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BECKMAN, BROWN, ANDERSON AND M. SMITH END 2024 SEASON WITH WINS AT IN-N-OUT BURGER NHRA FINALS

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Official Release
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POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 17, 2024) – Jack Beckman closed out the 2024 season NHRA season with a thrilling Funny Car victory on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, defeating John Force Racing teammate and world champion Austin Prock in the final round to close out the 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals.

Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the last of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the sixth race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

In the teammate versus teammate final round, Beckman went a career-best 3.812-seocnds at 327.35 mph in his 11,000-horsepower PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS to defeat Prock and pick up his second win of the season since taking over driving duties for John Force in August. It’s been a magical ride for Beckman, a former world champion, who won his 35th career race on Sunday.

To get to the final round on Sunday, Beckman knocked off Terry Haddock, Blake Alexander and Ron Capps, ensuring Prock and Force/Beckman finished first and second in the loaded Funny Car ranks.

“It doesn’t get any higher than this,” Beckman said. “It’s just magical at your home track. It’s special when it’s the Winternationals when the Winternationals was the first race of the year, but the Finals is finals, right? Whoever wins here gets a couple months to say we were the baddest on race day.

“This season has just been just pinch-me moment after pinch-me moment. The way John went out was terrible, but he’s still with us, and I think he’s just as valuable standing on the starting line as he is strapped in the car at the starting line. Having John here doesn’t make us want to win more. We want to win every time we go out there. It just made winning that much more special. To see Brittany [Force] win after a two-year winless drought the weekend her dad comes back and then Austin double up with her, was just great (in Las Vegas). We’re right back in another final against Austin, and this time we won it.”

Prock advanced to his 12th final round in his dazzling championship season in Funny Car.

Top Fuel’s Antron Brown qualified just 12th in his 11,000-horsepower Matco Tools/Toyota dragster, but as he’s done all year, the standout was in prime form during eliminations. He knocked off Justin Ashley, who entered the weekend with the points lead, with a run of 3.696-seconds at 331.53 mph in an incredible matchup to open eliminations and then faced off with another title contender in Shawn Langdon. Both drivers ran into trouble, but Brown recovered and advanced to the semifinals against Force.

A spectacular season in Pro Stock came down to a thrilling winner-take-all final round, with Greg Anderson defeating KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn with a run of 6.501 at 211.13 to slip past Glenn’s run of 6.516. It hands Anderson a remarkable sixth world championship, tying him with Erica Enders and Warren Johnson for the second-most in Pro Stock history.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Matt Smith ended his year with a strong statement on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell, defeating world champion Gaige Herrera in the final round with a run of 6.702 at 202.12. It is Smith’s second win this season and the 41st in his career, enabling the six-time world champion to finish second to Herrera for the first time in his career.

Smith, who also qualified No. 1, took down Aaron Pine, Marc Ingwersen and Steve Johnson to reach the final round, setting up another marquee matchup with Herrera. This time, Smith had enough to get past the two-time defending champion,

“We came in knowing we probably couldn’t get three hats, but we knew we could get two and we did,” said Smith, getting the No. 1 qualifier and winner’s hat. “We got the low qualifier hat and the winner’s hat, just not the champion’s hat. Still, we were able to put pressure on Gaige [Herrera]. He’s a deserving champ, and we just made too many mistakes.

“I love doing this, but I’ve thought about getting off and putting some young kid on the bike. I’m 52 and it’s hard to keep up but I still love it. Actually, our sponsor, Denso told me to stop talking about retirement. I still have a job, so I plan to come back and push hard to get that seventh championship next year. “

Herrera advanced to his 12th final round of the season in just 15 races.

The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series begins March 6-9 with the NHRA Gatornationals at legendary Gainesville Raceway.

POMONA, Calif. — Final finish order (1-16) at the 59th annual In-N-Out NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip. The race is the final of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

  1. Antron Brown; 2. Doug Kalitta; 3. Tony Stewart; 4. Brittany Force; 5. Clay Millican; 6. Gary Pritchett; 7. Jasmine Salinas; 8. Shawn Langdon; 9. Shawn Reed; 10. Justin Ashley; 11. Tony Schumacher; 12. Josh Hart; 13. Krista Baldwin; 14. Billy Torrence; 15. Steve Torrence; 16. Ida Zetterstrom.

FUNNY CAR:

  1. Jack Beckman; 2. Austin Prock; 3. Matt Hagan; 4. Ron Capps; 5. J.R. Todd; 6. Daniel Wilkerson; 7. Blake Alexander; 8. Chad Green; 9. Jason Rupert; 10. Terry Haddock; 11. Cruz Pedregon; 12. Bob Tasca III; 13. Alexis DeJoria; 14. Paul Lee; 15. Steven Densham; 16. Jeff Diehl.

PRO STOCK:

  1. Greg Anderson; 2. Dallas Glenn; 3. Aaron Stanfield; 4. Erica Enders; 5. Camrie Caruso; 6. Cristian Cuadra; 7. Cory Reed; 8. Matt Hartford; 9. Jeg Coughlin; 10. Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 11. Jerry Tucker; 12. Derrick Reese; 13. Chris McGaha; 14. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 15. Kenny Delco; 16. Eric Latino.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

  1. Matt Smith; 2. Gaige Herrera; 3. Angie Smith; 4. Steve Johnson; 5. Chase Van Sant; 6. Marc Ingwersen; 7. Richard Gadson; 8. Geno Scali; 9. John Hall; 10. Jianna Evaristo; 11. Chris Bostick; 12. Ryan Oehler; 13. Clayton Howey; 14. Lance Bonham; 15. Hector Arana Jr; 16. Aaron Pine.

POMONA, Calif. — Sunday’s final results from the 59th annual In-N-Out NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip. The race is the final of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel — Antron Brown, 3.681 seconds, 330.55 mph def. Doug Kalitta, 3.710 seconds, 331.94 mph.

Funny Car — Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 3.812, 327.35 def. Austin Prock, Camaro, 5.028, 165.42.

Pro Stock — Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.501, 211.30 def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.516, 210.50.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — Matt Smith, Buell, 6.705, 202.12 def. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.722, 201.91.

Top Alcohol Dragster — Julie Nataas, 5.180, 275.62 def. Shawn Cowie, 13.582, 54.61.

Top Alcohol Funny Car — Shane Westerfield, Chevy Camaro, 5.423, 267.69 def. Ray Martin, Camaro, 5.973, 155.44.

Competition Eliminator — Travis Gusso, Chevy Cobalt, 10.377, 93.93 def. Jason Grima, Ford Mustang, Foul – Red Light.

Super Stock — Justin Jerome, Plymouth Duster, 10.616, 120.67 def. Shelby Williams, Chevy Camaro, 9.718, 134.66.

Stock Eliminator — John McLaughlin, Plymouth Road Runner, 10.565, 126.35 def. Michael Wann, Plymouth Barracuda, 10.794, 121.25.

Super Comp — Bob Van Popering, Dragster, 8.879, 182.08 def. Nick Alejamdre, Dragster, Foul – Red Light.

Super Gas — Val Torres, Chevy Corvette, 9.919, 154.88 def. Kris Whitfield, ’27-T Ford, 9.887, 155.27.

Top Sportsman — Joe Mellof, Pontiac GXP, 9.158, 94.33 def. Robert Strohm, Ford Mustang, Foul – Red Light.

Top Dragster — Ed Olpin, Dragster, 7.058, 187.55 def. Kevin Wright, Dragster, 6.274, 202.82.

Junior Dragster Shootout — Makenzie Higgins, Motivational, 11.249, 56.24 def. Jenna Chesleigh, Halfscale, 11.156, 57.38.

POMONA, Calif. — Final round-by-round results from the 59th annual In-N-Out NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, the final of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE — Clay Millican, 3.654, 336.49 def. Tony Schumacher, 3.714, 332.02; Jasmine Salinas, 3.691, 330.07 def. Shawn Reed, 3.679, 330.96; Antron Brown, 3.966, 331.53 def. Justin Ashley, 3.704, 330.31; Doug Kalitta, 3.688, 336.23 def. Ida Zetterstrom, 8.458, 73.26; Brittany Force, 3.697, 335.65 def. Krista Baldwin, 3.822, 273.44; Gary Pritchett, 3.715, 333.91 def. Steve Torrence, 5.414, 175.09; Shawn Langdon, 3.690, 332.92 def. Josh Hart, 3.733, 327.90; Tony Stewart, 3.742, 320.74 def. Billy Torrence, 3.949, 260.16;

QUARTERFINALS — Stewart, 3.712, 334.15 def. Pritchett, 3.761, 330.39; Brown, 5.031, 184.57 def. Langdon, 21.385, 67.35; Kalitta, 3.640, 333.82 def. Salinas, 8.758, 83.26; Force, 3.698, 331.94 def. Millican, 3.689, 331.85;

SEMIFINALS — Brown, 3.693, 330.88 def. Force, 8.740, 71.38; Kalitta, 3.678, 334.90 def. Stewart, 3.738, 319.37;

FINAL — Brown, 3.681, 330.55 def. Kalitta, 3.710, 331.94.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE — Daniel Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 3.910, 333.08 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 5.774, 125.85; Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.874, 329.18 def. Steven Densham, Mustang, Foul – Red Light; Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.828, 341.68 def. Jason Rupert, Mustang, 3.913, 313.00; Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.842, 332.18 def. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 10.993, 82.06; Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.847, 336.23 def. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 3.981, 306.26; Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.876, 329.18 def. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 6.305, 106.16; Chad Green, Mustang, 3.998, 315.86 def. Paul Lee, Charger, 6.784, 101.85; J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.858, 330.07 def. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.794, 164.01;

QUARTERFINALS — Beckman, 3.831, 332.10 def. Alexander, 9.955, 60.34; Prock, 3.850, 332.26 def. Todd, 3.900, 332.84; Capps, No Time Recorded def. Green, Foul – Centerline; Hagan, 3.856, 333.66 def. Wilkerson, 3.926, 306.88;

SEMIFINALS — Prock, 3.812, 331.04 def. Hagan, 3.866, 324.44; Beckman, 3.845, 330.39 def. Capps, 6.885, 103.87;

FINAL — Beckman, 3.812, 327.35 def. Prock, 5.028, 165.42.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE — Cory Reed, Chevy Camaro, 6.558, 209.95 def. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.560, 210.24; Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.555, 210.60 def. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.532, 210.08; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.523, 210.08 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.628, 209.23; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.526, 210.64 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.542, 209.33; Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.522, 210.05 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.579, 210.14; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.544, 210.08 def. Derrick Reese, Mustang, 6.565, 209.52; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.492, 211.66 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.600, 207.98; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.500, 210.18 def. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.591, 210.50;

QUARTERFINALS — Enders, 6.543, 211.20 def. Caruso, Foul – Red Light; Glenn, 6.533, 210.31 def. C. Cuadra, 6.548, 210.31; Stanfield, 6.513, 210.24 def. Hartford, 8.243, 132.41; Anderson, 6.492, 211.63 def. Reed, 6.564, 209.56;

SEMIFINALS — Glenn, 6.518, 209.82 def. Enders, 12.169, 75.57; Anderson, 6.488, 211.43 def. Stanfield, 6.510, 211.03;

FINAL — Anderson, 6.501, 211.30 def. Glenn, 6.516, 210.50.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

ROUND ONE — Marc Ingwersen, 6.821, 197.77 def. John Hall, 6.808, 199.67; Geno Scali, Suzuki, 6.810, 197.74 def. Hector Arana Jr, 7.194, 153.26; Angie Smith, Buell, 6.787, 200.47 def. Lance Bonham, Buell, 7.158, 186.56; Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.769, 199.43 def. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.846, 195.96; Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.803, 195.31 def. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.838, 199.94; Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.839, 198.26 def. Ryan Oehler, Foul – Red Light; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.746, 201.46 def. Aaron Pine, Suzuki, 7.247, 189.23; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.779, 200.00 def. Clayton Howey, Suzuki, 7.014, 184.04;

QUARTERFINALS — Johnson, 6.831, 195.11 def. Gadson, 6.873, 197.02; A. Smith, 6.768, 200.80 def. Scali, 6.932, 195.17; Herrera, 6.779, 200.08 def. Van Sant, 6.815, 197.77; M. Smith, 6.738, 201.46 def. Ingwersen, 6.850, 196.13;

SEMIFINALS — Herrera, 6.765, 199.85 def. A. Smith, 6.762, 201.31; M. Smith, 6.747, 201.85 def. Johnson, 6.780, 196.42;

FINAL — M. Smith, 6.705, 202.12 def. Herrera, 6.722, 201.91.

POMONA, Calif. — Point standings (top 10) following the 59th annual In-N-Out NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, the final of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series –

Top Fuel

  1. Antron Brown, 2,600; 2. Doug Kalitta, 2,538; 3. Justin Ashley, 2,526; 4. Shawn Langdon, 2,513; 5. Brittany Force, 2,478; 6. Clay Millican, 2,461; 7. Steve Torrence, 2,447; 8. Tony Schumacher, 2,399; 9. Tony Stewart, 2,325; 10. Shawn Reed, 2,270.

Funny Car

  1. Austin Prock, 2,817; 2. John Force, 2,651; 3. Ron Capps, 2,529; 4. Matt Hagan, 2,519; 5. Bob Tasca III, 2,435; 6. Blake Alexander, 2,394; 7. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,369; 8. J.R. Todd, 2,336; 9. Chad Green, 2,300; 10. Cruz Pedregon, 2,262.

Pro Stock

  1. Greg Anderson, 2,714; 2. Dallas Glenn, 2,703; 3. Aaron Stanfield, 2,702; 4. Erica Enders, 2,570; 5. Jeg Coughlin, 2,425; 6. Matt Hartford, 2,355; 7. Cristian Cuadra, 2,339; 8. Jerry Tucker, 2,263; 9. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,254; 10. Eric Latino, 2,238.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

  1. Gaige Herrera, 2,804; 2. Matt Smith, 2,715; 3. Richard Gadson, 2,511; 4. Angie Smith, 2,481; 5. Hector Arana Jr, 2,473; 6. Chase Van Sant, 2,457; 7. John Hall, 2,341; 8. Jianna Evaristo, 2,331; 9. Steve Johnson, 2,328; 10. Chris Bostick, 2,209.

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Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Super Trofeo Team End Year with Hardware Haul at Jerez de le Frontera World Finals

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Official Release
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CÁDIZ, Spain (November 17, 2024) — The Wayne Taylor Racing (WTR) Lamborghini Super Trofeo (LST) team officially capped off the 2024 season following the World Finals doubleheader from Jerez de la Frontera. The team departs Spain with a haul of trophies from the World Finals, including a World Finals AM Class win by Glenn McGee and Anthony McIntosh and two second place finishes by Nate Stacy and Nick Persing in the PRO|AM Class.

For Danny Formal and Ryan Norman, this weekend marked their first World Finals as co-drivers entering the doubleheader event. Coming off their PRO victory to end the LST North America rounds, Formal and Norman knew track position was going to be key in the PRO World Finals races, with over 25 entries from around the world. Formal qualified third for Race 1 while Norman grabbed the eighth spot on the grid for Race 2. Luck didn’t quite fall the way of the No. 101 Huracán LST team in Race 1. With a large and competitive PRO Class, Formal and Norman finished 13th on the day in Race 1 after a penalty shuffled them back in the running order. Eager to rebound from Saturday, Norman was riding steady before contact on an early restart sent the No. 101 back in the pack. Formal then took over in the No. 101, running on pace with the leader and challenged where he could for position and ultimately finished Race 2 in sixth. Although the results may not have been what Formal and Norman hoped for, they ended the World Finals in the top ten of the PRO class standings.

Nate Stacy and Nick Persing fared well in their PRO|AM competition at the World Finals as the pair stood on the podium in both races. In Saturday’s Race 1, Stacy started in the No. 108 Huracán LST, but mechanical issues at the beginning of the race saw the No. 108 fall to the rear of the field. However, Stacy didn’t bat an eye at those troubles, pushing his way forward up to sixth before handing the control over to Persing at their driver change pitstop. Persing then gave it his all, clawing his way from sixth to finish second on the podium. Carrying their momentum from Saturday, Persing and Stacy were ready to challenge again for a podium position after qualifying in the top five. Once again, the No. 108 duo found themselves in the hunt come closing laps. Stacy brought home the No. 108 in second place on the day in the PRO|AM field to claim another trophy and second in the World Finals class standings.

Fresh off their back-to-back LST North America AM Class Championship, Glenn McGee and Anthony McIntosh were ready to contend against their global competitors in the AM World Finals. The pair in the No. 169 Global Power Components Huracán LST qualified very well for the World Finals doubleheader, starting third for both races. McGee started off in Saturday’s Race 1 and held steady within the leaders then gave the reins to McIntosh to finish out the 50-minute event. On the final lap, McIntosh saw an opportunity to challenge for the lead and win of the race but contact with the leader closed the door and handed the No. 169 team a second-place result. Ready for redemption, Race 2 saw McIntosh off to a great start before trading driving duties with McGee to take it to the end, leaving pit lane with the lead following their mandatory pit stop. McGee continued to capitalize on the incredible pace inside the No. 169 that propelled them to take the victory in Sunday’s Race 2.

In their first World Finals together as a driver pairing, Ashton Harrison and Graham Doyle entered the weekend’s doubleheader keen to focus in on earning the best results possible. The AM Class was the one of the largest amongst the World Finals classes with over 20 entries. Knowing their strengths and speed, Harrison and Doyle kept their poise throughout Saturday’s first race and ended with a top ten finish, five spots forward on the grid from their starting position. For Sunday’s Race 2, Doyle and Harrison were ready to leave it all on the line to finish out the year. Harrison started off in the No. 110 DEX Imaging Huracán LST and capitalized on her familiarity with the Jerez de la Frontera circuit before changing driver’s seat with Doyle. Doyle took over from their mandatory pit stop and continued to fight for each spot on the track before a late race caution due to moisture on the track to end the race saw Doyle grab an impressive eighth-place finish. Harrison and Doyle’s pair of results in the top ten of each race saw them finish 10th in the World Finals standings.

On the year, Wayne Taylor Racing’s Lamborghini Super Trofeo stable tallied an impressive 2024 season with earning 2024 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America AM Class, Team and Dealership titles, 14 wins and 23 total podiums finishes.

Ryan Norman No. 101 WTR LST (PRO): “Overall I’m very proud of everyone’s effort for the World Finals this year! We showed a lot of great pace, just things didn’t pan out the way we needed things to happen to come out with a better result. We are in a way better position leaving World Finals than we were last season, and I know we will all continue to build on that. Very thankful for this season and opportunity with WTR and my co-driver, Danny Formal, and we will see what the future holds.”

Danny Formal, No. 101 WTR LST (PRO): “It has been a difficult season, but we ended it P2 in the Championship. Ryan did a fantastic job and getting used to driving with a partner as he drove along last year. We had great pace this World Finals, one of the fastest cars in both races. We had a crazy Race 1, unfortunately ended up with a penalty that put us way back in the field. In Race 2, Ryan had a difficult restart, got hit and fell back to 14th and we were able to come back in my stint to P6. We had the same pace as the leader, and we were going toe-to-toe every lap. So grateful to the WTR team and really excited for 2025 and what’s going to happen.”

Nate Stacy, No. 108 WTR LST (PRO|AM): “Man, what a way to end off the season! We gave it all we had. Nick drove exceptionally. We gave it everything we had and managed a P2 in both races and in the World Finals championship! Thanks to the WTR team for a fantastic performance all season and to all my sponsors for supporting me throughout this amazing adventure.”

Nick Persing, No. 108 WTR LST (PRO|AM): “World Finals was awesome and I’m super happy with the result! It was a great way to cap off the season. The team gave us a great car and Nate and I just had to get in and drive it. We struggled with traffic in qualifying and fought our way to the front in the race. Super thankful to WTR and Sentinel Resource Group for making this happen, none of this would be possible without their support.”

Glenn McGee, No. 169 Global Power Components LST (AM): “To fight for it (World Finals championship) again this year was amazing. Where we lost it was in (qualifying). We didn’t have pole, we lost it just on that point, so I’ll take the ding on that one. (Renaud) Kuppens drove well, he was very clean.”

Anthony McIntosh, No. 169 Global Power Components LST (AM): “We knew where we were, we knew what we had to do. We didn’t want to push and have a mistake, and we certainly didn’t want to get a penalty. We just drove hard, fair, clean, kept it in a really good position.”

Graham Doyle, No. 110 DEX Imaging LST (AM): “Leaving World Finals, Ashton and I both feel happy with our performance. Two top 10 finishes in some of the most competitive races of our careers is something I look at with a real a sense of pride. The team did an outstanding job and World Finals was something I truly enjoyed every minute of. I can’t wait for what 2025 holds!”

Ashton Harrison, No. 110 DEX Imaging LST (AM): “It’s sad to see the season come to an end, but really excited for the 110 car with Graham for us to wrap up World Finals with a P8 and a P10. Mega job by everyone at WTR and the guys that have worked just endless hours to get our car ready because World Finals is always such a challenging weekend, especially on the drivers but also the crew and the cars and all the equipment. So, shout out to the team for always giving us their best and giving us a car that was able to compete like it did. Looking forward to what’s next. I’m super thankful for the opportunity that Graham, WTR and DEX Imaging has given me to be a part of this season and really happy with the outcome and looking forward to what’s to come.”

ABOUT WAYNE TAYLOR RACING DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Wayne Taylor Racing is a leader in sportscar racing, recognized worldwide for fielding championship winning racing efforts since 2007. Wayne Taylor Racing has run a stable of championship winning cars and drivers in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series for over half a decade, forming the basis of its Driver Development Program. Since its inception in 2015, the team has clinched 14 North American Driver, Team and Dealer Championship titles, fielded the first woman World Finals race winner and became the overall 2017 Champions at the World Finals in Imola, Italy. In addition to its Lamborghini Super Trofeo stable, Wayne Taylor Racing fields a two-car GTP program with its championship winning No. 10 Cadillac V-Series.R and No. 40 Cadillac V-Series.R as well as a GTD program with the No. 45 DEX Imaging Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2.

For more information on Wayne Taylor Racing’s Driver Development Program and how to get involved, contact Travis Houge at info@waynetaylorracing.com.

NABC Members GEICO and Gerber Collision & Glass Honor U.S. Army Veteran Through the NABC Recycled Rides Program at the NHRA Nationals

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Official Release
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Vehicle Presentation to U.S. Army Veteran Damielle Reynolds Held Saturday, November 16 at the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip

POMONA, CA (November 16, 2024)– On Saturday, November 16, 2024, at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at Pomona Dragstrip, the drivers weren’t the only winners. U.S. Army veteran Damielle Reynolds took home the top prize — a unique vehicle of her own, with the presentation of reliable transportation that will allow her to get to work and care of her family — thanks to the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program along with vehicle donor GEICO and collision repair partner Gerber Collision & Glass, whose team members donated their time and talent to refurbish the vehicle. It was the first time NABC® has presented a vehicle at a NHRA race.

“It’s very exciting to be here at the Pomona Dragstrip with our partner Gerber Collision & Glass, who made this possible, GEICO, which donated the vehicle, and Enterprise, which provided additional support, amid all this horsepower and these amazing hot rods,” said Dale Ross, program director for NABC Recycled Rides®. “We are honored to present this vehicle to Damielle Reynolds and her son. We thank her for service and wish her all the best on her continued path to independence.”

Reynolds was presented a beautiful 2018 Toyota Corolla donated by GEICO, which has provided more than 1,000 vehicles to the NABC Recycled Rides program, and refurbished by Gerber Collision & Glass of Rancho Cucamonga. She was nominated by U.S. Vets, which provides services to veterans in need. The fan presentation took place on the return road of the dragstrip with the crowd cheering for the veteran recipient.

Reynolds is a veteran of the U.S. Army, and also a single mother to a wonderful eight-year-old son with autism. Reynolds graduated high school and left for the U.S. Army three weeks later, looking for opportunities to be successful and to serve others. She completed four years of active-duty service and then moved back home to be with family and to have support for her son while attending junior academy. With her son’s well-being always her main focus, she unfortunately fell on tough times through a series of challenging situations: Covid impacted their lives heavily because her son could no longer receive in-person therapy, undoing much of the progress he had made. Car problems resulted in a loss of a vehicle and things snowballed until they found themselves homeless, couch surfing for six months. Then with the help of US Vets, Reynolds has since been able to get back into school and is looking for a part-time job. Her son is now eligible for sports this year through his medical provider. Having a reliable vehicle will help alleviate a lot of financial burdens, like the cost of ridesharing, to get him to his activities, therapy and her to school, as she looks to learn additional skills to earn a better income. This gift of a reliable vehicle will be the hand up she needs to get back on her feet, maintain her independence and keep moving towards the best life for her and her son.

“I have cried so many happy tears this morning,” said Reynolds. “This is such an incredible gift. When you lose everything and have to rebuild, every step is a challenge. This will make such a difference in the lives of my son and I. I am so grateful to everyone who made this possible.”

NABC Recycled Rides® is a unique program in which businesses representing all facets of the collision repair industry team up to repair and donate vehicles to individuals and families in need of reliable transportation. Since the inception of the NABC Recycled Rides® program in 2007, members of the National Auto Body Council® have donated more than 3,300 vehicles valued at some $47 million.

Additional partners in the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation included David Wilson’s Toyota Riverside, PPG, Martin Auto Color, Advanced Remarketing Services, Cars for Charity and Copart.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL AUTO BODY COUNCIL®

The National Auto Body Council® is the premier organization of collision industry partners dedicated to strategic networking opportunities that positively change lives in the communities we serve. The collaborative membership of the National Auto Body Council® has gifted more than 3,300 vehicles and provided extrication opportunities for some 5,500 First Responders in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides®, NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) and the NABC® Community Impact program. That effort equates to a 4:1 ROI in dollar value delivered from NABC® membership dollars. The NABC Changing and Saving Lives Foundation, a 501c3 organization, is committed to the goal of driving change for veterans, military members, first responders and families in need, while harnessing the power of the collective membership of the collision repair industry to positively impact communities where we live and work. As demand for NABC® programs like NABC Recycled Rides® and NABC F.R.E.E.™ grows, so do the needs for resources to manage these important programs. Being able to pursue grants, gifts and donations allows NABC to expand these programs to serve those in need and help communities where we live and work. For more information, visit www.NationalautoBodyCouncil.org.

B. FORCE, PROCK, ANDERSON AND M. SMITH TAKE NO. 1 SPOTS AT IN-N-OUT BURGER NHRA FINALS

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POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 16, 2024) – Brittany Force made the quickest Top Fuel run of the 2024 season on Saturday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, qualifying No. 1 for the fourth time in the past five races at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals.

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the last of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the sixth race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Force, who won the most recent race in Las Vegas, went an impressive 3.643-seconds at 336.65 mph in her 11,000-horsepower Monster Energy/Chevrolet dragster, collecting her sixth No. 1 of the season. After enduring her share of struggles this season, Force and her team have come on strong to close out the season as she looks to end the year with a second straight win. She’s 108 points out of first, giving her an outside shot at a championship as well, but Force is thrilled with how her team has persevered to get back on track.

Steve Torrence went 3.644 just moments earlier on Saturday, but Force and her team laid down an incredible run to close out qualifying.

“We ran a 3.64 and that’s huge. I’m very proud of [crew chief] David Grubnic and John Collins, and the whole Monster Energy team. I wanted as many bonus points as we could get,” Force said. “[The number of cars in the 3.6s] says the competition is fierce. It’s killer out there. I didn’t know how quick I ran but when I pulled off the track there were cameras in my face so I thought it might be better than it felt.

“I’m not disappointed [in being a championship longshot]. Everything happens for a reason and it all helps pull our team together. We win as a team and we lose as a team.”

Torrence’s 3.644 at 334.90 puts him second, while defending world champion Doug Kalitta is third after a 3.650 at 334.98. Shawn Langdon took fourth with a 3.653 at 331.45, jumping into second in points.

He’s currently 43 behind points leader Justin Ashley, who is looking for his first world championship. Ashley will open eliminations in an epic first-round matchup against Antron Brown, who is only 46 points behind the young standout. Kalitta and Torrence are 78 and 79 points behind, respectively, while Clay Millican also remains in contention at 95 points out of first heading into the opening round of eliminations.

In Funny Car, Austin Prock closed out qualifying with an incredible track-record run of 3.804 at 334.57 in his 11,000-horsepower AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. Prock clinched his first career world championship in qualifying, making the quickest Funny Car run in seven years and the fourth-quickest in Funny Car history. It is his 15th No. 1 qualifier in 2024, the most in Funny Car history.

Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson stayed alive in the championship chase, making two strong runs of 6.50 on Saturday, including a category-best 6.505 at 211.20 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. It is the eighth No. 1 qualifier of the season for the five-time world champion, who also remained in contention for the world title. He’s currently 48 points behind leader Aaron Stanfield, with a potential semifinal matchup looming between the contenders.

He could also meet KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn in the championship round in what would be a winner-take-all final round. It’s a scenario that has the veteran and the all-time wins leader in the category excited for Sunday, as an epic championship finale could be in store at Pomona.

“Qualifying means everything. To be able to control our own destiny on Sunday is all you can ask for,” Anderson said. “The way the ladder is set up is a prayer answered. I can’t remember a time when we had three cars within two rounds of the championship going into Sunday.

“Win the race and win the championship. If I can pull that off, it might be the biggest thing I’ve done in this sport. We’ve got it all set up. I just hope I wake up on the right side of the bed. For the last dozen races I’ve had the strongest horse out here but I just haven’t closed the deal. Tomorrow, I hope the sun shines on me and if it doesn’t, I hope it shines on my teammate, Dallas Glenn.”

Glenn is 29 points behind Stanfield, qualifying second with a run of 6.512 at 209.82, pulling to within a round of Stanfield heading into eliminations. He could potentially meet Stanfield in a winner-take-all final round as well, while Stanfield qualified fourth with a 6.517 at 209.98.

Matt Smith kept Gaige Herrera from his second straight championship on Saturday, securing enough qualifying bonus – as well as the No. 1 spot – to extend the championship race into Sunday. He qualified in the top spot for the sixth time this year, going 6.721 at 202.64 on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell. With that, he closed the gap to 119 points against Herrera, though Smith will need plenty of help to secure a seventh world championship on Sunday.

If Herrera knocks off Clayton Howey in the opening round of eliminations, Herrera will claim his second straight world title. Smith’s only path to a championship is if Herrera loses in the first round and Smith wins the race. If that doesn’t happen, Smith would at least like to end the year with a victory.

“We came here to try and get the win and we’re in a spot to do that,” Smith said. “We’re still alive [for the championship] but we made too many mistakes during the Countdown to battle Gaige [Herrera] for the championship.

“Funny, but I’m going to finish No. 2 in the championship and I’ve never been No. 2 in my career. I’ve either won the championship or been third or fourth or lower. It would be huge for us to win the race tomorrow or for Angie [Smith], John Hall or Jianna [Evaristo] to win it. I’d love to see one of them win it. It would be a great way to end the season.”

A. Smith qualified second with a 6.758 at 201.43 and Herrera is third after going 6.765 at 201.22.

Eliminations for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals begin at 11 a.m. PT on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

POMONA, Calif. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 59th annual In-N-Out NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, the final 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. Brittany Force, 3.643 seconds, 336.65 mph vs. 16. Krista Baldwin, 3.801, 302.28; 2. Steve Torrence, 3.644, 334.90 vs. 15. Gary Pritchett, 3.750, 329.91; 3. Doug Kalitta, 3.650, 334.98 vs. 14. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.738, 323.89; 4. Shawn Langdon, 3.653, 331.45 vs. 13. Josh Hart, 3.729, 327.90; 5. Justin Ashley, 3.670, 332.59 vs. 12. Antron Brown, 3.725, 318.09; 6. Shawn Reed, 3.678, 331.69 vs. 11. Jasmine Salinas, 3.723, 332.43; 7. Tony Stewart, 3.694, 333.91 vs. 10. Billy Torrence, 3.712, 330.96; 8. Tony Schumacher, 3.694, 331.77 vs. 9. Clay Millican, 3.700, 331.36.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Scott Palmer, 3.818, 301.47; 18. Ron August, 4.121, 229.27.

Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.804, 334.57 vs. 16. Jason Rupert, Ford Mustang, 5.413, 132.13; 2. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.821, 332.75 vs. 15. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 4.544, 191.81; 3. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.828, 334.82 vs. 14. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.041, 305.84; 4. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.838, 331.94 vs. 13. Steven Densham, Mustang, 3.983, 313.66; 5. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.867, 334.82 vs. 12. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.903, 308.92; 6. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.870, 336.40 vs. 11. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 3.890, 308.43; 7. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.875, 328.46 vs. 10. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.889, 327.98; 8. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.875, 324.59 vs. 9. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.878, 326.71.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Alex Miladinovich, 7.085, 91.17; 18. Dave Richards, 7.543, 85.50; 19. Buddy Hull, 8.320, 79.11.

Pro Stock — 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.505, 211.20 vs. 16. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.620, 208.78; 2. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.512, 209.82 vs. 15. Derrick Reese, Ford Mustang, 6.562, 210.34; 3. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.515, 209.07 vs. 14. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.548, 209.26; 4. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.517, 209.98 vs. 13. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.546, 210.70; 5. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.520, 210.77 vs. 12. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.541, 209.36; 6. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.527, 209.98 vs. 11. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.539, 209.17; 7. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.530, 210.44 vs. 10. Cristian Cuadra, Mustang, 6.536, 208.94; 8. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.532, 210.11 vs. 9. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.534, 209.95.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Joey Grose, 6.628, 208.14; 18. Mason McGaha, 6.884, 205.47; 19. David Cuadra, 26.403, 31.61.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.721, 202.64 vs. 16. Aaron Pine, Suzuki, 17.388, 72.97; 2. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.758, 201.43 vs. 15. Lance Bonham, Buell, 7.248, 187.78; 3. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.765, 201.22 vs. 14. Clayton Howey, Suzuki, 7.001, 193.35; 4. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.767, 199.82 vs. 13. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 6.885, 196.82; 5. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.771, 196.44 vs. 12. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.834, 202.09; 6. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.783, 198.96 vs. 11. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.815, 198.29; 7. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 6.788, 198.55 vs. 10. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.796, 199.14; 8. John Hall, Beull, 6.792, 200.53 vs. 9. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.792, 197.62.

KODY SWANSON EARNS $50,000 PRIZE IN 100-LAP OPEN WHEEL SHOWDOWN LAS VEGAS

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LAS VEGAS — California native Kody Swanson added another marquee victory to his incredible career, winning the $50,000 BITNILE.com Open Wheel Showdown for Winged Sprint Cars at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday night. Bobby Santos scored a $20,000 second place while 2023 winner Aaron Willison rounded out the podium worth $10,000.

Swanson used the choose cone to position himself for a lap 73 restart alongside Willison, swooping around the outside for the lead. When the caution flew again on lap 82, Swanson chose the outside once more and maintained his stranglehold on the top spot.

Santos worked his way past Willison for second and had his sights on Swanson when a caution flag set up a green-white-checkered finish. Swanson would not be denied as he charged to a .881-second victory. Idaho’s Bryan Warf and California’s Eric Humphries rounded out the top-five.

“I got schooled on the high side (in the first half) so I figured I better wisen up,” Swanson said. “It gave me a chance to keep up my momentum and do what wing things require. The big thing was I was driving the best car.

I knew we had a chance. I’ve run some 100 lappers before. I knew I had to take care of my (tires) and be aware of that. I’m really fortunate it worked out that way and we never quit. This is special. I’ve seen so many friends and family I don’t get to see in the Midwest all year that made the trip out for this. I appreciate what everyone has done to bring this event back to Las Vegas.”

Willison won Friday’s Pole Shuffle and led the 26-car starting grid to the green but was immediately challenged by fourth-starting Santos. Santos soared on the outside past both Swanson and fast-time qualifier JoJo Helberg of Rohnert Park, Calif. on the opening salvo, then scooted underneath Willison to lead lap three.

Santos led Willison, Idaho’s Bryan Warf, Swanson, and Idaho’s Casey Tillman at the lap 50 break for fuel, a fresh right rear tire, and adjustments.

Willison ran alongside Santos on the restart, crossing underneath him in turn four for a thrilling pass to lead lap 51. The move looked to be a potentially decisive one before a caution on lap 73 gave Swanson his opportunity to pounce on the top.

Early action saw the 20-lap B-Main claimed by Indiana’s CJ Leary as well.

The 40-lap Super Modified feature was won by 12-time champion Otto Sitterly of New York, giving the Empire State back-to-back $5,000 Super Modified hauls at the Open Wheel Showdown.

Fellow New York pilot Matt Capara had a strong start, preserving over numerous restarts to lead the first ten laps over Sitterly and Davey Hamilton, Sr. Capara then suffered a mechanical problem that thrust Hamilton into the lead.

Sitterly ran down Hamilton, then used the lapped car of Hall of Famer Kenny Hamilton as a pick to go outside for the lead on lap 21.

Sitterly led the final 19 circuits followed by Hamilton and a hard-charging Frankie Volz in third. Colorado’s Cody Castor and Canadian Jimmy White rounded out the top-five.

Las Vegas’ Aaron McMorran simply dominated the proceedings all weekend for the $5000 to win Klotz Synthetics Modifieds. McMorran led time trials on Friday night, drew the one pill, then won his Cometic Gasket heat race.

Despite numerous incidents slowing the proceedings, McMorran was unfazed throughout the 75-lap feature. McMorran led wire-to-wire over fellow Las Vegas driver Sam Jacks. Stephen Brucker of Alpine, Calif., Shelby Stroebel of Idaho, and Kyle Jacks were the balance of the top-five. California’s Eddie Secord won the 25-lap B-Feature.

AUSTIN PROCK WINS HIS FIRST NHRA FUNNY CAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WITH JOHN FORCE RACING AND CHEVROLET

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In His First Season Driving the Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, Prock Amassed Eight Victories and 15 No. 1 Qualifiers So Far on His Way to Claiming the Coveted Title

POMONA, California (November 16, 2024) – In his first season competing behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, Austin Prock, driver of the Cornwell Tools Chevy for John Force Racing, clinched his first NHRA Funny Car World Championship at the famed In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona, Calif.

“Congratulations to Austin Prock and everyone at John Force Racing on winning the 2024 NHRA Funny Car World Championship,” said Mark Stielow, Director, Motorsports Competition Programs. “To win his first NHRA World Championship, in his first season behind the wheel of the Camaro SS Funny Car, shows the talent, preparation, and execution Austin and his team delivered all season.”

Amassing eight victories, three runner-up finishes, and 15 No. 1 qualifiers, surpassing team owner John Force for the most Funny Car No. 1 qualifiers in a single season, in addition to a win-loss record of 46-11 so far this season, Prock defeated teammate Jack Beckman, racing on behalf of team owner and 16-time World Champion Force, to give JFR and Chevrolet a one-two finish in the final standings. The title is John Force Racing’s 23rd World Championship title and Chevrolet’s eighth driver championship in the category.

The team’s performance during the 2024 season not only showcased Prock’s natural ability piloting the Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, but also the dedication and focus of his team to claim wins at Phoenix, Bristol, Richmond, Seattle, the prestigious U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, Reading, Charlotte 2, and Las Vegas 2. Prock still has one more race day left, with Pomona’s In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals victory up for grabs Sunday.

“It’s been an amazing year,” said Prock. “This team has done an outstanding job all year long and they deserve this championship. It’s been an honor to drive this Cornwell Tools Camaro, and proud to deliver a championship to Chevrolet.”

Prock clinched the championship after Q3 Saturday that saw the team run 3.804 seconds E.T. at 334.57 mph, the quickest run in nitro Funny Car since the elimination of laid-back headers. “Everyone at John Force Racing, we’re surrounded by such great people, such great sponsors. (This team) gives you so much confidence to go after something like this. This is 19 years in the making. I started racing when I was 10 years old and all I wanted to do was be a professional race car driver. I’m so proud to drive this Chevrolet with AAA Auto Club, Cornwell Tools, and everyone that’s a part of this.”

Formerly competing with John Force Racing in Top Fuel, Prock got his opportunity this season after teammate Robert Hight had to step out of the car for medical reasons. During the season, Prock raced to multiple track records with his father Jimmy Prock, brother Thomas Prock, and Nate Hildahl serving as co-crew chiefs, as well as capturing low elapsed times of sessions and events. Overall, Prock holds 12 wins during his NHRA career in both Top Fuel and Funny Car, as well as 18 No. 1 qualifiers heading into tomorrow’s eliminations.

A Notes and Quotes recap will follow the race on Sunday.

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.

FUNNY CAR’S AUSTIN PROCK CLINCHES FIRST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN DOMINANT FASHION AT IN-N-OUT BURGER NHRA FINALS

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POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 16, 2024) – Funny Car’s Austin Prock clinched his first career world championship on Saturday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, securing the world title for John Force Racing during qualifying at the 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals.

Prock finished as the No. 1 qualifier with a track-record run of 3.804-seconds at 334.57 mph to close out the day in his 11,000-horsepower AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS, making the quickest run in Funny Car since 2017 and the fourth-quickest in class history. It’s another magical moment in what has been an incredible and dominant first year in Funny Car for the young standout.

He has put together one of the most impressive Funny Car seasons in history, winning eight races thus far and clinching his 15th No. 1 qualifier, the most in a single season in Funny Car history. Prock has been just as terrific in the Countdown to the Championship, culminating in his first world title and a magical moment in his young career.

“I’ve been working towards this for 19 years,” Prock said. “I started driving race cars when I was 10 years old and all I could think of was being a professional race car driver in any manner and winning the world championship, and we got it done this year. The main job is finished, finally, but we want nine wins before we end this 2024 season, and we definitely have the hot rod to do it right now.

“This thing’s been on kill this weekend, and in the last few years, this race car hasn’t performed all that well here in Pomona, but all the stars are aligning right now. We made three really, really quick runs and I’m doing a good job keeping it in the middle of the groove here.”

Prock, who had previously raced in Top Fuel, winning four times and being named Rookie of the Year in 2019, got the opportunity to join his father, multi-time championship crew chief Jimmy Prock, and his brother, Thomas, on the John Force Racing Cornwell Tools Funny Car team after its normal driver, thee-time world champ Robert Hight, was sidelined for medical reasons before the season started.

A. Prock made his presence known almost immediately, scoring a runner-up in Gainesville and collecting his first Funny Car victory in Phoenix.

He held the points lead for the bulk of the season, taking the lead for good after finishing as runner-up to Force in Epping. Prock was the near-perfect driver to match a fast hot rod, ranking second in class average for reaction times while completing nearly 80 percent of all runs under power.

Prock enjoyed success in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge and ran well in almost any weather conditions, picking up victories in Bristol, Richmond and Seattle in the regular season. He also won the prestigious NHRA U.S. Nationals for the first time in his career this year, rolling to playoff wins in Reading and Charlotte following that.

He enjoyed 14 straight round wins at that point in the season, taking a commanding lead down the stretch of the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Prock followed with a victory in Las Vegas – part of a JFR double-up with Brittany Force – and finished the job in qualifying in Pomona.

Now, Prock has a chance to cement his year as arguably the best in recent history. Only five drivers in NHRA history have won eight or more events before this season and Prock still has the opportunity to win a ninth national event, a feat that hasn’t been done since Force did it in 2000 with 11.

“I was nervous coming into this weekend, but everything’s just working right, just like it has all year,” Prock said. “We’re looking forward to tomorrow. We’re going to do a little bit of celebrating tonight, but we’ll all be ready to go in the morning and try and go for that ninth Wally.”

Eliminations for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals begin at 11 a.m. PT on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Daytona Testing Report

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DAYTONA BEACH, Florida. (November 16, 2024) – Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing completed two full days of testing at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. With the return to Cadillac Racing, the Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing stable took to the track for the first time with the two-car Cadillac V-Series.R factory effort. With over 17 hours of testing, the Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing team tallied 491 laps across the 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course.

Onsite at Daytona International Speedway included all four full-season drivers for Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing. Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque handled the No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R alongside their IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup co-driver, Will Stevens. The No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing team logged a best time of 01:36.367 on the time charts over the two days of testing. In the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, co-drivers Jordan Taylor and Louis Delétraz took helm for the testing sessions. The No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing duo posted their fastest lap time of 01:36.763 around Daytona International Speedway.

The Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing team will return to Daytona International Speedway with the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season kickoff – the Road Before the Rolex 24 – beginning on Friday, January 17th, 2025. The Roar Before the Rolex 24 will conclude on Sunday, January 19th, 2025, with qualifying for the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA. The green flag for the 63rd Running of the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA will fly on Saturday, January 25th.

Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Driver Quotes

Ricky Taylor, Full Season Co-Driver, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R
“First impression of the car is that it gives you a lot of confidence. I think it follows what we expected that the car is forgiving to drive and seems to be good in all types of corners. I think there is a learning curve for us on how the systems work and how all the buttons and things work. We are all looking forward to comparing notes next week and seeing how all our different experiences between Will driving for a different manufacturer and from the other four of us and Alex Lynn who has experience in the Cadillac and also our new teammates at Action Express. All of us working together to hopefully create the best of our three different worlds throughout the year.”

Filipe Albuquerque, Full Season Co-Driver, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R
“It is very interesting to drive the new Cadillac V-Series.R. It is very different from when I drove the DPi. For me, the Cadillac’s highlights are always the power, The throttle response is amazing and how it deploys the power to the wheel is very, very nice and natural. Our process is obviously ongoing, and I am looking forward to more time in the car.”

Will Stevens, IMEC Co-Driver, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R
“This is my first time in the Cadillac V-Series.R and my first impression is very positive. I think our first day in the car was to get all the drivers through to make everyone feel comfortable. The promising thing is that everyone felt pretty comfortable pretty quickly. Always a good sign when you have a new car, and you can adapt quickly and get used to how the car feels. A big part to learn going forward is more about the systems and how they work and how they can help us manipulate car balance, so we can start to get a few driver preferences on what we like and don’t like. The car has great adjustments in the settings and the tools we have available to us to fine tune balance for what a driver wants. Overall, very productive weekend.”

Jordan Taylor, Full Season Co-Driver, No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R
“It has been great coming back to Cadillac and driving the new V-Series.R. It definitely has its own driving style wise: the way it feels, the way you attack corners, the setup changes are different, the terminology is all different. It has been a lot to learn but nice to get a head start here in November, before the year ends. We should get a good head start from this test and go into the off season with more ideas to come back to the ROAR with. We are all excited to start the season next year. I think there is a lot of expectation on big results. Obviously, last year, we had two wins, and the team would definitely like to increase that, and I think we will have a great chance to with Cadillac.”

Louis Delétraz, Full Season Co-Driver, No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R
“I really enjoyed my first laps in the Cadillac V-Series.R GTP. The first lap out of Turn 6, full throttle in the banking put a huge smile on my face. On every shift and down shift you can hear that incredible Cadillac engine noise. It is really cool. I am looking forward to more laps and getting more comfortable in the car. The car is very intuitive to drive and has high grip. Putting power down is definitely great. It feels like a race car! I am really excited to work with Wayne Taylor Racing, Cadillac and Dallara because I think together, we are a very strong group and can achieve great success – that will be our objective for the 40 car next season and to challenge for a title.”

ABOUT WAYNE TAYLOR RACING (WTR)
Wayne Taylor Racing’s global motorsports enterprise boasts two IMSA driver championships (2013 and 2017), and back-to-back IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Championships (2020, 2021) which contributed to nine IMSA manufacturer championships for Acura, Pontiac, Corvette and Cadillac. In its brief 18-year history, WTR has accumulated multiple victories in sportscar racing’s most iconic events: Rolex 24 At Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, Mid-Ohio, Road America and the Six Hours of The Glen. With its back-to-back PRO Class Championship wins (2022, 2023), WTR currently has 14 North America Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship titles and a Lamborghini World Finals title.

Teams get head start on 2025 IMSA season

By
Official Release
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New drivers impressed with the powerful Cadillac V-Series.R during Daytona test

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 16, 2024) – Louis Deletraz was duly impressed with the Cadillac V-Series.R during an introductory drive Friday.

“The first lap out of Turn 6, full throttle in the banking put a huge smile on my face,” Deletraz said. “On every shift and downshift you can hear that incredible Cadillac engine noise. It is really cool. The car is very intuitive to drive and has high grip. Putting power down is definitely great. It feels like a racecar.”

Nine drivers totaled 866 laps over the two days of running on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway road course that incorporates the high-banked oval during the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship-sanctioned off-season test.

Initially, foremost for six new drivers was learning the intricacies of the Dallara chassis powered by the purpose-built 5.5-liter V8 engine and systems of the hybrid racecar followed by prescribed test plans over the course of five sessions. More than 16 hours of track time was also a refresher for Jack Aitken and Earl Bamber, who have driven the Cadillac LMDh platform since the inception of the GTP and FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Hypercar classifications, respectively, in 2023.

The Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Nos. 10 and 40 entries and Cadillac Whelen No. 31 racecars were running an updated control system electronics package that will be introduced for 2025 competition across the IMSA and WEC five-car fleet with the goal of improving cohesiveness in control areas for consistency and reliability, increasing data quality. The update is the first of five development “jokers” permitted for manufacturers through the initial homologation cycle.

“The whole program is stepping up every single year and it’s great that Cadillac continues to progress and develop and push the envelope. With this Evo joker, it will continue to help us be more successful,” said Bamber, an IMSA and WEC champion.

Cadillac Racing teams return to Daytona International Speedway January 17-19 for the Roar Before the 24, which culminates with qualifying for the twice-around-the-clock race the following weekend. The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R earned the pole this year.

Drugovich returns to Action Express Racing

Felipe Drugovich, who co-drove the No. 311 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, will join Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber and Frederik Vesti for the Rolex 24 At Daytona in the Action Express Racing-run car.

The 2022 FIA Formula 2 Championship champion, who competed in LMP2 in the 2024 European Le Mans Series, will make his IMSA debut in the January race. Drugovich got seat time during the Daytona test.

“I am really delighted to be here in Daytona for the first time. AXR and Cadillac gave me the opportunity to do my first Le Mans 24 Hours and now they are putting me to do the other mythical 24 hours — the Daytona one in January 2025,” he said. “Hope to help the team and my fellow drivers in this exciting and unforgettable experience, starting with these tests. I feel privileged and happy to be here.”

Vesti added for Laguna Seca race

Action Express Racing confirmed that Vesti will sit in for Bamber for the IMSA race May 9-11 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca because of the overlap with the FIA World Endurance Championship race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

Bamber is doing double duty in 2025 with full season programs in the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac GTP entry and with Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA for the eight-race WEC campaign.

Vesti, the 2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship vice-champion and reserve driver for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team, will also contest the five endurance races in the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R.

What they’re saying

Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing (No. 10)

Ricky Taylor, full season driver: “First impression of the car is that it gives you a lot of confidence. I think it follows what we expected that the car is forgiving to drive and seems to be good in all types of corners. I think there is a learning curve for us on how the systems work and how all the buttons and things. We are all looking forward to comparing notes next week and seeing how all our different experiences between Will (Stevens) driving for a different manufacturer and from the other four of us and Alex Lynn who has experience in the Cadillac and also our new teammates at Action Express. All of us working together to hopefully create the best of our three different worlds throughout the year.”

Filipe Albuquerque, full season driver: “It is very interesting to drive the new Cadillac V-Series.R. It is very different from when I drove the DPi. For me, the Cadillac’s highlights are always the power. The throttle response is amazing and how it deploys the power to the wheel is very, very nice and natural. Our process is obviously ongoing, and I am looking forward to more time in the car.”

Will Stevens, IMEC driver: “This is my first time in the Cadillac V-Series.R. and my first impression is very positive. I think our first day in the car was to get all the drivers through to make everyone feel comfortable. The promising thing is that everyone felt pretty comfortable pretty quickly. Always a good sign when you have a new car and you can adapt quickly and get used to how the car feels. A big part to learn going forward is more about the systems and how they work and how they can help us manipulate car balance so we can start to get a few driver preferences on what we like and don’t like. The car has great adjustable in the settings and the tools we have available to us to fine tune balance for what a driver wants. Overall, very productive weekend.”

Cadillac Whelen (No. 31)

Earl Bamber, full season driver: “The whole program is stepping up every single year and it’s great that Cadillac continues to progress and develop and push the envelope. With this Evo joker, it will continue to help us be more successful. I think we’re on a good path and rate, so I’m excited to get out there and start racing.”

Jack Aitken, full season driver: “We have new drivers and they’re settling in well. This time of year it’s more about taking the simple steps, checking that the basics are working and covering our bases. It’s not going to be super relevant for the race weekend when we come back here in January because conditions will be different, but everyone is settling in really well and we’re working out the kinks.”

Frederik Vesti, IMEC driver: “I can’t stop smiling to be honest. Being with Cadillac for the first time in Bahrain was a good experience but to finally start working with Action Express Racing and the whole Cadillac family in the U.S. is really cool. I’ve been looking forward for a few months now to get going with this program and now we’re finally here. These first few days have been really positive. I feel confident and comfortable in the car, which is not a given when you jump into a new car. From Lap 1, I’ve been really confident in this car. Therefore, I’m looking forward to the future.”

Felipe Drugovich, Rolex 24 At Daytona driver: “It’s been a good test for me getting to know the track as well. I’ve never been on any type of banking like this so it’s quite cool. I’ve been getting used to this can again as it’s quite different from anything I drive. The sound is nice. We’re getting through test items that will help us when we come back here in January.”

Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing (No. 40)

Jordan Taylor, full season driver: “It has been great coming back to Cadillac and driving the new V-Series.R. It definitely has its own driving style-wise: the way it feels, the way you attack corners, the set-up changes are different, the terminology is all different. It has been a lot to learn but nice to get a head start here in November, before the year ends. We should get a good head start from this test and go into the off-season with more ideas to come back to the Roar with. We are all excited to start the season next year. I think there is a lot of expectation on big results. Obviously, last year, we had two wins and the team would definitely like to increase that and I think we will have a great chance to with Cadillac.”

Louis Deletraz, full season driver: “I really enjoyed my first laps in the Cadillac V-Series.R. The first lap out of Turn 6, full throttle in the banking put a huge smile on my face. On every shift and down shift you can hear that incredible Cadillac engine noise. It is really cool. I am looking forward to more laps and getting more comfortable in the car. The car is very intuitive to drive and has high grip. Putting power down is definitely great. It feels like a racecar. I am really excited to work with Wayne Taylor Racing, Cadillac and Dallara because I think together we are a very strong group and can achieve great success. That will be our objective for the 40 car next season and to challenge for a title.”

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.

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