Motor Speedway, earning three top-10 finishes at the track, including a best finish of seventh in October 2018.

Beyond the Cup Series… In addition to his 19 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Dover Motor Speedway, Dillon has made eight NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, earning one pole award and a best finish of fourth. He has made two NASCAR Truck Series starts at the Monster Mile with a best finish of fourth. He also has one ARCA Menards Series East race under his belt at the one-mile concrete oval.

One Year Ago… Dillon and the No. 3 team are looking for redemption at Dover Motor Speedway after earning a dismal 27th-place finish at the track in 2024. The No. 3 team started the race 25th but fell two laps down after suspecting that a tire was going down in Stage One and never recovered.

BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Teams Up with Dillon… Dillon and the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team will be supported by BREZTRI AEROSPHERE®, an AstraZeneca product, at Dover Motor Speedway. This partnership is about more than just racing. You can learn more about Dillon and his family’s personal connection to the brand at Breztri.com. AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and Biopharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.

Meet Dillon… Fans traveling to Dover Motor Speedway this weekend will have the chance to meet the driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet. Dillon is scheduled to appear at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Fan Zone on Sunday at 10:50 a.m. Stop by and get your new RCR gear.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

When you see Dover Motor Speedway coming up on the calendar as a driver, what are some things that come to mind that you know you have to concentrate on or be key on, that you may not have to worry about at other tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule?

“Intensity is the first thing I think. You know, you’re going to have a wicked up pace at Dover Motor Speedway. It’s a fast, impressive place, and breathtaking when you go off in the corner. 
It’s one of those places that it gets the heart pumping.”

You have three top-10s at Dover Motor Speedway. What’s it going to take to get a fourth, and why is this track so tough?

“It’s physically demanding. The car is getting beat up a lot. I feel like the way the track is, you’re going from these big elevation changes down into the corner and out of the corner. It puts a lot of G-force load on you. I think trying to find a car that works well while your tires are worn from the concrete is tough. There are a lot of challenges at Dover Motor Speedway, and it’s not the easiest place to pass once it gets rubbered up.”

For a new fan, how would you explain the difference between driving on concrete versus asphalt tracks?

“When the rubber starts to fill those crevices in the concrete, the best way I could explain it is your front tires feel very greasy, like they just kind of slide across the top of the track and you don’t really feel them ever take a good bite. You’re sliding up, and when it’s ready to go back left, you pick up the gas and try and get back going. On asphalt tracks, you always have that edge. You can feel the right front. At Dover Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway, you’re a little bit on top of the track as it rubbers up.”

Dover Motor Speedway is challenging because you go from 24 degrees of banking to nine degrees. Is this one of the tracks that you have to play that game the most of ‘loose is fast’?

“Our practice session on Saturday morning is important because as the track changes during the race, you need one balance at the beginning of practice that you probably aren’t going to have during the race. So you’re trying to set up for race pace, but you go really fast at the beginning when the track rubbers down, so the pace changes tremendously and you’ve got to have a good team behind you that can keep up with that. As a driver, I’ve got to know that it’s not going to drive perfect at all times. You look forward to when the rubber gets laid down because you’re going to have a better car at that point in the race.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet at Dover Motor Speedway… Kyle Busch has made 36 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Dover Motor Speedway, clinching three wins, 14 top-five finishes, and 22 top-10 finishes. He has led 1,375 laps at the Monster Mile and holds an average finish of 13.9. Busch is looking to carry momentum forward following last week’s top-10 finish at Sonoma Raceway.

Monster Success… The Las Vegas native earned his first Cup Series win at Dover Motor Speedway in 2008 after leading 158 laps and dominating the second half of the race. In addition to his success in the premiere series, he has also won races at Dover in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series (5) and the NASCAR Truck Series (4).

Did You Know?… Busch is a four-time pole winner in the Cup Series at Dover Motor Speedway, and heads into this weekend’s race as the track’s defending polesitter after earning back-to-back poles at the track in 2023 and 2024.

Climbing the Ladder… Coming off his 10th-place finish at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday, Busch gained one spot in the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings, moving him to the 15th position.

About Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen… Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is the homestyle casual dining restaurant where guests always Get a lot. For not a lot™. The restaurant offers a variety of homemade meals and generous portions served up in a warm, welcoming atmosphere – all at an unbelievable price. After being welcomed with a signature Honey Butter Croissant on the house, guests can enjoy signature entrées like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, homemade Chicken Pot Pie and slow-smoked Baby Back Ribs. Cheddar’s operates more than 180 restaurants in 28 states. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Supporting Our Service Members… Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen and RCR are joining together this weekend to help show appreciation for active duty service member and U.S. military veterans with a special patriotic paint scheme, which honors all who have served, including 67 Veterans who are Cheddar’s employees. The car will be officially unveiled on Friday in front of more than 200 service members, their families and other dignitaries at Dover Air Force base. Both Richard Childress and Busch will be in attendance at the event, which includes a catered lunch sponsored by Cheddar’s in addition to the car unveil. This tribute is one more way that Cheddar’s is connecting with the NASCAR community and showing appreciation for the service members who are part of their extended family.

Mastering the Legends… During Round 8 of the Summer Shootout Series on Tuesday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Busch scored his fifth victory of the summer in the Legends Masters division.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

If you have some clean days, are you going to be right there in the points battle and in position to earn a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs? Specifically, what is the goal for Dover Motor Speedway this weekend?

“You know, if we are able to consistently knock out top-five, and top-10 finishes, yes. Looking ahead to Dover Motor Speedway this weekend with our Cheddar’s Camaro, I feel like we had a good car there last year. We had some issues on pit lane that set us back a couple of times, but we were still able to come out of there with a decent finish. We want to try to do that again this time, as you said, a little cleaner.”

You gained points to the playoff cut line this week. Can you erase that deficit in six races, or do you feel like you’re in a must win situation?

“I think you can, if you’re smart, play it the right way, and keep yourself up front to get those stage points. In these races, yes you can do it. Now we go back to the ovals where it’s a little more evenly separated between the competition. There is a slight chance that somebody outside of the playoffs will win, and you have to start all over again. The task at hand right now is to knock off eight points per race. If you look at it, divide 40 points into six races. That’s going to be somewhere around the seven-to-eight-point range per race that you need to have in order to put yourself in the playoffs on points.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at Dover Motor Speedway… Jesse Love has made one career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Dover Motor Speedway, leading 21 laps one year ago while driving the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. The Menlo Park, California native has also competed in two ARCA Menards Series East events (best finish of second in 2022) at the one-mile, concrete oval.

Standings Update… Through 19 events in the regular season schedule, Love sits in the fifth position in the Xfinity Series driver championship point standings – 35 points behind fourth-place Connor Zilisch.

About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, and we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

Meet Love… On Saturday, July 19 at 1:45 p.m. Local Time, Love is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Fan Zone at Dover Motor Speedway. Stop by to meet the young gun before the green flag waves and purchase No. 2 gear.

JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

What makes Dover Motor Speedway so different than any other track on the schedule?

“Dover is my favorite racetrack. I love the concrete. I love the speed. You are in the hammer. The track has a lot of grip, but you are still sliding around a lot. For me personally at concrete racetracks, I have to be at 110 percent to make speed. Some guys are the complete opposite, where they are at 95 percent of the limit, but I can only make speed there when I’m over the limit of the tire and sliding around. I like racetracks that reward the guy that is in the gas more, and Dover is that to a tee. It is hard to pass, but you can move around and search for the clean track. Concrete racetracks seem to magnify if you can find clean areas, and because I can search around, I enjoy racing there even more.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Titan Risk Solutions Chevrolet at Dover Motor Speedway… Austin Hill has made three career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Dover Motor Speedway, earning a best finish of fourth in 2023 and completing 100 percent of laps competed (608). The Winston, Georgia native has also driven in six NASCAR Truck Series races (best finish of seventh) and three ARCA Menards Series East events (two wins – 2013, 2014) at the high-banked, Delaware oval.

Points Check… With 19 races complete in the regular season campaign, Hill holds the third position in the Xfinity Series driver championship point standings – five points behind second-place Sam Mayer. The veteran racer continues to hold a tie with Justin Allgaier for the most Playoff points earned (21).

About Titan Risk Solutions… Titan Risk Solutions is your one-stop shop for everything related to the trucking industry. Founded by dedicated insurance professionals that understand the frustrations of today’s marketplace, Titan was built to eliminate many of the stresses America’s truck drivers face every day. Whether you are needing help with insurance, safety compliance, or driver training, Titan is here to help. With representatives located across the U.S. and a 24/7 service hotline, there is always a live person to assist you. For more information or to contact Titan, please visit titantruckins.com.

Meet Hill… On Saturday, July 19 at 2:00 p.m. Local Time, Hill is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Fan Zone at Dover Motor Speedway. Stop by to meet the 13-time Xfinity Series winner and purchase new No. 21 gear.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

Dover Motor Speedway is known as the Monster Mile. What makes it unique?

“Dover is a really fast, concrete track. The way that the rubber lays down and then gets picked back up is a lot different than other tracks. You almost have a rollercoaster effect on entry in the corner, where you drop off into a hole. The whole car gets light on entry, and for a second, you don’t have front grip. Then it suddenly lands in the corner with a big compression, and you gain a lot of grip. You have to be ready to get back on throttle as soon as that happens. It’s a tough track to get around. If you are a little bit off, you’re really far off compared to the rest of the field. It can come out and bite you. They don’t call it the Monster Mile for nothing. I’ve had some really good success at Dover throughout my career though. I’ve had chances to win there and been oh so close many times in the Xfinity Series, so maybe this year will be our year.”

AM Racing | Harrison Burton Dover Motor Speedway Xfinity Race Preview

By
Official Release
-

AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Dover Motor Speedway | BetRivers 200

Fast Facts

No. 25 AM Racing Team:

Driver: Harrison Burton

Primary Partner(s): Morton Buildings

Manufacturer: Ford Mustang

Crew Chief: Danny Efland

Spotter: Kevin Hamlin

Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. 054

Engine: Roush-Yates Engines

2025 Driver Points Position: 13th | 2025 Owner Points Position: 13th

Notes of Interest:

● Junior Journey: AM Racing will embark on its junior year journey in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025 with driver Harrison Burton for the entire 33-race tour, continuing with Saturday afternoon’s running of the BetRivers 200 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway.

● Future Focused: In September 2024, AM Racing announced that NASCAR Cup Series winner Harrison Burton would join the family-owned operation to pilot the team’s No. 25 Ford Mustang, beginning with the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season-opener from Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on February 15, 2025.

Burton, a native of Huntersville, N.C., has been a staple in the NASCAR Cup Series for the past three seasons but will embrace a return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and continue his relationship as a driver of the Ford blue oval.

Burton, 24, arrives on the scene at AM Racing after a 108-race stint driving for the historic Wood Brothers Racing team.

● Welcome Aboard, Morton Buildings! This weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, AM Racing and Harrison Burton welcome Morton Buildings, who will serve as the team’s primary partner for the series’ return to the Monster Mile.

Morton Buildings, Inc., headquartered in Morton, Illinois, is the industry leader in post-frame manufacturing and construction. At Morton, the difference is in the details. From cutting-edge innovations and best-in-class warranty to their craftsmen in the field, Morton Buildings is dedicated to surpassing expectations.

Their legacy of excellence in construction spans more than a century and has more than a quarter-million satisfied customers.

Morton Buildings is 100% employee-owned and proud to be ranked No. 36 on the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) 2024 Employee Ownership 100 list, which includes the nation’s largest companies that are at least 50% owned by an employee stock ownership plan.

For more information, please visit www.mortonbuildings.com.

● Critical Summer Stretch: Dover Motor Speedway continues a pivotal nine-week stretch that will help shape the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff picture ahead of the postseason opener at Bristol Motor Speedway in September.

The series is set to tackle a diverse slate of tracks in the coming weeks, each bringing its own unique demands. It all continues this weekend with a stop at one of the most intimidating high-banked tracks on the circuit, Dover Motor Speedway.

Next weekend, the series heads to the iconic yard of bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, followed by a Midwest stop at Iowa Speedway, before wrapping up the stretch on August 9 at Watkins Glen International — a renowned road course in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

● Harrison Burton NASCAR Xfinity Series Dover Motor Speedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s BetRivers 200 will mark Harrison Burton’s fifth NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the 1.0-mile concrete oval.

In four previous NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Dover Motor Speedway, Harrison Burton has notched one top-five and two top-10 finishes, highlighted by a track-best fifth-place effort in the 2020 Drydene 200 while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.

He enters the weekend with an average Xfinity finish of 15.0 at the “Monster Mile.”

Burton also brings added experience from three NASCAR Cup Series appearances at Dover, all of which were with Wood Brothers Racing. His best Cup result came in the 2023 Wurth 400, where he advanced from a 31st-place starting spot to finish 20th.

In addition, Burton has made three starts at Dover in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, earning a Truck Series track-best finish of third in 2019 after starting ninth for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

● Harrison Burton NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: Entering Dover, Burton has 94 career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts to his credit with four wins, 27 top-five and 55 top-10 finishes, and a championship-best result of eighth, twice in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Burton’s four wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series occurred during the 2020 season. Burton, the son of former NASCAR driver and current television analyst Jeff Burton, captured the checkered flag at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway, Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, respectively.

Burton maintains a solid Xfinity Series average finishing position of 12.5 in four years of competition.

In addition to the 94 Xfinity Series starts, he has achieved 109 NASCAR Cup Series starts, 40 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts and 52 career starts across the ARCA Menards Series platforms.

● Sonoma Raceway | Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 Race Recap: The NASCAR Xfinity Series made the cross-country trek to Northern California for a date with the twists and turns of Sonoma Raceway — with AM Racing eying their eighth top-10 finish of the season.

Spending most of practice in race trim, Harrison Burton posted the 13th-fastest lap overall, giving the No. 25 team confidence heading into qualifying. However, Burton couldn’t crack the top 10 and settled for a 19th-place starting spot—his 12th top-20 qualifying effort of the season.

At the drop of the green flag, Burton began working his way toward the top-10. Despite battling grip issues, he stayed focused and consistent, logging competitive laps while managing the car’s handling. A well-timed strategy call at the end of Stage 2 vaulted him into the top-10.

As he fought to defend his track position and maximize Xfinity Series points, Burton was spun by another competitor late in Stage 3.

The incident dropped him outside the top 20, relegating him to 26th. With no caution to regroup the field, Burton made the most of the final laps and rallied to a 21st-place finish.

● Thanks For Your Support: With 57 percent of the 2025 Xfinity season complete, AM Racing and Harrison Burton would like to thank their partners for their continued support: AIRBOX Air Purifier, Blue Wolf Cleaner & Degreasers, Dead On Tools, DEX Imaging, Eagle Rentals, Flying Circle, Mechanix Wear, Morton Buildings, Racing Radios, Volt Batteries and WIX Filters.

● From the Pit Box: Veteran race engineer and former NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Danny Efland is Harrison Burton’s crew chief.

He will serve as crew chief for his 24th career NASCAR Xfinity Series race — and his first at Dover Motor Speedway in a leadership role on Saturday afternoon. However, he brings additional track experience from behind the wheel, with eight prior starts as a driver in the Xfinity Series.

In his previous 23 Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one pole (Daytona International Speedway | February 2016), two top-five and eight top-10 finishes.

● Follow on Social Media: For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and X | Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.

For more on Harrison Burton, please visit theharrisonburton.com, like his Facebook page (Official Harrison Burton), or follow him on Instagram (@harrisonburton12) and X | Twitter (@hburtonracing).

Harrison Burton Quoteboard:

On Dover Motor Speedway: “I enjoy competing at Dover Motor Speedway. It’s a fast track, but things happen in a hurry, and it’s a place where rhythm and handling are super important.

“You’ve got to stay mentally locked in every lap because the track can bite you if you’re not careful. It’s one of those places where, if you can get your car balanced right and find a groove, it’s incredibly fun to race.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge and seeing what we can do this weekend.”

On Keys to Success at Dover Motor Speedway: “Track position is super important at Dover Motor Speedway. The laps go by in a hurry, and the closer you are to the front, the better your chances are of staying out of trouble and delivering a satisfying finish.

“It’s one of those places where clean air matters, and once you lose ground, it can be tough to make it back without strategy or a timely caution. Starting up front gives you a little more control over your race.”

On Battle for Playoff Cutline: “The Xfinity Series cutoff position is incredibly tight right now. Honestly, it would be even tighter if we hadn’t gotten spun late at Sonoma — that one stung. But we can’t dwell on it. We’ve got to reset, refocus and be ready for battle every single week.

“Over the next month and a half, we need to start stacking up stage points and avoid any unnecessary setbacks. Consistency is going to be key.

“Of course, if we can get this AM Racing team to Victory Lane, that changes everything. It takes the pressure off and gives us a chance to regroup and really focus on chasing a championship.”

On Sonoma Raceway Finish: “Like I said, the finish at Sonoma stung. What made it even tougher to swallow was getting spun by a driver who doesn’t race full-time. I’m not saying it was entirely his fault, but we definitely paid the price with how things turned out.

“I was really hoping we’d get a caution to regroup and charge back toward the top-10, but that break never came. We had to dig deep and fight hard to salvage a 21st-place finish.”

On 2025 Season Outlook: “I still genuinely believe we can continue to turn some heads in 2025. Now that we’re past the halfway point, our goals haven’t changed, they’re still within reach.

“This AM Racing team has what it takes to fight our way above the Playoff cutline and stay there.

“We’ve got a great group of people and partners who continue to believe in what we’re building. Nothing would mean more to me than delivering AM Racing its first Xfinity Series win, locking into the Playoffs, and making a serious run at the championship.”

Race Information:

The BetRivers 200 (200 laps | 200 miles) is the 20th of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2025 schedule. Two 25-minute group practice sessions will take place on Saturday, July 19, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 11:55 a.m. Qualifying will immediately follow, launching at 12:05 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 4:30 p.m. ET, with live coverage on The CW Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (ET).

About AM Racing:

AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.

Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.

In its ninth year of competition, the family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events.

Cliff Diving at Dover: Monster Mile’s 24 Degrees of Banking Launches Drivers Off a Ledge

By
Official Release
-

Cliff Diving at Dover
Monster Mile’s 24 Degrees of Banking Launches Drivers Off a Ledge

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 17, 2025) – Back in the day, coverage of NASCAR Cup Series races was interspersed with ski jumping from Oberstdorf, West Germany, log rolling from Hayward, Wisconsin, and cliff diving from Acapulco, Mexico.

It was all on ABC’s Wide World of Sports, and after Jim McKay’s iconic voiceover, “Spanning the globe… to bring you the constant variety of sport – the thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat!,” you would get 20-45 minutes of racing action until the show switched to any number of sports, and then maybe you’d be treated to another dose of racing before yet more log rolling and cliff diving until the final 15 laps were delivered to your Sony Trinitron.

As old-school as that sounds in this brave new world of live, flag-to-flag coverage with alternate simulcasts on various streaming platforms with real-time telemetry available on your phone, the cornucopia that was Wide World of Sports remains alive and well at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway, site of Sunday’s AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400.

Racing is, of course, represented at the aptly named “Monster Mile,” and so is cliff diving and, when things go wrong, log rolling, or rather, barrel rolling.

“It feels like you’re driving off a cliff at Dover,” said Cody Ware, driver of the No. 51 Mighty Fire Breaker Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing. “You almost come out of the racetrack on entry into (turns) one and three there because the transition from the straightaway to the corners is so massive.”

Dover’s one-mile, concrete layout features two 1,706-foot long straights banked at 9 degrees, connected at each end by corners banked at 24 degrees. It is a monstrous juxtaposition that makes the Monster Mile chew up and spit out both green rookies and grizzled veterans alike.

“It’s the elevation change that makes Dover so unique and challenging. It’s probably a two-story drop from the straightaways down into the corners. Your car gets light, and if you’re fighting a loose-handling condition, the rear of the car really wants to come around on you,” Ware said.

“You’re basically driving down and into a hole, which creates this massive compression zone, and once you land the bottom of the car, your front tires load up. It’s a whole different feeling. There isn’t another track on the schedule that prepares you for it. It’s what sets Dover apart.”

It is a leap of faith that drivers take twice, every lap, for 400 laps.

“Dover is a place where it’s about max commitment,” Ware said. “The first time you go down into turn one, you’re holding your breath.

“You kind of have to overcommit into the corners. What you would think is overdriving actually keeps stability in the car on corner entry. It’s very late braking, very late lifting, and it definitely gets pretty hair-raising as the tires wear out during a run.

“It’s white-knuckle racing from start to finish. It’s all about commitment. It’s all about confidence in your racecar and what the team’s bringing on that race weekend. If you make it to the end of 400 laps at Dover, it’s a feat in and of itself.”

While the entire track presents a challenge, turns three and four ratchet up the level of difficulty.

“Into turn three and out of four always seem to cause the most chaos,” Ware said. “Just the commitment factor of driving into turn three, along with the big compression zone, but then you’ve got a big bump coming off turn four. And as tire wear plays more of a factor, you typically see some pretty big moments coming off turn four. So if you’re a fan and you want to be in the spot to see some action, see some chaos, turn four is the place to be.”

The AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 will mark Ware’s sixth career Cup Series start at Dover.

“I feel like I’m still a rookie every time I go to Dover just because you never feel like you quite get enough out of yourself when you’re there,” Ware said. “But I still know what to expect, so getting good, straight, clean drives off turn four as the race progresses is what I’m looking to do.”

Ware and his Cup Series counterparts take to the Monster Mile for the first time on Saturday when practice begins at 1:35 p.m. EDT followed by qualifying at 2:45 p.m. TruTV and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will provide live coverage of both. Sunday’s 400-lap race goes live at 2 p.m. with coverage delivered by TNT and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About Rick Ware Racing:

Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age 6 when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver’s seat and into full-time team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with his wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that competes full-time in the elite NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Progressive American Flat Track, FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) and zMAX CARS Tour.

Young’s Motorsports Dover Motor Speedway Team Preview

By
Official Release
-

Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Dover Motor Speedway | BetRivers 200

Fast Facts

No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Anthony Alfredo
Primary Partner(s): Lanita Specialized
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott
2025 Driver Points Position: 21st
2025 Owner Points Position: 23rd
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing

Notes of Interest:

● Year Two, Full Throttle: In January, Young’s Motorsports announced that NASCAR Xfinity Series veteran Anthony Alfredo would compete full-time for the team in its second year of Xfinity Series competition.

Alfredo is driving the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro for the entire 33-race schedule, which continues this Saturday afternoon with the BetRivers 200 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway.

● About Anthony: A popular driver, Alfredo, a native of Ridgefield, Connecticut, joins Young’s Motorsports with an array of Motorsports experience, including starts in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, respectively.

The 2025 season will mark Alfredo’s fourth full-time Xfinity Series campaign, and he joins the Mooresville, N.C.-based team after spending the 2024 season with Our Motorsports.

The 25-year-old finished 15th in the 2024 Xfinity Series driver standings, highlighted by a Dash 4 Cash victory at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. He added two more top-five finishes and seven top-10s to his career totals, further strengthening his résumé across 137 Xfinity Series starts.

● All-Aboard!: For the 20th of 33 Xfinity Series races this season, Young’s Motorsports welcomes Lanita Specialized as the primary partner on the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for the 200-lap race on Saturday afternoon.

Founded in 1997, Lanita Specialized provides truckload and LTL transportation. We service the needs of our customers with professional and qualified drivers.

We take pride in our equipment and handle your freight with the same amount of care and in a timely manner.

Our transportation services are designed to meet your needs and expectations at affordable prices.

Based on the principles of integrity, respect, quality, and family, Lanita Specialized serves the lower 48 states for your transportation needs. We are equipped with multiple bays for tractor and trailer maintenance or repairs.

● Anthony Alfredo NASCAR Xfinity Series Dover Motor Speedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s BetRivers 200 will mark Anthony Alfredo’s sixth trip to the Monster Mile.

In his previous five starts at the 1.0-mile concrete oval, Alfredo has completed all but 78 of the laps between the 2020 and 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series seasons.

His best result came during the 2024 edition of the BetRivers 200, where he earned a track-best ninth after starting 21st while driving for Our Motorsports. The finish earned the team a $100,000 bonus during Xfinity’s Dash 4 Cash initiative.

Overall, he holds an Xfinity Series average finish of 16.8 at the First State facility.

In addition to his five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, Alfredo has also had a lone NASCAR Cup Series start at Dover Motor Speedway in 2021, finishing 28th after starting 27th for Frow Row Motorsports in the 400-lap Drydene 400.

Nineteen races into the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season — with 14 remaining — Anthony Alfredo and the Young’s Motorsports No. 42 team remain laser-focused on one mission: mounting a late-summer charge toward the Playoffs.

A strong performance — or perhaps a long-awaited breakthrough win — in Saturday afternoon’s BetRivers 200 at Dover Motor Speedway could serve as a defining moment in Alfredo’s postseason pursuit.

Conquering the “Monster Mile” would not only send a message to the competition but could mark a pivotal shift in the momentum the team has been building.

The action begins Friday afternoon with the General Tire 150, a companion event that brings together the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East for 150 laps of intense competition. The daytime showdown sets the tone for a stacked weekend on the high-banked concrete oval.

Saturday’s 200-lap Xfinity Series main event is more than just another race — it’s a battle of endurance, execution and nerves. With its worn surface, unforgiving transitions, and physically demanding layout, Dover tests both drivers and equipment. Precision and patience are key when taking on Miles the Monster.

The weekend wraps on Sunday, July 20, as the NASCAR Cup Series stars roll into town for the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400. The headlining event showcases the sport’s best and serves as the penultimate race in the in-season $1 million challenge, the eighth event in the second leg of the regular season.

As the summer grind continues, every lap at Dover carries weight and for Alfredo and the No. 42 group, a strong run in Delaware could be just what they need to climb closer to the Playoffs.

● Anthony Alfredo Xfinity Series Career Stats: Entering Dover, Alfredo has 137 NASCAR Xfinity Series races to his credit, earning a career-best third-place finish twice, most recently at Talladega Superspeedway after starting 11th in the 2024 edition of the Ag-Pro 300 for Our Motorsports.

Since 2020, he has earned one pole, five top-five, and 23 top-10 finishes and has an average finish of 19.9.

● Sonoma Raceway | Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 Race Recap: The NASCAR Xfinity Series made the cross-country trek to Northern California for a date with the twists and turns of Sonoma Raceway — and for Young’s Motorsports, the weekend showed early promise.

Anthony Alfredo rolled off with confidence, clocking quick laps in practice that kept his No. 42 DUDE Wipes Chevrolet in the mix. He carried that speed into qualifying, earning a solid 13th-place starting spot — a result that provided the track position needed to contend on the challenging 1.99-mile road course.

Once the green flag dropped, Alfredo made his presence known. He earned stage points with a sixth-place finish in Stage 1 and remained a top-10 threat throughout much of the 78-lap event, eyeing what could have been the team’s second top-10 finish of the season.

However, misfortune struck in the closing laps. A flat tire derailed the team’s efforts, forcing Alfredo to nurse his wounded No. 42 Chevrolet to finish in 23rd — a result that didn’t reflect the strength the team showed all weekend.

Now 19 races into the 2025 season, Alfredo and the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports team remain determined to rebound. With the heart of the summer stretch ahead, consistency,

composure and continued speed will be vital in keeping their Playoff hopes alive.

● Calling the Shots: Guiding Alfredo as crew chief of the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief Andrew Abbott.

On Saturday, he will be crew chief in his 149th NASCAR Xfinity Series race. In his previous 148 races, he has four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes.

The season’s 20th race will be his seventh tango at Dover Motor Speedway as crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series at Dover Motor Speedway: This weekend’s BetRivers 200 will mark Young’s Motorsports’ second NASCAR Xfinity Series appearance at the famed Monster Mile — a track known for its blistering speeds and unforgiving nature.

Last summer, rookie Leland Honeyman Jr. finished 21st after starting 28th, completing all but one lap.

The team is no stranger to Dover Motor Speedway. Since 2014, Young’s Motorsports has entered 12 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at the track, earning a best finish of 10th in 2015 with team principal Tyler Young behind the wheel.

Over that span, the team has recorded an average finish of 21.9, building valuable experience at one of the most demanding tracks on the schedule.

● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series History: Since entering the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024, the family-owned organization has logged 52 starts and maintains an average starting position of 25.9 and an average finish of 23.4.

● Follow on Social Media: For more on Anthony Alfredo, please visit AnthonyAlfredo.com, like him on Facebook (Anthony Alfredo Racing), follow him on Instagram (@anthonyalfredo) and X | Twitter (@anthonyalfredo).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Anthony Alfredo Pre-Race Quotes:

On Dover Motor Speedway: “Dover is one of my favorite race tracks, and it’s only a couple of hours from where I grew up, so it is very much a track I consider as a home race for me.”

On Preparation for Dover Motor Speedway: “I have been watching a lot of film and studying data to prepare myself for the challenges that the Monster Mile has in store.”

On Dover Motor Speedway Concrete Layout: “Dover is unique because of how high the loads are on the car. Handling is really important, and so is clean air.

“It also takes a physical toll on your body, but that’s one of my favorite parts about it.”

On Keys to Success at Dover Motor Speedway: “Because clean air is so important at Dover, track position will be critical. We will need to put ourselves up front and stay there throughout the race.”

On Dover Motor Speedway Performance Expectations: “A top 15 would be a great finish for us at Dover. I believe some of the things we have been working on for the intermediate tracks lately should correlate well.”

On Rebounding from Sonoma Raceway Finish: “We had a fantastic run at Sonoma Raceway this past weekend, despite the finish, which gives us a lot of confidence heading to Dover. I’m excited to carry the momentum.

On Goals for the Second Half of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Season: “We have had a lot of ups and downs throughout the first half of the race season, but I’m confident we can recover by bringing fast cars to the track and executing well throughout this second half.

“We need more top-10s and a couple of top-fives before the end of the season. Ideally, winning just one race before the Playoffs is our ultimate goal because it would completely save our season.”

Race Information:

The BetRivers 200 (200 laps | 200 miles) is the 20th of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2025 schedule. Two 25-minute group practice sessions will take place on Saturday, July 19, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 11:55 a.m. Qualifying will immediately follow, launching at 12:05 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 4:30 p.m. ET, with live coverage on The CW Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (ET).

Your Ontario Honda Dealers Present Free Fan Friday in support of Make-A-Wish Canada launches action-packed Toronto race weekend

By
Official Release
-

General Admission tickets are available to join in the family fun this weekend at Exhibition Place

TORONTO (July 17, 2025) – The 37th edition of the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto – a three-day motorsports festival featuring the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and four other racing series – begins tomorrow with Your Ontario Honda Dealers Present Free Fan Friday in support of Make-A-Wish® Canada. Gates will open at Exhibition Place at 9 a.m. ET.

To kick off the exciting festival weekend set for July 18-20, spectators can make a voluntary donation to Make-A-Wish® Canada and receive complimentary general admission tomorrow, July 18. Since 2010, more than $1 million has been raised to grant the wishes of children with critical illnesses through these annual race weekend efforts with the additional support of the Honda Canada Foundation.

There are multiple ways for fans and festival-goers to make contributions this year. Attendees will be prompted to donate upon entering the festival grounds, but are also encouraged to visit the Racing Towards Wishes Make-A-Wish® Canada Zone located inside the Enercare Centre. It will feature fun activities for kids, chances to win prizes, an opportunity to take a picture of the friendly Make-A-Wish® Canada mascot Roary, and more. Online donations are also accepted at makeawish.ca/honda-indy/.

“We encourage all our Toronto Indy patrons to not only enjoy the racing action tomorrow, but also to contribute to Make-A-Wish Canada’s impactful work with a voluntary donation at Your Ontario Honda Dealers Present Free Fan Friday,” said Jeff Atkinson, president of the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto. “It’s an honour to be a part of this long-standing community initiative, and we look forward to seeing everyone at Exhibition Place tomorrow and throughout the weekend.”

Attendees at Your Ontario Honda Dealers Present Free Fan Friday on July 18 will be treated to a jam-packed on-track schedule featuring open-wheel racing from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and two series from USF Pro Championships Presented by Continental Tire, plus exciting sports car action from Emzone Radical Cup Canada presented by Michelin and Miata Canada Cup. Additionally, an all-driver NTT INDYCAR SERIES autograph session is planned for 12:30 p.m. ET in Heritage Court.

Fans will also have access to an array of off-track features to experience at Exhibition Place. Festival-goers can explore premium food and drink offerings in the Truck Stop section or head to the Ontario Honda Dealers Pit Stop area inside the Enercare Centre on the west end to beat the heat. Merchandise stands to buy souvenirs to commemorate the trip, interactive displays and beer gardens fill Thunder Alley.

Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto 2-Day General Admission tickets are available for $85, offering the best weekend value. Single Day General Admission is $50 for Saturday and $70 for Sunday.

All spectators are encouraged to use Toronto’s GO Lakeshore West Train to Exhibition Station for the easiest commute without the worry of traffic or parking at the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto. Go Transit has a special offer of general admission plus round trip fare at hondaindy.com/GO. Children 12 and under are admitted free throughout the event when attending with a ticketed adult and can also ride Go Transit for free. For complete ticket pricing and event information, visit hondaindy.com.

About Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto:

Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto is a world-class motorsports festival which takes place annually on a 2.874-kilometre (1.786-mile), 11-turn temporary circuit using the streets surrounding Exhibition Place near Lake Ontario in downtown Toronto. The event features many attractions, food trucks, interactive displays and activities, and supports local charities. Your Ontario Honda Dealers Present Free Fan Friday which offers general admission courtesy of the Ontario Honda Dealers Association through a voluntary donation to Make-A-Wish® Canada. Since 2010, event fundraising has raised over $1 million for charity. As one of Ontario’s largest annual sporting events with the first race held in 1986 first known as the Molson Indy, it has become a prestigious meeting place for some of the world’s fastest race car drivers including past NTT INDYCAR SERIES champions like Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou and Will Power as well as Canadian racing greats Scott Goodyear, James Hinchcliffe, Greg Moore, Alex Tagliani, Paul Tracy, Jacques Villeneuve, Robert Wickens and more. Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto is owned and operated by Green Savoree Toronto, ULC, whose affiliates also promote three additional INDYCAR SERIES races: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding (Feb. 28 – March 2, 2025), The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2026 Passport (July 4-6, 2025) and BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland (Aug. 8-10, 2025).

For more information, visit hondaindy.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @IndyToronto or follow the event on X @HondaIndy and Instagram @HondaIndy using #indyTO.

Chevrolet in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES – Toronto Street Circuit Race Advance

By
Official Release
-

CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES
Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto
1.786-mile, 11-turn Exhibition Place street circuit
Toronto, Ontario
Race Advance
July 18-20

Detroit (July 18, 2025) – Fourteen Chevrolet-powered drivers and their teams head ‘north of the border’ to Canada for the Toronto Indy for the 39th INDYCAR SERIES race on the 1.786-mile, 11-turn Exhibition Place street circuit.

The middle stop in a gruelling stretch of four races between July 12th and 27th, that has the NTT INDYCAR SERIES travel from Newton, Iowa, to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to Monterey, California.

Since 1987, 207 drivers have made starts on the shores of Lake Ontario in the shadow of the CN Tower, powered by Chevrolet engines, with iconic names like Fittipaldi, Unser Jr., Andretti, Tracy, Bourdais, Newgarden, Power, and Pagenaud all taking the Bowtie to victory.

At 90 laps, this year’s race around Exhibition Place is five laps longer than last year and the longest race on the street circuit since 2003.

Team Chevy Bright Spots

  • One driver, Álex Palou has won over half of the season’s races, however, there have been several bright spots for Team Chevy drivers.
  • Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward is the only driver to complete all 1685 laps contested so far this season, while his teammate Lundgaard has only missed a single lap of action, with A.J. Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci only missing two laps, making them the top three on the percentage of laps completed leader board.
  • O’Ward, Lundgaard, Ferrucci and Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Conor Daly are four of the six drivers that do not have a DNF (Did Not Finish) on their 2025 resume. Lundgaard has been running at the end of 19 races going back to the 2024 season, the longest streak of the active drivers.
  • O’Ward and Palou are tied with an average finishing position of 2.7 across the four oval races so far this season, with the Arrow McLaren driver outscoring his rival 168 points to 167 points on the ovals.
  • The No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet crew of O’Ward and Palou’s No. 10 crew have 11 top ten finishes in the Firestone Pit Performance Awards, tying them for best groups on pit road.
  • Ferrucci has the been the busiest NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver on race day, gaining 72 spots from where he started in the dozen races contested this year.

Chevrolet on the Streets Of Toronto

  • Chevrolet-powered drivers representing seven teams have visited victory lane at Exhibition Place in Toronto 13 times, with the current twin-turbo, 2.2L V6 engine winning seven of the thirteen races since 2012 and the turbo-charged 2.65L V8 winning six of seven races between 1987 and 1993. That included Michael Andretti’s first of seven wins on the tricky street circuit, as well a popular and raucous win by West Hill, Ontario’s Paul Tracy, the first and only Canadian to win an INDYCAR SERIES on home soil. (final lap video below)
  • Paul Tracy Wins the 1993 INDYCAR SERIES in Toronto
  • Cars with a Bowtie on the engine have earned 12 poles, and started from the inside of the front row 13 times, including six pole wins by Team Penske, including drivers Simon Pagenaud (twice), Danny Sullivan (twice), Emerson Fittipaldi and Josef Newgarden.
  • Between 1987 and 1993, Danny Sullivan finished second or third on five occasions, powered by Chevrolet to lead the podium parade for the Detroit, Michigan-based manufacturer, which has had 36 drivers stand on the podium. That includes 19 in the twin-turbo, 2.2L V6 era and 13 total by Team Penske.
  • Twenty-four Chevrolet-powered drivers have led 1194 laps on the unique street circuit on the shores of Lake Ontario, with Al Unser Jr. (182), Michael Andretti (153), Emerson Fittipaldi (123) and Josef Newgarden (113) all leading over 100 laps.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (QUOTES):

A.J. FOYT RACING

David Malukas, No. 4 Clarience Technologies/A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet

You had a great start and finish at Iowa, and you have two top-six starts in three races at Toronto. These tracks are polar opposites. Why do you think that you are good at both?

DM: “I think it comes down to having good cars. It’s something that we’ve had success in– running on street courses and ovals. Those kind of tracks have been more of my strong suit. Even going back through the ladder series, going up to IndyCar, we seem to have had success at these tracks. So I don’t know why but it’s something that I’ve just managed to jump and connect with at both. And obviously the results show on track.”

You earned a second top-five finish last weekend. How important was that race to boost morale for you and the team?

DM: “It was, of course, very important. We learned a lot from race one, and we took our learnings into race two and managed to secure that result. We were on for a really good race, but of course, IndyCar and yellows. It’s just how the story played out, and we still ended up fighting back to a p4 finish, which was a really good race for us. So we’ve been on a really good qualifying streak, so to start seeing some more consistent result in the races, feels good.”

What is the most challenging part of the Toronto track?

DM: “Obviously the bumps and close quarters with all the walls, the whole track is very tough. I guess you could say the first sector, so after the alternate start line, right where pit lane is, that whole sector is very high speed, and having some close quarters with the walls, that is probably the toughest part of the circuit. But in general, the whole Toronto track requires a lot of technique and skill to make sure that you’re fast, but also pushing the limits on those walls.”

What is the key to going fast there?

DM: “It’s all about risk management. How far can you push the car to get as close to the walls as possible without actually hitting them. That is how you’re going to be fast there. That’s how you get the maximum speed. And there’s a fine balance that all the drivers need to work on to try to be quick there.”

What is your favorite restaurant in Toronto?

DM: “My favorite restaurant? I don’t know exactly what the name was called, but it is a sushi restaurant, and it’s a tradition that I go there every year. I have it saved on my phone on Google Maps, but I don’t remember the exact name. It’s a sushi place that’s very, very good.”

Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 Sexton Properties/A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet:

You had a wild ride at Toronto last year. What triggered that? And does it cause you any trepidation going back this year.

SF: “The wild ride was due to IndyCar not calling a yellow fast enough. But no, it doesn’t cause me any concern this year. I think it was a freak, freak accident. So I’m excited to get back and have a good result.”

This will be your fourth start at the track that hasn’t been very kind to you. What did you learn from the street courses this season that will help you at Toronto?

SF: “You know, I think Toronto has been more unlucky than unkind. And you know, I’ve been just consistent at the other tracks, and I think if I can have some of that same consistency this weekend, it’ll go well for us.”

What is the most challenging part of the Toronto track?

SF: “I see the most challenging part of the track is probably the area by pit lane. Just very bumpy, very technical, just a massive string of four corners put together where you really need a solid car balance.”

What’s the key to going fast there?

SF: “I think the key to going quick at Toronto is just to make sure that we have the front grip that we’ve been lacking in some of these potential other street courses, and we used to have a really good feeling for the car, and that’s kind of the biggest thing.”

What is your favorite restaurant in Toronto?

SF: “Favorite restaurants? Probably Barberian’s, a classic Steakhouse, obviously. A.J. used to love it there. I go every year. I’ve already got my reservation to go back again on Saturday.”

ED CARPENTER RACING

Alexander Rossi, No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet:

“The Toronto circuit is one that is always a great mix of exciting and challenging. I am looking forward to competing there again after missing last year’s race. The fans really help make the event and it has a great atmosphere! We have had a challenging couple of weekends but we are ready to get back to fighting at the front.”

Christian Rasmussen, No. 21 ECR Splenda Chevrolet:

“I’m really looking forward to racing this weekend in Toronto! We had two Top 10s last weekend, so there’s definitely some momentum on our side. Hopefully we can keep building on that and come away with another strong result.”

PREMA

Piers Phillips – CEO, PREMA Racing INDYCAR

“Toronto is a classic street course – tight, technical and completely unforgiving. There is very little room for error between the walls, and it demands a lot from the car and driver. This is also the fourth race in a run of five, which makes it even tougher for the whole team. We’ve learnt a lot from the other street courses this season, so we will put all of that together to aim for a good result in the final one this year.”

TEAM PENSKE

Josef Newgarden, No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet:

“Toronto has always been a special place for me. It was one of my first INDYCAR SERIES wins in 2015 and helped me get to the place I am today with Team Penske. It’s a very demanding circuit but that makes it so much sweeter when you win there. The fans are passionate with great energy, and you can feel that in the car.”

Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Gallagher Team Penske Chevrolet

“The backdrop of downtown Toronto – one of the largest cities in the world – makes this such a unique event. It has been one of the models of what a street race could be, and you see this type of racing becoming popular in all types of series around the world. It’s a beast of a track with the Canadian winters making it an ever-changing surface that is tough to begin with.”

Will Power, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet:

“Toronto has been one of the premier events on the schedule for years. Canadians love our sport and have contributed a lot of great drivers over the years. But it’s also one of our most challenging tracks and probably the street circuit that undergoes the most change year over year. That makes it a great challenge every time we go back, and we all love that about Toronto.”

Chevrolet on the Streets Of Toronto

Chevrolet wins on the Streets Of Toronto: 13

2019 – Simon Pagenaud – Team Penske
2017 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske
2016 – Will Power – Team Penske
2015 – Josef Newgarden – Ed Carpenter Racing
2014 Race #2 – Mike Conway – Ed Carpenter Racing
2014 Race #1 – Sebastien Bourdais – KV Racing Technology
2012 – Ryan Hunter-Reay – Andretti Global
1993 – Paul Tracy – Team Penske
1991 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing
1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing
1989 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing
1988 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing
1987 – Emerson Fittipaldi – Patrick Racing

Chevrolet poles on the Streets Of Toronto: 12

2019 – Simon Pagenaud – Team Penske
2018 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske
2017 – Simon Pagenaud – Team Penske
2016 – Scott Dixon – Chip Ganassi Racing
2015 – Josef Newgarden – Ed Carpenter Racing
2014 – Race #1 – Sebastien Bourdais – KV Racing Technology
1993 – Emerson Fittipaldi – Team Penske
1992 – Bob Rahal – Rahal Hogan Racing
1991 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing
1990 – Danny Sullivan – Team Penske
1989 – Emerson Fittipaldi – Patrick Racing
1988 – Danny Sullivan – Team Penske

Chevrolet podiums on the Streets Of Toronto: 36

Chevrolet podiums on the Streets Of Toronto by driver: Danny Sullivan (5), Helio Castroneves (4), Michael Andretti (3), Sebastien Bourdais (3), Emerson Fittipaldi (3), Tony Kanaan (2), Josef Newgarden (2), Simon Pagenaud (2), Will Power (2), Bob Rahal (2), Al Unser Jr. (2), Mario Andretti (1), Eddie Cheever (1), Mike Conway (1), Luca Filippi (1), Ryan Hunter-Reay (1), Felix Rosenqvist (1), and Paul Tracy (1)

Chevrolet podiums on the Streets Of Toronto by team: Team Penske (13), Galles Racing (5),, Ed Carpenter Racing (4), Newman Haas Racing (4), Chip Ganassi Racing (3), Dragon Racing (2), Patrick Racing (2) Andretti Global (1), Arrow McLaren (1), KV Racing Technology (1), and Rahal Hogan Racing (1)

Chevrolet laps led on the Streets Of Toronto: 1109

Chevrolet laps led on the Streets Of Toronto by driver: Al Unser Jr. (182), Michael Andretti (153), Emerson Fittipaldi (123) Josef Newgarden (113), Will Power (97), Simon Pagenaud (84), Sebastien Bourdais (79), Helio Castroneves (74), Scott Dixon (56), Paul Tracy (54), Danny Sullivan (50), Ryan Hunter-Reay (36), Scott McLaughlin (28), Tony Kanaan (19), Rinus VeeKay (18), Mike Conway (7), Mario Andretti (6), Jordan King (6), Pato O’Ward (3), Luca Filippi (2), JR Hildebrand (1), Charlie Kimball (1), Spencer Pigot (1) and Felix Rosenqvist (1)

Chevrolet laps led on the Streets Of Toronto by team: Team Penske (519), Galles Racing (182), Newman Haas Racing (159), Chip Ganassi Racing (74), Patrick Racing (74), Ed Carpenter Racing (64), Andretti Global (36), Dragon Racing (20), Arrow McLaren (4), A.J. Foyt Racing (1), Carlin (1) and Panther Racing (1)

Manufacturer History on the Streets Of Toronto

Wins (with competition):

13 – Chevrolet (2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 Race #2, 2014 Race #1, 2012, 1993, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)

10 – Honda (2024, 2023, 2022, 2018, 2013 Race #1, 2013 Race #2, 2001, 1999, 1998, 1996)

4 – Ford (2000, 1995, 1994, 1992)

1 – Toyota (2002)

1 – Mercedes (1997)

1 – Cosworth (1986)

Earned Poles (with competition):

12 – Chevrolet (2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 Race #1, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988)

11 – Honda (2024, 2023, 2022, 2013 Race #2, 2013 Race #1, 2012, 2001, 2000 1999, 1998, 1996)

2 – Ford (1995, 1994)

2 – Cosworth (1987, 1986)

1 – Toyota (2002)

1 – Mercedes (1997)

** 2014 Race #2 – Helio Castroneves (Team Penske Chevrolet) started from the pole on driver points after qualifying was rained out**

Historical Chevrolet in the INDYCAR SERIES information

INDYCAR SERIES Manufacturer Championships (since 1979)

Chevrolet-Powered Wins in the Twin-Turbo 2.2L V6 Era (2012-present)

Chevrolet-Powered Wins (All-time)

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.

Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup Returns to Martinsville for NASCAR Weekend

By
Official Release
-

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (July 17, 2025) – After making its groundbreaking oval debut at Martinsville Speedway last year, the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin will return to the famous short track alongside NASCAR’s top-tier series.

Mazda’s signature spec series, now in its 20th season, will replicate its single-day exhibition event on Thursday, October 23, leading into the penultimate weekend for the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and CRAFTSMAN Truck series championships.

The inaugural Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup race at Martinsville in 2024 saw 18 cars take the green flag for a 100-lap feature race. The event produced an outstanding race, which culminated in a green-white-checkered finish and Jared Thomas taking the win and $25,000 prize plus a Ridgeway clock.

“We were delighted by the fan reaction and feedback from our first visit to Martinsville Speedway,” Mazda Motorsports Senior Manager Jonathan Applegate said. “We immediately knew we needed to do it again. Clay Campbell and the leadership at NASCAR and IMSA thought the same thing and I’m thrilled that last year’s experiment has landed us as an opening act for NASCAR’s top series.”

The series’ return to Martinsville will look very similar to its’ debut; a one-day event, sharing the track with the Whelen Modified Tour. Teams will have two practice sessions leading up to single-car qualifying and a 100-lap race divided into two 50-lap stages.

“The Mazda MX-5 Cup race at Martinsville Speedway really captures everything this place represents,” said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. “It brings us back to some of our earliest days of racing in the 50s, the last time we had open-top cars on track here, and blends it with all the intensity of modern-day competition. We couldn’t be more excited to add it to our NASCAR Playoffs race weekend and elevate that signature history-making atmosphere that comes with racing at Martinsville.”

Once again, IMSA’s YouTube channel will provide free live streaming of the race. A MX-5 Cup open test will be held at Martinsville, Monday, August 25, following the series’ doubleheader at VIRginia International Raceway.

About Martinsville Speedway   
Founded by H. Clay Earles in 1947, Martinsville Speedway is the only NASCAR track to host NASCAR Cup Series races every year since its inception in 1949. At .526 miles in length, the track annually hosts two NASCAR race weekends featuring the NASCAR Cup Series, along with NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races in the fall. Martinsville Speedway also annually hosts the ValleyStar Credit Union 300, the nation’s biggest, richest and most prestigious NASCAR Late Model Stock Car race. For more information about Martinsville Speedway, visit martinsvillespeedway.com.      

About: The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup awards more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

Cadillac in the WEC: In their own words

By
Official Release
-

Interview with Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA team principal Dieter Gass and notes

DETROIT (July 17, 2025) – An interview with Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA team principal Dieter Gass, former head of Audi Motorsport, and additional Rolex 6 Hours of Sāo Paulo notes following Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA 1-2 finish:

  • The No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R is the only of FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Hypercar entry to score points in each of the five races. CHART
  • Cadillac, in its third year of WEC Hypercar competition covering 20 races, sits second in the Manufacturers’ Championship with three races left. It gained two positions with the Sāo Paulo results.
  • The No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R (Alex Lynn, Norman Nato, Will Stevens) moved up three positions to third (68 points) in the Drivers’ Championship and is 37 points out of the lead with a maximum 91 points available over three races.
  • The No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R, which has started from the pole the past two races, is the only Hypercar entry to qualify in the top 10 in each race.
  • The victory Sunday was Cadillac Racing’s 32nd (IMSA/WEC since joining prototype competition in 2017).
  • Cadillac Racing has 235 podiums (IMSA/WEC) since 2017.

Q: First year as a factory team, five races in, a lot to digest and learn, and now a second consecutive pole and double podium. You must be quite proud?

“Well, it was a fantastic day for us really, for everybody at JOTA and GM, everybody was really craving for that success. And the car was fast. We’ve seen that many times already last year, but the results didn’t come until Sunday. Everything was falling together and we even managed to get a one-two, which is really something absolutely outstanding.”

Q: With your long involvement in global motorsports, you know it’s not easy or quick to put together a successful program. Would you speak to some of the things that have gelled for JOTA and GM?

“I think, at the end of the day, we’re still learning. You have to admit that. In Sāo Paulo, everything fell together nicely so that was good, but we’re still learning. I mean five races into that program, into that cooperation with Cadillac is not a lot. There’s still plenty of things to discover as well as plenty of things to improve. So, obviously, I’m not going to sit back and relax. We’re going to try and move on and hopefully carry on that way.”

Q: From the competition side, the engineering side, the drivers, open communication, is it difficult to make those things mesh quickly and be on the same page?

“I think open and transparent communication has always been a JOTA thing. We have always done that from day one. We have been pushing that as well in the cooperation with GM and with the IMSA teams, because we have seen it as well in the previous years with where we were a customer team with a different manufacturer. In the first year, they were struggling a lot. I think they were benefiting from us getting original information, but at the end of the day, between year one and year two, they made a big step and that was mainly because they managed to coordinate the two programs in IMSA and WEC. And this is something that we could observe from the first row, basically. And that was one of the reasons why we have been pushing that from the beginning, why we are interested in doing that and why we’re going to continue pushing that. But there’s still plenty of things to learn as well with the drivers for me is still a reasonably big thing as well because if we know everybody’s super emotional with a thing and especially the drivers when they’re in the car. For me, personally, there’s still a lot to be understood on how they think, how they work and how effectively get the best out of them.”

Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA is back in action September 5-7 at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, where Alex Lynn and Earl Bamber qualified third and drove to a fourth-place finish in the Cadillac V-Series.R in 2024.

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.

Berry Sets Sights on Another Strong Run at the Monster Mile

By
Official Release
-

For many drivers, Dover Motor Speedway lives up to its “Monster Mile” nickname. But in his relatively short NASCAR career, Josh Berry has shown a knack for taming the high-speed concrete oval.

This weekend, Berry will return to one of his favorite tracks carrying the red and yellow colors of Advance Auto Parts on the No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Wood Brothers Racing.

Berry’s resume at Dover speaks for itself. In three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he’s posted one win and two runner-up finishes. Since moving to the NASCAR Cup Series, he’s earned a pair of top-15 finishes – 10th and 14th – at the demanding one-mile circuit.

“From the first time I went there in the Xfinity car I felt really comfortable,” Berry said. “I remember before I went there for the first time I was pretty intimidated going to a place like that and not knowing what to expect.”

As it turned out, that apprehension quickly faded.

“Even back then when I was making my first start there we didn’t have practice or qualifying either, so it’s a place that I took to well,” he said. “We obviously got the win there with [JR Motorsports]. Their cars were always really strong there, and I was able to carry that confidence into the Cup Series too.

“It’s a place that’s probably my favorite track. It’s a lot of fun racing there. I’ve had some really good days, so it’s one I’ve got circled coming up that I’m excited to get to.”

Despite its reputation for speed and intensity, Berry says that’s part of what makes Dover so enjoyable.

“It’s fast,” he said. “I think that’s what I enjoy the most about it. I think it’s just how fast it is and how it feels to have it down in the corners there. I just felt really comfortable going that fast.”

It might seem unexpected from a driver whose roots are in short-track racing, but Berry has always felt at ease on high-speed circuits.

“Even when I first started Xfinity racing, as much as I short track raced, going to some of the intermediate [tracks] I always felt really comfortable at the two-mile intermediates – places like that that are fast, and Dover kind of fits that,” Berry said. “I’m excited to get there for sure.”

As part of the race weekend festivities, Berry will be signing autographs at the Advance Auto Parts store in Dover (422 S. Dupont Hwy, Dover, DE 19901) on Saturday, July 19, at 9 a.m. The No. 21 Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang show car will also be on display. Spots are limited to the first 150 customers with proof of purchase – no minimum spend required – so fans are encouraged to arrive early.

Practice for Sunday’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover is scheduled for Saturday at 1:35 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 2:45 p.m. ET. The green flag is set to wave Sunday just after 2 p.m. ET, with Stage breaks planned at Laps 120 and 250. TNT will carry live coverage throughout the weekend.

About Advance Auto Parts
Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider that serves both professional installers and do-it-yourself customers. As of April 19, 2025, Advance operated 4,285 stores primarily within the United States, with additional locations in Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Company also served 881 independently owned Carquest branded stores across these locations in addition to Mexico and various Caribbean islands. Additional information about Advance, including employment opportunities, customer services and online shopping for parts, accessories and other offerings can be found at www.AdvanceAutoParts.com.

About Wood Brothers Racing
Founded in 1950 by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood in Stuart, Virginia, Wood Brothers Racing holds a special place in NASCAR history as the sport’s longest-running team. Over eight decades, the team has earned 101 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with 120 poles, and remains proud of its longstanding relationship with Ford Motor Company, fielding only Ford products since its inception. Glenn’s brother, Leonard Wood, played a key role in shaping modern racing by developing the techniques behind today’s pit stops. With a rich legacy rooted in innovation and tradition, Wood Brothers Racing continues to honor its heritage while adapting for the future as it competes in NASCAR’s premier series with Josh Berry.

FUNNY CAR’S CRUZ PEDREGON TRENDING UPWARD HEADING TO MUCKLESHOOT CASINO RESORT NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS

By
Official Release
-

SEATTLE (July 16, 2025) – Things are heading in the right direction for two-time Funny Car world champion Cruz Pedregon and he would like to keep it that way at this weekend’s 36th annual Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.

The longtime standout appears to be over a rough patch that plagued most of his 2024 season in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, showing improvement and potential early this season. He added to it at the most recent event in Norwalk, picking up his first No. 1 qualifier in two years and advancing to the semifinals, the third time he’s done that this year. Pedregon also jumped three spots in the point standings, moving up to eighth in the loaded Funny Car category.

The key for Pedregon now is taking the next step – or two – and pick up his first victory since the 2022 finale. He’s trending in the right direction in his 12,000-horsepower Snap-on Dodge Hellcat and continued progress to kick off the second half of the 2025 season is the main goal this weekend in Seattle – along with putting on a stellar 330-mph show for the fans.

“Seattle couldn’t come at a better time,” Pedregon said. “Our Snap-on “Own It” Dodge Hellcat is starting to hit its stride. We’re making strong, consistent runs and building momentum. Coming off a top qualifying effort in Norwalk and a semifinal finish, we’re ready to take things even further.

“I can’t think of a better place to do that than Seattle. There’s a renewed energy around this event and they’ve scheduled a late Friday night qualifying session under the lights, which means cooler air, big header flames, and a show the fans won’t forget.”

Last year, Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Chase Van Sant (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all picked up victories in Seattle, while Justin Ashley, Prock, Aaron Stanfield and Gaige Herrera won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge bonus race. It is the 11th of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA season and this weekend in Seattle is loaded with excitement.

Pedregon referenced Friday’s thrilling night session, which includes the Deecell Power Systems “After Dark Low Qualifier” and offers a special bonus for the quickest run in each class under the lights.

Pedregon has proven he’s once again capable of running with the Funny Car elite, a standout group that includes points leader Prock, who has four wins in 2025, Jack Beckman, Matt Hagan, Ron Capps, J.R. Todd and Daniel Wilkerson. But Pedregon has been quick and consistent at recent races, two absolute necessities in a class loaded with talent.

He’ll be part of a thrilling Saturday in Seattle, too, one that features three nitro qualifying sessions and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. The bonus race offers a chance for more success for Pedregon, who has always enjoyed racing at Pacific Raceways.

“We’d love to be one of the cars that sets the pace that night,” Pedregon said. “Seattle, really all of the West Coast races, feels like home to me. Being from Southern California, I always enjoy racing out here. The Pacific Northwest provides great atmospheric conditions for big performance, and the fans here are some of the best. We’re focused, confident, and ready to keep climbing.”

Racing legend Tony Stewart leads a talented Top Fuel field, one that also includes Kalitta Motorsports teammates Shawn Langdon and Doug Kalitta, Brittany Force, Justin Ashley, who has won back-to-back races, Clay Millican and reigning world champ Antron Brown.

The Pro Stock ranks has been dominated this season by the KB Titan Racing powerhouse, led by reigning champion Greg Anderson. He has four wins, while his teammate Dallas Glenn has three. Cory Reed earned his career first win in Norwalk. Others to watch include multi-time champs Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin.

Pro Stock Motorcycle is again led by reigning champion Herrera, who has three wins in 2025. Six-time champ Matt Smith is second, while Herrera’s teammate Richard Gadson is third. Others to watch will be John Hall, who won for the first time in 12 years when he won in Norwalk, as well as Angie Smith, Jianna Evaristo and Van Sant.

The weekend kicks off with $15,000 Mission Foods Machine Tournament at Muckleshoot Casino Resort at 1 p.m. on Thursday, where fans can register for free.

The NHRA FanFest presented by Explore Auburn takes place from 5-7 p.m. PT on Thursday in front of Dave & Buster’s at The Outlet Collection (1101 Outlet Collection Dr. SW, Auburn, WA 98001), with autographs and a meet and greet with NHRA standouts taking place from 6-7 p.m.

Scheduled to appear is an impressive list of drivers in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, including Top Fuel stars Ida Zetterstrom and Jasmine Salinas, Funny Car standouts Chad Green, Hunter Green, Alexis DeJoria, Buddy Hull, rookie Dylan Winefsky, Pro Stock’s Cory Reed, Mason McGaha and Chris McGaha, as well as Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader Gaige Herrera, Richard Gadson, defending event winner Chase Van Sant and Chris Bostick.

On Saturday following qualifying, race fans can visit Muckleshoot Casino Resort for the official NHRA after-party with live music from 7 p.m.-1 a.m. PT.

Also on the track will be the standouts in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. All weekend, 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 more. Seattle race fans 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 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 will feature two rounds of qualifying on Friday, July 18 for the Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle classes at 6:40 and 8:15 p.m. PT, with Top Fuel and Funny Car taking to the track at 9:15 p.m. PT. On Saturday, July 19, nitro teams will qualify three times at 12:30 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 5 p.m. Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will qualify at 3:45 p.m. and 6:05. Race day will kick off with nitro eliminations on Sunday, July 20 at 10:30 a.m.

Television coverage includes qualifying action at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday on FS1, leading into eliminations on FOX at 4:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Tickets for the 36th annual Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals are currently on sale at www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com. For more information on Muckleshoot Casino Resort, visit https://muckleshootcasino.com.

About Muckleshoot Casino Resort

The Muckleshoot Casino Resort, celebrated as the “Biggest and Best in the Northwest,” has just become even more impressive with the unveiling of their new hotel tower. This exciting expansion features 401 elegant guestrooms, a more expansive casino floor, a serene indoor pool, a luxurious spa, and the exquisite rooftop steakhouse, Smoke & Cedar. From here, guests can indulge in breathtaking views of Mt. Rainier, the Olympic Mountain range, and the Seattle skyline. As one of Washington’s premier casino gaming destinations, Muckleshoot Casino offers the largest selection of games in the state, with over 3,500 machines, an array of table games, and one of the most extensive smoke-free gaming areas in the region. Muckleshoot Casino also tantalizes the taste buds with a variety of dining options that take guests on a culinary adventure around the world and provides world-class entertainment at the Muckleshoot Events Center and Galaxy! Guests can enjoy additional perks like complimentary valet service, Wi-Fi, covered parking, and electric vehicle charging stations, making every visit even more convenient and enjoyable.

https://muckleshootcasino.com

About Muckleshoot Indian Tribe

The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe is composed of descendants of the Native people who inhabited the Duwamish and Upper Puyallup watersheds of central Puget Sound for thousands of years before non-Indian settlement. The word, Muckleshoot, is derived from the Native name for the prairie on which the tribe’s reservation was established in 1857. Today, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe is a major contributor to the local economy and community providing resources to other governments, schools, nonprofits, and churches throughout Washington. The benefits of the Muckleshoot Tribe’s economic revival go well beyond financial contributions. From landmark agreements protecting fish and wildlife habitats and innovative educational programming to hundreds of partnerships with organizations serving those in need throughout the state, the Muckleshoot Tribe is committed to improving the quality of life of its citizens, neighbors and work force while preserving its culture and laying the groundwork for a bright future.

https://www.muckleshoot.nsn.us

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.

1...496497498...6,743Page 497 of 6,743