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EVENT PREVIEW: Wright Motorsports Prepared for Battle at Barber

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Official Release
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BIRMINGHAM, AL., (September 3, 2024) — Eight years have passed since SRO America last held an event at Barber Motorsports Park and this weekend, the Fanatec GT World Challenge America returns to Birmingham, Alabama for the penultimate event of the 2024 season. The competition will intensify at the picturesque circuit as Wright Motorsports aims to keep a tight grasp on the PRO-class championship point lead with the No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R.

“It’s great to be returning back to Barber,” said Team Owner John Wright. “Not only is the facility beautiful, but it offers some great racing as well. It’ll be interesting to see how quickly everyone gets up to speed at a track we haven’t raced at in some years. We’ve had decent success here in the past. After our recent test here, we are ready to get down to business and hopefully keep growing that championship points lead.”

Wright Motorsports has led the GT World Challenge America championship points battle since April’s opening rounds at Sonoma Raceway. Adam Adelson and Elliot Skeer’s consistent performance of podiums, supported by the team in pit lane, has led to a stellar season-long display of success and flawless execution.

Barber presents an interesting opportunity to the competitors, many of whom have not raced here at the newest addition to the GT World Challenge America schedule. With just three races remaining in the 2024 championship, it will be crucial to get up to speed quickly on the new addition to maximize the weekend’s results. The 16-turn, 2.38-mile circuit holds special memories for Skeer, who was an attendee for the North American Porsche Young Driver Academy shootout in 2014, a vital step in his professional motorsport career.

This weekend, the last doubleheader of the season will be held, followed by the championship-deciding double-points finale in Indianapolis 8 Hour, October 3-6. Wright Motorsports holds a 35-point lead over DXDT Racing, with 100 points remaining up for grabs. Both races will stream live on YouTube.com/GTWorld.

EVENT SCHEDULE | All Times Central

Friday, September 16

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Practice One

3:15 PM – 4:15 PM Practice Two

Saturday, September 7

9:05 AM – 9:20 AM Race One Qualifying

9:25 AM – 9:40 AM Race Two Qualifying

3:15 PM – 4:45 PM Race One

Sunday, September 8

2:15 PM – 3:45 PM Race Two

DRIVER QUOTES

Adam Adelson

It’s always great getting to race at the same track twice in a row! We’re currently leading the points, and our focus is on the championship. We’ll have really strong competition as always, and Road America isn’t typically the best for the Porsche, but we have the best team to maximize our potential. It’s time to put our heads down and focus for the back half of the season, and I’m really excited to see how this weekend plays out at one of the best tracks in the world.

Elliott Skeer

It’s like we’ve never left! I am super excited for the upcoming rounds of GT World Challenge, we have put in some fantastic prep work as a team and Adam and I sure know our way around there going into first practice. Ultimately we will treat it like every other weekend, to operate our Porsche at it’s maximum and execute the weekend to the best that Wright Motorsport can do.

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.

NASCAR PLAYOFFS WILL START WITH A ‘BANG’ IN ATLANTA

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Official Release
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July 09, 2023: The NASCAR Cup Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Atlanta, Georgia. (HHP/Andrew Coppley)

HAMPTON, Ga. (Sept. 3, 2024) – For the first time ever, the postseason for NASCAR’s top series will kick off on the high banks of Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday.

The Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart will be filled with figurative fireworks as the stars of NASCAR battle door-to-door for the race win and 16 playoff contenders compete for the championship. Before the green flag flies, however, literal fireworks will signify the start of NASCAR’s postseason in a massive pyrotechnic sequence never before seen at AMS.

“The Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart weekend is going to be full of unbelievable moments, and this is one fans definitely don’t want to miss,” said AMS Executive Vice President and General Manager Brandon Hutchison. “Starting the playoffs here in Atlanta is a big deal, so we’re going to get things started with a bang!”

As the field begins the final pace lap before the green flag Sunday, 1,500 pyro devices will light up a one-mile stretch spanning from Turn 1 to Turn 4 of the speedway.

Just moments after the pyrotechnic sequence concludes, the field will take the green flag and start 400 miles of close-quarters racing action. It will be the culmination of a weekend full of NASCAR racing on track and entertainment off the track. On-track NASCAR activity starts Saturday with Bennett Transportation and Logistics qualifying followed by the Focused Health 250. Sunday’s main event, the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart, starts the NASCAR Cup Series 10-race playoffs at 3 p.m. ET.

Tickets and camping accommodations for the Sept. 6-8 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart NASCAR weekend are available at www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

About the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart:

The Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart kicks off the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. 16 drivers begin their quest to hoist the Bill France Cup on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s high banks on Sunday, Sept. 8.

Accompanying the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart is the Focused Health 250 on Saturday, Sept. 7. With just three races remaining in the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season, the rising stars of NASCAR will have added pressure to secure their place in the postseason with a trip to victory lane.

More information on the Sept. 6-8 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart weekend and ticket availability can be found online at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Keep track of all of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter, Instagram, and become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Atlanta Motor Speedway mobile app.

Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 CITGARD Ford Mustang Dark Horse

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Official Release
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Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway Competition Notes

 MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 3, 2024) – The NASCAR Cup Series makes their return to the Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway for the first race of the 2024 playoffs.

For Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 team, Atlanta shows much promise to capture their first win in the NASCAR Cup Series. Gilliland led a race-high 58 laps at the 1.5-mile, Hampton, Georgia venue in February’s race. Gilliland has proven that he has what it takes to be a trusted drafting partner at tracks like Daytona, Atlanta, and Talladega.

CITGARD will partner with Gilliland for the event and will bring along a valued partner of theirs, Shipton’s Big R. Locally owned and operated farm and ranch retail stores since 1949, Shipton’s Big R brings exceptional customer service, proven and reputable products, and everyday low prices to Montana, Wyoming, and many other states.

Track activity for the NASCAR Cup Series will start with qualifying at 12:30 pm ET on Saturday, September 7th. The 260-lap event is scheduled for Sunday, September 8th at 3:00 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on the USA Network or listen in from the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

No. 38 CITGARD Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

“The result doesn’t tell the whole story from our night in Darlington. We had a fast Ford Mustang Dark Horse, and the crew executed. I am proud of the effort we have put in all year, and we still have 10 races left where we can get ourselves a win. I think we can do it at Atlanta if we execute and stay out of trouble.

“It’s cool to see CITGARD return, and with Shipton’s Big R too. Their paint scheme brings a sort of nostalgic look to it. I really like it. They bring so much energy to the track and are really involved with our race program. Hopefully I can make them proud.”

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“Missing the playoffs is disappointing, but I am not going to let that write our season’s story. We started the season with almost a completely new team, and I am proud of the progress we have made since February. We still have 10 races left to continue to improve and compete for wins. I’m feeling confident heading to Atlanta. Todd (Gilliland) controlled the first race there, and that is the standard for this weekend.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

CHASE BRISCOE WINS SOUTHERN 500 AND CLINCHES FINAL PLAYOFF SPOT

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Official Release
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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media & Getty Images

DARLINGTON, SC – September 3, 2024 – Chase Briscoe won Sunday’s Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, clinching the final spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Ford will enter the playoffs with six drivers and four different organizations in the 16-driver playoffs, the most of any manufacturer.

“Congratulations to Tony, Gene, Richard, Chase, and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing on the race win at Darlington,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Richard and Chase were fast in qualifying and maintained that speed throughout the race. Chase and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing earned this one, what an incredible final restart for the #14 car.”

“Man, everybody knows I’m a diehard Tony Stewart fan and to get this 14 car back in Victory Lane and for all 320-something employees, to be able to race for a championship in their final year, it’s unbelievable. God is just so good. It’s like deja vu again with Kyle with the Xfinity race here in 2020. Obviously, I didn’t know if I was gonna be able to do it, but I just can’t thank HighPoint.com enough, Mahindra Tractors, Rush Truck Centers, Renai, everybody that makes this deal go around. We’ll go to Atlanta and try to steal another one,” commented Briscoe.

Three Ford Performance drivers started Sunday night’s race from the top-10: Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe in P3, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in P7, and Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing’s Chris Buescher in P10. After an accident on lap 2, the race remained caution-free until the end of Stage 1. Chase Briscoe held onto his third-place position to finish the first stage and finished Stage 2 in 2nd. The end of the race came down to a battle between Chase Briscoe, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Larson. A multi-car wreck on lap 344 brought out the final caution of the race. On the restart, Chase Briscoe was first on the outside, Kyle Larson was second inside, and Kyle Busch was the first car with new tires inside on the fourth row. After a strong restart, Chase Briscoe pulled away from the field with Kyle Busch behind him. Briscoe held off Kyle Busch on the final lap, finishing .361-seconds in front of second place.

Two Ford Performance drivers finished in the top 10 along with Briscoe: RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher in P6 and Team Penske’s Joey Logano in P8.

Chase Briscoe advances to the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with this weekend’s win along with five other Ford drivers: RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski (Darlington 1), Team Penske’s Austin Cindric (WWTR), Team Penske’s Joey Logano (Nashville), Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney (Iowa and Pocono), and Wood Brothers Racing’s Harrison Burton (Daytona 2).

The NASCAR Xfinity Series also raced at Darlington on Saturday. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer finished in P2.

The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series both compete this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, GA. This weekend marks three races remaining in the regular Xfinity Series season and the start of the Cup Series playoffs.
39 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 468 WINS – 434 POLES

About Roush Yates Engines
Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions, a world class AS9100 Rev D/ISO 13485 certified CNC manufacturing facility. The company’s core business includes designing, building and testing purpose-built race engines.

Ford Performance in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder of the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine.

With an unparalleled culture of winning and steeped in rich racing history, Roush Yates Engines continues to follow the company’s vision to lead performance engine innovation and staying true to the company’s mission, provide race winning engines through demonstrated power and performance.

Decisely Racing: Josh Berry Atlanta Advance

By
Official Release
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JOSH BERRY
Atlanta Advance
No. 4 Decisely Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview
● Event: Atlanta 400 (Round 27 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 8
● Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia
● Layout: 1.54-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 260 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway this Sunday to kick off the 2024 playoffs. But for Josh Berry, this 1.54-mile superspeedway-like oval is grounds for redemption. In his second points-paying race in his rookie campaign earlier this spring, the 33-year-old driver qualified 14th for the Ambetter Health 400. Berry, who at the time had limited seat time in the NextGen car, maneuvered to eighth place by lap 250, eyeing a top-10 finish to kick off the season when he was collected in an on-track incident that ended his day early. He finished 29th. Berry also has cut laps in the Next Gen car at Atlanta in March 2023 when he filled in for an injured Chase Elliott. In that race – his second time ever in the NextGen car – he started 21st and managed to gain three spots before the checkered flag waved. While most would not consider this a significant gain, it does show that Berry has experience drafting and racing the new car on the new layout.

● While Berry is not in the running for the 2024 playoff race, he is still eligible to win the Sunoco Rookie of the Year title and the race for the crown is as close as ever. Berry is currently 11 points behind rookie points leader Carson Hocevar. Berry’s ninth-place finish in the first stage and seventh-place result in the second stage last Sunday at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway helped him narrow the gap to Hocevar.

● Berry made six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Atlanta with JR Motorsports prior to earning a promotion to the NASCAR Cup Series with Stewart-Haas Racing. In that stepping-stone division to the elite Cup Series, Berry tallied one top-five finish (runner up in July 2022 after starting second in that race) and two top-10s. Additionally, Berry earned an average starting position of 11.2.

● Rodney Childers will dive deep into his notebook for Atlanta, preparing for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race. Childers has tallied two wins, five top-five finishes, nine top-10s, and 1,123 laps led. In fact, in Childers’ first race with former No. 4 driver Kevin Harvick, the duo won the pole position. That pairing found victory lane in 2018 after leading 181 circuits at the old layout. Just two year later, Childers and Harvick found their winning combination again and led 151 laps in that event.

● This weekend, the No. 4 team brings aboard a new partner – Decisely – with a unique twist on what it means to be a teammate. Kevin Dunn, CEO of Decisely and Robert “Cheddar” Smith, car chief of the No. 4 team, met after a bass fishing event with Decisely Chairman Wally Smith, and quickly bonded. Decisely sponsors Bassmaster Elite rookie Bryant Smith, and their friendship eventually led to a partnership with Berry. Dunn appreciated the parallels between racing and bass fishing, where, with the crucial support of a team, it falls on an individual’s shoulders to claim victory. This resonated deeply with Dunn, as it mirrors the independent spirit of the business owners served at Decisely – driven individuals who, much like racers and anglers, are committed to achieving success through their own determination and grit.

● Decisely is a technology-based employee benefits and HR services platform focused on helping small businesses and entrepreneurs succeed. By providing comprehensive benefits solutions, HR management tools, and expert advisory services, Decisely enables businesses to attract and retain top talent while driving growth and success. Decisely proudly serves franchise and association businesses from NAPA, FedEx, The Society of Collision Repair Specialists, Tire Pros, Amazon and more. For more information about Decisely and its services, visit www.decisely.com.

Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 Decisely Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Atlanta is a track where you have had speed in the NextGen car, but the results don’t reflect that. What have you been able to learn in a short amount of time to get you comfortable there?

“I think it has a lot to do with Rodney (Childers) and this No. 4 team helping me with good Ford Mustang Dark Horse racecars, the experience they have as a team, and just getting seat time. Obviously, heading to Atlanta for the first time, I didn’t have a ton of experience, but coming off of the Daytona 500 and racing in a similar style with the draft, it wasn’t as hard of a transition as it might have been if we had a road course or short track the week prior. I can’t say it enough, this team is just really strong from top to bottom and I am super proud of all of them and how hard they work each and every week to get me ready to compete on Sundays”

Decisely is on the car this weekend, a local company with a close tie to the No. 4 team and Robert “Cheddar” Smith. What does that mean to you?

“It’s a really cool opportunity to see one of Cheddar’s friends get involved and want to support myself and the whole team. It’s not very often that you get to have a relationship that is so close to the team like this one is, so to be able to get to meet the great folks at Decisely, see their colors and branding on the No. 4 car, and try to get them to victory lane is really neat. I am excited to vie for a win this weekend and I would love to celebrate with friends of the No. 4 team.”

What are your expectations heading to Atlanta this weekend?

“Honestly, I just want to put together a complete race. It feels like recently, we have been clean on pit road, had good strategy, and worked well as a team and then something has taken us out of contention. So, for me, I want to just continue to maximize our effort, stay true to our process, and put together a clean and complete race. If we do that, I think we can be competitive for a lot of the last 10 races this season.”

No. 4 Decisely Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Josh Berry

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer

Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Billy Kuebler

Hometown: Saline, Michigan

Spotter: Eddie D’Hondt

Hometown: Levittown, New York

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Mason Flynt

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Jack Man: Brandon Banks

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal

Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Tyler Trosper

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Mechanic: Chris Capaldi

Hometown: Armada, Michigan

Tire Specialist: Zac Lupien

Hometown: Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt

Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Jake Zierhoffer

Hometown: Billerica, Massachusetts

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell

Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

RFK Advance | Atlanta II

By
Official Release
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Atlanta II Event Info:
Date: Sunday, Sept. 8
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Hampton, Georgia
Format: 260 Laps, 400.4 Miles, Stages: 60-100-100
TV: USA
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 12:30 p.m. ET, Qualifying (USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3 p.m. ET, Race (USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

  • The NASCAR Playoffs get underway this weekend as Atlanta Motor Speedway hosts race No. 1 in the 10-race schedule.
  • RFK has led a combined 113 laps in the last three Atlanta races as Keselowski average a 4.0 finish in last season’s events in Georgia.
  • Jack Roush has six Cup wins all-time at Atlanta, and 13 overall.

6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: King’s Hawaiian Pretzel Bites

17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Fastenal

Keselowski at Atlanta
Starts: 19
Wins: 2 (2017, 2019)
Top-10s: 11
Poles: —

  • Keselowski makes his 20th Cup start at Atlanta this weekend where he is a two-time winner with an average finish of 14.9.
  • Keselowski won at the now Superspeedway first in 2017 after starting fifth and again in 2019.
  • Most recently, he finished 33rd in the spring after crashing at lap 218. Last season, he led a combined 66 laps in the two races and finished second (spring) and sixth (fall).
  • Overall he’s led laps in 11 different Atlanta races and finished top-10 11 times.
  • He carries an average starting position of 15.4 into the weekend with a career-best effort of P2 in 2014. Overall he has six top-10 starts, including a P4 starting spot last spring.
  • He also made eight Xfinity Series starts with six top-10s including two P2 finishes. He also made four Truck starts.

Buescher at Atlanta
Starts: 12
Wins: —
Top-10s: 4
Poles: —

  • Buescher makes his 13th Cup start in Atlanta where he has four top-10s and a best finish of seventh (twice – 2021, 2022). He finished ninth in 2019, and ninth in the most recent race there this spring.
  • Buescher has an average qualifying position of 17.9 with a career-best effort of seventh, which he matched this spring.
  • He also finish fourth in the Xfinity Series in 2015.

RFK Historically at Atlanta
Cup Wins: 6 (Mark Martin, 1991, 1994; Kurt Busch, 2002; Carl Edwards, 2005, 2005, 2008)

  • RFK at Atlanta: RFK has 279 starts at AMS in NASCAR’s three major touring series totaling 13 wins, 60 top fives, 115 top-10s and nine poles while leading 3,267 laps and turning over 109,000 miles.
  • AMS/RFK History: RFK competed in its first NASCAR event at AMS on March 20, 1988, finishing 31st after getting involved in an early crash. Just three years later the organization claimed its first win there in the fall of ‘91 with the No. 6 Ford. RFK won its first of seven NXS races at the track in the spring of ’97. The team’s top outing at AMS came in the fall of 2005, when the organization placed four cars inside the top seven, with three cars finishing in the top five including race winner Carl Edwards. Altogether, in the two races at AMS in 2005, RFK posted six top-five finishes and two wins.
  • Spring Forward: All but one of RFK’s Cup wins at AMS came in the fall, with the only spring win coming in 2005. Three of RFK’s seven NXS wins came in the fall.

RFK Atlanta Wins

1991-2 Martin Cup

1994-2 Martin Cup

1997-1 Martin NXS

1998-2 Martin NXS

2000-1 Martin NXS

2002-2 Busch Cup

2005-1 Edwards Cup

2005-1 Edwards NXS

2005-2 Edwards Cup

2008-1 Kenseth NXS

2008-2 Edwards Cup

2011 Edwards NXS

2012 Stenhouse NXS

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Darlington: Chris Buescher did everything needed to put himself into the playoffs, but another new winner negated that as Buescher finished sixth and ultimately did not qualify for the playoffs. Keselowski finished 14th.

Points Standings (6: 8th, 17: 17th): Keselowski is re-seeded to eighth entering the playoffs.

The importance of the 1979 Daytona 500 to NASCAR TV Broadcasting

By
Quinn McCullough
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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Archives & Research Center/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images

Before CBS broadcast the 1979 Daytona 500 in full from flag to flag, NASCAR races were not broadcast all the way through and instead were tape-delayed. NASCAR tape-delay races would instead be shown in parts with broadcasters, but on rotation in a show like ABC’s Wide World of Sports or NBC Sports World.

This was very popular with the networks on the weekends and sometimes weekdays in the late 50s to the 1980s to show sports that would have a niche interest in the eyes of the networks. Fan interest was also put into play in terms of what niche sports were shown. NASCAR races were also broadcast live through these programs as well.

It wasn’t until 1978 when legendary NASCAR Broadcaster Ken Squier and NASCAR Chairman at the time Bill France Jr. convinced CBS to air the 1979 Daytona 500 from start flag to checkered flag. At first, CBS was very hesitant to air the full event due to concerns about the four-hour length of the race and the viewability of it. Before that, they would show parts of NASCAR races on their version of Wide World of Sports called CBS Sports Spectacular.

Flag-to-flag coverage of a race had never been tried before by any network. Then later that year Mr. Squier convinced Neal Pinson, who worked at CBS and CBS Sports at the time, to air the entire Daytona 500 on CBS TV from green flag to checkered flag across the US. After that, the rest was history. What also helped was on the day of the 1979 Daytona 500 there was a massive snowstorm across most parts of the US but the race track didn’t have that issue.

This led to many people staying in their homes and watching TV. This was a godsend to NASCAR and CBS. Thousands of people flocked to their TV sets and watched that year’s Daytona 500. The Daytona 500 is one of those Super Bowl-like events millions watch today when it’s on FOX, which acquired the rights to broadcast it in 2001 after NASCAR and CBS stopped working together. If it weren’t for Mr. Squier and CBS, as well as NASCAR’s family, the France family, we wouldn’t have full races and NASCAR coverage on TV and on video like we do today.

AMS ANNOUNCES QUAKER STATE 400 AVAILABLE AT WALMART DIGNITARIES

By
Official Release
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July 9, 2023. Quaker State 400 Race(David Graham)

HAMPTON, Ga. (Sept. 2, 2024) – As the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs begin at Atlanta Motor Speedway, several special guests and dignitaries will help kick off the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart.

Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart (Sunday, Sept. 8) Dignitaries:

Grand Marshal: NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Labonte will be the grand marshal for Sunday’s event. The 6-time Atlanta winner will get things started with the most famous words in motorsports: “Drivers, start your engines!”

Honorary Pace Car Driver: Professional rugby player and Olympian Alex “Spiff” Sedrick, who raced the length of the field in the final moments of the bronze medal match to secure the win for Team USA last month, will lead the field in the Chevrolet Camaro pace car in the opening pace laps before the green flag Sunday.

Honorary Starter: Robert Beasley, digital operations lead for Walmart, will waive the green flag to set the starting field loose for 400 miles of racing.

National Anthem Singer: Singer and actress Bella Yantis will perform the Star-Spangled Banner before NASCAR’s stars climb into the cockpits of their cars for 400 miles of racing.

Flyover: During Sunday’s national anthem, an MH-47 Chinook out of Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga., will fly above Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Pre-race entertainment: The speedway’s frontstretch will be jamming with the sounds of Zach Top’s take on traditional country music as he gets fans revved up for the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

These special guests will play a major role in a weekend full of entertainment and thrilling racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Campgrounds will begin opening to fans on Wednesday and fan activities begin Thursday with the Pedal Power Party bike ride around the speedway and Speedway Children’s Charities Laps for Charity. NASCAR competition begins Saturday with Bennett Transportation and Logistics qualifying for both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series.

There’s 650 miles of NASCAR action slated for the weekend with Saturday’s Focused Health 250 and Sunday’s Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart.

Tickets and camping accommodations for the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart weekend Sept. 6-8 are available at www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

About the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart:

The Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart kicks off the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. 16 drivers begin their quest to hoist the Bill France Cup on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s high banks on Sunday, Sept. 8.

Accompanying the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart is the Focused Health 250 on Saturday, Sept. 7. With just three races remaining in the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season, the rising stars of NASCAR will have added pressure to secure their place in the postseason with a trip to victory lane.

More information on the Sept. 6-8 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart weekend and ticket availability can be found online at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Keep track of all of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter, Instagram, and become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Atlanta Motor Speedway mobile app.

Overstock.com Racing: Noah Gragson Atlanta Advance

By
Official Release
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NOAH GRAGSON
Atlanta Advance
No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Atlanta 400 (Round 27 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 8
● Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia
● Layout: 1.54-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 260 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Atlanta Motor Speedway has been around since 1960, but the Atlanta track Gragson and his NASCAR Cup Series brethren will compete on this Sunday is less than three years old. The 1.54-mile oval was reconfigured after the final race of the 2021 season. The banking was increased from 24 degrees to 28 degrees and the track was narrowed from 55-feet wide to 40-feet wide, and it was all covered in fresh asphalt. The goal of the reconstruction was to recreate the kind of pack-style racing seen at the behemoth, 2.5-mile Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and the even bigger 2.66-mile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Drivers competed on the new layout for the first time in March 2022 and the Atlanta 400 will be the sixth Cup Series race on the revamped track.

● The Atlanta 400 will mark Gragson’s sixth NASCAR Cup Series start at Atlanta, and all five of his prior starts have come on the updated configuration. The driver of the No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing earned his best Atlanta finish in his third Atlanta start – 12th in March 2023. Gragson’s most recent Atlanta start came earlier this year in the Feb. 25 Ambetter Health 400. It was incredibly short-lived, however, as Gragson was collected in a 16-car accident on just the third tour of the 260-lap race. While his crew repaired the No. 10 Ford enough for it to return to the racetrack, Gragson was only able to make 63 more laps before his battered racecar became undriveable, forcing him to the garage.

● Gragson has six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Atlanta, the last two of which came in 2022, the first year of the reconfiguration. He finished among the top-10 in all but one of his Xfinity Series starts at the track, and his best finish was a second-place drive in June 2020.

● Gragson also has two Atlanta starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He finished 14th in his first Truck Series start at the track in 2017 and then earned a second-place finish when he returned to Atlanta in 2018, leading the first 43 laps.

● Overstock.com adorns Gragson’s No. 10 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Atlanta. The partnership amplifies the recent relaunch of Overstock.com, home of crazy good deals that offer quality and style for less. Overstock.com is for the savvy shopper who loves the thrill of the hunt and it includes product categories customers know and love, like patio furniture, home furniture and area rugs, while reintroducing jewelry, watches and health-and-beauty products.

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

How much does racing at Atlanta emulate what you experienced two weeks ago at Daytona?

“It’s hard to tell what we’re going to have at Atlanta. Handling definitely comes into play more so than at Daytona. Still, at Daytona, you have handling issues if you get held on the bottom. It just seems like everything happens a little bit faster at Atlanta. The straightaways are shorter, so you don’t have the time to mount your runs. It’s different than the superspeedways. There’s a lot more pushing on the straightaways at Daytona and Talladega. At Atlanta, you can’t really get locked up for the whole straightaway and get away. Everybody’s super tight together. It’s a mix between an intermediate track and Daytona and Talladega. It’s a little bit of a different form of racing.”

Daytona and Talladega races are known to be crapshoots, where there are so many things out of your control. Is that also the case at Atlanta, or are you still able to make a little bit of your own luck at Atlanta?

“It’s probably the same as far as making your own luck and getting to the front. You can work your way up to the front, you just really don’t want to get stuck in the back. With green-flag pit stops, the commitment line starts early and they start taking pit-road speed into turn three and you run the apron all the way through (turns) three and four during green-flag pit stops. That makes it a little bit different and it bites some guys, but for me, I take the same mindset going into Atlanta as I do Daytona and Talladega.”

Your first race at Atlanta was back in February. Seven months have passed and the weather is now a lot hotter and a lot more humid. How much does Atlanta change from late February to early September, and how do you prepare for that change?

“It’ll probably be slicker, but you don’t really know until you get into the race. You qualify one lap on Saturday and then you race on Sunday. You don’t know how your car’s going to draft or anything because we don’t have any practice. So you’ve got to figure all that out on the fly. I feel like you’re just trying to learn all day and figure out what your car’s tendencies are and where it’s good. But for the most part, there’s not much time to really know. There are a lot of unknowns and uncertainty until you get five laps into the race and you know, ‘Hey, my car’s a little loose, my car’s a little tight, this is what I need.’”

What do you need in your racecar to be fast at Atlanta?

“You’ve got to be fast and you can’t be too draggy. It’s bitten me in the past where we started the race tight and I couldn’t make any passes, and then we kept on freeing the car up, loosening it up, and probably got past the neutral point in the balance and got too loose and I ended up wrecking. But the freer we got it, the faster I went. So it’s a fine line of what’s enough, and that’s what I’m trying to figure out, what’s too much, what’s enough, but you definitely have to be handling good to be able to tug on the wheel and keep the thing wide open.”

Are you wide open every lap at Atlanta?

“You’re wide open in qualifying. In the race, you’re working the throttle more. At Daytona and Talladega, you’re more pacing the throttle to save fuel, where at Atlanta, you’re lifting out of the gas because you’ll get tight or loose behind guys and you have to really play with the timing on your throttle for when you get runs up to guys. You’re playing with the throttle because of handling.”

Is competing at Atlanta mentally taxing?

“Atlanta is mentally taxing. You’re still having the same thought processes that you do with superspeedway racing, but it’s just faster. You’re mentally drained after Atlanta.”

When you get to Atlanta, it’s just 10 more races until the season is over. What do you want to accomplish in these last 10 races at Stewart-Haas?

“We want to have strong runs, complete all the laps, have strong finishes inside the top-10, top-five, and just be able to learn for the future, keep building the notebook for the races next year, learn as a driver, and just try and take it all in. Obviously, it’s going to get more emotional each and every weekend, getting closer to that last weekend in Phoenix. With that being said, we’ve got a great group and we’re really focused in and we want to have strong runs. The goal is to get to victory lane, but if we can’t do that, I think having top-10 finishes, top-fives, that would be a win to us right now.”

Even though you’re changing teams next year, you’ll remain with Ford in 2025. How helpful is it to be able to carry what you’re learning this year into next year with the same manufacturer?

“I definitely think being with the same manufacturer is good. You know the people, you know how the simulator operates, and you’re definitely taking a lot of notes to carry on into 2025.”

No. 10 Overstock.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Andy Houston

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotten

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Beau Whitley

Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

Tire Specialist: Jacob Cooksey

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steve Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

PROCK, MILLICAN, STANFIELD AND HERRERA ROLL TO WINS AT 70TH ANNUAL TOYOTA NHRA U.S. NATIONALS

By
Official Release
-

All four drivers are first-time winners at The Big Go

INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 2, 2024) – Funny Car points leader Austin Prock powered to his first career victory at the U.S. Nationals, defeating back-to-back winner Ron Capps in the final round of the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals on Monday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. All four drivers won the U.S. Nationals for the first time.

Prock went 3.885-seconds at 327.98 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS in the final round, leaving the starting line first and holding off Capps’ 3.935. It gives Prock his fifth victory this season, as he defeated Chris King, Alexis DeJoria and Blake Alexander to reach the finals, beating Capps to earn his ninth career victory. It continues to be a dream season for Prock, who will enter the Countdown to the Championship playoffs in the points lead and as a championship favorite. This weekend couldn’t have gone better for Prock, who was the No. 1 qualifier and followed it up with his first win at the world’s biggest drag race.

“We got our first U.S. Nationals win, super proud of the team. It was a great effort all weekend long,” Prock said. “Everyone talks about Indy, it’s the biggest race of the year, and it is. But all weekend long I treated it even less than a race, I kind of treated it as a test session and just tried to stay focused and race my own lane. That was good enough to get the job done this weekend. I’m very proud of the team. It still hasn’t hit me that we won the U.S. Nationals.

“So many people dream of winning this race and very few have. I’m very proud to add my name to that list with my dad (crew chief Jimmy), my brother Thomas turning the knobs with Nate Hildahl. It’s a pretty surreal moment. To cap off the regular season the way we did is very comforting. I don’t see us slowing down any time soon. People say when you’re hot, you’re hot and right now we’re hot and have been all year long.”

Capps, who just missed out on becoming the first Funny Car driver to win the U.S. Nationals three straight years, advanced to his 150th career final round and third this season on the strength of victories against J.R. Todd, Buddy Hull and Jack Beckman. He moved to fifth in points, while Prock opens the Countdown to the Championship in the points lead.

In Top Fuel, Clay Millican was also a first-time winner at the prestigious U.S. Nationals, defeating four-time world champion Steve Torrence in the final round with a run of 3.792 at 327.82 in his 11,000-horsepower Arby’s/Parts Plus dragster. Millican struggled in qualifying, entering raceday in the No. 13 spot, but made major improvements when it counted, including a 3.695 at 333.74 to defeat Antron Brown in the first round.

He followed with round wins against Josh Hart and Brittany Force to reach the final round, driving past Torrence with his third straight run in the 3.70s to reach Indy glory. It’s Millican’s first victory of the season and the seventh in his career, and the veteran will move to sixth in points to start the Countdown to the Championship. For now, though, Millican is only thinking about his incredible Monday on drag racing’s biggest stage.

“I’ve definitely been the underdog my entire life. I promise you that, but I have a lot of fight in me,” Millican said. “Nothing will ever top [my first win in] Bristol, including the U.S. Nationals, but this is like winning the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, the World Series. This is career-defining stuff.

“To win with [team owner] Rick Ware here was cool. I won three times last year and he wasn’t at any of them. He came on Friday, he has two NASCAR teams racing in Darlington, but he was here. It was cool to call him last year and say we won, but there is nothing like being here.”

Torrence advanced to his second final round of the year and 89th in his career on the strength of round wins against Billy Torrence, Ida Zetterstrom and Tony Stewart. Doug Kalitta, who didn’t qualify at the U.S. Nationals, will open the playoffs as the points leader, with Justin Ashley in second.

Aaron Stanfield made history by becoming the first driver in NHRA history to win two events in one weekend at the U.S. Nationals, following up his victory in Holley EFI Factory X on Monday with a win in Pro Stock, knocking off teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the final round with a pass of 6.561 at 209.36 in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Janac Brothers car. It is Stanfield’s fourth Pro Stock victory of 2024 and this will certainly be the highlight after his historic double-up.

To reach the championship round, Stanfield knocked off Matt Hartford, Cory Reed and No. 1 qualifier Greg Anderson, holding off Coughlin in the final round to pick up his first Pro Stock victory at the world’s biggest drag race. It’s also the 12th career victory for Stanfield, who enters the Countdown to the Championship second in points and with plenty of momentum as he seeks his first world championship coming off his incredible weekend at The Big Go.

“I’ve been close [to doubling] a couple of times, so I’m okay with the past races not to get it done, because this is the place to do it,” Stanfield said. “There’s so much history at this racetrack, and it’s special to me to not only win Indy Pro Stock and Factory X both in the same day and put my name down on the history books.

“Indy’s always a busy week for me. It’s a roller coaster of emotions the whole entire time, and I knew I had two good hot rods, and I knew I had a good chance to win, but this race has kicked my butt in the past, and it just feels great.”

Coughlin advanced to the finals for the fourth time this season and 119th time in his standout career, defeating Eric Latino, Troy Coughlin Jr. and Erica Enders in the process. Dallas Glenn will take the points leader into the postseason.

Winning the U.S. Nationals was the only thing Gaige Herrera didn’t accomplish last year, but the reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle champ took care of business on Monday this year, posting a perfect .000 reaction time and then going 6.763 at 198.70 on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki to defeat Angie Smith and enter Indy immortality. After not winning the past two races, Herrera, the dominant points leader, captured the biggest victory of the year – his seventh of the 2024 campaign.

To advance to the final round, Herrera, who qualified No. 1, dipped into the 6.70s in three rounds, including a weekend-best 6.722 at 199.35 in the opening round. He followed with a 6.755 against Chase Van Sant and then knocked off teammate Richard Gadson. After a perfect reaction time against Smith, Herrera rolled to the victory, which certainly ranks among the top of his 18 career wins.

“This race is very special for me. Two years ago, I made my debut here. Two years ago, Andrew Hines had COVID sitting on his couch and didn’t even know my name until I made my first pass here,” Herrera said. “This one is very special. For me to be able to get this win, I feel like this was the biggest monkey of all on my back. Last year, I had the simplest part fail, which cost me going past second round. To get the win here, even though I won the championship last year, I feel like this almost surpasses that.

“This ranks at the top, all the stuff that I’ve done as far as creating history or beating Bob Glidden’s record – throughout my years, I’m probably going to remember this over all of that. This is one everyone wants to win. It’s the Super Bowl of drag racing. To get this win, I feel like I’ve kind of accomplished what I wanted in Pro Stock Motorcycle. It’s crazy to say that a year and a half into my Pro Stock Motorcycle career, but I’m not stopping yet.”

Smith reached the final round for the first time this season and the eighth time in her career thanks to round wins against Steve Johnson, Marc Ingwersen and her husband, Matt. Herrera will be the points leader heading into the playoffs, with Smith in second.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action Sept. 12-15 with the 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa. It is the first of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

INDIANAPOLIS — Final finish order (1-16) at the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. The race is the 14th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

  1. Clay Millican; 2. Steve Torrence; 3. Brittany Force; 4. Tony Stewart; 5. Tony Schumacher; 6. Ida Zetterstrom; 7. Josh Hart; 8. Justin Ashley; 9. Shawn Reed; 10. Shawn Langdon; 11. Doug Foley; 12. Dan Mercier; 13. Antron Brown; 14. Tripp Tatum; 15. T.J. Zizzo; 16. Billy Torrence.

FUNNY CAR:

  1. Austin Prock; 2. Ron Capps; 3. Jack Beckman; 4. Blake Alexander; 5. Alexis DeJoria; 6. Cruz Pedregon; 7. Buddy Hull; 8. Bobby Bode; 9. Paul Lee; 10. Dale Creasy Jr.; 11. Bob Tasca III; 12. Matt Hagan; 13. Daniel Wilkerson; 14. J.R. Todd; 15. Chris King; 16. Chad Green.

PRO STOCK:

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

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

  1. Gaige Herrera; 2. Angie Smith; 3. Matt Smith; 4. Richard Gadson; 5. Chase Van Sant; 6. Hector Arana Jr; 7. Jianna Evaristo; 8. Marc Ingwersen; 9. Geno Scali; 10. Chris Bostick; 11. Kelly Clontz; 12. Ron Tornow; 13. Steve Johnson; 14. Ryan Oehler; 15. Wesley Wells; 16. John Hall.

INDIANAPOLIS — Monday’s final results from the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. The race is the 14th of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel — Clay Millican, 3.792 seconds, 327.82 mph def. Steve Torrence, 4.317 seconds, 192.30 mph.

Funny Car — Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.885, 327.98 def. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.935, 331.45.

Pro Stock — Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 6.561, 209.36 def. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.562, 209.59.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.763, 198.70 def. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.829, 197.19.

Top Alcohol Dragster — Hunter Green, 5.231, 279.56 def. Angelle Sampey, Broke.

Top Alcohol Funny Car — Sean Bellemeur, Chevy Camaro, 5.438, 267.53 def. Stan Sipos, Camaro, Foul – Red Light.

Competition Eliminator — Kayla Mozeris, Bantam Roadster, 7.418, 174.14 def. Joe Carnasciale, Chevy Cavalier, 8.933, 150.75.

Super Stock — Larry Hodge, Chevy Cobalt, 10.016, 116.49 def. Jacob Delaune, Dodge Challenger, Foul – Red Light.

Stock Eliminator — Joshua Decker, Chevy Corvette, 10.522, 116.40 def. Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 11.268, 106.93.

Super Comp — Trene Cressonie, Dragster, 8.907, 170.75 def. Jason Kenny, Dragster, 8.908, 159.12.

Top Sportsman — Bill Yates, Chevy Camaro, 6.512, 206.54 def. Curt Fredrich, Camaro, 6.549, 211.43.

Top Dragster — Zach Sackman, Dragster, 6.180, 221.56 def. Darian Boesch, Dragster, 6.345, 216.86.

Super Gas — Bo Butner, Chevy Corvette, 9.901, 169.38 def. Dalton Deffenbaugh, Chevy Nova, 9.911, 146.83.

Pro Modified — Ken Quartuccio, Chevy Camaro, 5.766, 247.34 def. Mike Stavrinos, Camaro, 5.937, 244.52.

Factory Stock Showdown — Kevin Skinner, Ford Mustang, 10.309, 81.58 def. Raymond Nash, Dodge Challenger, Broke – No Show.

Factory X — Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 7.094, 191.62 def. Lenny Lottig, Camaro, 7.122, 191.08.

INDIANAPOLIS — Final round-by-round results from the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, the 14th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE — Tony Schumacher, 3.732, 324.20 def. Shawn Reed, 3.724, 328.30; Steve Torrence, 3.702, 329.67 def. Billy Torrence, 11.766, 66.07; Brittany Force, 3.700, 333.49 def. Shawn Langdon, 3.726, 332.51; Ida Zetterstrom, 3.759, 328.62 def. T.J. Zizzo, 6.563, 103.27; Tony Stewart, 3.723, 331.53 def. Doug Foley, 3.754, 320.74; Clay Millican, 3.695, 333.74 def. Antron Brown, 4.181, 245.00; Josh Hart, 4.018, 249.49 def. Tripp Tatum, 5.643, 116.15; Justin Ashley, 3.735, 330.23 def. Dan Mercier, 3.759, 321.58;

QUARTERFINALS — Stewart, 3.747, 330.88 def. Ashley, 7.881, 90.17; S. Torrence, 3.742, 332.18 def. Zetterstrom, 3.797, 317.12; Force, 3.779, 331.36 def. Schumacher, 3.792, 329.10; Millican, 3.753, 332.18 def. Hart, 4.111, 229.90;

SEMIFINALS — Millican, 3.750, 332.18 def. Force, 8.988, 60.62; S. Torrence, 3.769, 331.12 def. Stewart, 9.625, 77.88;

FINAL — Millican, 3.792, 327.82 def. S. Torrence, 4.317, 192.30.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE — Bobby Bode, Ford Mustang, 3.934, 323.58 def. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.959, 142.66; Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.850, 334.15 def. Chris King, Dodge Charger, 8.209, 86.79; Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.063, 286.86 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.209, 221.89; Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.842, 332.51 def. Dale Creasy Jr., Charger, 3.950, 325.92; Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.883, 327.74 def. Chad Green, Mustang, 10.116, 42.52; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.923, 323.58 def. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.918, 321.50; Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.946, 333.33 def. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 5.373, 133.54; Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 3.886, 327.98 def. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.225, 229.31;

QUARTERFINALS — Capps, 3.943, 327.51 def. Hull, 4.028, 320.51; Prock, 3.879, 331.61 def. DeJoria, 3.876, 327.90; Beckman, 3.870, 330.15 def. Pedregon, 3.949, 328.62; Alexander, 3.915, 323.12 def. Bode, 4.537, 198.73;

SEMIFINALS — Prock, 3.887, 332.34 def. Alexander, 9.358, 70.12; Capps, 4.315, 252.52 def. Beckman, 7.691, 97.33;

FINAL — Prock, 3.885, 327.98 def. Capps, 3.935, 331.45.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE — Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.569, 209.65 def. Dallas Glenn, Chevy Camaro, 6.563, 208.17; David Cuadra, Camaro, 6.557, 208.68 def. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.611, 208.10; Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.569, 209.36 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.569, 207.91; Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.553, 208.62 def. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.553, 209.49; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.560, 209.36 def. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.537, 209.20; Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.557, 208.88 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.622, 208.01; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.529, 210.37 def. Sienna Wildgust, Camaro, 6.579, 209.88; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.542, 208.75 def. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.570, 208.46;

QUARTERFINALS — Coughlin, 6.576, 208.75 def. Coughlin Jr., 6.600, 209.59; Stanfield, 6.555, 210.14 def. Reed, Broke; Anderson, 6.551, 208.46 def. C. Cuadra, 6.574, 208.01; Enders, 6.537, 210.47 def. D. Cuadra, 10.810, 82.60;

SEMIFINALS — Stanfield, 6.574, 209.62 def. Anderson, 31.292, 62.50; Coughlin, 6.580, 209.10 def. Enders, 7.020, 206.83;

FINAL — Stanfield, 6.561, 209.36 def. Coughlin, 6.562, 209.59.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

ROUND ONE — Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.838, 196.39 def. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.894, 192.49; Angie Smith, Buell, 6.826, 198.88 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.955, 192.00; Hector Arana Jr, 6.846, 196.64 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.904, 194.66; Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.804, 200.41 def. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 6.877, 196.27; Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.808, 198.06 def. Ryan Oehler, 6.967, 193.63; Marc Ingwersen, 6.969, 192.74 def. John Hall, 7.330, 145.16; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.787, 199.94 def. Ron Tornow, 6.943, 194.07; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.772, 199.35 def. Wesley Wells, Suzuki, Foul – Red Light;

QUARTERFINALS — A. Smith, 6.834, 198.76 def. Ingwersen, 6.927, 192.00; Gadson, 6.819, 196.99 def. Evaristo, 6.891, 199.14; M. Smith, 6.827, 198.32 def. Arana Jr, Foul – Red Light; Herrera, 6.755, 199.58 def. Van Sant, 6.806, 198.26;

SEMIFINALS — A. Smith, 6.820, 199.17 def. M. Smith, 6.843, 197.77; Herrera, 6.804, 197.91 def. Gadson, 6.879, 196.42;

FINAL — Herrera, 6.763, 198.70 def. A. Smith, 6.829, 197.19.

INDIANAPOLIS — Point standings (top 10) following the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, the 14th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series –

Top Fuel

  1. Doug Kalitta, 1,049; 2. Justin Ashley, 1,013; 3. Shawn Langdon, 999; 4. Steve Torrence, 994; 5. Antron Brown, 910; 6. Clay Millican, 851; 7. Tony Stewart, 784; 8. Tony Schumacher, 744; 9. Brittany Force, 697; 10. Billy Torrence, 692.

Funny Car

  1. Austin Prock, 1,379; 2. Bob Tasca III, 1,031; 3. Matt Hagan, 1,017; 4. J.R. Todd, 941; 5. Ron Capps, 879; 6. John Force, 870; 7. Blake Alexander, 769; 8. Daniel Wilkerson, 692; 9. Chad Green, 654; 10. Alexis DeJoria, 641.

Pro Stock

  1. Dallas Glenn, 1,204; 2. Aaron Stanfield, 1,120; 3. Greg Anderson, 1,104; 4. Erica Enders, 1,075; 5. Jeg Coughlin, 995; 6. Troy Coughlin Jr., 761; 7. Jerry Tucker, 703; 8. Cristian Cuadra, 592; 9. Eric Latino, 535; 10. Mason McGaha, 518.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

  1. Gaige Herrera, 1,090; 2. Matt Smith, 802; 3. Richard Gadson, 647; 4. John Hall, 616; 5. Chase Van Sant, 608; 6. Angie Smith, 571; 7. Jianna Evaristo, 497; 8. Hector Arana Jr, 490; 9. Steve Johnson, 334; 10. Chris Bostick, 303.
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