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Newgarden, Penske Continue Oval Mastery in Milwaukee Practice

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Official Release
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WEST ALLIS, Wis. (Friday, Aug. 30, 2024) – The NTT INDYCAR SERIES hasn’t raced at the Milwaukee Mile since 2015, but a recent trend of oval racing in the series continued Friday during the opening practice for the Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s.

Two-time series champion Josef Newgarden led at 158.762 mph in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet on the 1.015-mile oval. Team Penske has won all four previous oval races this season, and two-time and reigning Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Newgarden has triumphed in 10 of the last 15 circle-track races in the series.

The practice was divided into two groups of 15 minutes each to work in the lower groove on the historic track, and then the circuit opened for all cars for 90 minutes. Newgarden said the challenge was interpreting how the Firestone Firehawk tires adapted to the lower and higher lines on the track.

“I think you definitely have your hands full midway through to the end of the (tire) stint,” Newgarden said. “I liked our car a lot. It was tricky in the beginning. We had two different tires we were working with. The low-line running had like one balance by itself, and then it completely flipped when we went to this weekend’s tire.

“There was some tuning that went on there. I felt like we got into a good spot. The PPG car was really comfy at the end. Everyone is going to make their own decisions on how they view the tire usage and the mileage. It’s been really interesting the last couple of ovals on how people have strategized it.”

Up next is NTT P1 Award qualifying for both races this weekend at 2:15 p.m. ET Saturday. The first 250-lap race follows later that afternoon at 5:40 p.m., with Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network providing exclusive live coverage of qualifying and the race. Race 2 starts at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday (USA Network, Peacock, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Six-time series champion Scott Dixon was second in practice at 158.080 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Pato O’Ward was third at 157.750 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Felix Rosenqvist ended up fourth at 157.628 in the No. 60 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda of Meyer Shank Racing, and Scott McLaughlin put two Team Penske cars in the top five with his best lap of 157.581 in the No. 3 Odyssey Battery Team Penske Chevrolet.

Series leader and reigning series champion Alex Palou was ninth overall at 156.793 in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. His closest pursuer, two-time series champion Will Power, was 11th at 156.539 in the No. 12 Verizon Business Team Penske Chevrolet.

Palou leads Power by 54 points – a gap of exactly one race’s worth of points – with three races remaining this season as the Spaniard seeks to earn his third title in the last four seasons and become the first repeat champion since Dario Franchitti pulled off the feat for the Ganassi team in 2010-11. Franchitti also won the title in 2009, pulling off a three-peat by 2011.

Colton Herta, third in points and 67 behind Palou, was 10th at 156.647 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Global with Curb-Agajanian, as the top three drivers in the standings were sandwiched together from ninth through 11th on the speed chart.

The long session was incident-free until eight minutes remained, when rookie Christian Rasmussen crashed. 2023 INDY NXT by Firestone champion Rasmussen drifted above the racing line in Turn 2, lost grip and hit the SAFER Barrier with the right side of his No. 20 GuyCare Chevrolet of Ed Carpenter Racing. He was unhurt.

CHEVROLET INDYCAR AT MILWAUKEE: Team Chevy Practice Report

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Official Release
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CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
HY-VEE MILWAUKEE MILE 250
MILWAUKEE MILE
WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIN
TEAM CHEVY PRACTICE REPORT
AUGUST 30, 2024

JOSEF NEWGARDEN AND TEAM PENSKE LED NTT INDYCAR SERIES PRACTICE AT THE MILWAUKEE MILE

  • Josef Newgarden, driver of the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet, led both the field and Team Chevy with his fastest lap of 158.762 mph after a 90-minute opening practice session for the Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250 doubleheader weekend.
  • Team Chevy finished with three in the top 10, including Newgarden, Pato O’Ward, driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet (third), and Scott McLaughlin, driver of the No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet (fifth).
  • Saturday sees qualifying for the doubleheader events at Milwaukee, followed by the Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250 Race 1 at 5:40 p.m. ET live on Peacock. Sunday’s Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250 Race 2 airs on USA Network with the green flag dropping at 2:30 p.m. ET. Additional coverage of the twin 250-lap, 253.75-mile races broadcast via Peacock, INDYCAR Radio, and SiriusXM Channel 218.

TEAM CHEVY TOP-10 PRACTICE RESULT:
Pos. Driver
1st Josef Newgarden (158.762 mph)
3rd Pato O’Ward (157.750 mph)
5th Scott McLaughlin (157.581 mph)

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (QUOTES):

Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:

“It is a pretty quick turnaround going into qualifying and the first race of the weekend tomorrow. But, I’m feeling quite content with what we’re heading into qualifying with. I would say there is a bit more of a question mark for the race, but this will be new for a lot of people so we’ll just have to see what it has in store for us.”

Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:

“It was a solid Practice 1. We started out with an issue at the beginning, which we worked through. I’m proud of the way the team handled it, and we ended up closer toward where we want to be. I think we will have a strong qualifying car. I think we’re where we need to be, it just took a little while to get there as we worked through things and I learned the track. We’ll look forward to qualifying and look to put the No. 6 Big Machine Music City GP Arrow McLaren Chevrolet up at the front.”

Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:

“There was a lot to do in 90 minutes, but I think we have a pretty decent direction. It will be important to qualify well tomorrow, and then we’ll have to group up again and determine our best path forward for the race.”

Gavin Ward, Team Principal, Arrow McLaren:

“We’re battling near the front against a couple of teams that have had some extra testing miles around here. With a limited practice window, we tried to make every run count today. I’m pleased to see Pato (O’Ward) up there in the mix, and I think Alexander (Rossi) and Nolan (Siegel) are not far off either, and can learn from him, too. We’re going to try to put our best foot forward in a very important qualifying session and go from there.”

JOSEF NEWGARDEN, No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet – Practice Press Conference:

THE MODERATOR: Wrapping up practice, we are joined by Josef Newgarden.

Josef, P1 in the practice session. What does that mean for the rest of the weekend?

JOSEF NEWGARDEN: It’s always tough these days. It’s a full grid, right? What do we have, 27 cars? A lot of people on track.

I’m sure there’s individuals that didn’t get a super clear lap, and there’s probably more to be seen from everybody. You just account for that. I think we’ve accounted for that at other ovals. You’ll see the same thing here.

It’s encouraging. Think our car was really good. I was happy. Took some tuning. The tire was very different on the low line tire that we ran, then we went to the current tire and it took a lot of work to get it where it needed to be.

When we got through the first 30 minutes, I was super happy with the car. The team did a great job feeling comfy and comfortable. Yeah, I think Team Chevy did a good job, too, at least from what I’ve seen preliminarily.

Two opportunities for us to have a nice result to end the year.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Does it feel different, similar? Any of the old feel come become or does it feel like a completely new track?

JOSEF NEWGARDEN: From previous years?

Q. Yes.

JOSEF NEWGARDEN: It feels similar. It’s different compared to 2015 when we left. We had a huge aero kit, big downforce. You were pretty much just flat. Very different from 2015.

Q. (No microphone.)

JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Exactly. We’re way heavier. From that standpoint, it’s completely different.

But I think it’s still Milwaukee. Like, sort of the general traits of this track are very much there underneath the surface. It’s just a different car. A lot less downforce. It’s heavier, requires a different setup, different finesse. You got to look after things differently than you did 10 years ago.

It’s the same Milwaukee. There’s a preferred line. There’s kind of an alternate line that’s not great but usable. Yeah, it’s a very interesting track. I think if we get some dropoff, there’s going to be good racing, which I think everybody wants to see.

Q. What should we expect in race one tomorrow?

JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Yeah, I mean, he’s right. You don’t know with these sessions. Sometimes you sort of get an inkling on what you think is going to happen, then things just kind of shift as you get through the race.

I think Gateway was a very surprising result. I was super surprised the way it raced. So I don’t know. I mean, until we get through the first one, it’s really tough to predict.

I know you want an answer, you think we have more of an idea. We get through the first round, we’ll know exactly how is going to race, you know what you’re getting for race two.

Right now, it’s going to be interesting to see who is strong. I think you’ll have big separation is one thing that I will say. I think you’ll have cars that are really not good, like really not good, and you’ll have some cars that are really good, so…

That’s one thing I’d predict.

Q. Josef, Will was telling us earlier today you told him at Portland that you’d be willing to swap positions with him for points if it came down to the end?

JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Look, what I told him, I said it’s too early now. If it comes down to the finale, I’ve had great support from him in the past. Thinking about my first championship, 2017, he shadowed me the whole race. When it comes down to the very end and we’re still in position…

You got to be really careful, though. This is not me being cagey, it’s just the truth. If you start trying to orchestrate too much, you put yourself into a mess. I’m not going to do that. I don’t think as a team we’re going to try to do that.

Logically, you come down to the finale, we’re in Nashville, we have a car that can seal the championship, I’m not in it, I’m going to have his back all the way, 100%. But we’re not in Nashville yet. There’s a long way to go. If we try and get too clever about the way we run our team, I think you put yourself in a bad situation.

We need to go out and do the job we always do. We’re going to race each other hard, but we need to take care of each other, right? I don’t want to be crashing my teammates.

When it comes down to the very end, hopefully we’re in a position to seal the championship, we all want to see that happen, especially me. I’ll make sure that we get the job done then.

Q. As strong as Penske has been on the short ovals, is there more emphasis for all three of you to help Will knowing you can put gap on Palou? If he wins, that helps him a little bit more?

JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Yeah, kind of the same answer. It applies to that question, too. Me running in a normal condition is helping Will. If he’s off a little bit, I’m good today, he’s going to know exactly why I was good today. There’s nothing hidden there.

We’ll go back and have a conversation like we always do. If there’s something that he’s benefitting from this, then he will. We got to run our normal program, try to win these races. Obviously our team wants to be in a position to win the championship.

It’s not easy, though. Yeah, Palou could have an issue on one race, it closes right up, or he could just have two great races, like he normally does.

I don’t think anything’s a slam-dunk or simple. Just got to run our races and try to do a great job. Hopefully we’re in position by the time we get to Nashville to close the deal.

Q. Josef, how do you like the Josef Newgarden restart zone?

JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Didn’t change. They’re just painting it. There’s no difference. If you read the fine print, there’s no rule change.

I love it when it was brought up. That’s a great point. Just to make it non-subjective. We get a gray-out zone, it’s a little subjective of where it starts and where it finishes, right? It’s a pretty big zone. You put a line, there’s no subjectiveness. That’s great.

I don’t think the restart procedure needs to change. They’ve made some good changes this year, which were provoked by last year, the jumpiness that we’ve had this. We’ve had this for 24 months, this jumpiness on restarts.

This probably should have been done in the beginning. I just think it’s a clarification more than anything, which is good for everybody.

Q. One of the things that was discussed (in the media bullpen) is NASCAR got a race in Mexico City ahead of INDYCAR. Pato is extremely disappointed in that. That spawned a conversation about where some places that INDYCAR could race. This guy would probably say Down Under. Where would you want to go race if you had a wide-open map?

JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Yeah, I mean, you don’t want to ask me. My dream tracks would be in, like, Japan. I’d be going to Japan. I love the country. I was sad I missed that era when they were running there. That would be on my list.

Going to Spa, old school tracks like that. Brands Hatch GP. The list would go on and on. There’s a lot of legendary tracks.

I think there’s some great stuff in the pipeline. I honestly do. We have a lot of momentum. I’m excited about FOX coming onboard next year. NBC has done a great job for us, but we’re going to be turning the page and having a new chapter next year. I think we should all be excited about that. There’s more stuff to piggyback on with that deal.

I’m excited about 2025. We need to finish this year off right, but I think we got great momentum that can happen next year.

Q. (No microphone.)

JOSEF NEWGARDEN: I’ve always wanted to race there. That’s where I watched some of my very first INDYCAR races, Nashville Superspeedway.

Q. (No microphone.)

JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Nashville Superspeedway? Yeah, I do. I’ll respect their name. Not scared to do it.

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Patrick Woods-Toth Dominates at CTMP to Win Race 1

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Official Release
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#27 Patrick Woods-Toth, Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport, , winner, Victory Lane

Patrick Woods-Toth Dominates at CTMP to Win Race 1

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada (August 31, 2024) – Patrick Woods-Toth (No. 27 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) dominated in the Formula Regional Americas Championship presented by Mosport Karting Centre (FR Americas) on Friday afternoon to win Race 1 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP). Leading from lights to checkers, the Saint-Lazare, Quebec native drove away with the win while holding a 0.616-second margin over second-place finisher Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3).

Notes of Interest:

  • Patrick Woods-Toth earned his sixth win of the season with his victory in Round 15 at CTMP. The 20 year old currently leads the FR Americas field in wins this season.
  • Titus Sherlock recorded his sixth podium of the season with his runner-up finish.
  • Jett Bowling’s third-place result marked the fifth podium finish of his career.
  • Landan Matriano Lim recorded a career-best finish with his fourth-place result in today’s race. Previously, his best finish was fifth, which he’s recorded three times.
  • Nova Scotia native James Lawley earned the best finish of his career with a fifth-place result. Previously, his best finish was sixth, recorded in Round 14 at New Jersey Motorsports Park last month.
  • Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport swept the podium, with Woods-Toth winning, Titus Sherlock finishing second and Jett Bowling in third.
  • After securing the pole during this afternoon’s qualifying session, Woods-Toth led the field down the starting grid. When the lights went out, he got a solid jump off the starting block to take command of the race. With a 1.035-second gap after the first lap, Woods-Toth methodically hit his marks to slowly build his lead over second-place Sherlock. However, that lead was erased as the race neared its halfway point and the safety car deployed for a full-course caution. When racing resumed a few minutes later, Woods-Toth led the field across the restart line with just 0.230 seconds back to Sherlock. Behind them, Jett Bowling (No. 02 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3), Landan Matriano Lim (No. 73 739Racing Ligier JS F3) and James Lawley (No. 77 Kartbahn Racing Ligier JS F3) all rode in their wake. As the clock ticked down, the field once again began to spread out, leaving them to cross the finish line in the same order they started—Woods-Toth was out front, with Sherlock in second and Bowling in third.

“Today was a battle of managing the tires,” said Woods-Toth atop the podium. “We’ve had some blistering on the rears all weekend, so we just had to keep it calm. Titus [Sherlock] was pressuring me, which was hurting my tire saving. But honestly, I think our tires are the best out of the three of us, so it was a good race for us. I have to thank Ron Fellows—thanks to him, I got my first seat in a racecar. And, of course, Orlando, who has been sponsoring us for the last two years. Those two have done the world for me, and I can’t thank them enough. My team at Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport, my friends, my family and all the fans here—thank you to everyone.”

FR Americas will contest Race 2 at CTMP tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. ET. Live timing and scoring for all of this weekend’s sessions will be available on the Race Monitor App, with additional news and updates posted on the series’ social channels: Facebook, Instagram and X.

Foster Steps on Gas with Title in View at Milwaukee

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Official Release
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WEST ALLIS, Wis. (Friday, Aug. 30, 2024) – Louis Foster sent a clear message to the rest of the INDY NXT by Firestone field during practice Friday at the Milwaukee Mile: He wants the season championship now.

Championship leader Foster dominated with a best lap of 148.410 in the No. 26 Copart/Novara Technologies entry of Andretti Global early in the 45-minute session on the 1.015-mile oval. Foster only needs to finish fifth or better to secure the title in the penultimate race of the season and the first race at this historic track since 2015 for the INDYCAR development series.

“I think it’s good to be back here,” Foster said. “Now, we’ll go to work on the car for qualifying and also the race car. It’s going to be a tricky car to set up, so we’re going to work on that tonight and try figure it out.

“Obviously, it’s a good way to start the weekend. I’m happy with the car; we just need to fine-tune it here.”

Qualifying is next at 1 p.m. ET Saturday (INDYCAR LIVE, INDYCAR Radio Network), followed by the 90-lap INDY NXT by Firestone at the Milwaukee Mile race at 3:50 p.m. Saturday (Peacock, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Rookie Callum Hedge was second fastest in practice at 147.348 – more than 1 mph behind Foster – in the No. 17 HMD Motorsports car. Jacob Abel, who won last Sunday at Portland International Raceway to keep his faint title hopes alive, was third at 147.252 in the No. 51 Abel Construction machine of Abel Motorsports. Abel is the only driver mathematically eligible to challenge Foster for the title, 79 points behind the leader.

Another rookie, Salvador de Alba Jr., was fourth at 147.093 in the No. 2 Grupo Indi car fielded by Andretti Cape INDY NXT. De Alba scored his only podium finish of 2024 at the season’s first oval by placing third July 13 at Iowa Speedway.

Jamie Chadwick rounded out the top five at 147.067 in the No. 28 VEXT car of Andretti Global.

Two yellow flags for contact interrupted practice.

Rookie Taylor Ferns did a quarter-spin exiting Turn 2 in the No. 55 Abel Motorsports car and backed into the SAFER Barrier eight minutes into the session. Nine minutes later, Reece Gold also clipped the wall in Turn 2 with the right side of his No. 10 HMD Motorsports car. Ferns and Gold were unhurt.

Canadian Patrick Woods-Toth Takes Pole, Leads Practice in FR Americas at CTMP

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Official Release
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#27 Patrick Woods-Toth, Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport,

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada (August 30, 2024) – Canadian Patrick Woods-Toth took the pole in Formula Regional Americas Championship presented by Mosport Karting Centre (FR Americas) competition on Friday afternoon after leading practice at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP). Posting a 1:14.846 lap during qualifying, Woods-Toth (No. 27 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) led his Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport teammates, with the powerhouse organization taking the top-four qualifying spots. After each topping the speed charts during yesterday’s test sessions, Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) and Jett Bowling (No. 02 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) rounded out the top three—both within a half second of Woods-Toth. Landan Matriano Lim (No. 73 739Racing Ligier JS F3) was fourth, with Nova Scotia-native James Lawley (No. 77 Kartbahn Racing Ligier JS F3) completing the top five, just 1.203-seconds behind the leader.

Earlier today, Woods-Toth topped the leaderboard for the lone FR Americas practice session at CTMP. A native of Saint-Lazare, Quebec, Woods-Toth recorded a 1:14.598 lap, beating Bowling by more than a half second. Lawley, the only driver in the field with previous experience at CTMP after competing in a first-generation Ligier JS F4 at the track last year, rounded out the top three.

Lights out for Race 1 at CTMP is scheduled for today at 4:30 p.m. ET. Live timing and scoring for all of this weekend’s sessions will be available on the Race Monitor App, with additional news and updates posted on the series’ social channels: Facebook, Instagram and X.

CTMP – Round 15 Official Grid
1 27 Patrick Woods-Toth/St-Lazare CAN Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport 1:14.846 118.275 –
2 31 Titus Sherlock/Prosper Texas Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport 1:15.130 117.828 0.284
3 02 Jett Bowling/Dallas Texas Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport 1:15.266 117.615 0.420
4 73 Landan Matriano Lim/Shreveport La. 739Racing 1:16.022 116.445 1.176
5 77 James Lawley/Halifax CAN KartBahn Racing 1:16.049 116.404 1.203
6 25 Ricco Shlaimoun/Los Angeles Calif. Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport 1:16.610 115.551 1.764
7 3 Hayden Bowlsbey/Folson La. IGY6 Motorsports/Save22 1:17.043 114.902 2.197
8 24 Kevin Janzen/Deerfield Beach Fla. US Power Group/ Data Center Solutions 1:17.052 114.889 2.206
9 6 Nicole Havrda/Courtenay CAN Valley Kitchens /Colonial Countertops 1:17.354 114.44 2.508
10 07 Anthony Autiello/Cranston R.I. Momentum Motorsports 1:22.147 107.763 7.301

Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns to compete in Food City 300 during 20th anniversary of ‘It’s Bristol, baby!’ at BMS

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Official Release
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NASCAR Hall of Famer gave life to phrase in BMS victory lane after winning the 2004 Night Race

BRISTOL, Tenn. (Aug. 30, 2024) – It’s hard to believe that more than two decades ago three simple words were said in Bristol Motor Speedway’s Victory Lane that would catch fire and ignite a proud mantra.

It’s. Bristol. Baby.

The buzz from that statement continues to connect with NASCAR Nation. Many of them flock to BMS’s North Lot at Entrance No. 1 and take social media selfies with the large historic monument dedicated to that singular moment that proudly welcomes visitors to the venue.

It was a wild scene in that victory lane.

As Dale Earnhardt Jr. emerged from his red No. 8 Chevy one hot night in August 2004 he was asked by television reporter Bill Weber why winning the crown jewel Night Race was so special. The third-generation driver didn’t hesitate. He quickly uttered the memorable phrase like it was on a script.

“It’s Bristol, baby!” a jubilant Earnhardt said.

Since then that phrase has taken on a life of its own. Today it remains as meaningful and powerful as it was that night. It has become synonymous with Bristol Motor Speedway and the amazing experience it offers to fans.

“I’m just really, really, really, glad that I won tonight, because this is like the Daytona 500,” Earnhardt Jr. said at the time. “This is like winning at Charlotte, or like winning in Atlanta. These are the tracks, the historic tracks that have been around for years that are at the top of my list (of places) I want to win.”

As BMS celebrates the 20th anniversary of that momentous occasion, the legend himself is returning to suit up and compete on the storied high banks once again.

Earnhardt Jr. is entered in the Food City 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series Race on Friday night, Sept. 20. It is the second consecutive year that he will race in that event, which is also the Xfinity Series regular season finale.

Last year Earnhardt Jr. had fans on the edges of their seats as he was in contention for most of the night. He led 47 laps and appeared to be heading to Victory Lane. A faulty wire ultimately ended his night and he finished 30th overall.

“Somehow the shift control caught on fire,” Earnhardt Jr. told the media following the race. “Saw some smoke in the car. I smelt it, and I said, ‘I hope that’s not me,’ but that last lap, I saw a big fire ball down in the tunnel, in the car. I felt it, obviously. My uniform was burning up. I was like, I can’t keep going. I’ve got to stop. Usually when you stop, the fires get bigger. So I pulled over by the pit stall, and some of those guys are pretty alert, and they helped me out.

“I hate it. We were going to finish in the top 10, maybe top-five. Had a shot at winning it, if the car was going to run good at the end. But trying not to mess nobody’s night up at the same time, it was hard. But I had fun.”

After the dejected Earnhardt pulled off his racing helmet last year, he was able to immediately put on his team owner hat from JR Motorsports and with a big smile go celebrate in Bristol’s victory lane anyway. One of his team drivers, Justin Allgaier, ultimately won the race in the No. 7 JRM Chevy.

“I was happy about our car winning,” Earnhardt continued during his post-race interview in the BMS Media Center. “I couldn’t wait to see Justin. Couldn’t wait to tell him how proud and happy I was.”

Earnhardt Jr. will once again be at the controls of his popular blue and yellow No. 88 Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Chevy Camaro as he puts his focus on grabbing another Bristol Motor Speedway victory.

A full-feature story about Earnhardt Jr.’s Food City 300 race and the 20th anniversary of “It’s Bristol, baby!” written by veteran NASCAR journalist Mike Hembree will be included in the souvenir program for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. The program, in Playbill format, will be available to fans in both print and digital versions. The limited print edition will only be available at the track in multiple locations throughout the stadium concourses, including entry gates, ticket stands and guest service locations. The digital version can be viewed or downloaded via the BMS website or BMS social media channels.

America’s Night Race weekend kicks off Thursday, Sept. 19 with Ben Rhodes and defending winner Corey Heim battling for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory in the UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics (8 p.m., FS1, MRN Radio). The rising stars in the ARCA Menards Series, including rising stars William Sawalich and Connor Zilisch and former IndyCar racer Marco Andretti, also will take on the challenging half-mile bullring in the Bush’s Beans 200 as part of a titan Thursday night doubleheader (5 p.m., FS1, MRN Radio).

On Friday, Sparks are sure to fly in the Food City 300, as NASCAR Xfinity Series favorites Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, Cole Custer, Sheldon Creed and Riley Herbst will be fighting hard alongside Earnhardt Jr. in the Xfinity Series regular season finale (Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m., The CW, PRN Radio).

Finally, the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will take to the track on Saturday for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m., USA Network, PRN Radio), you’ll get to see all of your favorite drivers like Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to name a few, racing hard in the Round of 16 to advance in the first elimination race of the Playoffs.

To purchase tickets, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com or call the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158. Fans can also purchase tickets at any Food City location through Sept. 13.

About Bristol Motor Speedway
Forged amid the scenic mountains of Northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line, Bristol Motor Speedway is The Last Great Colosseum, a versatile multi-use venue that hosts major auto races, football games, concerts and many other captivating events, including an upcoming Major League Baseball game. The facility features a 0.533-mile concrete oval race track with 28-degree corner banking and 650-feet straightaways that offers racing in several NASCAR touring series, highlighted by two major Cup Series weekends each year. In 2025, the venue will transform into a baseball stadium to host the MLB Speedway Classic featuring the Atlanta Braves vs. the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 2nd. In 2020, the track also served as host of the prestigious NASCAR All-Star Race, and from 2021-2023 the track converted to a temporary dirt track each spring to take the Cup Series back to its racing roots. While at the track, fans are offered a unique viewing experience courtesy of Colossus TV, the world’s largest outdoor center-hung four-sided video screen with a 540,000-watt audio system. The adjacent quarter-mile dragstrip, Bristol Dragway, offers more than 50 events annually, including the marquee NHRA Super Grip Thunder Valley Nationals. The Thunder Valley Amphitheatre presented by Ballad Health transforms Bristol Dragway into a premier outdoor concert venue for the world’s greatest music performers. Three football games have kicked-off inside the oval, most notably the 2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, where border rivals the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech met before an NCAA-record crowd of 156,990. In existence since 1961, Bristol Motor Speedway was purchased in 1996 by Speedway Motorsports, a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. For more information, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com.

BLogic Systems Partners with Forte Racing

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Official Release
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Photo courtesy of Jamey Price and Erick Tu

Austin, Texas (Friday, August 29, 2024) – Forte Racing is proud to announce their new multi-year partnership with BLogic Systems, a payment technology solutions company based in Northern California. BLogic Systems became the exclusive payment technology partner for the Southern California based Forte Racing team and is supporting their IMSA GTD and Lamborghini Super Trofeo programs.

BLogic Systems’ innovative payment technology allows Forte Racing to use multiple payment options to optimize all of their revenue streams on a single platform. The company’s goal is to provide an innovative, user-friendly point-of-sale (POS) solution to businesses of all sizes with top-notch customer service.

Erick Tu, President of BLogic Systems, is excited to enter the motorsport arena as a partner of Forte Racing. He looks forward to bringing the company that was built on a foundation of listening to the needs of every individual business owner to the world of sports car racing and the businesses that support those race teams.

“We are thrilled to partner with Forte Racing to bring people-first, customized payment technology solutions to the fast-paced world of motorsports,” Tu said. “BLogic Systems is dedicated to ensuring seamless transactions with unmatched flexibility, reliability, and efficiency at the track and beyond.”

Forte Racing Team Principal Shane Seneviratne is delighted to be the racing partner for a tech company that is unique in their capability to offer flexible and customized payment solutions based on the individual customer’s needs. Unlike other processors, BLogic takes a tailored approach to helping merchants save as much as possible.

“I’m extremely excited to have BLogic as our team’s payment solutions partner,” Seneviratne said. “The fact that they were able to tailor their product to our specific needs was a big incentive for our team to enter into the partnership. Erick (Tu) and his team have been exceptionally easy to work with and we’re looking forward to continuing our partnership for years to come.”

Click here for more information on how BLogic Systems can help your business and be sure to follow the team at Forte Racing.

About Forte Racing (Formerly known as US RaceTronics)

Forte Racing is a Los-Angeles based Motorsport team supported by Lamborghini Squadra Corse and competing in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, the IMSA VP Racing Sportscar Challenge and the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series.

Founded in 2023 and operated by US RaceTronics, the Italian-American team’s GT Daytona title contender is a Lamborghini Huracan EVO2 GT3 driven by Pro driver Loris Spinelli and Misha Goikhberg. The ream finished the 2023 season with four top-five finishes in the last five races of the season and included a 2nd-place finish at Indianapolis and a win at the season-finale Petit LeMans. The team finished an impressive rookie season fifth in the IMSA WeatherTech GTD Championship.

The team line-up for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech GTD Championship includes the team’s 2023 Petit LeMans winning driver Goikhberg and Spinelli along with NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Devlin DeFrancesco for the five IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races.

US RaceTronics (USRT) was founded by Shane Seneviratne in 2005 to compete in the Atlantic Championship, a formula race car series. The team finished 5th in points its first year and continued its success during the succeeding years, ultimately amassing a total of 21 podiums, 7 poles, 5 race wins and finishing 3rd in the 2009 Atlantic Championship. USRT was put on hold after series officials announced the Atlantic Series was put on hiatus.

Seneviratne fully returned to racing in 2015 after receiving an invitation to manage the O’Gara Motorsport entries in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North American (LBSTNA) Series. The team won the Team Championship, Dealership Championship, Pro Championship and Amateur Championship that season.

The success of 2015 reignited Seneviratne’s passion for racing and he relaunched US RaceTronics to compete in the 2016 LBSTNA Series. The team has won multiple North American and World Championships and expects to add to their success as they enter their eighth season in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North American Series. The team also competed in 2023 with one car each in the IMSA WeatherTech GTD Championship and the IMSA VP Challenge and will be expanding their entries in 2024.

For more information on how to become a driver with US RaceTronics, learn more about the Series, or attend a race, visit www.usracetronics.com.

About O’Gara Motorsport

O’Gara Motorsport was founded in 2014 by owner Tom O’Gara and celebrated winning the 2015 North American Lamborghini Super Trofeo driver and team Championships. The team goal is to achieve victories in the Series as well as showcasing the brands of their sponsors both on and off the track. With a vertically integrated platform that starts at the dealership and accelerates to the top levels of professional sports car racing, everyone at O’Gara is dedicated to providing a comprehensive program for anyone, from the casually curious to the dedicated racer.

About Change Racing

Founded by Lamborghini Charlotte CEO and long time real estate developer, John E. Littlefield, Change Racing is the premier championship winning team. Claiming 18 titles in various classes; Change Racing has competed in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series since its inception in 2013.

Most recently claiming the 2021 Amateur World Championship in Misano, Italy. Change Racing also claimed all SIX 2020 North American Championships, including the Pro, Pro-Am, Am and LB Cup class championships as well as the Team and Owner championships.

Lochie Hughes Crowned USF Pro 2000 Champion, Secures First Title for Turn 3 Motorsport

By
Official Release
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2024 USF Pro 2000 Championship Winners Lochie Hughes and Turn 3 Motorsport / Gavin Baker

Portland, Ore. (August 30, 2024) – Australian driver Lochie Hughes successfully clinched the 2024 USF Pro 2000 Championship presented by Continental Tire with a stellar performance at the Continental Tire Grand Prix of Portland season finale, also securing the first championship win for Turn 3 Motorsport. Hughes’ triumph marks a significant milestone for the 22-year-old and the team, as he now advances with a scholarship prize valued at $681,500 to compete in the INDY NXT series, the final stepping stone to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the iconic Indianapolis 500.

Hughes’ remarkable rookie season was capped off with multiple accolades, including four pole positions, five wins, six additional podiums, and the Rookie of the Year award, which comes with a $7,500 prize. Turn 3 Motorsport also shined off the track, with Neil O’Donovan and Matthew McComish earning the Makita Tools Mechanics of the Year award, and Peter Dempsey receiving the inaugural Marelli Engineer of the Year honor, a distinction given to one standout engineer across the entire USF Pro Championships ladder.

RACE 1 RECAP:

Race 1 at the 1.964-mile, 12-turn road course of Portland International Raceway kicked off under challenging rainy conditions, with a wet track causing multiple cars to spin and slide off at the start in Turn 1. Hughes managed to navigate the #44 car through the treacherous opening laps and settled into third place, displaying caution and long-term strategy as the race continued to unfold.

Danny Dyszelski also made it through the opening lap disarray, moving up to fifth, while Tyke Durst followed suit and climbed up to tenth.

Following a restart on Lap 4, Hughes carefully maintained his position amid the chaos, ultimately dropping to sixth over the following laps but keeping his eye on the bigger prize. With his main championship competitor Jace Denmark spinning out and falling a lap down after the restart, Hughes knew he just needed to finish the race at that point to lock in the championship title. And that he did; a sixth place finish in Race 1 secured the championship title for Hughes with one race still to go, a testament to his consistency and skill throughout the season.

Meanwhile, Dyszelski fought hard to hold his ground in the remaining laps and brought the #3 car home in a well-earned seventh position, crossing the finish line just behind Hughes.

Durst had worked his way forward to a season-high eighth position on track, but unfortunately faced setbacks after missing the corner in Turn 1, forcing him to relinquish his gains temporarily and ultimately placing him 12th for Race 1.

44 Lochie Hughes // USF Pro 2000

Private Wealth Planning / The McGinley Group / Grip Auto Timepieces
“2024 Champions!” said Hughes. “We did exactly what we needed to do in Portland to seal the deal. I can’t thank my Turn 3 Motorsport family enough for everything they have done for me this year. I say family because it really is one. To see the whole team crying after we won was something I’ve never seen before, and it shows how much it means to everyone involved. I’m incredibly proud to have driven for this team, and I’m sad it’s over but so grateful to everyone at Turn 3 for this incredible season.”

3 Danny Dyszelski // USF Pro 2000

Vera Guitars / Formula Imports / Charlotte Mechanical
“It was a decent end to a very strong rookie season,” said Dyszelski. “I made a mistake in qualifying which ended up hurting our overall results for this weekend, but we were still able to bring home a pair of top-ten finishes to end the year. I’m super proud of the incredible car Turn 3 Motorsport gave me all year and happy with the results we were able to achieve in our rookie season.”

33 Tyke Durst // USF Pro 2000

FHI / Relay Payments / Drive Toward a Cure
“Portland was a tough one,” said Durst. “We had decent pace and made up positions in the starts of both races, but unfortunately, mistakes I made took us out of easy top-ten finishes. This year has been incredibly challenging as a driver. There were many races that were looking good until something happened. I’ll take those lessons to heart this off season and get after it going into 2025. A huge thank you to Turn 3 Motorsport for always giving me a great car and for all the support in my rookie season.”

Team Owner, Peter Dempsey
“First off, I’m very proud of the effort that Lochie (Hughes) and all of our drivers put into this year,” said Team Owner Peter Dempsey. “We were very fortunate to have such a great group of drivers this year from start to finish. I’m super thankful that Lochie was able to win the championship—the first one for our team. It’s a moment that will never be forgotten. He truly deserves his prize, and I want to wish him the best moving forward into 2025 and beyond. It was a pleasure to work with him through the year, and we truly enjoyed every moment.”

“A huge thank you also to all the effort our whole crew put in all year long to be able to pull this off,” continued Dempsey. “I’m thankful for every person who was a part of our team from the start of the season until the end. None of this would be possible without the people we had in our program this year. I’m grateful to have such a strong group of people to allow us to perform at the highest level as a team.”

“Thank you also to my wife and team co-owner Mandy (Dempsey) who is the glue to this whole program. Her efforts have never gone unnoticed throughout the season. Now we turn our attention to 2025, and I know how determined we are as a team to keep this momentum going. It was an amazing year, and now we are aiming to come back even stronger in 2025.”

With the conclusion of the 2024 USF Pro 2000 Championship season, all focus shifts forward into post-season testing and the series-wide Fall Combine event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway October 19-20.
To stay up to date on Turn 3 Motorsport, follow the team on social media using the handle @turn3motorsport.

For more information or images, please contact Mandy Dempsey at turn3motorsport@gmail.com.
About Turn 3 Motorsport: Turn 3 Motorsport is a full-service operation specializing in racecar preparation, engineering, and driver development. Founded and managed by racecar driver and coach Peter Dempsey, T3M is focused on professional service, team member growth, and high-level performance across multiple racing series.

In 2019, the team secured the Blue Marble Cocktails Radical Cup North America championship titles in the 1340cc, 1500cc, and overall classes. Later that year, Peter and Turn 3 Motorsport achieved a record-breaking win at the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill endurance race, piloting the #10 Eastern Racing / Turn 3 Motorsport Radical SR3 RSX 1340 to a dominating win, leading 638 out of 672 laps, and becoming the first car under two liters to achieve the overall win.

In the team’s rookie season, Turn 3 Motorsport attracted attention out of the gate by winning the season opener of the 2020 Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires in a sweeping performance with Singaporean driver Danial Frost. Frost and the team went on to achieve a pole position, six podium finishes, and third overall in the championship in 2020.

In 2021, T3M expanded its presence in the Road to Indy by introducing a two-car program into the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship alongside its Indy Pro 2000 Championship campaign. In its debut USF2000 season, the team found victory at the season finale with American driver Josh Green as well as earning an additional podium and fifth overall in the championship. The team earned further accolades in the Indy Pro 2000 series with a race win at the season finale by Irish driver James Roe as well as a pole position at World Wide Technology Raceway and seventh overall in the championship.

In 2022, T3M showed its strength and teamwork by achieving a podium, win, and/or pole at 7 of the 9 events on the Road to Indy calendar with rookie drivers Josh Green, Jonathan Browne, and Christian Weir each earning the aforementioned results across two different series (USF2000 and Indy Pro 2000).

In 2023, T3M tied for the most amount of wins in the USF Pro 2000 season with drivers Michael d’Orlando and Christian Brooks earning a total of five wins for the team. The team also earned seven pole positions, the most of any other team, and finished second overall in the Team Championship.

Preview: NASCAR Xfinity Series at Darlington

By
Angie Campbell
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SEPTEMBER 02: John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the #20 Pye Barker Fire & Safety Toyota, leads the field to the green flag to start the NASCAR Xfinity Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway on September 02, 2023 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

The NASCAR Xfinity Series will compete at Darlington Raceway on Saturday afternoon in the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200. There are only four races remaining in the regular season. In 68 previous races at the track “Too Tough to Tame, there have been 36 different race winners and 32 different pole winners.

JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier is the most recent race winner at the 1.366-mile track with his victory in May earlier this season and has already clinched a spot in the 12-driver playoff field, along with Austin Hill, Sam Mayer, Chandler Smith and Shane van Gisbergen. That leaves seven spots up for grabs.

Notable Cup Series drivers who will be competing in the Xfinity Series race include Joey Logano in the No. 15 AM Racing Ford, Chase Elliott in the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and Noah Gragson in the No. 30 Rette Jones Racing Ford.

Clinch Scenarios:
The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by any driver that already has a win:

  • Cole Custer: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Riley Herbst: Would clinch regardless of finish
  • Jesse Love: Would clinch regardless of finish

The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by AJ Allmendinger, Sheldon Creed, Parker Kligerman, Ryan Sieg or Sammy Smith:

  • Cole Custer: Would clinch with 14 points

The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by Brandon Jones or a driver lower in the standings:

  • Cole Custer: Would clinch regardless of finish

Cole Custer, Riley Herbst and Jesse Love could clinch with a win at Darlington.

The following drivers could clinch with a win:

  • AJ Allmendinger: Could only clinch with help

The Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 will air on the USA Network at 3:30 p.m. Saturday with radio coverage provided by MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

PSM’S MATT SMITH LOOKS TO CONTINUE MOMENTUM THROUGH THE TOYOTA NHRA U.S. NATIONALS

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 30, 2024) – When six-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Matt Smith returns this weekend’s 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, he brings with him not only his success from last season, but also his last race.

Smith, rider of the DENSO Auto Parts Buell, made a statement in Sonoma when he swept the weekend by winning the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle NHRA All-Star Callout specialty event and earning the No. 1 qualifier position before going on to win the event on Sunday.

“We finally broke through for the win in Sonoma and that was the first time since Reading of last year,” said Smith. “Our DENSO Auto Parts Buell team has been working hard over the last year and I want to think we’re peaking at the right time and Indy is the perfect place to keep the momentum going.”

Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all claimed Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals victories in 2023 and this year’s race will again be broadcast on FOX and FS1, including a special Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout broadcast on FOX at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday and eliminations coverage on FOX beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday.

It is the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 campaign and the final race in the regular season, and plenty is on the line at the prestigious race.

Last year in Indy, Smith advanced to the final round where he faced Hector Arana Jr. Arana went red, giving Smith his two consecutive Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals title.

In 2024, the class has seen the same dominance from reigning class champion Gaige Herrera, with only Smith and Chase Van Sant as other winners in the field. With sights set on the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, Smith is second in points and knows a seventh championship is still within reach.

“I’m getting older and there’s a lot of young guns shooting for us, but I can still do this. I can still win a championship, and I would love to get seven and that’s my goal right now,” Smith said.

In the Top Fuel ranks, Brown is aiming for his third straight Indianapolis win. With three wins so far this season, he is aiming for his fourth NHRA world title. Leading the points is reigning champion Doug Kalitta following by his Kalitta Motorsports teammate Shawn Langdon. Also in the hunt is Brainerd winner Justin Ashley and four-time champ Steve Torrence.

The stars of the Funny Car class will have an added layer of competition in Indy with the addition of the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout on Sunday. Bob Tasca III will have his pick of the star-studded field of Ron Capps, Matt Hagan, Chad Green, J.R. Todd, Cruz Pedregon, Alexis DeJoria and Paul Lee.

Hartford earned his 2023 Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals win when he defeated Fernando Cuadra Jr. in the final round. After a tough season in 2024, Hartford will be looking for a strong finish in Indy to make up for his early season struggles. Dallas Glenn leads the points and is the most recent winner on the circuit. Multi-time champs Greg Anderson and Erica Enders are in second and third with Aaron Stanfield and Jeg Coughlin Jr. round out the top five.

The 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals promises to be one of the biggest in the illustrious history of The Big Go. It features the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the year and the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout, as well as the special Sox & Martin Hemi Challenge presented by the McCandless Collection and the Rooftec Comp Cash Clash, along with racing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ and NHRA Holley EFI Factory X, plus:

  • A special 70th anniversary NHRA U.S. Nationals pennant for the first 8,000 fans in attendance for eliminations on Monday, Sept. 2.
  • Free parking for all fans and children 12-under admitted free.
  • An unforgettable Top Eliminator Club experience, including NHRA driver appearances, food and drink, TEC gift bag, starting line seats and much more.
  • The biggest field in drag racing featuring more than 900 cars.

Fans will be invited all weekend long to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at Indy can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Monday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Monday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

As always, fans get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Indy. Fans get a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 6:45 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 30, two rounds at 12 and 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 31 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 12 and 3:00 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday, Sept 2.

The first round of the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout takes place at 1:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 1, with the semifinals at 2:40 p.m. and the final round at 4:30 p.m. A special broadcast of the Callout takes place on FOX at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 1 p.m. ET on Friday and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, and eliminations beginning at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

To purchase tickets to the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius hybrid and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota and Lexus brands, and directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America (more than 49,000 in the U.S.).

Over the past 65 years, Toyota has assembled nearly 47 million cars and trucks in North America at the company’s 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, the company’s 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

Through our more than 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.), Toyota sold more than 2.6 million cars and trucks (more than 2.2 million in the U.S.) in 2023, of which more than one quarter were electrified vehicles (full battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell).

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.

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