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  • Stewart-Haas Racing: Bank of America Roval 400 from Charlotte

    Stewart-Haas Racing: Bank of America Roval 400 from Charlotte

    STEWART-HAAS RACING
    Bank of America Roval 400

    Date: Oct. 13, 2024
    Event: Bank of America Roval 400 (Round 32 of 36)
    Series: NASCAR Cup Series
    Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval (2.28-mile, 17-turn road course)
    Format: 109 laps, broken into three stages (25 laps/25 laps/59 laps)

    Race Winner: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
    Stage 1 Winner: Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing (Toyota)
    Stage 2 Winner: Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

    SHR Finish:

    ● Josh Berry (Started 36th, Finished 23rd / Running, completed 109 of 109 laps)
    ● Ryan Preece (Started 34th, Finished 26th / Running, completed 109 of 109 laps)
    ● Noah Gragson (Started 32nd, Finished 32nd / Running, completed 108 of 109 laps)
    ● Chase Briscoe (Started 25th, Finished 37th / Accident, completed 41 of 109 laps)

    SHR Points:

    ● Chase Briscoe (12th with 3,030 points, 68 points below top-eight cutoff)
    ● Noah Gragson (25th with 521 points)
    ● Ryan Preece(26th with 506 points)
    ● Josh Berry (27th with 505 points)

    Playoff Standings to Begin Round of 8:

    1. Kyle Larson (4,052 points) +33
    2. Christopher Bell (4,032 points) +13
    3. Tyler Reddick (4,029 points) +10
    4. William Byron (4,023 points) +4
    5. Ryan Blaney (4,019 points) -4
    6. Denny Hamlin (4,015 points) -8
    7. Chase Elliott (4,014 points) -9
    8. Joey Logano (4,012 points) -11

    Failed to Advance to Round of 8:

    1. Alex Bowman (3,075 points)
    2. Austin Cindric (3,070 points)
    3. Daniel Suárez (3,047 points)
    4. Chase Briscoe (3,030 points)

    Race Notes:

    ● Kyle Larson won the Bank of America Roval 400 to score his 29th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his sixth of the season and his second on the Roval. His margin of victory over second-place Christopher Bell was 1.511 seconds.
    ● There were five caution periods for a total of 13 laps.
    ● Thirty of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

    Sound Bites:

    “The steering rack or something broke. I don’t really know, to be honest. Realistically, we probably weren’t going to move on anyway, but on those restarts in turn seven, we all kind of got stacked up and they all kind of stopped in front of me and it ripped the wheel out of my hand. I could turn to the left, but as soon as I got to the right-hander, my car just went straight. I about hit the wall on the backstretch chicane, and then on the frontstretch chicane, I hit the 3 car just because I literally couldn’t turn. It’s an unfortunate way for it to all come to an end. It’s part of it, part of racing. We just didn’t have a very good three weeks when it all boils down to it. We have four more races left to try to go win and send Stewart-Haas Racing out with a win. It’s tough to have all the momentum that we had, and to have it come to an end like it did is unfortunate. I wish we could have kept going for it. I am sure all the guys that get eliminated wish they could keep going for it, right? We knew, I think as a team even, going into it that if we could get through this round we could get to the final four, but we weren’t able to get through this round. It’s unfortunate. We still have a lot to race for. We can still go win four more races and that is what we will try to do. It’s four really good tracks for us, so I feel really good about it. I wish we were racing for a championship, still. It’s just one of those days. Honestly, kind of one of those weeks with everything that has happened. I am ready for Monday. It stings. Not even really for myself, just all the employees at Stewart-Haas. They were all kind of living through the 14 car, and the environment we have had these last few weeks has been really exciting to be a part of. I hate that it’s coming to an end. I know what that means for Stewart-Haas not to be racing for a championship anymore. But we have four races left, and we are going to give it everything we’ve got. It has definitely been a tough week with the highest of highs, but then everything that Marissa (Briscoe, wife) was going through, and the playoffs, too. The racing is one thing, but I am more worried about my family, at the end of the day, and making sure Marissa is OK. I would have loved to keep racing for a championship. It’s unfortunate the way the week ended, but life could be a lot worse. I have three healthy kids at home and a wife that is hopefully getting healthy, and I get to drive racecars for a living, so at the end of the day you can’t be upset just because you don’t have a chance to race for a championship. I still have an incredible life and I am certainly blessed.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Ford Performance Racing School Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    “It was kind of nasty today. We finally had a mistake-free day and didn’t get wrecked at the end or have anything silly happen. And we kind of steadily just raced smart and finished way better than we probably should have. So, a lot of work to do still, but it was nice to get a decent result.” – Josh Berry, driver of the No. 4 Bed Bath & Beyond Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    “Tough day.” – Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 10 Beef-a-Roo Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Next Up:

    The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the South Point 400 on Sunday, Oct. 20, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The seventh race in the 10-race NASCAR Playoffs starts at 2:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

  • RCR NCS Race Recap: Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL

    RCR NCS Race Recap: Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL

    Hard-Fought Day for Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BetMGM Chevrolet Team at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL

    Finish: 32nd
    Start: 22nd
    Points: 28th

    “Our No. 3 BetMGM Chevrolet team fought hard at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, but nothing went our way today. Our luck was unbelievable. We got turned around in Stage 1 and lost a lot of track position. We worked our way back through the field and were running sixth in the final stage and in position for a good points day. Unfortunately, after the final stop of the day, NASCAR held us for two laps when we lost a tire on the track. From that point forward, we were on a lap of our own just hoping to catch a caution or two to get back on the lead lap but the rest of the race ran green. It could have been a good points day for the No. 3 team if we wouldn’t have had so many issues. We’ll regroup and head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.” -Austin Dillon

    Kyle Busch Scores Stage Points En Route to 13th-Place Finish for the No. 8 Lenovo Chevrolet Team at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL

    Finish: 13th
    Start: 11th
    Points: 20th

    “Overall, it was a solid day for the No. 8 Lenovo Chevrolet team. Early in the race we didn’t have any grip in the front and we were struggling to get off the corners. We made a pit stop and improved the drive off and ability to turn, but by the end of Stage 1, we were struggling with lack of grip again. About halfway through the race, crew chief Randall Burnett and the Lenovo guys made the decision to tweak our pit strategy. We needed to do something different than the guys who were running ahead of us because we weren’t going to get ahead of them by doing the same thing that they were. We finished ninth in Stage 2 and then stayed out for track position. We made our last pit stop and cycled out in the 14th position, which was about where we were running when we tried our strategy play. We passed Denny Hamlin on the last lap to move up a position, but we wanted more out of our day.” -Kyle Busch

  • Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Texas Fall Nationals Nationals Post-Race Report – 10.13.24

    Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Texas Fall Nationals Nationals Post-Race Report – 10.13.24

    JUSTIN ASHLEY WINS TEXAS FALL NATIONALS FOR FOURTH WIN OF 2024 SEASON
    Toyota claims 16th Top Fuel win last 19 races

    ENNIS, Texas. (Oct. 13, 2024) – From the No. 12 seed to start eliminations, Justin Ashley captured his fourth Wally Trophy of 2024 by winning the Texas Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex in Ennis. Ashley went through a stout lineup on his way to victory Sunday, having to defeat Antron Brown, Shawn Langdon, Tony Schumacher and Clay Millican – all winners during the season – for the event win. It’s career win number 15 of Ashley’s career and is also Toyota’s 16th Top Fuel win in the last 19 NHRA races. With his triumph, Ashley also takes over the Top Fuel points lead from Toyota teammate, Brown, with just two races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship. 

    In his home race at Texas Motorplex, Steve Torrence made the semifinals Sunday but fell to Ashley in a hotly contested penultimate round. Shawn Langdon and Billy Torrence, who made his 100th career NHRA start today, were the other Toyota Top Fuel Dragsters to advance past round one.

    In Funny Car, Ron Capps made the finals for the second consecutive race and the sixth time this season but fell in the end to Matt Hagan. Capps maintained fourth position in the Funny Car points standings after today’s results. His GR Supra Funny Car teammates, J.R. Todd and Alexis DeJoria, were eliminated in the first round on Sunday.

    The final round appearances by Ashley and Capps on Sunday also mark 41 consecutive NHRA event final rounds for Toyota in either Top Fuel and/or Funny Car.

    The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is next on track at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with eliminations set for Sunday, November 3.

    Toyota Post-Race Recap
    NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
    Texas Motorplex
    NHRA Texas Fall Nationals
    Race 18 of 20

    TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS 

    NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
    Justin AshleySCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel DragsterWinnerW (3.775) V. A. Brown (3.776) W (3.951) V. S. Langdon (4.274) W (3.806) V. T. Schumacher (3.817) W (3.773 – holeshot) V. C. Millican (3.662)
    Steve TorrenceCAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSemi-finalsW (3.756) V. K. Baldwin (6.121) W (3.881) V. B. Torrence (5.491) L (3.777) V. C. Millican (4.245)
    Shawn LangdonKalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSecond RoundW (3.724) V. J. Salinas (3.745) L (4.274) V. J. Ashley (3.951)
    Billy TorrenceCAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSecond RoundW (3.773) V. J. Hart (6.903) L (5.491) V. S. Torrence (3.811)
    Doug KalittaMobil 1 Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFirst RoundL (4.954) V. C. Millican (3.740)
    Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFirst RoundL (3.776) V. J. Ashley (3.775)

    TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS 

    NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
    Ron CappsNAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny CarFinalistW (3.912) V. D. Richards (12.205) W (3.945) V. B. Alexander (9.718) W (3.900) V. A. Prock (No Time) L (3.934) V. M. Hagan (3.943 – holeshot)
    J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny CarFirst RoundL (5.059) V. C. Pedregon (4.017)
    Alexis DeJoriaBandero CaféToyota GR Supra Funny CarFirst RoundL (No Time) V. D. Wilkerson (3.908)

    *= Non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    JUSTIN ASHLEY, SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, SCAG Racing

    TF Final Result: Winner

    It seems like you make these wins seem so easy. How do you do it?

    “Divine intervention. This weekend speaks to God’s presence in our lives. I’m a little bit emotional about this one. We had unique circumstances, but our team came through. To be able to get a win for Team Toyota and to be able to double-up with Jeg (Coughlin, Jr.) and everyone at SCAG Power Equipment, this is a really special victory. This victory is because of Randy (Gloede, CEO of SCAG Power Equipment), Maria (Oldenburg, President of SCAG Power Equipment) and the team itself, the team working on this race car. Could not be prouder nor thankful!”

    RON CAPPS, NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Ron Capps Motorsports

    FC Final Result: Finalist

    How would you describe your day and weekend?

    “It’s been fun the last few races, climbing our way back up (the points standings). Just watching Guido (Dean Antonelli, crew chief) all season long, trying to figure out where we like the clutch, how comfortable he was with the tune up to get the car where he feels we can throw down with anybody in the pit area. With that being said, obviously coming off a final round in St. Louis a couple weeks ago, which is great to build off that momentum. Talked (after St. Louis) about how this race is a big-time momentum race, either good or bad. It’s great in some way with another final-round finish, but it almost hurts worse losing in the final and being that close. But I cannot say enough how happy I am with our NAPA Auto Care team. The conditions were so demanding and so tricky, that’s when it pays off to have the GR Supra body. We were able to trim it out a little in qualifying and go 3.86 and qualify really well. The big thing was, Sunday, being able to go down a tricky track. Felt like we had an advantage with the GR Supra. And getting to the final round. I haven’t talked to Guido yet about what the car did, just happy to go down all the runs we did with power. It’s a big-time, important thing. I mean, I said it’s a momentum race, so you build upon her, going to (Las) Vegas. So, it hurts now. I’ll be okay in a few hours (laughs), a little better tomorrow. And then by Tuesday, I’ll be even more mad at myself for not being able to cut a better light. That part hurts.”

    About Toyota

    Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships. 

    Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 29 electrified options.

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

  • ASHLEY, HAGAN, J. COUGHLIN JR. & HERRERA COLLECT KEY PLAYOFF WINS AT TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS

    ASHLEY, HAGAN, J. COUGHLIN JR. & HERRERA COLLECT KEY PLAYOFF WINS AT TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS

    • Ashley moves into Top Fuel points lead
    • Hagan wins in Dallas for second straight year
    • Coughlin slips past longtime rival Anderson in PS
    • Herrera nets 20th PSM win in just 34 starts

    ENNIS, Texas (Oct. 12, 2024) – Justin Ashley moved into the Top Fuel points lead on Sunday at Texas Motorplex, holding off Clay Millican in the final round and winning in Dallas for the third time in four years at the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals.

    Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 18th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the fourth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

    Ashley went 3.773-seconds at 327.99 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster in the final round, defeating Millican on a holeshot thanks to a brilliant .026 reaction time on the starting line. Millican went a quicker 3.762 at 328.40 but couldn’t track down Ashley at the finish line. It is the fourth win this season and the 15th overall for Ashley, who defeated Antron Brown, Shawn Langdon and Tony Schumacher to reach the final round.

    He qualified 12th, only make Friday’s first qualifying pass while observing Yom Kippur. But the team was prepared on Sunday with several standout runs and Ashley now has a 44-point lead over Antron Brown with two races remaining.

    “This just speaks volumes of the kind of team we have,” Ashley said. “When I went up to them and told them my plan, the team rallied around me and we rallied together as a group. We’re one team and one family, and for them to understand my principles and having only one lap down the racetrack – I don’t think we had lane choice once today, our backs were against the wall, but Mike (Green, crew chief) and Tommy (DeLago) did an awesome job.

    “It’s not over until it’s over, that much is for sure. You just have to keep swinging, and it’s best for us to not even look at the points. If we don’t take care of our business, it’s not going to matter anyway. It’s important to enjoy it, but once we leave here our focus has to immediately shift to Vegas. No matter what, this is far, far from over. We took a major step today, but it’s going to become more and more difficult. Just like it always does, it’s going to come down to Pomona.”

    Millican advanced to the finals for the third time this season and the 25th time in his career by taking down defending world champ Doug Kalitta, Shawn Reed and Texan Steve Torrence.

    Texas Motorplex continued to bring out the best in defending Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan, who won for the second consecutive year in Dallas for Tony Stewart Racing, defeating Ron Capps with a run of 3.943 at 327.65 in his 11,000-horsepower Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge//SRT Hellcat. It is the third victory this season for Hagan and the 52nd in his career as he also moved to third in points, 168 back of leader Austin Prock.

    After qualifying second, Hagan took down Bobby Bode, Cruz Pedregon and Daniel Wilkerson to reach the final round, utilizing a better .064 reaction time to hold off Capps’ run of 3.934 at 328.28. The team had struggled since Hagan last won in May in Chicago, but he was thrilled with how everyone performed in the warm conditions on Sunday, giving the team a much-needed late-season jolt.

    “I was really on the chip, and I love Capps to death, but I was ready to cut his head off,” Hagan said. “You’re going in like a gladiator. You get to get on this crazy machine, and you never know what it’s going to do, but this is one of the cool things we get to do, drive something so unpredictable.

    “But that’s why we love doing it. To get this win for Jason Johnson and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage, to pull down the win was huge. Life is about the people and the relationships we build along the way, that’s what really matters. We’ve surrounded ourselves with really smart people and I believe in my guys and my crew. Those core group of guys really mattered and I’ve been lucky to keep my core group together for so long.”

    Capps advanced to the finals for the fifth time this season and the 152nd in his career by defeating Dave Richards, Blake Alexander and Prock. Prock will still take a commanding lead into Las Vegas, as he will lead Jack Beckman by 147 points heading into the final two races. Beckman, who has racing for drag racing legend John Force, did not compete on Sunday after waking up with vertigo-like symptoms.

    In Pro Stock, Jeg Coughlin Jr. got the better of longtime rival Greg Anderson in the championship round, picking up his first win at Texas Motorplex in more than 20 years after slipping past Anderson with a run of 6.592 at 208.10 in his Scag Power Equipment car. Coughlin’s last win in Dallas came in 2002, but that all changed with a classic performance on Sunday. It gives Coughlin his fifth victory this season and the 69th in his career.

    To get there, he knocked off Cory Reed, David Cuadra and Matt Hartford, but the performance was turned up in the final round against Anderson. It was a pair of five-time world champions, but Coughlin slipped past the veteran at the finish line. He’s fifth in points and was also thrilled to enjoy the first double-up victory for Scag Power Equipment.

    “This feels fantastic,” Coughlin said. “For us, the cherry on top was for Justin Ashley and me to get our first double together as Scag teammates. I’m really eager to go celebrate with our team. It should be a big one. This Wally is going back to Mark Ingersoll. It’s quite remarkable what he’s gone through He’s on a good path to recovery, and he’s as strong as an ox for sure. We miss having him out here and look forward to him coming back more.

    “Greg has always been the pinnacle since he got behind the wheel of a Pro Stock program. Today he had us outpaced, performance-wise, so we jokingly said we needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat before this final round – and fortunately we did. I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded with some amazing teams, amazing people. I think this weekend is another testament to that. I saw that win light come on, and I couldn’t have been more excited.”

    Anderson, who was the No. 1 qualifier, reached the finals for the fourth time this year and the 180th in his career by taking down Fernando Cuadra Jr. and points leader Dallas Glenn. But Glenn did strengthen his points lead by knocking off Stanfield in the second round, taking a 54-point advantage over Stanfield into Las Vegas. Anderson jumped to third with his final-round appearance.

    It was another dominant Dallas weekend for Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader Gaige Herrera, who won for the second year at Texas Motorplex after defeating rival Matt Smith in the final round with a run of 6.816 at 200.56 on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. With the win, Herrera picked up his 20th career victory, reaching that milestone quicker than any driver in NHRA history.

    Herrera, who was also the No. 1 qualifier as part of a spectacular weekend, now has nine victories in 2024, taking a 62-point lead over Smith into the final two races of the season as he seeks a second straight championship. To reach the final round on Sunday, Herrera got past Chase Van Sant and Jianna Evaristo. Smith left the starting line first but ran into trouble as Herrera cruised to his second straight victory in the Countdown to the Championship.

    “Today means a lot,” Herrera said. “I had more luck on my side today than performance, for sure. I was sleeping on one of the lights and Chase went red, and in the final there, Matt would have had me. Luck was definitely on my side, and I’d rather be lucky than good any day. My bike ran well all day with the heat, considering. I made a few little mistakes, but all in all, I’m glad to go home with the win and another cowboy hat.

    “This Countdown has been pretty tight. We all know there was some trash talk, so for us to not have the performance advantage and get the win, it means a lot to me. This season, it just means a lot more each round win we get. This year has been a lot more pressure for me as a rider. Each round and win means so much more this time. I’m kind of just showing my real side and not holding it in anymore.”

    Smith reached his fifth final round in 2024 and the 80th in his career thanks to round wins against Malcolm Phillips Jr., Marc Ingwersen and Hector Arana Jr.

    The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action Oct. 31-Nov. 3 with the 24th annual Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    ENNIS, Texas — Final finish order (1-16) at the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex. The race is the 18th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

    TOP FUEL:

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

    FUNNY CAR:

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

    PRO STOCK:

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

    PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

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

    ENNIS, Texas — Sunday’s final results from the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex. The race is the 18th of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

    Top Fuel — Justin Ashley, 3.773 seconds, 327.99 mph def. Clay Millican, 3.762 seconds, 328.40 mph.

    Funny Car — Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.943, 327.65 def. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.934, 328.28.

    Pro Stock — Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Camaro, 6.593, 208.10 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.603, 210.13.

    Pro Stock Motorcycle — Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.816, 200.56 def. Matt Smith, Buell, 7.703, 125.55.

    Top Alcohol Dragster — Matthew Cummings, 5.246, 279.71 def. Julie Nataas, 5.264, 272.18.

    Top Alcohol Funny Car — Sean Bellemeur, Chevy Camaro, 5.497, 266.86 def. Brian Hough, Camaro, 5.557, 266.45.

    Competition Eliminator — Matt Harris, Pontinac Grand Am, 7.705, 175.83 def. Keith Mawhee, Chevy Cavalier, 8.059, 167.92.

    Super Stock — Justin Picillo, Pontiac Tran Am, 9.401, 134.97 def. Craig Gualtiere, Chevy Cavalier, 9.455, 142.62.

    Stock Eliminator — Michael Brand, Ford Mustang, 8.833, 152.54 def. Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., Pontiac GTO, 10.958, 114.31.

    Super Comp — Kyle Secrest, Dragster, 8.875, 178.78 def. Michael Dalrymple, Dragster, 8.870, 183.98.

    Super Gas — Tom Stalba, Chevy Corvette, 9.901, 154.77 def. Rusty Cook, Chevy, 9.894, 160.24.

    Super Street — Jordan Pratt, Chevy Camaro, 10.897, no speed def. Alan Bush, Chevy Nova, 10.859, 154.35.

    Top Sportsman — Michael Chitty, Chevy Cobalt, 6.571, 210.41 def. Macy Higgins, Chevy Camaro, 6.619, 207.49.

    Top Dragster — Jim Prevo, Dragster, 6.305, 185.10 def. Brad Plourd, Dragster, 9.855, 85.03.

    Factory X — Greg Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 7.074, 193.17 def. Jesse Alexandra, Camaro, 7.138, 190.93.

    ENNIS, Texas — Final round-by-round results from the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, the 18th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

    TOP FUEL:

    ROUND ONE — Tony Schumacher, 3.801, 322.37 def. Ida Zetterstrom, 4.082, 222.85; Justin Ashley, 3.775, 329.21 def. Antron Brown, 3.776, 324.96; Brittany Force, 3.766, 334.55 def. Spencer Hyde, Foul – Red Light; Shawn Reed, 3.753, 318.97 def. Tony Stewart, 3.817, 329.96; Shawn Langdon, 3.724, 332.20 def. Jasmine Salinas, 3.745, 326.49; Steve Torrence, 3.756, 333.21 def. Krista Baldwin, 6.121, 103.31; Steve Torrence, 3.756, 333.21 def. Krista Baldwin, 6.121, 103.31; Billy Torrence, 3.773, 329.48 def. Josh Hart, 6.093, 105.75; Clay Millican, 3.740, 333.16 def. Doug Kalitta, 4.954, 161.63;

    QUARTERFINALS — Schumacher, 3.797, 326.16 def. Force, 3.790, 332.27; S. Torrence, 3.811, 325.80 def. B. Torrence, 5.491, 121.61; Millican, 3.759, 330.44 def. Reed, 3.775, 324.98; Ashley, 3.951, 291.00 def. Langdon, 4.274, 228.21;

    SEMIFINALS — Ashley, 3.806, 327.51 def. Schumacher, 3.817, 323.93; Millican, 3.777, 329.40 def. S. Torrence, 4.245, 222.39;

    FINAL — Ashley, 3.773, 327.99 def. Millican, 3.762, 328.40.

    FUNNY CAR:

    ROUND ONE — Blake Alexander, Ford Mustang, 3.879, 325.80 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.994, 303.91; Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 4.380, 275.23 def. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.404, 205.61; Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.974, 325.64 def. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 3.966, 321.80; Chad Green, Mustang, 3.992, 295.92 def. Jack Beckman, Camaro, Broke – No Show; Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.912, 328.42 def. Dave Richards, Mustang, 12.205, 70.29; Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.908, 323.46 def. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, Broke; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.017, 315.55 def. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 5.059, 158.02; Paul Lee, Charger, 4.100, 246.72 def. Dale Creasy Jr., Charger, 5.678, 126.53;

    QUARTERFINALS — Prock, 3.945, 327.92 def. Lee, 4.008, 314.95; Capps, 3.945, 307.34 def. Alexander, 9.718, 86.49; Wilkerson, 3.944, 322.74 def. Green, 5.544, 105.54; Hagan, 3.974, 327.44 def. Pedregon, 4.076, 252.53;

    SEMIFINALS — Hagan, 3.965, 326.16 def. Wilkerson, 7.727, 96.18; Capps, 3.900, 328.83 def. Prock, Broke;

    FINAL — Hagan, 3.943, 327.65 def. Capps, 3.934, 328.28.

    PRO STOCK:

    ROUND ONE — Fernando Cuadra Jr., Chevy Camaro, 6.602, 209.02 def. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.665, 207.88; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 7.543, 174.11 def. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 22.546, 25.02; Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.583, 208.29 def. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.572, 210.06; David Cuadra, Camaro, 6.620, 208.04 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, Broke; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.559, 209.51 def. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.576, 209.93; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.543, 210.59 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, Broke – No Show; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.579, 209.39 def. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.615, 208.74; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.582, 209.38 def. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.601, 207.45;

    QUARTERFINALS — Coughlin, 6.627, 208.03 def. D. Cuadra, 6.650, 208.03; Hartford, 6.616, 208.75 def. Enders, 6.613, 208.91; Glenn, 6.612, 209.27 def. Stanfield, 12.308, 71.61; Anderson, 6.568, 209.92 def. Cuadra Jr., 6.607, 207.89;

    SEMIFINALS — Coughlin, 6.636, 207.19 def. Hartford, 8.204, 144.29; Anderson, 6.601, 209.50 def. Glenn, 6.619, 208.75;

    FINAL — Coughlin, 6.593, 208.10 def. Anderson, 6.603, 210.13.

    PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

    ROUND ONE — Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.808, 199.96 def. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.830, 199.32; Angie Smith, Buell, 6.808, 202.54 def. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.949, 180.22; Marc Ingwersen, 6.845, 199.22 def. John Hall, Foul – Red Light; Hector Arana Jr, 6.808, 197.81 def. Ryan Oehler, 6.974, 194.30; Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.895, 200.76 def. Ron Tornow, Broke; Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.774, 196.88 def. Geno Scali, Suzuki, Foul – Red Light; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.776, 202.48 def. Malcolm Phillips Jr., Suzuki, 6.946, 194.34; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.758, 201.78 was unopposed;

    QUARTERFINALS — Arana Jr, 6.851, 198.51 def. A. Smith, 6.896, 199.69; M. Smith, 6.788, 201.57 def. Ingwersen, 6.849, 198.51; Evaristo, 6.910, 199.13 def. Johnson, Foul – Red Light; Herrera, 6.818, 199.53 def. Van Sant, Foul – Red Light;

    SEMIFINALS — Herrera, 6.835, 199.65 def. Evaristo, 7.010, 194.96; M. Smith, 6.878, 200.18 def. Arana Jr, 6.900, 197.57;

    FINAL — Herrera, 6.816, 200.56 def. M. Smith, 7.703, 125.55.

    ENNIS, Texas — Point standings (top 10) following the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, the 18th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series –

    Top Fuel

    1. Justin Ashley, 2,422; 2. Antron Brown, 2,378; 3. Shawn Langdon, 2,346; 4. Steve Torrence, 2,334; 5. Tony Schumacher, 2,317; 6. Clay Millican, 2,308; 7. Doug Kalitta, 2,289; 8. Brittany Force, 2,232; 9. Tony Stewart, 2,181; 10. Billy Torrence, 2,167.

    Funny Car

    1. Austin Prock, 2,537; 2. John Force, 2,390; 3. Matt Hagan, 2,369; 4. Ron Capps, 2,357; 5. Bob Tasca III, 2,326; 6. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,238; 7. Blake Alexander, 2,234; 8. J.R. Todd, 2,223; 9. Chad Green, 2,210; 10. Alexis DeJoria, 2,177.

    Pro Stock

    1. Dallas Glenn, 2,517; 2. Aaron Stanfield, 2,464; 3. Greg Anderson, 2,427; 4. Erica Enders, 2,406; 5. Jeg Coughlin, 2,321; 6. Matt Hartford, 2,215; 7. Cristian Cuadra, 2,188; 8. Jerry Tucker, 2,182; 9. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,175; 10. Eric Latino, 2,158.

    Pro Stock Motorcycle

    1. Gaige Herrera, 2,532; 2. Matt Smith, 2,470; 3. Richard Gadson, 2,371; 4. Hector Arana Jr, 2,347; 5. Chase Van Sant, 2,302; 6. Angie Smith, 2,262; 7. Jianna Evaristo, 2,247; 8. John Hall, 2,239; 9. Steve Johnson, 2,182; 10. Chris Bostick, 2,128.
  • ‘Yung Money’ Banks Another ROVAL Victory

    ‘Yung Money’ Banks Another ROVAL Victory

    CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 13, 2024) – One of the world’s best racing drivers delivered a virtuoso performance on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Kyle Larson, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, dominated his NASCAR Cup Series competitors and earned a convincing win in the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400.

    Larson beat runner-up Christopher Bell to the checkered flag by 1.511 seconds on the reconfigured 17-turn, 2.28-mile circuit for his second career ROVAL™ victory and his sixth win of the season. William Byron was third, followed by Austin Cindric in fourth and Chase Elliott in fifth.

    After Larson’s previous ROVAL™ victory in 2021, Larson went on to win his only NASCAR Cup Series championship.

    After the cutoff race to enter the Round of 8, Larson, Bell, Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Stage 2 winner Alex Bowman, Denny Hamlin and regular season champion Tyler Reddick advanced into the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Cup Series championship playoffs with four races remaining. William Byron secured advancement prior to Sunday’s race.

    Cindric, Chase Briscoe, Joey Logano and Daniel Suarez were eliminated from championship contention following the race. All four eliminated drivers were below the playoff threshold entering the race. Logano missed out to Reddick, the Stage 1 winner, by four points for the final spot in the Round of 8.

    With Larson leading a race-high 62 laps, much of the late drama centered on the race between Reddick and Logano for the final advancement spot. Even though Logano finished eighth and Reddick ended up 11th, Reddick’s 14-point advantage entering the race proved to be just enough cushion to keep his championship dreams alive.

    Reddick was hampered early in the second stage when he bumped into Hamlin going around the treacherous new Turn 7, and suffered some crippling mechanical damage. With fresh tires and solid pit work entering Stage 3, Reddick managed to work his way through the field enough to keep his championship dreams alive.

    Larson completed the 109 laps in 3 hours, 0 minutes and 3 seconds for an average speed of 82.817 mph on his way to his 29th career NASCAR Cup Series win. Six drivers exchanged the lead seven times, with five caution periods taking up 13 laps.

    KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET (RACE WINNER): “It was cool to win here at home and have everyone here in Victory Lane celebrating. The crew’s families and kids, that’s what makes it special to win in Charlotte. It was a great day. Hendrick Motorsports is just two minutes away. It makes it great when you can win here. Everyone sacrifices so much time, when they have these photos from today it’ll be great for them to look back on. It’s extra special to win here for sure.

    “[There are] no statements that we’re trying to send. I think the field knows we are strong. It’s nice to win and gain five more points into the next round. I’m excited to get through today and help ourselves in the next round.”

    CLIFF DANIELS, NO. 5 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET (WINNING CREW CHIEF): “We have a strong amount of respect for all the teams in the Round of 8. I think our No. 1 competitor is ourselves. Yes, the competition is going to be there. We need to stay tunnel visioned. The opening race in each round haven’t been kind to us. It’s going to take handling the little details. The No. 5 is always the beneficiary of the other three teams working together so well. It always evolves. I’ve been thankful to be in this position with Kyle and the No. 5 team. We’ve been surrounded by some great leadership along the way. Having four teams in the Round of 8 doesn’t happen by accident. I’m very thankful to be a part of it.

    [Larson has] had the intensity and desire to be as good as ever right now. He was very determined to go in [the simulator]. I was the one trying to get him out of it. He wanted to find the cadence of hitting each corner. He came in with a mission that day and it certainly paid off. … Phoenix, for Hendrick Motorsports, started the day after Phoenix last year. It hurt last year to get beat for the championship. The day after that race, we started coming up with plans [to win].”

    RICK HENDRICK, NO. 5 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET (WINNING TEAM OWNER): “You always talk about getting them into the Round of 8, but it’s so hard to do. You saw people above and below [the cutline] have trouble. The next three tracks are very good for us. Kyle set a blistering pace and we got everyone into the next round. Every year, you want to get better and better. Our teams have been better together. Bill France said, ‘Your mind will take you places your body won’t go,’ and I’m getting there. I’m living a dream. Nothing fuels you more than getting to that championship race and not winning.

    “Every race this year, we’ve been looking toward Phoenix. We talked about it in the off-season, early in the season, and now, we want to finish the job. … Having all four in the final eight was the goal and we accomplished it. Now, we have to go out and win races and do the best we can. I’m thinking about the next three races right now.”

    CHRISTOPHER BELL, NO. 20 JOE GIBBS RACING TOYOTA (RUNNER-UP): “It was good but not great. It’s weird. You wouldn’t think dirty air is a big deal on these road courses but it is. Hopefully, we get a re-do in Phoenix.”

    WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET (THIRD PLACE): “It was kind of all we had. It was a good day, but I definitely wanted more. It feels good [to finish third]. I mean, we’ve always been pretty good in this round. The way it’s laid out, I really don’t know why, but we’ve executed really well and not made many mistakes. That’s the key and I feel like in this next round, continuing to bring more speed will be critical. We’ll see where we are from there.”

    Additional Quotes:

    FIFTH PLACE: CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET: “Really proud of everyone in Hendrick Motors[ports to have four of the last eight standing. I hope everyone is really proud because that’s a hard thing to do. Obviously I’d love to win the race but I was pretty proud of that effort. We had to take the stage points but you put yourself in an uphill battle. Glad to be moving on. You get to the Round of 8, it’s anyone’s ballgame.”

    EIGHTH PLACE: JOEY LOGANO, NO. 22 TEAM PENSKE FORD: “We fought hard, for sure. We just didn’t get quite enough at the end. Tyler did a good job going up through the field. Congrats to them, they fought hard. It just wasn’t meant to be. You can think through the season and find four points in a lot of places.”

    10TH PLACE: RYAN BLANEY, NO. 12 TEAM PENSKE FORD: “We were in a decent spot coming into the game. We did the stage-point game. Appreciate everyone on this No. 12 team. I look forward to the next three weeks. I think they line up for us well.”

    11TH PLACE: TYLER REDDICK, NO. 45 23XI Racing TOYOTA: “Me and my boss [Hamlin] got together [in the second stage]. This thing was absolutely destroyed. A big thank you to the team. We kept working on it and got it better for Stage 3. You just have to stay calm and focused. It’s so easy to lose track of what you can control. It just worked out for us and got us to the good side of the cutline.”

    14TH PLACE: DENNY HAMLIN, NO. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing TOYOTA: “Seven is the same as 100. It’s such a tough spot to be in when you were up like we were. You can’t be as aggressive as you want to but you can’t give away positions, either. Great job by our team.”

    TICKETS:

    Tickets to upcoming speedway events, including the Nov. 6-9 World of Outlaws World Finals, are available at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267).

    MORE INFO:

    Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway and get the latest news by following on X and Instagram, becoming a Facebook fan or downloading the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

  • CHEVROLET NCS: Larson Drives Chevrolet to Fourth-Straight Win of the Season at the Charlotte ROVAL

    CHEVROLET NCS: Larson Drives Chevrolet to Fourth-Straight Win of the Season at the Charlotte ROVAL

    NASCAR CUP SERIES
    CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY R.C.
    ROUND OF 12: ELIMINATION RACE
    TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT
    OCT. 13, 2024

     Larson Drives Chevrolet to Fourth-Straight Win of the Season at the Charlotte ROVAL
    Four Team Chevy Drivers Advance to the Round of Eight

    TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10:
    POS. DRIVER
    1st – Kyle Larson
    3rd – William Byron
    5th – Chase Elliott
    6th – AJ Allmendinger
    7th – Shane van Gisbergen

    WITH 32 NASCAR CUP SERIES RACES COMPLETE:
    Wins: 15
    Poles: 10
    Top-five Finishes: 63
    Top-10 Finishes: 129
    Stage Wins: 22

    • Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson drove Chevrolet to its fourth consecutive NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season in the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course. The victory – Larson’s sixth this season and 29th all-time in the division – marks his second trip to victory lane at the North Carolina circuit, with his first coming in his championship-earning season.
    • The 32-year-old Elk Grove, California, native delivered Chevrolet its 15th NASCAR Cup Series victory this season; its fifth win in seven NASCAR Cup Series races at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course; and its 866th all-time in NASCAR’s top division – all of which are series-leading feats.
    • The victory marks Chevrolet’s 10th victory in 15 road course races in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Next Gen era – recorded by six drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations.
    • Entering the NASCAR Cup Series’ Round of Eight, Chevrolet leads its manufacturer competitors with four drivers continuing in title contention, with Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammates – William Byron, Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman – advancing following the conclusion of the elimination race.

     TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:

    KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

    Finished: 1st

    “It was a great day, for sure. This place has not been easy on me. This is probably the most difficult track out of the road courses for me. I put in a lot of work this week; a lot of studying and a few hours in the sim. It’s cool to win here with Cliff’s (Daniel, crew chief) family and everybody’s family. Just a great day for the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevy team. Execution from start to finish was amazing.”

    Was it easy for you, or was it as easy as it looked?

    “Honestly, there at the end, it wasn’t as easy as I was expecting. I felt like when (Christopher) Bell was behind me earlier….once we got to a certain point of the run, I could really pull away. Then there at the end, he was really matching me, and I was driving pretty hard. So, I was nervous that I was going to start fading some more and he was going to get better and get close to me. But thankfully, I could push a little bit and get some time back in other areas where I was good. We just had a great race car, a comfortable race car, which is what you need here. A lot more comfort than I have had in the past.”

    WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 VALVOLINE CONFETTI CAMARO ZL1

    Finished: 3rd

    How was that race from your perspective?

    “It was an OK day for the No. 24 Valvoline Confetti Chevy team. I feel like the whole day, we were just trying to find a little bit more pace. We could get better in some areas, and then other areas, we just struggled. It seemed like the back chicane, we just struggled changing direction there. It was kind of all we had. It was a good day, but we definitely wanted more. We just weren’t quite good enough.”

    Next week is certainly a different track. Moving into the next round with a third-place finish has to be good momentum..

    “Yeah, it feels good. We’ve always been pretty good in this round. The way it’s laid out, I don’t really know why, but we’ve just executed really well and not made many mistakes. That’s the key and I feel like in this next round, trying to continue to build more speed will be critical, and we’ll kind of see where we are from there.”

    CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 UNIFIRST CAMARO ZL1

    Finished: 5th

    What does this say about your team and how prepared you were in 2024?

    “Yeah, really, really proud of the effort today by this No. 9 UniFirst Chevy team. We put ourselves in the worst possible position you could for a good finish. To get back into the top-five there, it was definitely a solid day. It’s nice to get through to the Round of Eight. There was a little bit of craziness here and there, but it’s nice to make it happen.”

    ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

    Finished: 18th

    You advanced to the Round of Eight. You have to be pretty pumped about that, right?

    “Yeah, for sure. It’s hard to be pumped after running 18th at, what I would say, is one of my better or best racetracks. But at the same time, it feels really good to have all four Hendrick Motorsports Chevy’s make the Round of Eight. It’s really cool for Ally to get them this far. We’re going to keep on digging.”

    DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 CIRKUL CAMARO ZL1

    Finished: 25th

    “Not the finish we wanted today. We had a really good No. 31 Cirkul Chevrolet, on top of a solid strategy by [crew chief] Trent Owens. Unfortunately, we got spun and never caught a caution to get new tires.”

    DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 CHOICE PRIVILEGES CAMARO ZLE

    Finished: 31st

    Is there disappointed that your team didn’t make the playoffs, or is this just something to build off of?

    “Honestly, the fact that we’re out of the playoffs, that hurts a little bit. But for me personally, it hurts way more the way we got eliminated. This entire No. 99 Choice Privileges Chevy team works really hard to bring really fast racecars to the track each weekend. This weekend, we just didn’t have it. I feel like we were going to make a little headway and we were right there, and then we had brake issues.

    It’s just painful. It’s painful to be out the of the playoffs this way.. that’s the part that’s more painful than anything. If we would have finished fifth and I was out of the playoffs, I would be happy. We worked really hard, but for some reason it didn’t show today.”

    About General Motors

    General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

  • NHRA AT DALLAS: Team Chevy Race Report | Notes & Quotes

    NHRA AT DALLAS: Team Chevy Race Report | Notes & Quotes

    CHEVROLET IN NHRA
    2024 TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS
    TEXAS MOTORPLEX
    ENNIS, TEXAS
    TEAM CHEVY RACE REPORT | NOTES & STATS
    OCTOBER 13, 2024

    TEAM CHEVY FACES TOUGH TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS IN DALLAS WITH JOHN FORCE RACING

    Jeg Coughlin, Jr. Captured Chevrolet’s 399th Wally trophy since 1970 in Pro Stock, with Greg Stanfield Capturing the Factory X Victory at Texas Motorplex

    Notes:

    • Jeg Coughlin, Jr. defeated Greg Anderson to claim Chevrolet’s 399th Pro Stock victory since 1970. Coughlin, Jr.’s win Sunday was the 106th victory of his career and this of 2024.
    • Austin Prock, driver of the AAA/Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, raced to the semifinal round of Sunday’s Texas NHRA Fall Nationals after claiming his 13th No. 1 qualifier this season but didn’t make the run after facing issues on the burnout versus Ron Capps.
    • Despite the early exit to his FallNationals, Prock still maintains the Championship standings lead heading into the penultimate event of the 2024 season, the NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nov. 1-3.
    • Brittany Force, driver of the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster, raced to Round 2 after claiming her 50th career No. 1 qualifier at the Texas Motorplex, but fell to Tony Schumacher.
    • Prock raced his 13th also this season, tying J. Force with the most Funny Car No. 1 qualifiers in a single season. Additionally, Prock’s run of 3.813 seconds E.T. at 333.09 mph set a new track record Friday night in Q2 at Texas Motorplex, and was the eighth quickest Funny Car run in NHRA history, the best since 2017.
    • B. Force raced to her 50th career NHRA No. 1 qualifier with her stout Q2 run of 3.667 seconds E.T. at 338.19 mph Friday night.
    • Jack Beckman, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, faced vertigo-like symptoms Sunday morning that did not subside and was unable to compete in Sunday’s Texas NHRA FallNationals. Heading into race day Sunday, Beckman had qualified No. 3 and was competing on behalf of team owner and 16-time champion John Force in the Countdown to the Championship.
    • Anderson, driver of the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock, captured his sixth No. 1 qualifier of 2024 and 130th of his career after his Friday evening Q2 run of 6.524 seconds E.T. at 208.99 mph held strongly through Saturday’s sessions to take the top spot.
    • Greg Stanfield, in his Chevrolet COPO Camaro, defeated Jesse Alexandra to claim the Holley EFI Factory X Wally trophy during the Texas NHRA FallNationals.

    Quotes:

    AUSTIN PROCK, DRIVER OF THE AAA/CORNWELL TOOLS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS FUNNY CAR:

    “I honestly don’t know what to say. This isn’t the end we had planned for our weekend with the AAA Camaro. My foot went all the way to the floor, so there was a good chance it broke the throttle cable or that the throttle link had disconnected. It was a quick disconnect. It was activated by ai, and I stopped and noticed that the throttle arm was moving and there was no change in RPM. So, I got on the radio, told them what was going on, and we tried reconnecting it, but we weren’t able to.”

    CHRIS CUNNINGHAM, CREW CHIEF OF THE PEAK ANTIFREEZE AND COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS FUNNY CAR:

    “It is unfortunate for our PEAK team and our championship hopes, but we’ve been through this before and we are not giving up. This is what was best for Jack (Beckman) and his health. That comes first.”

    BRITTANY FORCE, DRIVER OF THE HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET TOP FUEL DRAGSTER:

    “Amazing effort from my HendrickCars.com team this entire weekend! Our car ran strong through qualifying, and we earned my 50th No. 1 qualifier. On race day, our performance remained strong, making two solid passes but the second round resulted in a hole shot loss which as a driver, weighs a lot because I must admit I let my team down. This is something I will continue to work on and aim to improve in Las Vegas. Our team does not quit. We will pull ourselves out of our most challenging season with a positive note on the west coast.”

    Up Next:

    The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action Nov. 1-3 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals. Eliminations air Sunday at 5 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Coverage of qualifying and the race stream live throughout the weekend on NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

    About General Motors

    General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

  • Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Bank of America ROVAL 400

    Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Bank of America ROVAL 400

    AJ ALLMENDINGER
    No. 16 Celsius Camaro ZL1

    • AJ Allmendinger qualified third for the Bank of America ROVAL 400.
    • On the opening lap, Allmendinger fell to fourth but battled hard with the No. 45 on the next lap for third place. He remained quiet on the radio, and the team came to pit road under green on lap 18 for a scheduled four tires and fuel stop. After pitting, Allmendinger saved his tires and finished the first stage in eighth place.
    • The No. 16 stayed out during the stage break and restarted in third place for Stage 2. The caution came on lap 36, and Allmendinger reported from third place his Chevy was loose. Allmendinger came to pit road for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment to help the handling of his car. He restarted in 19th place on lap 38 and drove up to fifth by lap 47. As the leaders came to pit road, Allmendinger took over second place, where he finished the second stage.
    • After staying out during the stage break, Allmendinger restarted the final stage in first place. He maintained position, reporting he fired off sideways, until the caution came on lap 56. The team stayed out under caution to restart in first on lap 59. On lap 66, Allmendinger took over second place after battling with the No. 5. The team came to pit road for a scheduled green flag pit stop on lap 70. As the field continued to cycle through, Allmendinger was scored in fifth on lap 77. The caution came on lap 81; Allmendinger was scored in third. He came to pit road for tires and fuel to restart in 23rd on lap 83. Within 10 laps, Allmendinger had taken over the seventh position. He went on to finish in sixth place.

    “Really, really good day and weekend for out No. 16 team. Andrew [Dickeson] and the 16 crew did a great job preparing the car. We had good speed weekend. Didn’t quite have enough to be the No. 5 or No. 20 so we tried something different with strategy. We knew it would be an up hill battle from there but it was a lot of fun passing all those cars and bringing home a sixth place finish.” – AJ Allmendinger  

    SHANE van GISBERGEN
    No. 13 WeatherTech Camaro ZL1

    • Shane van Gisbergen qualified on the pole for the Bank of America ROVAL 400 securing Kaulig Racing’s first NASCAR Cup Series pole position.
    • Van Gisbergen maintained a 1.700-second lead on the field, as he worked on perfecting his entry and exits through the 17 turn course. The No. 13 team opted to pit on lap 22 for fresh tires and fuel, re-entering the field sixth with two laps remaining in the stage. The No. 13 WeatherTech Chevrolet took the green and white checkered flag sixth to end the first stage.
    • The No. 13 WeatherTech team started the second stage second. From the start of the stage, Van Gisbergen battled to catch the leader. A caution came out on lap 36, and the No. 13 opted to stay out and restarted second with 11 laps remaining in the stage. Van Gisbergen dropped to third on the first lap of the restart as he battled for the remainder of the stage to catch the leaders. Reporting his WeatherTech Chevy Camaro was lacking rear grip, the No. 13 team opted to pit for fresh tires, fuel and adjustments, with three laps remaining the stage. Van Gisbergen re-entered the field 16th and completed the stage 15th.
    • The No. 13 WeatherTech team opted to stay out to start the final stage. Van Gisbergen took the green flag in 11th. The caution quickly came out on lap 56 of the race, and No. 13 team chose to stay out, restarting the stage 12th with 50 laps remaining in the race. On lap 62, Van Gisbergen was spun by a competitor in turn 7, dropping Van Gisbergen back to 23rd. Van Gisbergen re-entered the top 20 with 39 laps remaining in the race. He climbed into the top 10, reaching seventh with 35 laps remaining. A caution flew with 28 laps remaining in the event, and the No. 13 opted to come to pit road for fresh tires and fuel. Van Gisbergen restarted the final stage in 24th with 26 laps remaining in the race. He quickly worked his way into 17th, just two laps into the restart. The No. 13 WeatherTech Chevrolet worked its way back into the top 10 with 16 laps remaining in the event. Van Gisbergen battled to gain more positions and ultimately took the checkered flag seventh.

    “Well that wasn’t the day we were hoping for, but this track was really fun! My WeatherTech Chevrolet was fast, and we started there on the pole, which was really cool and even led most of the laps there in Stage One. Wish we could’ve gotten a better result but proud of my Kaulig Racing team and all the hard work they put in to preparing for this weekend! Get to Cup Race again next weekend in Las Vegas, so looking forward to that.” – Shane van Gisbergen  

    DANIEL HEMRIC
    No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

    • Daniel Hemric qualified 27th for the Bank of America ROVAL 400.
    • By lap five, Hemric began steadily improving, recording top-15 lap times in the No. 31 Cirkul Chevrolet. He short-pitted the stage for four tires, fuel and an air-pressure adjustment, before finishing 28th in the first stage.
    • Hemric started the second stage from 21st place. The first non-stage caution of the day came out on lap 35 for debris on the track. Hemric pitted for four tires, fuel and a left-rear adjustment, before restarting 29th. Avoiding a spin on the restart, Hemric made his way into the top 20 in the No. 31 Cirkul Chevy. Short-pitting from 17th, he went on to finish the second stage in 26th place.
    • Hemric stayed out during the second stage break to start the final stage from 17th. As green-flag pit stops began, Hemric made it as high as ninth, before pitting on lap 76 for tires and fuel. When a caution came out on lap 81, Hemric stayed out and restarted 18th. On lap 89, the No. 45 dove under the 31, spinning him in the process. The race remained green, as Hemric dropped back to 30th place, hoping for a caution. The caution never fell, but Hemric was able to work his way back up to 25th, where he finished the race.

    “Not the finish we wanted today. We had a really good No. 31 Cirkul Chevrolet, on top of a solid strategy by [crew chief] Trent Owens. Unfortunately, we got spun and never caught a caution to get new tires.” – Daniel Hemric  
     
    About Kaulig Racing

    Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 23 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries, with a part-time fourth entry at select events. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

  • Toyota Racing – NCS Charlotte ROVAL Post-Race Report – 10.13.24

    Toyota Racing – NCS Charlotte ROVAL Post-Race Report – 10.13.24

    THREE TOYOTA DRIVERS IN THE ROUND OF 8
    Bell clinches early, while Hamlin and Reddick battle through adversity to claim their spots

    CONCORD, N.C. (October 13, 2024) – Three Toyota drivers advanced to the Round of 8 with their results at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL on Sunday evening. Christopher Bell clinched his spot early in the final stage and finished second – his series-leading 20th top-10 finish of the season.

    Toyota’s two other drivers in the Playoffs – Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick – both had to battle through adversity after a mid-race incident, as both spent time below the cutline. However, after work on pit road, both Hamlin and Reddick were able to earn top-15 finishes, which was enough to move them on in the Round of 8.

    Going into the next round, Bell is the two seed, 13 points above the cutline, Tyler Reddick is third overall, 10 points to the good, while Hamlin is sixth, eight points out – with Las Vegas Motor Speedway next up.

    Toyota Post-Race Recap
    NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
    Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL
    Race 32 of 36 – 109 Laps, 252.88 Miles

    TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

    1st, Kyle Larson*
    2nd, CHRISTOPHER BELL
    3rd, William Bryon*
    4th, Austin Cindric*
    5th, Chase Elliott*
    9th, BUBBA WALLACE
    11th, TYLER REDDICK
    14th, DENNY HAMLIN
    22nd, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
    34th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
    35th, ERIK JONES
    36th, TY GIBBS
    *non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 DEWALT Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 2nd

    How does this result feel?

    “It feels alright. It feels good – I’ll be honest. Happy for this DEWALT Toyota team. We had a goal today to win the race, and that’s what we came here to do, and it was close – me and the 5 (Kyle Larson) seemed like we were pretty evenly matched once we got out to our equal spacing. I would make a bad lap, and he would pull away, and he would make a bad lap, and I would close in. Hopefully, we get a redo in Phoenix.

    BUBBA WALLACE, No. 23 Leidos Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

    Finishing Position: 9th

    Strong qualifying effort led into a strong run today. Can you talk about your race?

    “What a good day. What a good weekend really. Just a solid day. We showed up with a lot of speed. I look at the track record here, and we run pretty decent here. It is just execution, hard work put in. All-in-all good day for our Leidos Toyota Camry, just have to keep it going.”

    TYLER REDDICK, No. 45 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

    Finishing Position: 11th

    You won stage one and then had to recover from the incident early in stage two. I think you get the big air award for that.

    “Yeah, I thought I was going to flip, but I think I was behind the 19 (Martin Truex Jr.) – trying to work the move to the inside. I got clear of him – I saw the 3 (Austin Dillon) spun and everyone on the binders coming to a stop, and of course, me and my boss (Denny Hamlin) get together. It was like I was going to do a front flip – this thing was absolutely destroyed. Huge props to everyone on this Monster Energy Toyota Camry. This thing couldn’t go within four seconds of what the pace was, and we just kept working on it. We were a lot better in stage three. This is how this place can be sometimes, but it is really nice to pull this off.”

    What is it like for you watching your team work on the car under the clock?

    “It is tough. You just have to stay calm. You just have to stay focused. In those moments, it is so easy to lose control. Either way, I was going to drive the car as fast as I could. It just worked out for us that this thing was able to get back through the field and get us to the good side of the cut line.”

    DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 14th

    Seven points to the good. Can you talk about your race?

    “Seven is the same as 100 (laughter). It is such a tough spot to be in, when you are up like we were because the only thing that can hurt you is a really detrimental day, so you can’t be as aggressive as you really want to, but you can’t bleed a bunch of track position either. Great job by this whole Sport Clips Toyota team. Chris Gabehart (crew chief) and the team did an awesome job of keeping us in it, and luckily, we were able to come away with a top-15 there.”

    What did you think of the start of stage two with the incident?

    “Really, the biggest thing – it just messed up the alignment and bent the toe link or something in the rear. We lost some car speed there with that, but glad it didn’t lead to a detrimental day, and now these tracks coming up – now we race.”

    About Toyota

    Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

    Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 29 electrified options.

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

  • Ryan Blaney Advances to Playoff Round of 8 (Charlotte ROVAL Post Race Quotes)

    Ryan Blaney Advances to Playoff Round of 8 (Charlotte ROVAL Post Race Quotes)

    Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
    NASCAR Cup Series | Post Race
    Bank of America ROVAL 400 | Sunday, October 13, 2024

    UNOFFICIAL FORD FINISHING RESULTS

    4th – Austin Cindric
    8th – Joey Logano
    10th – Ryan Blaney
    15th – Michael McDowell
    17th – Chris Buescher
    19th – Todd Gilliland
    21st – Harrison Burton
    23rd – Josh Berry
    24th – Brad Keselowski
    26th – Ryan Preece
    28th – Kaz Grala
    30th – Josh Bilicki
    32nd – Noah Gragson
    37th – Chase Briscoe

    RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Discount Tire Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 10th | Advanced to Round of 8)

    “I thought our car was fast, we just were in the Stage points game all day and we had to restart 30th every run to get back up to where we finished in 10th. To be honest, I wasn’t as aggressive on some of the restarts there in the back to weave our way through because we knew our objective today. I am proud of the effort of all the 12 boys to come out here and forget last week and focus on this week which really mattered.”

    WHERE DO YOU FEEL YOU ARE RIGHT NOW?

    “I feel like we are in a pretty decent spot. I was really happy with our speed at Kansas and I thought that was huge at a place we have struggled at. We hadn’t been the best there the last few years but to go there and have race winning pace was really impressive for our group. Hopefully we can carry that over to Vegas and Homestead and learn from the spring at Martinsville. I think we are in a good spot. We just have to go perform. It is a new week next week and I am looking forward to getting started.”

    ANOTHER YEAR YOU HAVE ADVANCED TO THE ROUND OF 8:

    “I definitely think we have been lucky to have a good group behind me, and each Round of 8 has kind of been with a whole different group of people. First it was Todd Gordon and then Jeremy Bullins, and now Jonathan Hassler and I have been able to win races with those guys and get to the Round of 8 to get a shot at Phoenix. It was nice to do it last year to just get there and then to perform well. It is all about the hard work from the fellas on the 12 group and I am lucky to work with really good people and I am excited. I hate it though that Austin and Joey didn’t advance. I guess the 22 is in on owners points but I would have loved to have all three of us still in it, but we will keep fighting.”

    AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Menards/Sylvania Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 4th | Eliminated from Playoffs)

    THAT WAS YOUR BEST FINISH SINCE YOUR WIN AT GATEWAY, WHAT MORE DID YOU NEED?

    “A better performance and finishes at Talladega and Kansas. We had the speed and that is the encouraging thing and the exciting thing but today we needed it all. We had a great car. We had a great finish. My guys called a great strategy and we got points in both Stages, all the things that are hard to do in a Cup race, but we did those things and were capable of doing those things in the two prior races. That is what this format is. It is difficult. I think for us, having a better regular season, having a bit better of a buffer would definitely help. I am proud of everyone. I feel like we are getting into a rhythm here. I am proud of the team and looking forward to trying to spoil some races and support our teammates the rest of the way.”

    JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 8th | Eliminated from Playoffs)

    WHAT IS THE SENTIMENT NOW KNOW HOW HARD YOU FOUGHT AND CAME UP JUST SHORT OF ADVANCING?

    “Yeah, we fought hard for sure. Paul and the guys did a good job executing the strategy of what we needed to do today. We just didn’t get quite enough at the end there. We fell off a little too much that last run. Honestly, the 45, Tyler, and those guys did a good job driving up through the field and scored more points. It is hard not to think about Richmond a little bit right now. The positive of it is that we are still in the owners championship, so we can confuse all the fans from here on out about drivers and owners championships. The money is in the owners, so we will keep fighting for the money.”

    LISTENING TO YOUR RADIO, COLEMAN WAS GIVING YOU UPDATES OF WHERE TYLER WAS, DID YOU FEEL HELPLESS?

    “A bit of it is, yeah. Tires were coming behind you with two of the best with AJ (Allmending) and SVG coming at me. I was just trying to maintain the best I could and honestly was praying for a caution because that was the only thing that could stir it up enough to where a lot of what-ifs can happen. Congrats to them. They fought hard, changing toe links and all that and were still able to make it. It just wasn’t meant to be. You can start looking back at different points in the season to gather four points pretty easily. One race in particular. Talladega we didn’t do a good enough job scoring Stage points and that is where a lot of it lies.”

    CHASE BRISCOE, No. 14 Ford Performance Racing School Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    (Retired early due to damage on Lap 41 | Eliminated from playoffs)

    “It is tough to have all the momentum that we had and to have it come to an end like it did is unfortunate. I wish we could have kept going for it. I am sure all the guys that get eliminated wish they could keep going for it, right? We knew, I think as a team even, going into it that if we could get through this round we could get to the final four but we weren’t able to get through this round. It is unfortunate. We still have a lot to race for. We can still go win four more races and that is what we will try to do. It is four really good tracks for us so I feel really good about it. I wish we were racing for a championship still. It is just one of those days. Honestly, kind of one of those weeks with everything that has happened. I am ready for Monday.”

    WHAT ARE YOUR EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW AS YOUR CHAMPIONSHIP HOPES COME TO AN END?

    “It stings. Not even really for myself, just all the employees at Stewart-Haas. They were all kind of living through the 14 car, and the environment we have had these last few weeks has been really exciting to be a part of. I hate that it is coming to an end. I know what that means for Stewart-Haas not to be racing for a championship anymore. That was keeping a lot of people, honestly, in the building. Hopefully, the repercussions aren’t too bad, but we have four races left, and we are going to give it everything we’ve got.”

    WHAT HAPPENED TO CAUSE THE DAMAGE?

    “The steering rack or something broke. I don’t really know to be honest. Realistically we probably weren’t going to move on anyway but on those restarts in Turn 7 we all kind of get stacked up and they all kind of stopped in front of me and it ripped the wheel out of my hand. I could turn to the left but as soon as I got to the right-hander, my car just went straight. I about hit the wall on the backstretch chicane, and then on the front stretch chicane, I hit the 3 car just because I literally couldn’t turn. It is an unfortunate way for it to all come to an end. It is part of it, part of racing. We just didn’t have a very good three weeks when it all boils down to it. We have four more races left to try to go win and send Stewart-Haas Racing out with a win.”

    YOU’VE EXPERIENCED THE HIGHEST OF HIGHS THIS WEEK AND THE LOWEST OF LOWS?

    “Yeah, it has definitely been a tough week with the highest of highs but then everything that Marissa was going through and the playoffs too. The racing is one thing but I am more worried about my family at the end of the day and making sure Marissa is okay. I would have loved to keep racing for a championship. It is unfortunate that the way the week ended, but life could be a lot worse. I have three healthy kids at home and a wife that is hopefully getting healthy and I get to drive racecars for a living so at the end of the day you can’t be upset just because you don’t have a chance to race for a championship. I still have an incredible life and I am certainly blessed.”