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  • Force, Hagan Hold Top Spots Heading Into Sunday Eliminations at NHRA Carolina Nationals

    Force, Hagan Hold Top Spots Heading Into Sunday Eliminations at NHRA Carolina Nationals

    • Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also earned No. 1 qualifier spots during Saturday’s NHRA Carolina Nationals action at zMAX Dragway
    • The stage is set for Sunday’s elimination rounds as zMAX Dragway looks to crown four more winners; tickets are available at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or at the gate

    CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2024) – Adjusting to a weather shift from cooler Friday conditions to an unseasonably warm track on Saturday, Top Fuel driver Brittany Force leaned on Friday’s 3.690-second qualifying pass, to secure her top spot going into Sunday’s elimination rounds. While she struggled in the third round of qualifying, the John Force Racing veteran posted a 3.776-second final qualifying pass on Saturday.

    “We just needed our car to go down the race track. We picked up some points and had a good run in the heat. It’s going to be even hotter tomorrow, so that [3.776-second pass] was actually more important of a run than our 3.69 [second pass] last night,” Force said. “Anyone can run great in the cool conditions but can you repeat that on a race day? Today’s runs were the ones that really mattered.”

    Following suit, Shawn Reed ran his quickest time of 3.7 seconds on Friday to clock in the second quickest of the weekend. Reed will go up against Billy Torrence, while No. 1 qualifier Force will go head-to-head with Top Fuel newcomer Ida Zetterstrom.

    Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all solidified top qualifying positions in their respective categories, setting the ladder for elimination Sunday at the Bellagio of Drag Strips.

    Hagan Holds Top Spot

    Like the rest of the field, Hagan struggled with Saturday’s warmer temperatures during the final two qualifying sessions of the NHRA Carolina Nationals. Unlike the rest of the field, Hagan had a Friday run of 3.832 seconds, good enough to earn the No. 1 qualifying spot in Sunday’s eliminations.

    “I think we got something to work off of,” Hagan said of Saturday’s two sessions. “It’s always a tough field out there. We’re glad to be able to pull down the No. 1 qualifier – second time this year. Hopefully we can build on that in these upcoming races… I think that performance [Friday] night, having two runs back-to-back when the conditions were great, that was a great shot in the arm for us. Tomorrow’s, it’s going to be 90 degrees, back to probably pedaling the race car some and figuring out how to get down a greasy race track.”

    Currently fifth in the point standings, Hagan will line up against Dave Richards in the first round of eliminations, with the winner of that battle getting a crucial Round 2 bye. Points leader Austin Prock, who qualified second on the weekend, will face Alexis Dejoria.

    Anderson Improves; Enders Endures

    Hometown favorite Greg Anderson made his best run of the weekend in Q3 with a 6.580-second pass to improve his qualifying position to second, but it was Enders who kept her perfect weekend alive posting the fastest qualifying effort in each of the four sessions to claim her 40th career No. 1 spot heading into Sunday’s eliminations.

    “My head engine builder came across the radio and said, ‘that’s what you call a clean sweep,’” Enders said after her final qualifying pass. “That part is really exciting. On the other side of things, it weighs on you because now it’s in your hands. I promise there’s nothing worse than posting a really fast time and the guy next to you posting a slower time and still turns a win light on. It happened to me last week. So I’ve got my work cut out for me, but I’m very confident in my equipment and my team.”

    With a win on Sunday, Enders would earn her 50th career victory, a mark she has been chasing for the last 14 events. She’ll face Derrick Reese in the first round, while Anderson will line up beside Kenny Delco as he looks to gain ground in his championship pursuit. Points leader Aaron Standfield will face Chris McGaha in the opening round.

    Smith, Herrera Stand Apart

    Throughout the first two days of competition, Matt Smith and Gaige Herrera have emerged as the clear front runners in the Pro Stock Motorcycle division. Matt Smith surpassed current points leader Gaige Herrera by 0.013 seconds, locking up the top spot in Sunday’s bracket with a time of 6.799 seconds.

    Herrera, who clocked in a time of 6.812 seconds, is set to face Marcus Hylton in the first round of Sunday’s elimination race. Smith is looking forward to tomorrow’s bracket rounds with lane choice as a concern. He is set to face the winner of Angie Smith and Geno Scali’s race in Round 2.

    “Lane choice is going to be big for me tomorrow. I’m going to stay in the left lane as long as I can, and then I have to figure out how to go down the right lane if I lose the choice tomorrow,” Smith said.

    Richard Gadson (6.830 seconds), Hector Arana Jr (6.834 seconds), and Jianna Evaristo (6.950) complete the top five in the Pro Stock Motorcycle category.

    Action continues Sunday with pivotal eliminations as drivers continue to chase their world championship. The SealMaster Track Walk and pre-race ceremonies begin at 10:45 a.m., with the first round of eliminations scheduled for noon.

    TICKETS:

    Tickets for Sunday’s NHRA Carolina Nationals eliminations are available online at charlottemotorspeedway.com, by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or at the gate.

    KEEP TRACK:

    Stay on pace with what’s happening at Charlotte Motor Speedway by following on X and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

  • CORVETTE RACING AT INDY: Pole Position for Catsburg!

    CORVETTE RACING AT INDY: Pole Position for Catsburg!

    Third GTD PRO pole for No. 4 Z06 GT3.R, Sims P5 in No. 3 Corvette

    INDIANAPOLIS (September 21, 2024) – Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports’ No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R will start from the GTD PRO pole position for Sunday’s six-hour Battle on The Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after Nicky Catsburg’s effort in Saturday’s 15-minute qualifying session.

    Catsburg set a best lap of 1:23.209 (105.521 mph) in the Corvette that originally qualified second in class, just 0.059 seconds from pole position. However the GTD PRO pole-winning car was penalized in post-qualifying technical inspection, elevating Catsburg and teammate Tommy Milner to the point in class as the duo tries for their first class victory of the season and second for the Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports team.

    Alexander Sims will start fourth in GTD PRO behind the wheel of the No. 3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R that he shares with Antonio Garcia. His lap of 1:23.298 (105.409 mph) was one of six cars that were separated by less than two-tenths of a second in qualifying around the 2.439-mile, 14-turn circuit.

    Given the large number of cars – 56 entries between the four classes – qualifying took on a little added importance, which is unique in an endurance race. The gap from the front of GTD PRO to ninth in the final practice Saturday morning was just 0.43 seconds.

    The Pratt Miller-run Corvettes have shown strong performance at each of the three previous endurance rounds this season – Daytona, Sebring and Watkins Glen. Chevrolet leads the Endurance Cup Manufacturers Championship with just Indianapolis and the 10-hour Petit Le Mans left in the season. Points at Indianapolis will be awarded at the three- and six-hour marks.

    In GTD, AWA will start 20th in the largest class in the race after Orey Fidani’s lap of 1:25.722 (102.428 mph) in the No. 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R. The team has positive momentum on its side with back-to-back, top-six finishes in class… one of only four entrants in GTD to accomplish that feat in the last two races. A year ago, AWA won at Indianapolis in the LMP3 class.

    Fidani and Matt Bell also scored maximum points for the Bob Akin Award in the last round at VIR to grow Fidani’s lead in that championship. If he can hold that position Sunday and at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Fidani and AWA will earn an automatic invitation to the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMGT3 class.

    The TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks is scheduled for 11:40 a.m. ET on Sunday. The final three hours will air live on NBC starting at 3 p.m. ET with live streaming at 11:30 a.m. on Peacock inside the United States and IMSA.com outside the U.S., plus IMSA Radio’s flag-to-flag call at IMSA.com, XM 206 and SiriusXM Online 996.

    CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS POST-QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES

    NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’s nice to be on pole for tomorrow. It’s a shame for the 77, but at the same time it’s a nice surprise for me and the team. Qualifying is a little irrelevant when it comes to these long races. But it is good to be there. It proves that we have done good work in practice and what we are doing is working. We can build on that for the race, and I’m very pleased with where we are starting.”

    (Is starting up front in a field this large important?) “I wouldn’t say so. Here you will have more opportunities to do something different in strategy and so on. But you never want to be at the back or in the middle. The track is relatively tiny and tight, and it will be really intense tomorrow. Especially if it rains and it’s wet, you definitely do not want to be far from the front.”

    ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’s one of those where the time from pole is not so bad relative to where we were this morning. It felt like we were struggling. It was difficult to predict how the car was going to be this afternoon judging on the new-tire run this morning in colder temperatures. I was a bit alarmed by the change of balance between the two sessions, and I didn’t predict that very well on the first push lap I did. By the time I tried a second push lap, the tires were gone anyway. But it’s OK.”

    (Will track position from the start be key even in a long race?) “I think it will be really difficult to overtake on pure pace with cars around you that are likely to be on a similar pace. Traffic is going to play a big part in how you work that during the race. It’s so easy out there to have a mistake here or there, and in the wrong place it can cost you a ton of laptime. We’ll have to try. In a six-hour race it’s hard not to make mistakes but we’re going to do the best we can. If it’s a green race, I don’t know if we can do much on strategy because it’s quite tight on the pit window, so we’ll have to see.”

    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.

  • HAGAN, B. FORCE, ENDERS & M. SMITH ALL QUALIFY NO. 1 AT NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS

    HAGAN, B. FORCE, ENDERS & M. SMITH ALL QUALIFY NO. 1 AT NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS

    CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2024) – Reigning Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan picked up his first No. 1 qualifier since March for Tony Stewart Racing, clinching the top position on Saturday at zMAX Dragway to close out qualifying at the 16th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals.

    Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 16th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

    Hagan’s Friday run of 3.832-seconds at 333.25 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge//SRT Hellcat stood up through Saturday’s two sessions, as the four-time world champ raced to his second No. 1 position of the year and the 52nd in his career. Hagan, who opened the weekend 137 points out of first, also has a chance to sweep both Charlotte races this season and a win on Sunday would certainly be ideal for his title chances.

    “We feel like we found some stuff, working hard behind the scenes,” Hagan said. “My guys have obviously been scratching their head a little bit all year and have just not had the performance that we really wanted or hoped to, but knowing that we can run with these guys, and I think that we showed that Friday, that’s real. We can do this still, so that was a great shot in the arm for us.

    “Tomorrow’s going to be 90 degrees, so it’s back to probably pedaling the car some and figuring out how to get down the racetrack. But the lanes are really nice, both equal, so at the end of the day, I feel confident that we got a car that could go down the racetrack.”

    Points leader Austin Prock finished second in qualifying with Friday’s 3.833 at 332.84, while John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman is right behind in third after a 3.850 at 327.27.

    Top Fuel’s Brittany Force easily held on to the No. 1 spot thanks to Friday’s stellar run of 3.690 at 334.24 in her 11,000-horsepower HendrickCars.com Chevrolet dragster, but the two-time Top Fuel world champion added some more momentum with a strong run in the warmer temperatures to close out qualifying on Saturday. It’s Force’s third No. 1 this season – and second in the last three races – and the 49th in her standout career.

    She opened the weekend ninth in points but is determined to make a run and Force will need a big raceday to do it. Force opens eliminations against rookie Ida Zetterstrom and will attempt to pick up her first event win since her 2022 championship campaign.

    “We missed it on the first run today and that was a really crucial run, but on our last run, we ran a (3.77), which was second in the field, so that was a killer run for us,” Force said. “We needed that. We just needed our car to go down the racetrack. We had a window we were trying to aim for, and we made it right in that window and picked up some points and had a good run in the heat.

    “It’s going to be even hotter tomorrow, so that was actually more important of a run than our 3.69 Friday night. I wish we would have gotten down there both runs today, but we pushed a little too hard, and hopefully we can find that balance for tomorrow.”

    Shawn Reed qualified second thanks to his 3.700 at 324.12 and defending world champion Doug Kalitta took third with Friday’s 3.710 at 332.59.

    Erica Enders made the absolute most of qualifying in Charlotte as she seeks her first win since the season-opener in Gainesville, turning in the quickest run in all four qualifying sessions, including Friday’s 6.557 at 208.20 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car that clinched her 40th career No. 1 qualifier. Enders, who entered the weekend third in points, made two more strong runs on Saturday, setting up the potential for her 50th career national event win.

    Enders, who has now qualified first or second at 13 of the 16 races this year, will open raceday against Derrick Reese, looking to build on two strong days of qualifying and last weekend’s runner-up at the playoff opener in Reading.

    “Obviously, that [50th win] is being held over our heads pretty significantly, but I have a great race car this weekend. My car is flying,” Enders said. “We were low for every session, which was worth 12 bonus points, so that’s more than half a round, so now I have to go to work.

    “Hearing the excitement in my guys’ voices, that part’s really exciting, but on the other side of things, it weighs on you because now it’s in my hands. I have a really fast race car and I promise you, as a driver, there’s nothing worse than posting a really fast time, and the guy next to you posting a slower one, and still turning the win light on, which happened to me last week. I’ve got my work cut out for me, but the confidence is very strong in my equipment and my team.”

    Greg Anderson moved into the No. 2 position on speed, going 6.580 at 208.49 on Saturday, pushing points leader and Reading winner Aaron Stanfield to third with his Friday pass of 6.580 at 207.85.

    In Pro Stock Motorcycle, six-time world champion Matt Smith enjoyed another strong day at zMAX Dragway, lowering his No. 1 qualifying time to a 6.799 at 199.67 on his Denso Auto Parts Buell. It was quicker than Friday’s run and Smith, who claimed his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the 2024 campaign, was the only rider to dip into the 6.70s through the first days of the event. He gained points on leader and defending world champion Gaige Herrera and Smith feels good about his chances heading into raceday as he seeks his second win of the year.

    “We knew the weather was a little bit better, but the track was a little bit worse, so we took a tooth off [the rear sprocket] this morning to see if we control the tire. It stuck and we went 6.79 so we thought we were on the right path but got back in that right lane that has thrown us for a loop,” Smith said. “Lane choice is going to be big for me tomorrow and I will stay in the left lane as long as I can or have to figure out how to go down that right lane if I lose (lane) choice tomorrow.

    “Having a bye (in round one) is always good because we can go up and try stuff and it’s good that (Gaige Herrera and Richard Gadson) have each other on the other side of the ladder.”

    Herrera stayed close behind, qualifying second with a 6.812 at 198.47 and his teammate, Richard Gadson, qualified third after a run of 6.830 at 199.26.

    Eliminations for the NHRA Carolina Nationals begin at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday at zMAX Dragway.

    CONCORD, N.C. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 16th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, the 16th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

    Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

    Top Fuel — 1. Brittany Force, 3.690 seconds, 335.73 mph vs. 16. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.797, 317.94; 2. Shawn Reed, 3.700, 325.61 vs. 15. Billy Torrence, 3.797, 329.42; 3. Doug Kalitta, 3.710, 332.59 vs. 14. Tony Stewart, 3.796, 329.18; 4. Justin Ashley, 3.714, 330.80 vs. 13. Dan Mercier, 3.780, 323.12; 5. Tony Schumacher, 3.714, 327.11 vs. 12. Doug Foley, 3.770, 325.06; 6. Shawn Langdon, 3.725, 334.15 vs. 11. Josh Hart, 3.755, 327.59; 7. Steve Torrence, 3.725, 332.92 vs. 10. Antron Brown, 3.752, 324.90; 8. Jasmine Salinas, 3.734, 331.20 vs. 9. Clay Millican, 3.749, 326.32.

    Did Not Qualify: 17. Mike Bucher, 3.896, 294.56; 18. Cameron Ferre, 9.301, 73.81.

    Funny Car — 1. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.832, 333.25 vs. 14. Dave Richards, Ford Mustang, 4.208, 238.38; 2. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.833, 332.84 vs. 13. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota GR Supra, 4.147, 245.85; 3. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.850, 327.27 vs. 12. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.101, 308.92; 4. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.884, 328.22 vs. 11. John Smith, Charger, 4.046, 302.21; 5. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.886, 332.92 vs. 10.

    Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.033, 312.71; 6. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.886, 329.02 vs. 9. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.963, 318.24; 7. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.904, 319.22 vs. 8. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 3.906, 329.67.

    Pro Stock — 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.557, 209.10 vs. 16. Derrick Reese, Ford Mustang, 6.644, 206.80; 2. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.580, 208.49 vs. 15. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.641, 207.08; 3. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.580, 208.52 vs. 14. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.622, 208.36; 4. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.586, 208.20 vs. 13. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.614, 208.07; 5. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.590, 207.46 vs. 12. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.609, 207.08; 6. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.591, 207.72 vs. 11. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.603, 208.78; 7. Cristian Cuadra, Mustang, 6.592, 207.62 vs. 10. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.602, 208.49; 8. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.595, 208.42 vs. 9. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.597, 208.20.

    Did Not Qualify: 17. Larry Morgan, 6.656, 208.10.

    Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.799, 199.67 vs. Bye; 2. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.812, 198.58 vs. 15. Marcus Hylton, 7.168, 184.55; 3. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.830, 199.26 vs. 14. Ron Tornow, Victory, 6.936, 195.76; 4. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.834, 198.17 vs. 13. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.930, 195.82; 5. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.850, 199.55 vs. 12. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.917, 195.05; 6. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.878,

    197.25 vs. 11. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.898, 197.13; 7. John Hall, Beull, 6.881, 196.79 vs. 10. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.893, 197.02; 8. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.882, 198.15 vs. 9. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 6.889, 196.76.

  • Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Carolina Nationals Post-Qualifying Report – 09.21.24

    Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Carolina Nationals Post-Qualifying Report – 09.21.24

    KALITTA, TODD LEAD TEAM TOYOTA IN CAROLINA NATIONALS QUALIFYING
    NHRA Countdown to the Championship Hits Halfway Point on Sunday

    CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2024) – Defending Carolina Nationals winner, Doug Kalitta, enters tomorrow’s eliminations at zMAX Dragway as the number three qualifier in Top Fuel. The reigning world champion ran a 3.710 time during the Friday night qualifying session to position himself well as he looks to defend his crown. Kalitta is joined towards the top of the Top Fuel field by points leader, Justin Ashley, who is the fourth seed, along with Shawn Langdon (sixth) and Steve Torrence (seventh) as they look to close the points gap to Ashley and Antron Brown at the halfway point of the Countdown to the Championship.

    In Funny Car, J.R. Todd earned the sixth seed in the Funny Car ladder for tomorrow’s eliminations as he seeks his second victory of the 2024 season and to gain further in the championship standings. His GR Supra Funny Car teammates, Ron Capps and Alexis DeJoria, will start eliminations as the eighth and 13th seeds, respectively.

    Tomorrow’s NHRA Carolina Nationals eliminations at zMAX Dragway fire off at 12 p.m. EST with live TV coverage beginning at 3 p.m. EST on FOX.

    Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap
    NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
    zMAX Dragway
    NHRA Carolina Nationals
    Race 16 of 20

    TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS

    NameCarQualifying PositionFirst Round Opponent
    B. ForceHendrick Cars.com Chevrolet Dragster1stI. Zetterstrom
    Doug KalittaMac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster3rdT. Stewart
    Justin AshleySCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster4thD. Mercier
    Shawn LangdonKalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster6thJ. Hart
    Steve TorrenceCAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster7thA. Brown
    Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster10thS. Torrence
    Billy TorrenceCAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster15thS. Reed

    TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

    NameCarQualifying PositionFirst Round Opponent
    M. HaganDirect Connection Dodge Funny Car1stD. Richards
    J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car6thD. Wilkerson
    Ron CappsNAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car8thC. Green
    Alexis DeJoriaBandero Café Toyota GR Supra Funny Car13thA. Prock

    *non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    DOUG KALITTA, Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports

    TF Qualifying Result: 3rd

    How do you feel about the qualifying run and your prospects for tomorrow?

    “Yeah, going into tomorrow third. So, I’m looking forward to it! The track is going to be pretty hot tomorrow, probably, so we’ve been working on a setup for hot conditions and what not, but we have all the TRD (Toyota Racing Development) guys in their trailer analyzing the track. That’s a huge help to have them out here for this.”

    J.R. TODD, DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Kalitta Motorsports

    FC Qualifying Result: 6th

    How would you assess your qualifying?

    “Yeah, we made a good run in the heat of the day, Q3, which is going to be similar conditions to what we’re going to race in. So, that’s something good to take away from Saturday. Still have some work to do to catch the cars in front of us. We’re hoping we can get some help along the way tomorrow and you know, go to the late rounds to gain on these guys. That’s all we can do, do the best we can and hope for some help along the way.”

    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.

  • Second straight double podium at Indy for Sedgwick and PT Autosport

    Second straight double podium at Indy for Sedgwick and PT Autosport

    With second and third place finishes in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America, Sedgwick has now podiumed in all five of the team’s races at Indy

    SPEEDWAY, Ind. (September 21, 2024) – PT Autosport with JDX Racing continued its impressive podium streak at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend, earning a second and a third-place finish in Porsche Carrera Cup North America.

    The team is now five-for-five in podium finishes at the Brickyard, adding in Sedgwick’s two third place finishes last year behind the wheel of the No. 98 PT Autosport Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car, and his third-place finish in the 2022 Porsche TogetherFest.

    While the outcomes of the pair of 40-minute races, held as part of IMSA’s TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks, dented Sedgwick’s championship hopes as the championship leader claimed two victories, the 25-year-old Warwickshire, UK native did solidify his hold on second place in the title chase.

    As the weekend unfolded on Thursday, job one for the team was to adjust quickly to the unseasonably hot and humid conditions, with ambient temperatures over 90 degrees and track temps over 120F for most of the five on-track sessions.

    The series was first out on the circuit Thursday morning, for the first of two practice sessions. Sedgwick set the fourth quickest time in session one and topped the speed charts in session two.

    “The first session was all about figuring out track conditions, how the track had changed from our test a few weeks ago,” said Sedgwick. “It’s super hot here this weekend, which we weren’t really expecting this time of year, so we made a few adjustments to the car with that in mind. JDX has done a great job with the car as the track evolves – P1 in the second session and that’s exactly where we want to be for the rest of the weekend.”

    In Saturday morning qualifying, Sedgwick and the team worked constantly on the car’s balance, but a rapidly changing track made for a difficult decision-making process. At the end of the session, Sedgwick held the fourth quickest time for race one – and the second quickest time for race two.

    “The track changed so quickly it was hard to get to a specific setup,” said Sedgwick. “We had some trouble setting the rear of the car running by ourselves, but it’s going to be a good race car.”

    Sedgwick got a solid launch at the drop of the green, despite being on the unfavored outside going into Turn 1. He powered into third position through the corner and set his sights ahead, while keeping an eye on the car in his rear-view mirror. Battling for a podium spot for the entire race, the trip to the iconic Indy podium wasn’t secured until the final lap as Sedgwick moved into third ahead of the checkered flag to score his third straight podium finish at Indy.

    “We started strong but we made a bit of a gamble with setup that ultimately didn’t work out,” said Sedgwick. “The car was a handful as the temperatures got hotter. As much as I hate finishing third, it was a lot better than it could have been.”

    In Saturday morning’s race two, Sedgwick looked to make a move at the drop of the green, staying to the outside of the pole sitter into Turn 1. Driven slightly wide through the corner, Sedgwick managed to hold his position. Through the early laps, Sedgwick consistently was the fastest car on track as he tried to reel in the leader but as the tires began to wear, that task became increasingly difficult. With third place in the point standings behind him in fifth, Sedgwick took what the day gave him – finishing second at the legendary circuit though ruing the lost chance to earn that top step.

    “Both of us were pacing at a kind of pretty similar rate, he just had the advantage of clean air,” said Sedgwick. “And as I got closer to him, I started burning a little bit more tire – so I could get to him, but I just couldn’t close that last little bit to make a move. It’s good for the championship and it’s good to secure my position, but we didn’t come here to finish second in the championship. We still want more, I’m here to win. We’re pretty secure where we’re at so we’re really aiming for a few victories in the four races remaining (at Road Atlanta and COTA).”

    Team principal Jason Myers appreciated the chance to show not only the team’s prowess, but that of its up and coming young driver.

    “We love Indianapolis – we have such a great history here,” said Myers. “It’s where PT Autosport really came together as a team, with Alex getting a podium here at the Porsche TogetherFest in 2022. We’ve managed a fantastic repeat of last year’s double podium but we’re still not where we need to be to win the championship. We’re heading into the final two rounds of competition with our heads held high knowing that Alex performed incredibly well all season long. At this point, we’re reviewing offers for Alex to progress into 2025 where he deserves to be – in GTD/GT3 machinery. This will be an interesting few months as there are a few options on the table. The GTD field is so strong, it’s almost surreal to be in talks with some of these teams and manufacturers but we really believe in Alex and I think his performance over these last two seasons has really proven what a capable and complete driver he is. We look forward to seeing where we’re able to help him land!”

    PT Autosport would like to thank partners STEAM Sports Foundation, Classic Car Club Manhattan and New Jersey Motorsports Park, as well as JDX Racing partners Byers/Porsche Columbus, and Renier Construction.

    Next up for PT Autosport and the Porsche Carrera Cup North America will be the doubleheader in support of the IMSA season finale, the Motul Petit Le Mans, at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on October 10-12. The races will be broadcast live in the U.S., on IMSA.tv, the NBC Peacock streaming app and PorscheCarreraCup.us.

    About PT Autosport — Discover Unique Talent. Develop Champions.

    PT Autosport, based at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ, campaigns rising star Alex Sedgwick (UK) in the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup North America series with JDX Racing, 2022 Aspiring Driver Shootout winner Henry Drury (UK) in the Toyota GR Cup North America series with Precision Racing LA.

    PT Autosport is dedicated to providing merit-based motorsport industry opportunities for diverse individuals with high integrity, grit, and coach-ability, achieved through a development program for young aspiring drivers, engineers, mechanics, and other professionals. The first step of this process is applying for the annual Aspiring Driver Shootout, in which aspiring drivers aged 18-23 can compete for a team racing partnership with the team.

    A rigorous evaluation process of applicants determines the final competitors for the driver shootout. The winner earns financial support of up to $250,000 ($50,000 guaranteed) to pursue their racing career. The review process also provides the team the chance to identify unique talent for other roles in motorsport, including race engineers, mechanics, and professionals.

    PT Autosport is building a community that fosters the development of young talent to find a place where they can make an impact in the motorsport community as a career.

    PT Autosport social media

    Instagram: @pt_autosport
    TikTok: @ptautosport
    Twitter: @PtAutosport
    Facebook: PT Autosport
    YouTube: PT Autosport

  • Cole Custer wins Food City 300 and NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season crown Friday at Bristol

    Cole Custer wins Food City 300 and NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season crown Friday at Bristol

    BRISTOL, Tenn.— Cole Custer recovered from an early brush with the outside wall to win Friday’s Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the race that set the field for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs.

    Custer’s second victory of the season, combined with a litany of trouble that befell Justin Allgaier, gave the driver of the No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford an unlikely come-from-behind victory in the battle for the regular-season title and accompanying 15 Playoff-point bonus.

    Custer, who led a race-high 104 laps, took the top spot for good with a pass of Sheldon Creed on Lap 209 of 300. In winning for the first time at Bristol and the 15th time in his career, Custer crossed the finish line 0.896 second ahead of Creed, who now has 13 runner-up finishes to his credit without an Xfinity win.

    “This is huge, because our confidence was going down there the last month,” said Custer, the reigning series champion who will begin his title defense Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway. “To get this win really means a lot…

    “It’s unbelievable. These guys never give up. It’s been a tough month, but to be able to lead into the Playoffs like this, we’re going to really bring it to them.”

    The race also secured Playoff spots for the final two drivers on the postseason grid. Sammy Smith and Parker Kligerman finished 15th and 16th, respectively, to earn their Playoff berths.

    Chandler Smith ran third and Jesse Love fourth on Friday, both having already secured Playoff spots. Ryan Truex was fifth, followed by Brandon Jones, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Sieg (who missed the final Playoff spot by 36 points) and Playoff-bound Sam Mayer.

    The battle for the regular-season championship took more twists and turns than a game of Dungeons and Dragons. Custer hit the outside wall on Lap 2 and cut a tire, temporarily jeopardizing his second-place position in the standings.

    But Justin Allgaier, the driver Custer was chasing for the regular-season title, had his own share of ill fortune on Lap 52. Having led every lap to that point, Allgaier was cruising toward what would have been his 15th stage win of the season when the Chevrolet of Austin Green bounced off the outside wall into Allgaier’s path.

    Contact between the Camaros sheared the rear bumper cover off Allgaier’s No. 7 Chevy. After a pit stop to repair the car’s right-rear quarter panel, Allgaier continued. Allgaier pitted on Lap 60 and stayed on the track during the stage break after Lap 85, putting him fifth for a restart on Lap 96.

    He was second for a restart on Lap 127 but his sojourn in the top five didn’t last. On Lap 153, contact between Creed’s Toyota and Allgaier’s Chevy sent the No. 7 down the track nose-first into the inside wall.

    During repairs, Allgaier’s car dragged a saw out of the pits, incurring a penalty. From that point on, the JR Motorsports driver ran roughly three seconds off the pace, rapidly losing laps and positions.

    When Custer took the race lead from Creed on Lap 209, he had the regular-season lead, having erased the 43-point advantage Allgaier carried into the race. With his victory, Custer secured the regular-season crown by three points over Allgaier, who nevertheless will enter the postseason as the top seed with 34 Playoff points to Custer’s 28.

    “I don’t really have any words for tonight,” said Allgaier, who finished 30th, 10 laps down. “It started with getting the damage from the wreck in front of us. There was nothing we could do. And then, just racing, trying to get as many stage points as we could, and I think the 18 (Creed ) came off the wall a little bit.

    “I’m really bummed about tonight. We’ll go back and talk about it … We had the best car tonight. It was very obvious from the beginning of the race that it was the best car, and nothing to show for it.”

    Story by NASCAR Newswire

    NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – Food City 300
    Bristol Motor Speedway
    Bristol, Tennessee
    Friday, September 20, 2024

    (2) Cole Custer, Ford, 300.
    (14) Sheldon Creed, Toyota, 300.
    (1) Chandler Smith, Toyota, 300.
    (10) Jesse Love #, Chevrolet, 300.
    (16) Ryan Truex, Toyota, 300.
    (8) Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 300.
    (13) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 300.
    (12) Ryan Sieg, Ford, 300.
    (20) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 300.
    (5) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 300.
    (3) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 300.
    (7) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 300.
    (15) Riley Herbst, Ford, 300.
    (17) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 300.
    (21) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 300.
    (11) Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 300.
    (29) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 299.
    (34) Shane Van Gisbergen #, Chevrolet, 299.
    (19) Joe Graf Jr., Toyota, 299.
    (22) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 299.
    (32) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 299.
    (33) Blaine Perkins, Ford, 299.
    (36) Kyle Sieg, Ford, 299.
    (26) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 299.
    (25) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 299.
    (9) Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 298.
    (35) Logan Bearden, Ford, 298.
    (30) Carson Ware, Chevrolet, 295.
    (38) Greg Van Alst, Chevrolet, 292.
    (4) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 290.
    (31) Leland Honeyman #, Chevrolet, 290.
    (18) Chad Finchum, Ford, 280.
    (23) Stefan Parsons(i), Chevrolet, 276.
    (24) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 275.
    (6) Jeffrey Earnhardt(i), Toyota, Accident, 205.
    (37) Garrett Smithley, Ford, Rear Gear, 113.
    (27) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, Accident, 51.
    (28) Austin Green, Chevrolet, Accident, 50.

    Average Speed of Race Winner: 79.344 mph.

    Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 0 Mins, 55 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.896 Seconds.

    Caution Flags: 7 for 57 laps.

    Lead Changes: 11 among 9 drivers.

    Lap Leaders: C. Smith 0;J. Allgaier 1-60;C. Smith 61-89;J. Love # 90;R. Sieg 91-95;S. Mayer 96-150;C. Custer 151-155;D. Earnhardt Jr. 156;J. Clements 157-173;C. Custer 174-180;S. Creed 181-208;C. Custer 209-300.

    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Cole Custer 3 times for 104 laps; Justin Allgaier 1 time for 60 laps; Sam Mayer 1 time for 55 laps; Chandler Smith 1 time for 29 laps; Sheldon Creed 1 time for 28 laps; Jeremy Clements 1 time for 17 laps; Ryan Sieg 1 time for 5 laps; Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1 time for 1 lap; Jesse Love # 1 time for 1 lap.

    Stage #1 Top Ten: 81,2,18,16,5,51,00,26,20,19

    Stage #2 Top Ten: 51,00,20,18,81,2,98,1,88,48

  • RCR NXS Race Recap: Bristol Motor Speedway

    RCR NXS Race Recap: Bristol Motor Speedway

    Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team Enter Playoffs with Momentum after Strong Run at Bristol Motor Speedway

    Finish: 4th
    Start: 10th
    Points: 6th

    “We had a fast No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet tonight at Bristol Motor Speedway. Our car fired off well and we were able to drive up to second by the end of Stage 1. Danny Stockman (crew chief) made good changes to the car each stop and our pit crew was solid all night. Mid-race our car started to get tight in the center of the corner and I was losing time into Turn 1. On our next pit stop at the end of Stage 2, we put the changes back into the car that we started the race with, and our Chevrolet came to life. I could run the bottom all night where our car was the strongest. We gained stage points tonight and I feel confident going into the Playoffs. I’m very proud of the effort from our Richard Childress Racing team and look forward to Kansas Speedway next weekend.” -Jesse Love

    Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Team Grind for Top-15 Finish at Bristol Motor Speedway

    Finish: 14th
    Start: 17th
    Points: 3rd

    “The NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season is done and from this point forward, every lap and every race counts. Our No. 21 team has to put our best foot forward each and every week in order to compete for the championship in November. I’m confident in our employees at Richard Childress Racing and ECR Engines, but our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet wasn’t very good tonight at Bristol Motor Speedway. We started the race loose on entry and once we got the entry fixed, the middle became too tight. Just couldn’t move the car around like we needed to race for the win. It’s nice to have bonus points entering the Playoffs, but we learned last year to never be too satisfied with how many Playoff points we have. We missed the Championship 4 by so few points even with winning the regular season championship. We will be prepared for Kansas Speedway next weekend and hopefully start the Playoffs on the right foot.” -Austin Hill

  • Stewart-Haas Racing: Food City 300 from Bristol – COLE CUSTER WINS!

    Stewart-Haas Racing: Food City 300 from Bristol – COLE CUSTER WINS!

    STEWART-HAAS RACING
    Food City 300
    Date: Sept. 20, 2024
    Event: Food City 300 (Round 26 of 33)
    Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Location: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (.533-mile, concrete oval)
    Format: 300 laps, broken into three stages (85 laps/85 laps/130 laps)

    Race Winner: Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
    Stage 1 Winner: Chandler Smith of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
    Stage 2 Winner: Jeremy Clements of Jeremy Clements Racing (Chevrolet)

    SHR Race Finish:

    ● Cole Custer (Started 2nd / Finished 1st, Running, completed 300 of 300 laps)
    ● Riley Herbst (Started 15th / Finished 13th, Running, completed 300 of 300 laps)

    SHR Regular Season Points:

    ● Cole Custer (1st with 911 points)
    ● Riley Herbst (8th with 752 points, 159 out of first)

    SHR Playoffs:

    ● Cole Custer qualified for the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs by virtue of his two victories this season – July 13 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and tonight.
    ● This is Custer’s fifth playoff appearance.
    ● Custer is the reigning 2023 Xfinity Series Championship and chasing his second title.
    ● Riley Herbst qualified for the playoffs by virtue of his July 20 win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
    ● This is Herbst’s fourth playoff appearance.

    Victory Notes:

    ● Custer’s victory at Bristol marked SHR’s 28th Xfinity Series victory, its third of the season, and its second at Bristol.
    ● This was SHR’s 105th overall victory (70 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series wins, six non-points-paying NASCAR Cup Series wins, 28 Xfinity Series wins and one ARCA Menards Series West win)
    ● This was Custer’s 15th career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory and his 14th with SHR.

    SHR Notes:

    ● Custer earned his second victory of the season and his first victory in eight career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Bristol.
    ● Custer has only finished outside the top-10 twice in eight starts at Bristol.
    ● This was Custer’s second straight top-five at Bristol. He finished fourth last September.
    ● Custer’s win bettered his previous best finish at Bristol – third, earn in April 2019.
    ● Custer finished seventh in Stage 1 to earn four bonus points and second in Stage 2 to earn nine more bonus points.
    ● Custer led three times for 104 laps increasing his laps led total at Bristol to 244.
    ● Herbst earned his 16th top-15 finish of the season and his fifth top-15 finish in six career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Bristol.
    ● Herbst has only finished outside the top-15 once at Bristol. He hasn’t finished outside the top-15 at Bristol since joining SHR in 2021.
    ● This was Herbst’s second straight top-15. He finished 13th last Saturday at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.
    ● Herbst finished seventh in Stage 2 to earn four bonus points.

    Race Notes:

    ● Cole Custer won the Food City 300 to score his 15th career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his second of the season and his first at Bristol. His margin over second-place Sheldon Creed was .896 of a second.
    ● There were seven caution periods for a total of 57 laps.
    ● Seventeen of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
    ● Custer is the NASCAR Xfinity Series Regular Season Champion by a three-point advantage over Justin Allgaier.

    Playoff Standings:

    1. Justin Allgaier (2,034 points)
    2. Cole Custer (2,028 points, -6)
    3. Austin Hill (2,025 points, -9)
    4. Chandler Smith (2,024 points, -10)
    5. Shane Van Gisbergen (2,017 points, -17)
    6. Jesse Love (2,013 points, -21)
    7. Sam Mayer (2,011 points, -23)
    8. Riley Herbst (2,010 points, -24)
    9. Sheldon Creed (2,007 points, -27)
    10. AJ Allmendinger (2,006 points, -28)
    11. Sammy Smith (2,001 points, -33)
    12. Parker Kligerman (1,998 points, -36)

    Sound Bites:

    “Man, it’s just unbelievable. It’s a testament to these guys. It’s been a really hard month, but everyone at the shop really kept their heads in it. I can’t thank HighPoint.com and Ford Performance enough. It’s awesome to get them both a win. All the guys did such a great job. It was an unbelievable car all night. I’m ready to get to the playoffs. It’s huge to get this momentum because our confidence was going down there this last month, so to get this win really means a lot. What a car. What a race. I mean, these guys did such a great job with this thing. I can’t thank HighPoint enough. Every race we’ve wanted to do better with them and this was finally a race we put it all together. It was just an unbelievable car. I could really drive through the field and do everything I needed. It’s a real testament to what this team can bring to the playoffs.​” –Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    “I guess it’s good for Stewart-Haas Racing with Cole being in Victory Lane. That was cool to see. It’s good for us, but we just missed it tonight. I don’t know. We weren’t good in practice and didn’t qualify well, and then we didn’t have much pace in the race, either. I feel like when we execute, we’re one of the fastest teams for sure, but tonight wasn’t one of those nights. We’ll have to figure out why and what I need better, but we’ll go to work. I think we’ll be really competitive in the playoffs. I’m excited for it, and hopefully, we can step up to the plate​.​” –Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Next Up:

    The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Kansas Lottery 300 on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. This is the first race of the playoffs and the first of the Round of 12. The race begins at 4 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by CW and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

  • Ford Performance Notes and Quotes – Cole Custer Post-Race Press Conference Transcript

    Ford Performance Notes and Quotes – Cole Custer Post-Race Press Conference Transcript

    Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
    NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Food City 300 | Bristol Motor Speedway
    Friday, September 20, 2024

    COLE CUSTER POST-RACE PRESS CONFERENCE

    COLE CUSTER, No. 00 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HOW REALISTIC DID YOU THINK IT WAS TO WIN THE REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP GOING INTO THIS RACE? “Not very realistic. I knew we needed some help. That’s a good team with that 7 team and it would have been a really good race if they didn’t have whatever problems they had. I’ve always liked racing Justin. It’s just bad luck for them, I guess, but it’s a testament to our team, what we bring to the racetrack every single weekend. Any given weekend we can win. It’s been a tough month-and-a-half, but I know when we get our stuff right we’re gonna be up there fighting for wins and fighting for a championship.”

    JUSTIN WAS IN VICTORY LANE. WHAT DID HE SAY? “He just said congratulations. It’s been a tough couple weeks for us. We got together at Atlanta and then we got together last week at Watkins Glen. He spun me out, so we’re gonna have to talk about things this week about how we’re gonna go forward, but he’s always been a great one to work with. He’s aggressive and races hard, but clean. It’s always great to have him in this series. He’s great competition and quality competition to race with.”

    HAS IT BEEN EASIER TO PUSH THROUGH THESE TOUGH TIMES HAVING WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP? WHAT AREN’T WE SEEING BEHIND THE SCENES? “Overall, we just wrecked a lot of stuff. I mean, at Michigan we wrecked. At Daytona we wrecked. At Atlanta we wrecked. At Watkins Glen we kind of wrecked and finished horrible. It’s nothing that we’re really done wrong, just a lot of dumb stuff has happened. That kind of gets your confidence beat down a little bit, that you haven’t really put a race together in a while, so it definitely meant a lot to put this race together and be able to bring a really fast car to the track and know that we can go really put it to them in the playoffs.”

    THAT’S 10 PLAYOFF POINTS – FIVE FOR THE WIN AND FIVE FOR THE REGULAR SEASON TITLE. HOW BIG OF A DIFFERENCE IS THAT? “I hope it makes me feel a lot better at Talladega and Martinsville because Talladega is gonna be wild and Martinsville you never know. Last year, everybody wrecked each other. You want any point that you can get to make yourself feel more comfortable, so any point we can get is huge. We just have to keep piling them up through the playoffs and keep it rolling.”

    WHAT DID THAT DO FOR YOU CONFIDENCE WHEN YOU HAD TO PIT ON LAP THREE BUT WORK YOUR WAY THROUGH THE FIELD? “I knew that we just had a really fast car. I kind of knew it from lap one that we had something, so I knew going through the field it was gonna be tough, but we had our car set up pretty good to be able to pass and work the bottom, so it worked out good. We had a really fast car to be able to make passes. It was tough. We had to use the bumper a little bit to try to make passes, but we had a good enough car to be able to sustain a run on the bottom and be able to complete some passes.”

    HOW LONG DID THOSE LAST 30 LAPS FEEL KNOWING YOU DIDN’T HAVE ANOTHER SET OF TIRES AND NEEDED TO WIN TO TAKE THE REGULAR SEASON TITLE? “I wanted it to go green as much as I could, but it’s tough with lap traffic. You just never know here. You catch one lapper that’s just really hard to pass and it can derail your whole race, so I was trying to be as aggressive as I could to get through lap traffic and move on, but it was tough. You kind of had to use the bumper a little bit to get by guys, but it’s just a testament to our car of how good we could work the bottom because not a lot of guys could.”

    IS THAT A PLAYOFF MUSTACHE? “That’s the plan. We had some bad luck, so my wife thought we should try it. I just grew it out and I guess I’ve got to keep it now, but that’s another thing, too. We had our kid, Cal, about a month-and-a-half ago and it’s awesome to finally get our first win with him born. We’re gonna bring a trophy home to him, so that’s a really cool one, especially from Bristol. It’s one I’ve wanted for a long time.”

    WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO COME BACK AFTER A SEASON LIKE LAST YEAR TO AT LEAST REACH THIS POINT GOING INTO THE PLAYOFFS? “It’s huge. I mean, I think it just shows what this team can do and just the program that we’ve built. Every single weekend I feel like if we hit it right, we can go win races. It’s a great group of people that just wants to go out there and believe in one another and be able to fix problems and not point fingers at one another. We really just hone in on what we need to fix and I feel like if you do that enough and fix enough problems, you usually end up in a good spot. We’ve done a great job of that and just slowly but surely are getting our cars better and better. We’ll bring it to them in the playoffs.”

    THIS WAS A YEAR OF UPHEAVAL FOR YOUR GROUP. HOW HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THINGS TOGETHER OR DOES IT HELP THAT THE XFINITY PROGRAM IS STAYING AROUND? “It’s just a testament to the people. I think everybody on our group does a great job of blocking that stuff out because everybody at SHR had every excuse to not have a good year. It’s the toughest situation you’ll ever be a part of. I’ll tell you that right now. Everybody has what they’re focused on for next year. Everybody has to find what they’re gonna do, so you have to be understanding of that, but you also have to be understanding of we have to go out and try to win races. To keep everybody together is really tough and I feel like it’s just a testament to everybody in that building who has really stuck together. It’s a testament to see that 14 car in the playoffs and how much speed they have. I think just a great group of people that can go out there and still finish strong when this is probably the toughest year a lot of those guys will ever have on a race team – to be able to stay together as a team through this.”

  • Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Food City 300

    Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Food City 300

    AJ ALLMENDINGER
    No. 16 Barger Precast Chevrolet Camaro

    • AJ Allmendinger qualified fifth for the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
    • Allmendinger fired off loose before a caution for debris on lap four. He restarted fifth on lap nine and eventually fell one spot, before the second caution came out on lap 53. Allmendinger stayed out and restarted fifth with 20 laps remaining in the stage and fought to finish it in fourth place.
    • Allmendinger pitted during the stage break for tires, fuel, and air pressure and track bar adjustments to help with rear grip. He started the second stage from 16th. After a caution on lap 121, Allmendinger reported the car felt very stiff and was chattering. He restarted 13th before the race’s second caution came on lap 154 with Allmendinger in 11th. Crew chief Alex Yontz made the call for Allmendinger to pit for tires, fuel, and air pressure, track bar and wedge adjustments to help the handling of the No. 16 Barger Precast Chevy. He restarted in 14th with nine to go and went on to finish the second stage in the same spot.
    • Struggling to lean on the No. 16 Chevy, Allmendinger pitted during the second stage break for tires, fuel and another substantial adjustment, before starting the final stage from 26th place. The loan caution of Stage 3 came on lap 200, and Allmendinger stayed out and restarted 15th. He radioed that the adjustments made under the stage break had helped the handling of No. 16 Chevy, and over the course of the final 100 laps, Allmendinger broke into the top 10 and finished in 10th.

    “We tried something different coming into Bristol, and from the moment we unloaded, we were just hanging on. Myself, Alex Yontz, and all the men and women at Kaulig Racing did everything we could. Getting a top ten in the Barger Precast Chevy was a win for us.” – AJ Allmendinger  

    SHANE van GISBERGEN
    No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro

    • Shane van Gisbergen qualified 34th for the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
    • Van Gisbergen quickly moved his way to 27th, when the first caution occurred on lap four. Van Gisbergen battled to stay on the lead lap throughout the stage, but ultimately fell off the lead lap on lap 42. When the second caution flag flew on lap 54, Van Gisbergen reported the WeatherTech Chevy was loose on entry and lacked grip, but had good speed overall. The No. 97 WeatherTech team opted to pit under caution for adjustments and fuel, slotting Van Gisbergen to rejoin the field in 27th, one lap down. Van Gisbergen took the green-white-checkered flag in 30th to end the first stage.
    • The No. 97 WeatherTech team opted to pit at the stage break for tires, fuel, and adjustments, starting the second stage in 29th. During the first caution of the stage, the No. 97 team opted to pit for adjustments and fuel as Van Gisbergen reported the car was still lacking overall grip. Van Gisbergen was in the lucky dog position when a timely caution allowed the No. 97 to rejoin the field on the lead lap, restarting the stage in 27th. He battled to maintain position as the car continued to lack grip during the green flag run, but when a yellow flew on lap 154, the No. 97 team came to pit road for fresh tires, fuel, and adjustments, restarting 22nd. As the stage concluded, Van Gisbergen was scored 23rd.
    • The No. 97 WeatherTech team chose to stay out during the stage break caution, and Van Gisbergen started the final stage in 19th, entering the top 20 for the first time in the race. The fourth caution came out on lap 200 of the race, and the No. 97 team chose to stay out, restarting the stage in 20th. Van Gisbergen continued to run in the top 20 for all of the final stage, logging 100 laps in the top 20 for his first appearance at the half-mile track. The No. 97 fell off the lead lap with 15 laps remaining in the race but maintained position and ultimately took the checkered flag in 18th.

    “This was an awesome race, I love this track! A little bummed we got lapped there at the end but got better all day and just had a blast. My No. 97 WeatherTech team has been awesome and we keep learning and getting better throughout the year, so looking forward to having some fun in the playoffs next weekend at Kansas.” – Shane van Gisbergen  

    JOSH WILLIAMS
    No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet Camaro

    • Josh Williams qualified 32nd for the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
    • Williams, who was sent to the rear for unapproved adjustments, moved into 34th by the race’s first caution on lap four. The green flag flew again on lap nine, and Williams continued his charge forward, taking 28th on lap 17. After taking 26th, the caution came out on lap 53 for an incident with the leader and lapped traffic. After a lengthy deliberation between Williams and crew chief Eddie Pardue, the No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Camaro stayed out on the track and restarted from 16th with 20 laps left in Stage 1. He lost positions en route to a 19th-place finish.
    • Williams pitted for tires and fuel and restarted for Stage 2 from 23rd on lap 96. After taking 19th, the yellow flag flew on lap 121, and Williams stayed out. After trying to dial in his brake bias towards the front to help the Camaro’s balance, he restarted in 19th with 44 laps to go in the second stage. Falling to 22nd, the caution displayed on lap 154, and Williams pitted for tires, fuel, and a wedge adjustment aimed at freeing the Chevy up. He fired back off in 21st with nine laps remaining in Stage 2 and took the green-white-checkered in 22nd.
    • Williams restarted for the final stage in 18th and stayed there until the lap-200 caution. Pardue called the No. 11 down pit road for tires, fuel, and a track bar adjustment. It was the team’s final set of sticker Goodyear tires. The race went back under green-flag conditions with 94 to go; Williams restarted 26th. He began climbing but stalled out once he reached 21st, getting put one lap down on lap 265. Williams took the checkered flag running in 21st.

    “We made a lot of adjustments that didn’t end up working out for us as the race went on. Just overall, not the best day for us. Hoping to end the season on a strong note these last bunch of races.” – Josh Williams
     
    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.