Edward Kennedy and Beckham Jacir Win Ligier JFC Race 1 at Mid-Ohio

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June 14, 2026

unnamed (1) — Photo by Gavin Baker Photography

LEXINGTON, Ohio (June 13, 2026) – Edward Kennedy and Beckham Jacir claimed Ligier Junior Formula Championship (Ligier JFC) victories in Mid-Ohio’s Race 1 on Saturday. Kennedy’s dash through the field in the JFC Gen. 2 Class, paired with Jacir’s five-second lead in the JFC Gen. 1 Class clearly demonstrated the dominance of both drivers.

Notes of Interest:

Edward Kennedy took the Race 1 victory in the Ligier JFC Gen. 2 Class at Mid-Ohio to claim his fourth win of season.
Jack Speth retained the Ligier JFC Gen. 2 Class championship points lead with a runner-up finish, and holds a 22-point advantage following Race 1.
As the winner in the Ligier JFC Gen. 1 Class, Beckham Jacir crossed the finish line with a greater than five-second margin over his competition.
With a second-place result, Lazaro Bainotti finished on the podium for the fifth time this season.
AJ Abdullah captured his second podium of 2026 with a third-place finish in Race 1.
Tyler Wade (No. 9 Dante’s Inferno / Perlson LLP / Berg Racing Ligier JS F4) crossed the line fourth in class to score a career-best finish.
Beckham Jacir (No. 7 Stonica / Bell / OMP / P1DOKS / Behind the Wheel / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4) led the field down the starting grid with Lazaro Bainotti (No. 11 Fundacion Fangio Rus seguros Cordoba deportes / Speed Factory Ligier JS F4) to his outside. With a great jump off the block, Jacir immediately took control of the race leaving Bainotti in his wake. In fact, the Champagne Racing driver had opened up more than a five-second gap before the Gen. 2 cars started to close in. Jacir continued to lead as the race neared the halfway point, but a safety car period bunched the field back up, giving the Gen. 2 cars another run at the overall race lead. With them completing the overtake when the race restarted, Jacir turned his focus to the Gen. 1 competition, steadily pulling away from the other cars in his class and taking the checkered flag with a 5.089-second advantage.

In the Ligier JFC Gen. 2 class, Kennedy (No. 30 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) led the group down the starting grid, but a stall when the lights went out allowed Jack Speth (No. 07 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) to take the early lead. Falling more than 12 seconds behind after the stall, Kennedy kept his focus forward and steadily chipped away at the gap while climbing through the field. Only 0.134-seconds behind Speth at the halfway mark, Kennedy completed the pass on Speth just before the safety car period, and then used the restart to overtake Jacir for the overall lead.

When the checkered flag waved, it was Kennedy and Speth, followed by Jacir, Bainotti and AJ Abdullah (No. 21 Freedom Detox / Grid State Digital / Berg Racing Ligier JS F4).

“It was a pretty good race for us,” said Jacir atop the podium. “The car was on rails the whole race—really, the whole weekend. We got a good start on used tires. I think we were the only ones on used tires in the front, so it was just building into that and having consistent laps. I was almost able to get the overall win—I was really hoping for that, but it’s all good. I can’t thank the team enough for giving me such an amazing car. All the guys at Champagne Racing are working nonstop, and working really well on the car. I also have to thank all my sponsors.”

“The race was really good,” Kennedy “The car was great. I just had a little rookie mistake on the start by stalling it, but we came back strong, so it was all good. Speth had really great pace and I was a little scared, but I ended up on top. I’d like to thank the whole MLT crew, my physical trainers and everyone for their support.”

Ligier JFC will contest a doubleheader tomorrow, as the lights go out at 9:15 a.m. and 2:05 p.m. ET for Races 2 and 3, respectively. Live timing and scoring is available on the Race Monitor app, with additional news and updates posted on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Driver Telemetry & Data-Driven Vector Analysis: The Hidden Language of Race Car Engineering

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SM

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June 14, 2026

NASCAR’s race at Pocono Raceway always brings a lot of excitement to the 2.5-mile “Tricky Triangle.” For 53 consecutive years, the Cup Series has tackled Pocono’s three distinct corners, each demanding a different compromise in chassis setup and driving technique. The unique geometry of Pocono – Turn 1 with 14° banking, Turn 2 as a long sweeper at 9°, and Turn 3 nearly flat at 6° – creates a wide range of lateral acceleration demands that shift dramatically from one corner to the next. But beneath the surface of this classic event lies a technology that has quietly reshaped how teams prepare, how drivers perform, and ultimately how the entire industry understands speed. That piece of technology is telemetry, and at its core, it is the science of vectors.

What does telemetry reveal?

Nowadays, racing cars can be considered data-generating machines. Several sensors distributed throughout the vehicle capture metrics such as speed, throttle position, braking pressure, tire behavior, and the directional forces acting on the chassis. In the NASCAR Cup Series, a race generates approximately 1.3 terabytes of high-frequency data, processed at 120 updates per second and made available to engineers in real time. This data stream is not only recorded for historical analysis. It is transmitted wirelessly from the car to the pit box during the race, enabling live adjustments to wedge, track bar, and tire pressures based on vector trends.

The most revealing telemetry channels for understanding driver performance are those measuring longitudinal acceleration (braking and throttle) and lateral acceleration (cornering g-forces). When plotted together, these two channels form what engineers call a “g-g diagram” or, more commonly, a traction circle. The traction circle represents the maximum combined force available from the tires. Any combination of braking and turning that falls inside the circle is manageable; any combination that pushes the resultant vector beyond the circle’s boundary results in lost grip, either understeer or oversteer.

The vector physics of the traction circle

Every force acting on a race car can be expressed as a vector – a quantity possessing both magnitude and direction. During a race, acceleration, weight transfer, aerodynamic downforce, and tire grip vectors all interact simultaneously within a car. The resultant force of these vectors determines where the car goes and how fast it gets there.

If a driver, for instance, enters turn 1 at Pocono and simultaneously brakes while turning right, the car experiences two acceleration vectors: one longitudinal (braking represented by the vector [-1.2×g, 0]) and one lateral (cornering with a lateral acceleration vector [0, 1.6×g]). These two vectors combine to create the resultant acceleration vector [-1.2×g, 1.6×g]. Engineers can quickly determine the magnitude of this resultant vector, whose value is 2.0×g. The maximum allowable magnitude before the tires lose grip is represented by the radius of the traction circle. If the driver exceeds that radius, the car slides. You can also compute the resultant vector easily by using an online vector calculator.

From telemetry to driver coaching

The practical value of vector analysis extends far beyond post-race engineering. Teams now use telemetry data to provide real-time and retrospective coaching for drivers. The data feeds different engineering roles: race engineers monitor lap times and tire pressures; drivers observe speed, steering angle, and throttle; engineering teams analyze acceleration, yaw rate, and suspension forces. By overlaying a driver’s acceleration vectors onto the traction circle, coaches can identify inefficiencies. If the driver consistently fails to use the full braking potential before turn-in, for instance, the longitudinal vector magnitude will be suboptimal. If they initiate cornering too early, the lateral vector will appear in the data trace prematurely. Conversely, an elite driver will trace a path that repeatedly touches the circle’s edge without exceeding it. This is a skill that vector analysis quantifies with mathematical precision.

Moreover, the broader impact of this data-driven approach extends beyond the tracks. Motorsports technology, including telemetry and the physics principles underlying it, has repeatedly translated into safer road vehicles. Aerodynamic stability, crumple zone design, and advanced braking systems all trace their lineage to racing engineering.

The future of data-driven racing

As telemetry systems evolve, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms are increasingly analyzing historical race performance data to develop optimal race strategies. Nowadays, biometric monitoring, including gloves that measure driver stress levels and heart rate, is also emerging as a new way to collect real data from pilots. These technologies will further refine the vector-based models that underpin modern vehicle dynamics. In the near future, predictive vector modeling may allow engineers to simulate an entire Pocono race lap before the car hits the track, identifying the ideal braking point for Turn 1 to within a few feet simply by solving vector equilibrium equations.

Thus, when you see the Cup Series cars taking the green flag at Pocono, remember that every braking zone, every corner entry, and every throttle application will generate vector data. Engineers will analyze those vectors. Drivers will adjust based on that analysis. As a result, faster, safer, and more predictable performance will continue to demonstrate that in motorsports, vector addition is just as important as horsepower.

Why a Spray-On Bedliner Is the Smartest Upgrade Truck Owners Keep Overlooking

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SM

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June 14, 2026

Ask anyone who has owned a pickup for more than a year or two, and they’ll tell you the same thing: the bed takes a beating. Hauling lumber, tossing in toolboxes, dragging cinder blocks across the metal, loading dirt bikes after a muddy race weekend — it all adds up. Before long, that factory paint is scratched, chipped, and quietly rusting where you can’t see it. That’s exactly the problem a bedliner is built to solve, and once you understand how these coatings work, it’s hard to justify leaving your truck bed bare.

What Actually Happens When You Spray a Bedliner

A spray-on bedliner isn’t a mat you drop in and hope stays put. It’s a liquid polymer that’s applied directly to the prepped surface of your truck bed, where it bonds and cures into a single, seamless layer of armor. Because it’s sprayed, the coating reaches into every corner, seam, and contour — the exact spots where drop-in liners trap water and let rust creep in unnoticed. There are no gaps, no rattling, and no moisture sneaking underneath.

Most of the best coatings on the market are built on polyurea chemistry, a fast-curing elastomeric material formed when two components react almost instantly on contact. The result is a finish that’s tough enough to take a hammer strike yet flexible enough to expand and contract with temperature swings without cracking. That combination of hardness and give is what separates a coating that lasts a decade from one that peels in a season.

Protection That Goes Beyond Good Looks

It’s easy to think of a bedliner as a cosmetic add-on, but the real value is what it prevents. A properly applied coating shields the metal from abrasion, blocks the water intrusion that causes rust, and absorbs the impacts that would otherwise dent and gouge bare steel. For anyone who actually uses their truck — contractors, farmers, weekend racers hauling gear to the track — that protection translates directly into a higher resale value down the road. A clean, rust-free bed tells a buyer the truck was cared for.

There’s a practical upside too. The textured, grippy surface keeps cargo from sliding around when you take a corner or hit the brakes, which is a small thing until the day it saves you from a load shifting at the worst possible moment.

Not Just for Truck Beds

One of the underrated things about these coatings is how versatile they’ve become. The same material that protects a pickup bed shows up on Jeeps and off-road rigs, commercial fleet vehicles, trailer floors, and even marine and industrial equipment. Companies like ArmorThane have spent more than 35 years refining polyurea and polyurethane formulations for exactly these kinds of demanding jobs, which is why you’ll see the technology used everywhere from off-road builds to heavy-duty work trucks that never get a day off.

Is It Worth Doing?

If you plan on keeping your truck and actually working it, the math is pretty simple. A one-time coating costs far less than repeated paint repairs, rust remediation, or the resale hit that comes with a beat-up bed. It’s the kind of upgrade you do once and stop thinking about, because it just quietly does its job for years.

Whether you’re protecting a brand-new truck before the first scratch or rescuing an older one that’s already seen some abuse, a quality spray-on coating is one of the few upgrades that pays you back in durability, function, and resale value all at once. For most truck owners, that’s about as close to a no-brainer as vehicle upgrades get.

Justin Allgaier wins chaotic O’Reilly event at Pocono

By

Andrew Kim

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June 13, 2026

20260613193557-dbde749b-me — Photo by Logan Allen for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Justin Allgaier capitalized on a two-lap shootout and a shove from teammate William Byron to drive away from the field. He motored his way to a wild victory in the MillerTech Battery 250 at Pocono Raceway on Saturday, June 13.

The 2024 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion from Riverton, Illinois, led four times for a race-high 35 of the 100-scheduled laps. He qualified in fourth place and notched top-five results between the event’s first two stages. He went on to survive an event that with a total of 10 caution periods and a series of on-track carnage. Afterr leading on two separate occasions through the first two stage periods, Allgaier spent the early portions of the final stage period battling with Sam Mayer for the lead. Then, he made his final green flag pit stop with 29 laps remaining. Amid the pit stops, Allgaier was overtaken by Haas Factory Team’s Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer. But, through two late-race cautions and incidents, he utilized a push from Byron to storm past Mayer for the lead during a restart with eight laps remaining.

Then, following another late-race caution a lap later, Allgaier capitalized on another push from Byron during a two-lap shootout to drive away from the field. From there, Allgaier fended off Byron and Brent Crews to notch his unprecedented fifth O’Reilly Series victory of the 2026 season and accumulate maximum points to his points lead.

With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Saturday, Brandon Jones notched his first O’Reilly pole position of the 2026 season with a pole-winning lap at 164.675 mph in 54.686 seconds. Teammate Taylor Gray started alongside Jones on the front row after the former posted the second-fastest qualifying lap at 164.387 mph in 54.749 seconds.

Prior to the event, the following names, including Cole Custer, Josh Bilicki, Dean Thompson, Blaine Perkins, Patrick Emerling, and Nathan Byrd, dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments that were made to their respective entries. Joey Gase and Dexter Bean also dropped to the rear of the field due to an engine change and backup car, respectively.

When the green flag waved and the event commenced, teammates Brandon Jones and Taylor Gray dueled in front of two-stacked lanes through the frontstretch until Gray gained the upper advantage and led through the first turn from the inside lane. Seconds later, the event’s first caution flew when Corey Day, who was racing in 13th place, got loose exiting the first turn, spun down the track, and was hit by Jesse Love before the former made hard contact against the inside wall. The incident had major implications for both Love and Day, as they were ranked second and third, respectively, in the standings, but were knocked out of further contention for the Pocono event.

The start of the next restart on the sixth lap featured Gray and Jones dueling through the frontstretch and Gray gaining another strong advantage from the inside lane to motor ahead of Jones and lead both through the first turn and the Long Pond Straight. As the field behind jostled for early spots and navigated through Pocono for nearly a full cycle, Gray led the next lap just before the caution returned due to Ryan Sieg getting bumped and turned by Austin Hill towards the frontstretch’s outside wall. Despite sustaining right-front damage and veering sideways, Sieg was dodged by oncoming traffic while Nathan Byrd spun to the frontstretch’s inside wall after he was hit by Cole Custer.

As the event restarted on the 11th lap, Gray fended off Carson Kvapil and Jones to motor ahead and lead from the first turn through Long Pond Straightaway. As the field fanned out while a series of on-track battles ensued through the Tunnel Turn and the final turn of Turn 3, Gray led the next lap. Gray proceeded to lead by more than two seconds over Sam Mayer at the Lap 15 mark while Justin Allgaier, Jones, William Byron, Jeremy Clements, Kvapil, Brent Crews, Sammy Smith and Connor Zilisch trailed in the top 10, respectively.

On Lap 18, the event’s third caution flew due to Natalie Decker dropping off the pace with a mechanical issue as she had smoke billowing out from her Joey Gase Motorsports entry before she stopped below the track in the first turn. During this caution period, some led by Allgaier and including Kvapil, Austin Hill, Harrison Burton, Anthony Alfredo, Parker Retzlaff, Kyle Sieg, Patrick Emerling, Brennan Poole, Patrick Staropoli, Josh Bilicki, Ryan Ellis, Carson Ware, Jeb Burton, Dean Thompson, Blaine Perkins, Lavar Scott and Cole Custer pitted while the rest led by Gray remained on the track.

With three laps remaining in the first stage period, the event restarted as Gray and Mayer dueled in front of the field entering the first turn. As the field fanned out through Long Pond Straightaway, Mayer, who was pinned on the outside lane, dueled with Gray for nearly a full lap before he motored ahead through Turn 3 and led the next lap while Byron tried to reel in from third place. Behind, Jones dropped to fourth place in front of Creed, and Allgaier used his fresh tires to motor up to sixth place. Allgaier moved up to fourth place during the next lap while Gray challenged Mayer to reassume the top spot.

Seconds later, the caution returned due to Zilisch spinning and wrecking into the first turn’s outside wall after he received contact from William Sawalich, with Sawalich also drifting up the track and hitting the wall on the right side. This caution was enough for the first-stage period to officially conclude under caution. At the time of caution, Gray, who motored ahead of Mayer through the first turn and prior to the caution, was ruled ahead of the field and was awarded his first O’Reilly stage victory of the 2026 season. Mayer settled in second ahead of Byron, Allgaier and Jones while Sheldon Creed, Sammy Smith, Crews, Kvapil and Austin Hill were scored in the top 10, respectively.

Under the event’s first stage break period, a majority of the front-runners led by Gray pitted while the rest, led by Allgaier and including those who pitted prior to the second stage’s conclusion, remained on the track, with Allgaier inheriting the lead.

The second stage period started on Lap 30 as teammates Allgaier and Kvapil occupied the front row. At the start, the field fanned out through the frontstretch as Kvapil used the outside lane to motor past Allgaier through the first turn and lead through Long Pond Straightaway. As the field behind jostled for spots, Kvapil took advantage of his early leap by leading the next lap while Austin Hill, Jeb Burton and Parker Retzlaff followed suit, respectively. Over the next five laps, Burton dropped to 13th place while Gray moved up to ninth place behind Byron and Crews. In addition, Allgaier and Kvapil were ahead of third-place Retzlaff by one-and-a-half seconds as Allgaier, who reassumed the lead on Lap 34 over Kvapil, led by four-tenths of a second.

On Lap 36, the caution returned for a three-car accident in Turn 3 that involved Leland Honeyman Jr., Patrick Staropoli and Brennan Poole. Select names that included Gray and Sawalich pitted while the rest led by Allgaier remained on the track. The next restart on Lap 42 did not last long as Patrick Emerling spun off the front bumper of Poole in the second turn. During the latest caution, most of the field pitted while the rest, led by new leader Crews and Retzlaff, Zilisch, Clements, Caruth, Thompson and Gray, remained on the track.

As the event restarted on Lap 45, Retzlaff managed to slide in front of Crews to lead through the first turn. Amid Crews’ challenge, Retzlaff led the next lap while Clements, Zilisch and Rajah Caught occupied the top-five spots over Allgaier, Dean Thompson, Byron, Nick Sanchez and Kvapil, respectively. Behind, Kyle Sieg barely scrubbed the outside wall in Turn 3 after he shot up the track and was sideways, but the event remained under green flag conditions.

When the second stage period concluded on Lap 50, Crews, who reassumed the lead two laps earlier, captured his second O’Reilly stage victory of the 2026 season. Allgaier, Retzlaff, Caruth, Byron, Zilisch, Mayer, Clements, Alfredo and Kvapil were scored in the top 10, respectively, while 31 of 38 starters were scored on the lead lap. During the event’s second stage break period, Crews, along with Retzlaff, Caruth, Clements, Sawalich, Poole, Ryan Sieg, Bilicki, Ryan Ellis, Zilisch and Thompson, pitted while the rest, led by Allgaier, remained on the track.

With 44 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as teammates Allgaier and Byron occupied the front row. At the start, Allgaier received a shove from Mayer to motor ahead of Byron before Mayer attempted to get beneath Allgaier and challenge him for the lead entering the first turn. With Allgaier still out in front, Mayer drew alongside Allgaier in a battle for the lead through the Long Pond Straight, but Allgaier managed to fend off the latter to lead the next lap. With a series of late on-track battles ensuing within the field, Allgaier continued to lead by three-tenths of a second over Mayer with 40 laps remaining while Creed, Alfredo, Byron, Sammy Smith, Gray, Clements, Jones and Crews were racing in the top 10, respectively.

Down to the final 30 laps of the event, Mayer was locked in a heated battle with Allgaier for the lead. By then, names like Sammy Smith, Gray, Kvapil, Custer and Creed made pit stops under green before Allgaier pitted during the next lap. Mayer then pitted from the lead during the following lap, and he managed to blend back on the track and regain pace ahead of Allgaier, but both were trailing Creed as Creed pitted a lap prior to Allgaier and two laps prior to Mayer. During Mayer’s pit stop, more names like Byron, Alfredo, Caruth, Hill, Bilicki, Sanchez, Jones and Staropoli all pitted while Crews, who was among a handful of competitors who had yet to pit, was leading with 27 laps remaining.

As the event reached its final 24-lap mark, Mayer overtook teammate Creed on track through the third turn for fifth place. Behind, Allgaier, who reeled in the two Haas Factory Team entries, dueled with Creed before overtaking him entering the Tunnel Turn. By then, Dean Thompson, who assumed a brief lead from Crews, pitted while Ryan Sieg, Harrison Burton and Ryan Ellis were the trio of competitors still racing out in front of Mayer. Burton then assumed the lead from Sieg with 20 laps remaining while Mayer, Allgaier and Creed moved up to third from fifth in the leaderboard, with Mayer trailing the lead by more than two seconds.

Then with 18 laps remaining, the caution flew when Patrick Emerling was turned by Crews and sent for a spin through the frontstretch as he hit the inside wall head-on. By then, Burton had maintained a narrow advantage over a hard-charging Mayer while Allgaier, Sieg and Creed were in the top five. During this caution period, some led by Harrison Burton and including Sieg, Clements, Retzlaff, Sawalich, and Jeb Burton pitted while the rest, led by Mayer, remained on the track as Mayer inherited the lead.

The next restart with 13 laps remaining featured the field fanning out as Mayer used the inside lane to slide in front of Allgaier and maintain the lead from the first turn and through Long Pond Straightaway. Seconds later, the caution flew when Byron got loose beneath Gray and sent the latter spinning through the Tunnel Turn. As Gray proceeded to spin towards the bottom of the track, Sammy Smith also spun when he got loose beneath Alfredo as the rest of the field scattered to avoid the carnage. The incident occurred as both Byron and Gray were battling in the top five, leaving Gray with flat-spotted tires on the right side.

As the event restarted with eight laps remaining, Mayer received a brief upper advantage as he motored ahead of Allgaier through the frontstretch while being pushed by teammate Creed from the inside lane. Soon after, Allgaier, who was pushed by teammate Byron before both disconnected entering the first turn, used the outside lane to assume the lead from Mayer. Amid the stacked competition and late-race battles ensuing behind, Allgaier led the next lap over Mayer before the caution returned with six laps remaining. This was due to a three-car accident on the frontstretch that involved Jeb Burton, Lavar Scott and Dexter Bean as the event was placed in a red flag period for seven and a half minutes.

When the red flag lifted and the event restarted with two laps remaining, Mayer was pinned in the middle of a tight three-wide formation through the frontstretch as teammate Creed elected to drive beneath Mayer instead of drafting him. With Creed not receiving a strong shove from Crews, Allgaier received one from Byron on the outside lane that allowed Allgaier to clear the field through the first turn while Creed briefly got loose and held up teammate Mayer, which allowed Byron, Crews and Rajah Caruth to motor past the two Haas competitors. As Byron assumed the runner-up spot, Crews settled in third place, and Mayer reeled in on Caruth for fourth place while Creed dropped to sixth place. Meanwhile, Allgaier motored away from the field.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Allgaier remained in the lead by four-tenths of a second over Byron. With both Byron and Crews unable to mount a tandem to reel in Allgaier, the latter was able to cycle around Pocono’s trio of turns for a final time before he cycled back to the frontstretch and claimed the checkered flag by six-tenths of a second.

With the victory, Allgaier notched his 33rd career win in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, his fifth of the 2026 season and his second in a row in recent weeks after he won at Nashville Superspeedway in late May. In addition, Pocono Raceway became the 21st track in which Allgaier achieved an O’Reilly victory, and he achieved back-to-back victories for the fourth time in his illustrious career.

Allgaier’s Pocono victory marked the 15th O’Reilly victory of the 2026 season for the Chevrolet and the 11th for JR Motorsports as the organization notched its fifth victory at the Tricky Triangle.

No. 7 team — Photo by Logan Allen for SpeedwayMedia.com.

“First of all, I got to say a huge thank you to William Byron,” Allgaier said on the frontstretch on the CW Network. “Without that shove at the end of the race, it was probably game over. [I’m] Just so proud of this race team. This season has been special and [crew chief] Andrew Overstreet and this whole No. 7 team, this pit crew right here, the effort that goes into it. We’re gonna go celebrate this one, for sure.”

Brent Crews edged William Byron by 0.040 seconds to finish in the runner-up spot for a third time in his career while Sam Mayer and Sheldon Creed finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Anthony Alfredo, Rajah Caruth, Brandon Jones, Connor Zilisch and Carson Kvapil completed the top 10 in the final running order.

There were 18 lead changes for 10 different leaders. The event featured 10 cautions for 39 laps. In addition, 27 of 38 starters finished on the lead lap.

Following the 17th event of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Justin Allgaier continues to lead the standings by 250 points over Jesse Love, 267 over Corey Day, 273 over Sheldon Creed and 295 over Brandon Jones.

Results:

Justin Allgaier, 35 laps led
Brent Crews, nine laps led, Stage 2 winner
William Byron
Sam Mayer, 14 laps led
Sheldon Creed
Anthony Alfredo
Rajah Caruth
Brandon Jones
Connor Zilisch
Carson Kvapil, four laps led
Harrison Burton, five laps led
Cole Custer
Dean Thompson, two laps led
Austin Hill
Parker Retzlaff, two laps led
Jeremy Clements, one lap led
Taylor Gray, 24 laps led, Stage 1 winner
Brennan Poole
Sammy Smith
Blaine Perkins
William Sawalich
Josh Bilicki
Nick Sanchez
Ryan Ellis
Patrick Staropoli
Ryan Sieg, four laps led
Carson Ware
Jeb Burton – OUT, Accident
Lavar Scott – OUT, Accident
Dexter Bean – OUT, Accident
Patrick Emerling – OUT, Accident
Kyle Sieg – OUT, DVP
Leland Honeyman Jr. – OUT, Accident
Natalie Decker – OUT, Engine
Nathan Byrd – OUT, Accident
Joey Gase – OUT, Engine
Jesse Love – OUT, Accident
Corey Day – OUT, Accident

Next on the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule is the series’ inaugural United Rentals Drive to Serve 250 on San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, California. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, June 20, and air at 4 p.m. ET on the CW Network, MRN Radio and SiriusXM.

KALITTA, BECKMAN WIN MISSION #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE WHILE PRUETT, HAGAN, ANDERSON AND HERERRA ARE TOP QUALIFIERS AT SUPER GRIP NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS

By

Official Release

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June 13, 2026

unnamed — Doug Kalitta won another Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Top Fuel Saturday at Bristol Dragway.

BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 13, 2026) – There continues to be no stopping Doug Kalitta in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, as the reigning world champion defeated Leah Pruett in the final round of the bonus race on Saturday at historic Bristol Dragway as part of this weekend’s 25th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while Leah Pruett (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) qualified No. 1 at the ninth of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and will lead their respective classes into tomorrow’s 10 a.m. eliminations.

Kalitta won for the fourth time this season in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and the ninth time since last year, going 3.922-seconds at 314.90 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster, beating Pruett on a holeshot in a thrilling side-by-side duel in front of a huge Thunder Valley crowd.

Pruett went 3.918 at 325.45, but Kalitta was a quicker .065 on the starting line, as he held off Pruett at the finish line. It was a standout race to close out final qualifying, adding more bonus points for Kalitta and more Saturday success.

“Whatever we’ve got going on for Saturdays, we’ve just got to keep it going,” Kalitta said. “The Mission Challenge points are important and we’re going to keep collecting as many of them as we can. The track is smooth and it seems really good. It’s just warm and a little bit challenging.

“It’s just so competitive out here. Some days you need a little luck, but mostly it’s about assembling a great team and continuing to do what we’re doing. This place has been good to me, and I’m definitely looking forward to tomorrow. With the earlier start and cooler conditions, it’s going to be a different element than what we’ve seen so far.”

Pruett held on to the No. 1 spot thanks to Friday’s 3.794 at 332.43 in her 12,000-horsepower Rush Truck Centers dragster. It’s the second top spot of the season for Pruett, who won the delayed Epping race on Friday in Bristol. She still has an opportunity for a big weekend by adding a second victory in three days with a Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals win. Antron Brown qualified second with a 3.801 at 329.50 and Tony Schumacher’s 3.803 at 326.16 puts him third.

“This is probably the No. 1 qualifier we’re most proud of all season,” Pruett said. “We raced for a final-round win Friday night, took everything the track had to give us, and still put up the number. The momentum is tangible right now. Winning races and proving you can beat the points leader reinforces what we already believed about this team. We’ve got a hot rod, a first-round bye, and in my opinion, one of the most consistent race cars out here. That’s a great place to be heading into race day.”

Funny Car’s Jack Beckman stayed perfect this weekend in Bristol, following up Friday’s victory with a win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge over John Force Racing teammate Jordan Vandergriff when Vandergriff crossed the centerline and hit a timing block.

Beckman defeated Vandergriff on Friday in the final round of the delayed NHRA New England Nationals and continued to have his number a day later, giving him the opportunity to pick up three wins in three days at Thunder Valley.

“Sometimes these cars are amazing to drive, and sometimes they’ll do anything except what you ask them to do. I think both of us experienced that in the final,” Beckman said.

“To close out the Epping race, win the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and still have a shot at the Bristol trophy tomorrow — it’s an unbelievable opportunity. I’ve never been in a position where I could win three trophies in one weekend. I vote yes on trying it. It’s just an absolute blessing to be surrounded by people who are great at what they do and have a chance to win three trophies in one weekend.”

Four-time world champ Matt Hagan hung on to the No. 1 position for the first time this season and 55th time in his career thanks to Friday’s 4.009 at 319.60 in his 12,000-horsepower Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge Funny Car. It also gave Tony Stewart Racing a qualifying double-up in the nitro ranks, as Hagan looks to win again at his home track on Sunday. Alexis DeJoria qualified second with a 4.010 at 326.00 and Beckman is third with a 4.017 at 318.54.

“These No. 1 qualifiers mean a lot because they’re really for the crew guys. They’re the ones working over a 3,000-degree race car in brutal heat and putting a great machine underneath us,” Hagan said. “When you can hand those guys a yellow hat and a little bonus money, it goes a long way because they’re the true workhorses of this sport.”

Matt Hartford closed out a productive day in Pro Stock with his first Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win of the year, exacting some revenge on Dallas Glenn, who went red in the final round on Saturday. A week ago, Glenn beat Hartford in the final round in Epping thanks to a reaction time of .002. This time, Glenn went red and Hartford went a strong 6.671 at 206.95 in his Total Seal Chevrolet Camaro. Hartford was a stellar .012 on the starting line, too, giving the veteran a chance to double-up this weekend in Thunder Valley.

“The Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge is one of the best things NHRA has done,” Hartford said. “The drivers love it, the fans love it and it adds a whole new level of adrenaline on Saturday.

“There’s money on the line, championship points on the line and we definitely love being part of the Mission deal. We especially love winning them. It’s really hard to win a round in Pro Stock. To win this race and beat the world champion in the final round makes me incredibly proud of our team. We take every single thing on that race car and use it as a tool. We stretch every part to its limit, trying to get every ounce of performance we can.”

Anderson slipped past Hartford in qualifying, securing his sixth No. 1 spot of 2026 after a run of 6.651 at 206.86 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro during the final qualifying session. Hartford is second with a 6.658 at 206.95 and points leader Glenn is third with a run of 6.661 at 206.07.

“I’ve had a good run here. I messed up this morning, made a bad run, but we dug deep and got her back on the last run,” Anderson said. “These weren’t quite as good of conditions and we got her back so I know the car is fast. HendrickCars.com is looking good and I’ve got a great shot tomorrow.”

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Richard Gadson returned to the site of his first professional victory and added another special Bristol moment, winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge over Jianna Evaristo with a run of 6.855 at 197.65 on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki.

It’s the first bonus race win of the season for the reigning world champion, who continues to have plenty of good vibes racing in Thunder Valley. That started his championship journey a year ago and the points leader is in a great position to repeat last season’s win on Sunday.

“This Challenge is a favorite among the racers because you go to sleep Saturday night feeling really good, and you wake up Sunday feeling really good,” Gadson said. “When your bike is running this well and you’re solid on the tree, this Challenge gives you a real boost of confidence heading into race day.

“This place is special to me because everything changed here.”

Herrera improved on Friday’s run to close out racing on Saturday, going 6.831 at 197.88 on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki to pick up his first No. 1 spot of the 2026 campaign. Gadson took second with a 6.839 at 197.74 and Angie Smith is third with a run of 6.858 at 198.17.

Eliminations for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals begin at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday at Bristol Dragway.

To purchase your reserved seats, call Bristol Dragway at (866) 415-4158. Tickets also are available online by visiting the BMS website.

***

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Saturday’s final results from the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at the 25th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.

Top Fuel Challenge — Doug Kalitta, 3.922 seconds, 314.90 mph def. Leah Pruett, 3.918 seconds, 325.45 mph.

Funny Car Challenge — Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, No Time Recorded def. Jordan Vandergriff, Camaro, Foul – Centerline.

Pro Stock Challenge — Matt Hartford, Chevy Camaro, 6.671, 206.95 def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, Foul – Red Light.

Pro Stock Motorcycle Challenge — Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.855, 197.65 def. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.896, 197.10.

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge final round-by-round results from the 25th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.

FINAL —

TOP FUEL CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Doug Kalitta, 3.872, 313.29 def. Shawn Langdon, 4.230, 207.69; Leah Pruett, 4.017, 238.51 def. Billy Torrence, 4.515, 180.21;
FINAL — D. Kalitta, 3.922, 314.90 def. L. Pruett, 3.918, 325.45.

FUNNY CAR CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Jordan Vandergriff, Chevy Camaro, 4.548, 191.73 def. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 9.363, 85.18; Jack Beckman, Camaro, 4.244, 235.89 def. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 5.341, 137.96;
FINAL — J. Beckman, No Time Recorded def. J. Vandergriff, Foul – Centerline.

PRO STOCK CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Matt Hartford, Chevy Camaro, 6.658, 206.95 def. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.665, 204.20; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.671, 206.32 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.659, 206.61;
FINAL — M. Hartford, 6.671, 206.95 def. D. Glenn, Foul – Red Light.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.839, 197.74 def. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.858, 198.17; Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.899, 196.33 def. Ryan Oehler, 6.884, 198.06;
FINAL — R. Gadson, 6.855, 197.65 def. J. Evaristo, 6.896, 197.10.

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 25th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway, the ninth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Top Fuel — 1. Leah Pruett, 3.794 seconds, 332.43 mph vs. Bye; 2. Antron Brown, 3.801, 329.50 vs. 15. Will Smith, 4.219, 227.57; 3. Tony Schumacher, 3.803, 326.16 vs. 14. Keith Murt, 3.943, 311.27; 4. Tony Stewart, 3.807, 332.10 vs. 13. Justin Ashley, 3.929, 319.37; 5. Billy Torrence, 3.814, 338.17 vs. 12. Maddi Gordon, 3.922, 313.29; 6. Josh Hart, 3.815, 327.03 vs. 11. Doug Kalitta, 3.872, 314.90; 7. Shawn Reed, 3.821, 319.60 vs. 10. Clay Millican, 3.852, 308.57; 8. Jasmine Salinas, 3.822, 326.00 vs. 9. Shawn Langdon, 3.852, 328.54.

Funny Car — 1. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.009, 319.60 vs. 14. Jon Capps, Charger, 6.284, 106.99; 2. Alexis DeJoria, Chevy Camaro, 4.010, 326.00 vs. 13. Jordan Vandergriff, Camaro, 4.548, 191.73; 3. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 4.017, 318.54 vs. 12. Jeff Arend, Charger, 4.429, 212.86; 4. Spencer Hyde, Ford Mustang, 4.030, 319.07 vs. 11. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.304, 224.51; 5. Austin Prock, Mustang, 4.101, 305.42 vs. 10. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.177, 281.13; 6. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.126, 309.06 vs. 9. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 4.154, 310.20; 7. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 4.131, 304.53 vs. 8. Chad Green, Mustang, 4.136, 309.49.

Pro Stock — 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.651, 206.86 vs. 14. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.785, 203.65; 2. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.658, 206.95 vs. 13. Shane Tucker, Camaro, 6.781, 206.13; 3. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.661, 206.32 vs. 12. Stephen Bell, Camaro, 6.699, 205.19; 4. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.665, 205.26 vs. 11. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.696, 204.94; 5. Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.666, 205.60 vs. 10. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.692, 206.07; 6. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.675, 206.04 vs. 9. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.691, 205.41; 7. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.682, 205.16 vs. 8. Cody Anderson, Camaro, 6.687, 205.60.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.831, 197.88 vs. Bye; 2. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.839, 197.74 vs. 15. Wesley Wells, Suzuki, 7.188, 183.15; 3. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.858, 198.17 vs. 14. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 7.049, 193.38; 4. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.883, 194.24 vs. 13. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.972, 184.75; 5. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 6.884, 198.52 vs. 12. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.956, 194.58; 6. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.896, 197.10 vs. 11. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.950, 193.07; 7. Brayden Davis, Buell, 6.903, 197.08 vs. 10. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.946, 196.85; 8. Joey Gladstone, Buell, 6.935, 195.79 vs. 9. John Hall, Beull, 6.937, 197.77.

About Bristol Dragway

Affectionately known as “Thunder Valley,” Bristol Dragway is nestled between two mountains in northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line and sits adjacent to the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway. In 2026, the historic dragstrip is celebrating its 61st anniversary and is scheduled to play host to numerous major events including the fan-favorite Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, a marquee event in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Other key events at the Dragway in 2026 include the DER Bracket Series, Summit Racing Equipment Thunder Valley Street Fights series, BTE World Footbrake Challenge races, PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown, JEG Summer Fling, RAD Fall Fling 500K, and the NHRA Jr. Drags Eastern Conference Finals. Bristol Dragway also transforms into a premier outdoor concert venue for the world’s greatest music performers and becomes The Thunder Valley Amphitheatre presented by Ballad Health. With more than 50 event days each season and serving as the longtime starting point for The Food City Speedway in Lights holiday spectacular, Bristol Dragway continues to be one of the busiest drag racing facilities in the nation. For more information, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com/dragway.

TOYOTA RACING – NOAPS Pocono Post-Race Report – 06.13.26

By

Official Release

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June 13, 2026

CREWS TALLIES ANOTHER STAGE WIN, FINISHES SECOND AT POCONO
Brandon Jones earns milestone pole for Toyota

LONG POND, Penn. (June 13, 2026) – Brent Crews continued his stellar rookie season as he won the second stage and finished second to race winner Justin Allgaier in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series race at Pocono Speedway on Saturday evening.

Brandon Jones (eighth) won the pole for the first time this season and delivered the 200th NASCAR O’Reilly Series pole for Toyota. It is the second major milestone for Toyota that Jones has earned in his career as he also won Toyota’s 500th NASCAR race at Phoenix in March 2020.

Sam Hunt Racing also had a strong performance at Pocono as both of their entries led laps in the same race for the first time ever, and both scored solid top-15 finishes with Harrison Burton in 11th and Dean Thompson in 13th.

TOYOTA RACING Post-Race Recap
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS)
Pocono Raceway
Race 17 of 33 – 250 miles, 100 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Justin Allgier*

2nd, BRENT CREWS

3rd, William Bryon*

4th, Sam Mayer*

5th, Sheldon Creed*

8th, BRANDON JONES

11th, HARRISON BURTON

13th, DEAN THOMPSON

17th, TAYLOR GRAY

21st, WILLIAM SAWALICH

34th, NATALIE DECKER

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

BRENT CREWS, No. 19 Mobil 1 Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 2nd

How did you get back to the top-five and how did the end of the race play out for you?

“Yeah, we were really good all day. I just want to thank everyone at Mobil 1, TOYOTA RACING – this no. 19 Toyota GR Supra was really, really good today, just kind of never got us in the right spots there. I kind of did that on my own. That was on me, but the car was really good all day. Got on some different strategies and got some good stage points and ended up running p2 there. Tired of running second to Justin (Allgaier) but guess that is the best place to be if we aren’t in Victory Lane.”

BRANDON JONES, No. 20 Menards/Ortho Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 8th

Another top-10. How was your run?

“Yeah, and dang, I don’t think our guys did anything wrong on that penalty but that kind of hurt our day. It is hard to put a day together, it really is. You look back at the start of race and the 2 (Jesse Love) and the 17 (Corey Day) – they were both out on lap one of the race. It is so hard to get there at the end of these races. I was happy with at least a top-10 and getting a rebound after that penalty in that stage. Had a decent stage one, I think we got to fifth there and had some decent points, so certainly wasn’t a loss. It was a slight climb, a slight gain overall. We will continue to plug away it. This has been a tough track and today was interesting. They didn’t say that we had a different right-side tire, but it just seemed different for whatever reason. Just very, I don’t know what the right word is, I guess sensitive on tire heat. You had to be very cognizant of how you were driving the car today. It was very easy to overdo it. It was very easy to under do it; it was hard to find that sweet spot at what the car really wanted today, so I thought our restarts went really well. There were some good ones towards the end that continued to get us back to the front there. Brent (Crews) did good. We are had good speed in our Toyotas today; just hard to put a day together. Right now, there is a lot of competitive cars. We will keep plugging along. We’ve got a big unknown coming up here next week in San Diego. We are prepping hard. Thank you to TRD and Toyota – I think they’ve done a great job at getting their track map in their simulator really good. I feel like we are going to start out with a leg up on the field.”

HARRISON BURTON, No. 24 DEX/SHARP Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing

Finishing Position: 11th

Just a positive day overall. Solid finish.

“Yeah, it is good. Not still the end result we want but just been a tough year. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve done the right things and have had it go wrong. So that has been emotionally draining. I’m proud of our guys for fighting, and starting to get in a little rhythm, and starting to feel like we’ve got our cars better. Thankful for everyone at TRD, DEX Imaging, Dead On Tools, Bulovas Restorations – all of these people that come on and help us for sticking with us. It has been a tough year and we’ve kind of started this second half as a new season, and so good start to our new season. We’ve just got to keep it going.”

About Toyota

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

Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of over 50 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

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

KALITTA, BECKMAN, HARTFORD & GADSON WIN MISSION #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE AT BRISTOL

By

Official Release

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June 13, 2026

Pruett, Hagan, Anderson and Herrera all qualify No. 1 at Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals

BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 13, 2026) – There continues to be no stopping Doug Kalitta in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, as the reigning world champion defeated Leah Pruett in the final round of the bonus race on Saturday at Bristol Dragway as part of this weekend’s 25th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while Leah Pruett (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) qualified No. 1 at the ninth of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.