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NHRA MISSION FOODS DRAG RACING SERIES SET FOR SECOND HALF OF THRILLING COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

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Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Oct. 7, 2024) – Through the first three races in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs, fans have already witnessed electric moments, huge surprises and major shifts in the points standings as drivers in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series put everything on the line for championship glory.

The second half of the six-race postseason begins this weekend with the main event of Texas Motorplex’s Stampede of Speed, the Texas NHRA FallNationals, starting an epic three-race finish.

Following the annual stop in Dallas, the stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle go to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals on Oct. 31-Nov. 3, with all roads leading to Pomona for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals on Nov. 14-17 at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

Here’s how each class stacks up heading to the final three races of the 2024 season.

TOP FUEL

From top to bottom and from the start of the season until now, the level of competition in Top Fuel has been incredible, so it would only make sense for this championship race to come down to the wire for a second straight season. Last year, it was Doug Kalitta taking a winner-take-all final round against Leah Pruett to win his first championship and a similar scenario wouldn’t be surprising in 2024.

There’s a number of different routes the title chase could take as well. Antron Brown, looking for his first championship since 2016, is the current leader after winning the first two playoff races, but he has plenty of company. Justin Ashley, who is after his first world title, is 34 points back, while former world champions Shawn Langdon (-60), Kalitta (-87), Steve Torrence (-88) and Tony Schumacher (-103) are well within striking distance in what could be an epic finish.

Schumacher won in St. Louis – his first playoff win in 10 years – to emphasize there could be several unexpected twists to end the year. Things should become a little clearer after Dallas, but there will likely be a host of contenders fighting for a title down the stretch.

FUNNY CAR

He didn’t win St. Louis, but Austin Prock’s dominant start to the Countdown to the Championship undoubtedly puts his success as the biggest storyline in the class. Before John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman knocked him off in St. Louis, Prock had won 14 straight rounds, winning in both Reading and Charlotte.

The team has been on another level in 2024, with a run of 3.814-seconds in St. Louis – the quickest run in Funny Car since 2017 – further emphasizing that. Is there any hope for a non-JFR team to win a title? For that to happen, Bob Tasca III would need to get hot in a hurry. He’s 159 points back in third and a Dallas win (and probably Las Vegas, too) seems necessary to make life difficult for Prock.

Beckman’s St. Louis win puts him (and John Force) 105 points back of his teammate and there’s the obvious Hollywood ending there. Beckman winning a 17th title for Force in Pomona would be a magical moment, but getting past Prock and his team will be a tall order.

PRO STOCK

The first half of the Countdown to the Championship has featured a distinct theme: Dallas Glenn, Aaron Stanfield, Erica Enders and Greg Anderson have all advanced to the semifinals at the first three playoff races.

The foursome has firmly separated themselves from the rest of the talented class, but Glenn and Stanfield have started to push it to a two-car race the last two events. Glenn has won them both – beating Stanfield in the finals each time – to take back the points lead and inch closer to a first title. He leads Stanfield by 31 points, while Enders and Anderson are now 90 and 116 points back, respectively.

Do the veterans, who have won the last five championships in the class, have enough to rally back over the final three races? Or is this the first year one of the young standouts finally get past two of the most successful Pro Stock drivers in NHRA history? Should Glenn or Stanfield win Dallas, those questions could be answered.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

This title race has certainly had a different tone than last year when Gaige Herrera won the final five races of the season to roll to his first world championship. He didn’t win either of the first two Countdown races, as Hector Arana Jr. and Matt Smith won in Reading and Charlotte, respectively. Herrera bounced back in St. Louis, moving back into the points lead, but at the halfway mark, this race is anything but a sure thing for the reigning world champion.

Herrera now leads Smith by 34 points in what appears to be a three-bike race going down the stretch. Richard Gadson, who has enjoyed a terrific rookie season, is 65 points back after final-round appearances at the first two races. Arana is 137 points back and has recent success in Dallas and Las Vegas, winning both in 2022, but Herrera will look to close strong like he did a year ago to claim a second straight title.

To purchase tickets to the Texas NHRA FallNationals, the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals or the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, visit www.nhra.com/tickets. For more information on NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS

Top Fuel

  1. Antron Brown, 2,344
  2. Justin Ashley, 2,310
  3. Shawn Langdon, 2,284
  4. Doug Kalitta, 2,257
  5. Steve Torrence, 2,256
  6. Tony Schumacher, 2,241
  7. Clay Millican, 2,211
  8. Brittany Force 2,171
  9. Tony Stewart, 2,150
  10. Billy Torrence, 2,113

Funny Car

  1. Austin Prock, 2,454
  2. John Force, 2,349
  3. Bob Tasca III, 2,295
  4. Ron Capps, 2,260

5.Matt Hagan, 2,249

  1. J.R. Todd, 2,191
  2. Blake Alexander, 2,176
  3. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,162

9.Chad Green, 2,159

  1. Alexis DeJoria, 2,145

Pro Stock

  1. Dallas Glenn, 2,437
  2. Aaron Stanfield, 2,406
  3. Erica Enders, 2,347
  4. Greg Anderson, 2,321
  5. Jeg Coughlin, 2,205
  6. Cristian Cuadra, 2,157
  7. Jerry Tucker, 2,150
  8. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,143
  9. Matt Hartford, 2,142
  10. Eric Latino, 2,127

Pro Stock Motorcycle

  1. Gaige Herrera, 2,404
  2. Matt Smith, 2,370
  3. Richard Gadson, 2,339
  4. Hector Arana Jr., 2,267
  5. Chase Van Sant, 2,248
  6. Angie Smith, 2,206
  7. John Hall, 2,205
  8. Jianna Evaristo,2,170
  9. Steve Johnson, 2,127
  10. Chris Bostick, 2,096

About Mission Foods

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

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

By
Jeffrey Boswell
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Talladega Superspeedway Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. William Byron: Byron finished third in a thrilling, three-wide, side-by-side finish at Talladega as Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. grabbed the win.

“More importantly,” Byron said, “I’ve already clinched a spot in the Round Of 8. So, Talladega truly was a ‘Big One’ at least for me.”

2. Christopher Bell: Bell finished sixth in the Yellawood 500.

“Saturday’s Xfinity Series was broadcast on the CW,” Bell said. “From what I hear, ‘CW’ stands for ‘Can’t watch.'”

3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished second at Talladega, just edged out at the finish line by Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.

“I thought I had a clear path to the win,” Keselowski said. “Not at the finish, but five laps before when I triggered a huge crash that wiped out over half the competition. So now, I’m car driver No. 2, as well as public enemy No. 1.”

4. Alex Bowman: Bowman finished 16th at Talladega.

“NASCAR made several aerodynamic changes for the Talladega race,” Bowman said. “The purpose was to reduce the possibility of a car going airborne in the event of a high-speed incident. I was actually more worried about myself going airborne when Ryan Blaney could have rightfully jacked me up for wrecking him.”

5. Kyle Larson: Larson finished fourth at Talladega.

“Cody Ware’s No. 15 car featured Arby’s sponsorship,” Larson said. “Arby’s likes to say ‘They have the beef.’ And they might, but not more beef that the drivers who were wrecked towards the drivers responsible.”

6. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 10th at Talladega.

“I’m trying to win a championship and win a lawsuit against NASCAR,” Hamlin said. “History says I’ll go 0-2.”

7. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.: Stenhouse was the victor in a photo finish, edging Brad Keselowski and William Byron by .006 of a second at the finish line to win the Yellawood 500.

“Some of the best moments of my life have come at superspeedways,” Stenhouse said. “And they’ve only been topped by the best moment of my life—-breaking up with Danica Patrick.”

8. Joey Logano: Logano finished 33rd at Talladega and is ninth in the points standings with an elimination race at Charlotte’s ROVAL upcoming.

“It was just a miserable day for Penske Racing all around,” Logano said. “What can you do though? If other drivers weren’t so reckless, we could have made it through the race ‘wreck-less.'”

9. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished 29th at Talladega after being collected in a massive crash with five laps to go that affected 23 cars.

“It’s a critical stretch in the playoffs,” Elliott said. “After Talladega, we’re off to Charlotte’s ROVAL for an elimination race. Suffice it to say our nerves are already eliminated.

10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney started fifth at Talladega and finished 39th after crashing out 124 laps in.

“I just got too much of a push from Alex Bowman,” Blaney said. “I’m really not happy, but Alex should be happy that push didn’t come to shove.”

CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS UPDATED AHEAD OF TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS

By
Official Release
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The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship is ready to Boot Scootin’ Boogie into Dallas this weekend for the Texas NHRA FallNationals!

Odds for championship favorites in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock Car and Pro Stock Motorcycle have been updated with storylines aplenty! Can Jack Beckman win the title for the legend John Force, or will Austin Prock write his own chapter in JFR’s legacy? Will anyone knock Gaige Herrera off his perch in PSM? What about the tight battles in Top Fuel and Pro Stock Car, where it’s anyone’s title to take?

Time to make your calls and PlayNHRA!

PlayNHRA offers fans the opportunity to legally wager on NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series action in Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock classes. Please note that opening odds are subject to change. Fans are encouraged to download each available platform in their state to evaluate the best odds being offered.

Ready to PlayNHRA? Click here to get started – with offers across multiple platforms to earn FREE bonus bets when you place your first bet!

Keselowski Finishes P2 in Talladega in Photo Finish

By
Official Release
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No. 6 Earns Second-Straight Runner-Up at Talladega

LINCOLN, Ala. (Oct. 6, 2024) – For the second-straight time at the high banks of Talladega, Brad Keselowski finished second in dramatic fashion, this time by a 0.006 margin in a three-wide photo finish.

Teammate Chris Buescher was the winner of stage one, but was collected in a 28-car incident with three laps remaining to ultimately finish 17th.

“He (Larson) gave me a good push down the frontstrech, but the 24 was able to really stick with the 47 there and just needed a tiny bit,” Keselowski said after the finish. “It’s a good finish for us. We’ve been knocking on the door of these plate tracks. I hate that we didn’t bust through with a win, but I’m happy to be right there in contention.”

6 Recap
Keselowski qualified 13th in Saturday’s single-car session. He found his teammate early, charging to the front of the pack in the first 10 laps. The BuildSubmarines.com Ford led the field back to green at lap 15 following the first pit sequence of the day, one of two times the No. 6 would lead a lap.

As action heated up in stage one, Keselowski ultimately faded off the lead pack, finishing 27th in stage one. He began the second stage from 30th, setting up a green-flag cycle some 20 laps later. When the host of Ford cars hit pit road at lap 83, Keselowski was prevented from entering pit lane, forcing him to pit on the following lap. He finished that stage in 31st, and restarted the final stage from the same position.

Keselowski’s final stop came under green at lap 171 from P7, just before the big crash ensued a handful of laps later. The incident sent the race into NASCAR Overtime with Keselowski in P2 as the finish ended in dramatic fashion at the line.

17 Recap
Buescher’s afternoon began from the 20th position, but he wasted no time advancing towards the front. By lap 11 – the first caution of the day – he was up to fifth just behind teammate Keselowski. He went on to take the lead in the final lap of the opening stage, earning that stage win.

He led the field back to green for stage two after pit stops, and midway through that stage pitted under green from fifth. He went on to finish 18th by lap 120 (stage two end), setting up for the final 60-lap dash to the checkered.

After firing off 13th in stage three, his final pit stop – at the time – came at lap 169. However, a 28-car pileup – the largest in NASCAR’s history – unfolded at lap 183, collecting the No. 17 with front-end damage. The team worked on the NEXLETOL Ford in multiple stops in the laps following, putting Buescher back on track 22nd, before finishing 17th.

Up Next
The ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway plays hosts to the final race in the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Playoffs next weekend. Race coverage Sunday is set for 2 p.m. ET on NBC, with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, in its 37th season in 2024, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com, and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.

Mazda MX-5 Cup 2024 Championship Finale is Wildly Unpredictable

By
Official Release
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BRASELTON, Ga. (Oct. 7, 2024) – With a field full of evenly matched Mazda MX-5 Cup machines driven by talented racers, Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin races are often decided by mere feet with just slivers of a second being the margin of victory. And historically the Mazda MX-5 Cup Championships have been just as close as the races themselves.

With six different drivers covered by just 200 points coming into the final two rounds, that is certainly true again this year. Every position and every point will matter for these half-dozen drivers aiming for the $250,000 championship prize.

Leading the way is Jeremy Fletcher (No. 22 McCumbee McAleer Racing) fresh off his spectacular performance at VIRginia International Raceway, where he earned his first Mazda MX-5 Cup race win and went on to sweep the weekend.

“You know confidence is pretty high right now after getting that weight off my shoulders of winning my first MX-5 Cup race and then going back-to-back at VIR,” Fletcher said. “I can’t thank the MMR crew enough, my mechanic Dalton and really everyone that has done so much for me this season. I just really want to go into Atlanta with my head held high and get it done and come away with the championship. Also, I couldn’t do it without the support of The Gun Store, The Holster Store, and Home Restoration Exchange. All in all I am ready to take on the final round!”

Of the six drivers in contention for the Mazda MX-5 Cup crown, two have won it previously: Gresham Wagner (No. 5 McCumbee McAleer Racing) and Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering). In fact, last season, Thomas became the first-ever repeat champion. His first championship, in 2022, was by a mere 10 points and came down to a competitor who finished ahead of him getting a post-race penalty. He is only 60 points behind Fletcher.

“One thing I’ve learned about the two championships I’ve won is that you never win them the same way,” Thomas said. “They always end up different and I think I can take bits and pieces from each and use that to my advantage; what I did right, what I did wrong, and try to handle high-pressure situations a little bit better.”

Wagner, the 2021 MX-5 Cup Champion, is a further 50 points behind in third. He’s proven to be adept at collecting valuable bonus points in the championship, 90 so far, for winning pole position, turning the fastest race lap or leading the most laps of the race. That’s more than any other driver this year.

Last season’s finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta was a rough one for Wagner, who finished outside the top 15 in both races. Ironically, the only two drivers on the grid who have won previously at Road Atlanta are Thomas and Wagner.

“I think the track [Road Atlanta] is a perfect balance for the kind of racing MX-5 Cup tends to have,” Wagner said. “The first part of the track is a really flowing and high-speed section of corners with a really smooth flow and elevation changes as a bonus and allows everyone to set themselves up for the big drafting section along the back straight. Having such a long straight toward the end of the lap, with a heavy braking zone, definitely contributes to the side-by-side racing, battles, and shuffling you see all the time. Plus, being the finale, you have everyone in the points fighting hard against each other for the end of the championship, and plenty of other people without much to lose that just want to end the year on a high note. That all comes together to make some pretty dramatic and crazy racing here, and the track lends itself to it.”

Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Nate Cicero (No. 83 McCumbee McAleer Racing) comes into the finale fourth in the standings, 20 points behind Wagner. Cicero makes it three McCumbee McAleer drivers in the running for the championship.

Speaking of Rookie of the Year, the driver on target to take that title, Westin Workman (No. 13 BSI Racing), is sixth in the points coming into the finale. He is 690 points ahead of the next rookie, Julian DaCosta (No. 78 JTR Motorsports Engineering) who is seventh in the standings. Workman has scored two wins so far this season, one at Sebring and one at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, while DaCosta is still searching for his first MX-5 Cup race win. Whomever is crowned the Rookie of the Year will take home $80,000 from Mazda for their 2025 MX-5 Cup season.

Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is the perfect place to conclude the 2024 Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup season. Year after year, drivers defy the laws of physics as they fight for every last point. This finale could prove to be the wildest of them all with so many drivers in the mix, so don’t miss Race 1, Thursday, October 10 at 2:15pm ET or Race 2 on Friday, October 11, at 9:50am ET. Both races will be streamed live on the RACER and IMSA YouTube channels.

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

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

RECAP: Wright Motorsports Crowned GT World Challenge Champions at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., (September 7, 2024) – Wright Motorsports made their triumphant return to victory lane on Saturday evening, clinching the Indianapolis 8 Hour race win and securing the GT World Challenge PRO championship. Drivers Adam Adelson, Elliott Skeer, and Laurin Heinrich delivered a near-flawless performance in the No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R, earning the first championship title for full-season drivers Adelson and Skeer in dramatic style. The GT World Challenge race victory was the second endurance win in a row for the Wright team. The first came here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 22 capturing the Battle on the Bricks IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD class race win.

“We’ve worked tirelessly all season, and this is the perfect culmination of that effort,” said John Wright, team owner. “The entire team came together today, and every driver played their role to perfection. Winning at Indy is always special, but to take home a championship here is truly unforgettable.”

Adelson started the race from pole position in the GT World Challenge (GTWCA) PRO class, third overall. With the long race ahead, he maintained a measured approach, leading the team through a calm and controlled double stint. His precision kept the Porsche in prime condition in the heat of the day, setting the stage for a strategic push later in the event.

Skeer took over after a faultless pit stop from the Wright crew, rejoining the race in third, two spots behind the championship-contending No. 63 Corvette. The Corvette built an early 28-second lead, but Skeer wisely focused on keeping his race clean, knowing the Porsche would come into its own as the hours ticked by.

When Laurin Heinrich took over just past the three-hour mark, the team faced a 27-second gap to the leading Corvette. As the sun set and temperatures dropped, the Porsche came alive. Heinrich began chipping away at the Corvette’s lead, gaining nearly a second per lap. The momentum was temporarily halted by a full-course caution, but the battle was far from over.

Skeer rejoined the fray after the restart, going head-to-head with the experienced Tommy Milner in a tense and thrilling battle. Skeer seized the advantage, showcasing the Porsche’s strength and the team’s consistency. From that moment on, the green and yellow Wright Motorsports Porsche was in control, asserting their championship pedigree.

Through seamless pit stops and consistently strong stints, Wright Motorsports regained the overall lead with two hours remaining. Despite a five-second penalty for a rare pit stop infringement, which dropped them to second place overall by a mere 0.260 seconds, the team still claimed the PRO class win and secured the championship by a commanding 27-point margin. With 10 podiums in 13 races, it was a hard-fought and well-deserved victory for the team.

As Wright Motorsports looks toward the future, they will announce their 2025 plans at a later date. But for now, the focus shifts to this weekend’s finale of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Petit Le Mans. Wright Motorsports looks to the 10-hour Road Atlanta classic to finish the GTD season strong. For more information, visit imsa.com.

DRIVER QUOTES

Adam Adelson

I’m so insanely proud of this result. I’m really happy with my drive. Elliott drove incredibly, making the pass that needed to happen, and so did Laurin. This is a culmination of the last four years of dedication and hard work. I couldn’t be more proud. This is the most incredible accomplishment to be able to win at Indy two times in a row, two weeks a part. To be able to go and kiss the bricks again is the most special thing.

Elliott Skeer

What an incredible season this has been in GT World Challenge America. Ultimately, the start was such a high at Sonoma, and then we went into a period where we were always fighting for wins but just couldn’t get it. Then the Corvette showed up and they played the game incredibly well. For the eight times they beat us, we only needed to beat them once. Boy, did we finish that off. I’m incredibly proud of this whole team. We finished the season on a high. Adam is driving like a super star, and I’m just going out there having fun. That’s what it takes. It’s an unbelievable feeling to finally win a championship with Adam on the fourth try.

Laurin Heinrich

I was very happy to join Wright for the Indy 8 Hour, the last round of the GT World Challenge Championship. The goal coming into the weekend was to obviously win the championship for Adam and Elliott. Early in the race we realized we have a good package and a good car. There were more full course cautions than we expected, but the team had a great strategy to get us through those well. In the end, it was a race on pace. We crossed the line first overall, which was mega and won Adam and Elliott the championship. I‘m over the moon with the result and super happy for Wright Motorsports.

Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Talladega 

By
Official Release
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Yellawood 500: Talladega Superspeedway
Lincoln, Ala. – October 6, 2024

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 DISCOUNT TIRE FORD MUSTANG

START: 2ND STAGE ONE: 9TH STAGE TWO: 1ST FINISH: 32ND POINTS: 11TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric appeared to be on track for victory at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, showcasing dominant form by leading a race-high 29 laps and running in the top spot in the final laps. However, with just five laps to go, disaster unfolded, cutting his day short and forcing an early exit from the race. Following a clutch qualifying performance on Saturday, the Discount Ford Mustang fired off on the front row in the second position. After the drop of the green flag, a third lane formed on just the second lap as Cindric occupied the helm of the middle lane. The No. 99 car brought out the yellow flag on Lap 12, allowing a plethora of cars to visit pit road for fuel. The driver of the No. 2 reported that his car was a touch on the snug side, but had no major complaints and restarted in the third position on Lap 17. As the momentum of the pack fluctuated, Cindric finished ninth in the opening Stage and headed to pit road for fresh tires. The race returned green on Lap 67 with Cindric in the seventh position. He slipped outside the top 15 as the third lane lost traction, but a rapid resurgence launched him back to the front of the pack in what eventually became a Team Penske 1-2-3 with Ryan Blaney, Cindric and Joey Logano. The skilled superspeedway racer made a fuel-only pit stop under green on Lap 101 and emerged as the race leader, ultimately claiming his sixth career Stage win at the conclusion of Stage 2. Four new tires were installed on the No. 2 machine and Cindric fired off for the dash to the finish. Leading with less than 10 laps to go, a mega 28-car pileup struck, shuttering the No. 2 team’s chances at victory. He was credited with a 32nd-place finish and sits 29 markers below the elimination line heading into the final race in the Round of 8 – the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. Despite the result, Cindric’s laps-led total marked the seventh-straight superspeedway race that the 26-year-old driver has led double-digit laps.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “I just got turned at the front of the field. Unfortunately, that’s how Daytona ended for us and I think what that says is we’ve got really fast race cars and great execution. As the leader, I was trying to be as predictable as possible as far as taking pushes and it’s just a real shame. I don’t really feel like doing a whole lot of complaining about what happened or whose fault it is, it doesn’t really matter. It puts us in a must-win situation for the Charlotte Road Course. We’ve brought some exceptionally fast race cars every single race of the playoffs and I cannot understate how proud I am of my race team and we’ll have to bring another one next week.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG

START: 5TH STAGE ONE: 10TH STAGE TWO: 8TH FINISH: 39TH POINTS: 6TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney was involved in a multi-car incident coming to the green-and-white checkered flag to end Stage 2 Sunday at Talladega, bringing an end to the No. 12 team’s day in a 39th-place finish. Despite the result, Blaney heads into the final race of the Round of 12 sixth in the standings and 25 points above the cut line. Blaney worked his way through three-and-four-wide battles throughout the opening stage after taking the green flag from fifth as the field managed fuel saving efforts during the first run of the afternoon. After getting the go-ahead to run hard with eight laps to go and enough fuel to make it to the end of the opening 60-lap segment, Blaney battled to gain track position by working the middle and bottom lanes before ultimately coming away with a 10th-place finish in Stage 1. Following a four tire stop and a round of adjustments during the stage caution, the three Team Penske Fords got lined up in the top lane early on in Stage 2 before Blaney was pushed to the lead on lap 81. The Team Penske Mustangs were among the fourth and final group of cars to hit pit road for fuel only with 21 laps remaining in the stage as Blaney blended back onto the track scored fifth in the running order. With 15 to go, Blaney moved up to lead the top lane’s charge to the front with teammate Austin Cindric pushing the duo to the front. As the field made its way off turn four on the final lap of the stage, Blaney was shuffled into the middle lane as they came through the tri-oval when the No. 48 made a run to his bumper, resulting in contact that set off a multi-car incident as Blaney was sent into the outside wall as he crossed the start-finish line. The Menards/Pennzoil Ford suffered significant right-front damage that culminated in an early end to the final superspeedway race of the season.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “I thought Austin [Cindric] and I worked well together. I had a feeling that [Kyle Busch] would pull out and help Chevy. He wasn’t going to help me, obviously, so we got in the middle. I didn’t think it was terrible. We were probably still going to run fifth or sixth, and then I just got drove straight through in the tri-oval. We didn’t get very good stage points, so we’ll just see where it is at the end of it.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG

START: 6TH STAGE ONE: 17TH STAGE TWO: 13TH FINISH: 33RD POINTS: 9TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano was among those battling for the win Sunday at Talladega when a 28-car incident unraveled with five laps to go that collected the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang, resulting in a 33rd-place finish. With the result, Logano heads into the final race of the Round of 12 ninth in the standings and 13 points below the cut line. After starting sixth, Logano worked the bottom and top lanes as the field managed fuel conservation throughout the opening stage. As four-wide battles began to form with under 25 to go, Logano moved to the bottom lane in an effort to pick up some track position before ultimately crossing the line 17th at the end of Stage 1. Following a four-tire stop at the stage break, Logano lined up to restart ninth as the Team Penske Fords quickly made the move to line up together in the top lane and made their way to the front early on in the second segment. All three Team Penske Mustangs were among the fourth group of cars to pit under green for fuel only with 21 laps to go in Stage 2 as Logano blended back onto the racing surface scored ninth. With Logano running the top lane coming to the green-and-white checkered flag to end Stage 2, a multi-car incident at the start-finish line resulted in nose damage to the Shell-Pennzoil Ford that required a pair of trips to pit road under caution as the 22 team made repairs prior to the start of the final segment. After taking the green flag from 34th, Logano raced his way to the lead on lap 137 as he began to manage the three lanes in his rearview mirror. With one more trip to pit road needed to make it to the end on fuel, Logano was brought to pit road with 17 laps to go before rejoining the field as third car in line on the bottom lane. Logano maintained his track position as the Fords controlled the inside lane with five laps to go, but a strong run resulted in a wreck at the front of the field that collected a record 28 cars and sent Logano sliding into the inside wall with significant front-end damage. Before the red flag was displayed, Logano attempted to get the Shell-Pennzoil Mustang rolling but the damage was ultimately deemed terminal which signaled the end of his run for a fourth Talladega victory.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “Everyone was just shoving each other. It’s what you expect coming down to the end of the race. It kind of felt like we were in such a good spot though with [Brad Keselowski], [Austin Cindric], myself, [Harrison Burton]. I was not in the position to win the race where I was, but I felt like I was in a good enough spot to where I could get a top-five and if they started crossing each other up coming to the checkered I was on the bottom and things were going to work fairly well for us. I actually thought the bottom was the safest place to be, but [Cindric] got sideways and there I was. It’s not anybody’s fault. It’s just the product of the racing that we’ve got. Everyone is getting more and more aggressive as the laps wind down and it happens. It happens a lot.”

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the third and final race of the Round of 12 on Sunday, October 13. Coverage of the Bank of America ROVAL 400 begins at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Stewart-Haas Racing: YellaWood 500 from Talladega

By
Official Release
-

STEWART-HAAS RACING
YellaWood 500
Date: Oct. 6, 2024
Event: YellaWood 500 (Round 31 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
Format: 188 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/60 laps/68 laps)
Note: Race extended seven laps past its scheduled 188-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Race Winner: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., of JTG Daugherty Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Chris Buescher of RFK Racing (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Austin Cindric of Team Penske (Ford)

SHR Finish:

● Noah Gragson (Started 22nd, Finished 25th / Running, completed 194 of 195 laps)
● Chase Briscoe (Started 36th, Finished 30th / Running, completed 189 of 195 laps)
● Ryan Preece (Started 18th, Finished 35th / Accident, completed 183 of 195 laps)
● Josh Berry (Started 19th, Finished 36th / Accident, completed 183 of 195 laps)

SHR Points:

● Chase Briscoe (12th with 3,029 points, 32 points below top-eight cutoff)
● Noah Gragson (25th with 516 points)
● Ryan Preece (26th with 495 points)
● Josh Berry (27th with 491 points)

Playoff Standings (with one race to go before Round of 8):

  1. William Byron (3,122 points) +74 points (Clinched spot in Round of 8)
  2. Christopher Bell (3,105 points) +57 points
  3. Kyle Larson (3,100 points) +52 points
  4. Denny Hamlin (3,078 points) +30 points
  5. Alex Bowman (3,074 points) +26 points
  6. Ryan Blaney (3,073 points) +25 points
  7. Tyler Reddick (3,062 points) +14 points
  8. Chase Elliott (3,061 points) +13 points
  9. Joey Logano (3,048 points) -13 points
  10. Daniel Suárez (3,041 points) -20 points
  11. Austin Cindric (3,032 points) -29 points
  12. Chase Briscoe (3,029 points) -32 points

SHR Notes:

● Briscoe finished eighth in Stage 1 to earn three bonus points.

Race Notes:

● Ricky Stenhouse Jr., won the YellaWood 500 to score his fourth career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his second at Talladega. His margin of victory over second-place Brad Keselowski was .006 of a second.

● Stenhouse was the 17th different winner in the 31 NASCAR Cup Series races run this season.

● There were four caution periods for a total of 24 laps.

● Only 22 of the 40 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

Sound Bites:

“We were running on the top lane and they started wrecking. Got collected into it, slid through the infield down the back straightaway.” – Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 10 Beef-a-Roo Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“It’s not the day we wanted, just with the way everything went. I don’t know what the points are, but I’m sure it’s not good. This is one of those races where if you didn’t run top-five or whatever, you’re probably going to be in a must-win either way, so that probably makes it a little more clear now and puts it where it’s not on that bubble of, ‘Well, should we go for points or should we just try to win the race?’ At least now I feel it’s pretty obvious, so a frustrating day. It felt like there at the end we were in position and then I don’t know what happened. We had all the Fords in line and thought we were going to be really good, and then the wreck happened. I was just shoving the 21 (Harrison Burton) and I knew we were in the middle of the back straightaway and then it felt like everybody stopped. Surprisingly, we didn’t hit each other super hard and it felt like everybody was going to be fine and we were going to keep going straight, and then all of a sudden they all started wrecking from each way. I haven’t seen it, but we’ll just go on to the next one.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“I think we knew something was going to happen when we were catching the 38 (Todd Gilliland) and him staying on the bottom that it was going to shuffle things up, and it certainly did. It’s frustrating because I think all of us that were in the top-10 or so were in great position for the end of that race and giving Wonder Bread and everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing a great finish. Ultimately, it wasn’t our day, but certainly still frustrating.” – Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 Wonder Bread Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“Yeah, I thought we all worked together really well today. We pitted early there in that stage and it just didn’t work out. All of our teammates, I think we worked really well together today. Unfortunately, none of us made it through that wreck.” – Josh Berry, driver of the No. 4 SUNNYD Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Bank of America Roval 400 on Sunday, Oct. 13 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. The sixth race in the 10-race NASCAR Playoffs starts at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Rick Ware Racing: YellaWood 500 from Talladega

By
Official Release
-

RICK WARE RACING
YellaWood 500
Date: Oct. 6, 2024
Event: YellaWood 500 (Round 31 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval)
Format: 188 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/60 laps/68 laps)
Note: Race extended seven laps past its scheduled 188-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Race Winner: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. of JTG Daugherty Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Chris Buescher of RFK Racing (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Austin Cindric of Team Penske (Ford)

RWR Race Finish:

● Cody Ware (Started 24th, Finished 12th / Running, completed 195 of 195 laps)
● Corey LaJoie (Started 28th, Finished 18th / Running, completed 195 of 195 laps)

RWR Points:

● Corey LaJoie (29th with 456 points)
● Cody Ware (36th with 130 points)

RWR Notes:

● Ware’s 12th-place result is his best finish in nine NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega.
● Ware’s finish is his second-best of the season. His best was a fourth-place result in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Aug. 24.
● Ware led one time for one lap.
● LaJoie earned his 13th top-20 of the season and seventh top-20 in 13 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega. His best finish remains fourth, earned in October 2023.
● LaJoie led one time for five laps.
● This is the first time in 2024 that both RWR cars led laps during a race.

Race Notes:

● Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the YellaWood 500 to score his fourth career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his second at Talladega. His margin of victory over second-place Brad Keselowski was .006 of a second.

● There were four caution periods for a total of 24 laps.

● Only 22 of the 40 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

Sound Bites:

“I feel pretty good about how our day went. We led some laps, had both cars up front, and came out with a decent finish. The No. 15 team has done well on the speedways this year and I’m really glad we were able to keep that going and have a good showing for Arby’s in our first race with them.” – Cody Ware, driver of the No. 15 Arby’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Bank of America Roval 400 on Sunday, Oct. 13 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. The race begins at 2:00 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Late Talladega Wreck Ends Strong Run For Burton, DEX Imaging Team

By
Official Release
-

After successfully navigating his way through an afternoon of three-and four-wide racing at Talladega Superspeedway, Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging Mustang were involved in a multi-car crash with five laps remaining and left the track with a 34th-place finish.

Burton started the race ninth after a season-best qualifying effort and raced in the lead draft all afternoon. He finished the first Stage in 25th place and was 19th in the second.

As the laps wound down, Burton and his fellow Ford drivers, including the three-driver contingent from Team Penske, which has an alliance with the No. 21 team, made their final green flag stop together with 25 laps scheduled to run.

Their pit strategy propelled the group forward and Burton was running fifth by Lap 175. At that point the race boiled down to a two-lane battle with Ford drivers on the inside groove and mostly Chevys outside.

But some pushing went wrong with five laps remaining, and at least 28 drivers, including Burton in seventh place, were collected in the melee.

Burton’s DEX Imaging Mustang was towed back to pit road, but the car was too damaged to be quickly repaired and he was left with a 34th-place finish.

Burton and the No. 21 Wood Brothers team now head to Charlotte Motor Speedway for next week’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 on the track’s infield road course.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

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