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Other series racing

  • Lone Star Racing Primed for Endurance Cup Breakthrough at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta’s IMSA Petit Le Mans

    Lone Star Racing Primed for Endurance Cup Breakthrough at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta’s IMSA Petit Le Mans

    Lone Star Racing’s 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Michelin Endurance Cup GTD Entry with IMSA Confirmed

    BRASELTON, Georgia (October 11, 2024) – Fast off a pair of races at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), Lone Star Racing arrives at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for yet another blockbuster endurance event with the team’s first running in the IMSA Motul Petit Le Mans.

    Completing the fifth and final round of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup is Lone Star Racing’s driving trio of Salih Yoluç, Rui Andrade and Scott Andrews in the No. 80 ACS Manufacturing/Sonangol/Visit Angola Mercedes-AMG GT3. All roads lead to Saturday, October 12th’s 10-hour race, with the green flag scheduled for 12:10 p.m. EDT. The race can be viewed in its entirety on the Peacock streaming network, with the opening three hours broadcast live on NBC, and the closing stint from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. EDT on USA Network.

    Lone Star most recently competed at Indy in IMSA’s Battle on the Bricks in September and last weekend’s SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Indianapolis 8 Hour.

    In the Indy 8 Hour, Lone Star rebounded for a third-place Pro-class finish despite never having a chance to fight for the victory. The team and drivers Luca Stolz, Fabian Schiller and three-time IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou persevered through electrical issues for the majority of the race but turned in a no-quit performance straight to the checkered flag in the No. 4 Mercedes-AMG Team Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.

    That Indy 8 Hour weekend included a GT2-class win in Friday’s GT America race from Lone Star Racing team owner and driver Dan Knox. The Indy title gave Knox a three-for-three-win record in the GT2 configuration of the Mercedes-AMG, adding to a pair of wins at Long Beach in April. All three convincing victories were flag-to-flag triumphs from the pole in the No. 10 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT2.

    A one-off Michelin Pilot Challenge GS appearance with Knox and Andrews also earned Lone Star Racing a solid result during the IMSA Indy weekend with a fifth-place finish while closing fast to the leaders in the final stages of the race in the No. 79 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4.

    “Dan achieved a clean sweep of the GT2 races he entered this year, and I’m really happy to see him having fun,” said Lone Star Racing Team Manager and Technical Director AJ Petersen. “Success follows that, and he’s relaxed when he is racing too. The fifth place in GS Dan and Scott had on the IMSA Indy weekend was punching above our weight class to be able to step in and do a one-off like that. We’ve got a great group of people, and when we’re all pulling in the same direction, it’s pretty magical.”

    Lone Star Racing is searching for a season-best result this weekend at Road Atlanta after a challenging Endurance Cup campaign. In the Indy IMSA six-hour race, Yoluç, Andrade and Andrews battled through wet and treacherous conditions for nearly the first half of the race but soon found some pace and grip in the dry. The race seemed to be coming to Lone Star in the closing hours only for the team to literally be knocked from contention by a GTD competitor more than 20 laps down. The No. 80 returned to the race after being retrieved from a gravel trap but was then four laps down after the needless delay.

    “I’m definitely hopeful that we get some good breaks in the Michelin Endurance Cup finale at Petit Le Mans,” Petersen said. “It’s a race that we haven’t campaigned as Lone Star Racing before, but we’re going into it with some experience in the event with different members of the crew. We always have a solid car, but honestly, I don’t know what to expect. We’re just going to give it our best and see what happens.”

    The team is ready to turn that luck around in the IMSA WeatherTech Series finale this weekend, and its drivers have a blueprint to complete the process. Andrade is a 2022 Petit race winner, having captured the LMP2 class with Tower Motorsports. Andrews most recent Road Atlanta win came at the 2021 Motul Petit Le Mans in the LMP3 class.

    Not only is Motul Petit Le Mans the final race of the Michelin Endurance Challenge, which included endurance races at Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Indianapolis, but serves as a springboard for Lone Star Racing for 2025. Lone Star Racing was among 21 teams announced by IMSA on Thursday confirmed and committed to the IMSA WeatherTech competition. Lone Star is set for a return to the Endurance Cup next year, with a GTD driver line-up to be announced in the near future.

    The Motul Petit Le Mans weekend began with three practice sessions on Thursday, followed by Friday’s 3:25 p.m. EDT qualifying session. Racing begins at 12:10 p.m. EDT on Saturday afternoon.

    About Lone Star Racing: Based at Motorsport Ranch within the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area in Cresson, Texas, Lone Star Racing is competing in the No. 80 Lone Star Racing/ACS Manufacturing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the 2024 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup in the GTD class. Lone Star Racing and its team members have won races across North America spanning sprint and endurance racing formats. The crew has worked together on many different teams and various types of cars, developing a strong bond and proven capability that gives them a competitive and winning advantage. Lone Star Racing competes with the support of primary partner ACS Manufacturing, Inc. (www.ACSManufacturing.com). Look for Lone Star Racing and team owner/driver Dan Knox on Facebook and follow the team on YouTube at Lone Star Racing, on Twitter and Instagram at @LSRTeam and on the official team web site at www.LoneStarRacingTeam.com.

  • TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team Agree on Technical Partnership for the Future of the Automotive Industry

    TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team Agree on Technical Partnership for the Future of the Automotive Industry

    Providing Drivers, Engineers, and Mechanics Chances to Develop by Facing Challenges at the Pinnacle of Motorsports

    Toyota City, Japan, Oct 11, 2024 – (JCN Newswire) – TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team announced today that they have concluded a basic agreement on entering a technical partnership concerning MoneyGram Haas F1 Team vehicle development and collaborative efforts. Through this partnership, the two sides aim to contribute to the development of the automotive industry by creating an environment in which young Japanese drivers, engineers, and mechanics can gain experience and grow in the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1), the pinnacle of motorsports.

    TGR continues to compete in motorsports to hone the three essential elements of car manufacturing: people, pipeline*, and product. In the “driver-first” carmaking strongly advocated by Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda, aka Morizo, cars are repeatedly broken and fixed in the arena of motorsports, and professional driver feedback is thoroughly incorporated into the development of production vehicles. In recent efforts to strengthen this approach, there is a growing need to enhance people by developing drivers, engineers, and mechanics, to effectively use the pipeline of data analysis and utilization, and to apply insights gained to products through vehicle development. Through the technical partnership announced today, TGR intends to further strengthen people and learn MoneyGram Haas F1 Team’s pipeline, which is one of the team’s strengths in F1, to accelerate the creation of ever-better motorsports-bred cars.

    Specifically, the agreement entails the participation in MoneyGram Haas F1 Team test drives by TGR training drivers, engineers, and mechanics. This will enable the drivers to gain driving experience in F1, and it will allow the engineers and mechanics to learn how to analyze vast amounts of data, such as driving data, to effectively operate a pipeline for such at TGR. The agreement also entails the participation of TGR engineers and mechanics in MoneyGram Haas F1 Team racing car aerodynamics development to cultivate human resources―by having participants design and manufacture carbon-fiber parts in simulated extreme operational environments―who can play active roles on the front lines of the pinnacle of motorsports and reflect the technology and knowledge acquired in production vehicles.

    Sharing a desire to contribute to motorsports and the automotive industry through human resource development, TGR and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team intend to continue their initiatives for strengthening their racing teams.

    *The know-how and infrastructure for multi-point sharing of vast amounts of data, such as ongoing-race driving data, immediately analyzing such data, and promptly utilizing it in strategic planning for the race at hand

    About Toyota

    Toyota strives to be a strong corporate citizen, engaging with and earning the trust of its stakeholders, and to contribute to the creation of a prosperous society through all its business operations.

    Our corporate principles form the basis of our initiatives, reflect values that enable action, and drive our mindset.

    For the latest Toyota-related news and information:
    https://tinyurl.com/ToyotaPressRelease

    News URL: https://www.acnnewswire.com/press-release/english/93248/

    URL: https://plus.google.com/+toyotaglobal | Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/ToyotaMotorCorporation/ | Twitter : https://twitter.com/TOYOTA_PR/ | Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/user/toyotajpchannel/ | Linkedin : https://linkedin.com/company/toyota

  • CHEVROLET INDYCAR AT INDIANAPOLIS: Team Chevy Test Day 1 Report

    CHEVROLET INDYCAR AT INDIANAPOLIS: Team Chevy Test Day 1 Report

    CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
    INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
    INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
    TEAM CHEVY INDYCAR TEST DAY 1 REPORT
    OCTOBER 10, 2024

    TEAM CHEVY COMPLETES FIRST DAY OF NTT INDYCAR SERIES TESTING AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

    • Nolan Siegel, driving the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, completed the three-tier Rookie Orientation Program (ROP) during the morning session Thursday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
    • Team Chevy was represented on track in the afternoon test session by Pato O’Ward, driving for Arrow McLaren, and Josef Newgarden, driving for Team Penske on the first day of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES test at the 2.5-mile famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.
    • Of the 495 total laps turned by four cars on track in the afternoon session, O’Ward and Newgarden combined for 234 laps for Team Chevy.
    • Santino Ferrucci, driving for AJ Foyt Racing, Christian Lundgaard, driving for Arrow McLaren, Ryan Hunter-Reay, driving for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, Alexander Rossi, driving for Ed Carpenter Racing, Conor Daly, driving for Juncos Hollinger Racing, and Josef Newgarden, driving for Team Penske, will take to the track for the second of the two-day test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday.

    WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (QUOTES):

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

    On testing at Indianapolis…

    “Every lap you get around the speedway is super important. Is it going to be something completely different to when we test here in the past? No. I think we’re very lucky that we have a beautiful day today to test and get some running in today. We’re doing mostly tire stuff, so I would say in terms of what we can learn on the car, it’s a bit limited, more limited than usual. But, tomorrow for Christian (Lundgaard) in our car, he’ll be able to test that, go through the run plan. For us today, I think it’s more kind of helping Firestone kind of figure out where we want to take this tire or if it wants to change or not. That’s probably the purpose of doing these different tires. It’ll be fine. It’s always a good day being here at IMS.”

    On working with new teammate Christian Lundgaard…

    “I’m excited to have him on board. He’s obviously quick. He has enough experience to know what to expect, and now, I’m the old guy in the team having Nolan (Siegel) and Christian in there. It definitely feels a bit different, I would say. I’m not the baby anymore. Nah, we’re going to have a lot of fun.”

    How is it adjusting to the elder teammate role?

    “Wise guy, you know. Wise guy… I’m going to teach Nolan, teach Christian. I don’t know. Whatever they want to know.”

    Last time you were here, it was an emotional runner-up finish. How much do you still think about that, or do you?

    “No, we’re thinking of next year. Already thinking of next year. Just how we can make our month (of May) that much smoother and have another shot at it.”

    Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:

    Talk about your experience on the oval at Indianapolis and passing Rookie Orientation Program (ROP)…

    “It’s great, and it’s great to be here with Arrow McLaren. Obviously, it’s our first day here together and, while it’s still 2024, it’s kind of the first day of 2025. So, excited to get going. We’ve got some new people, and it was a lot of fun. We’re where we need to be. It went well. Everything went smoothly and we’re ready to go for the open test.”

    How big is it to be knowing you’re locked into and be on track with Arrow McLaren?

    “It’s huge. I’m super excited to be at Arrow McLaren. They’ve been super competitive everywhere, but here at the speedway especially. I’m excited about May, about the (Indianapolis) 500, and it feels good to just have some stability for myself and the team. So, we’re excited to move forward for the next couple of years and see what we can do.”

    What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from guys like your teammate Pato O’Ward?

    “There’s a lot and I’ve been lucky to have great teammates in INDYCAR so far with Pato (O’Ward), and Alex (Rossi) last year, obviously. Christian (Lundgaard) and I haven’t got to work together yet, but I’m sure I’ll learn from him as well. It depends on the track but places like (Indianapolis), there’s so much track-specific knowledge these guys have just from doing the races here. Obviously, I haven’t raced here yet so I’m going to lean on him a lot for some of the traffic management stuff, strategy, and I don’t know, we’ll see.”

    How much is last years’ experience at Indianapolis driving you? Does that change the way you approach the month of May?

    “Yes. It absolutely does. As much as that was a terrible feeling last year for me, I am in a way better spot going into the Indy 500 in 2025 than I would be had I not had that experience. I feel comfortable here. Really excited to be here in the Arrow McLaren car, and I think we’re going to be competitive right out of the gate. That experience is going to come in handy, for sure.”

    Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet:

    “It’s always great to be back here at Indianapolis. Certainly, it has changed in a positive way after finally converting two wins. Obviously, my team is pumped. They’re not new to that. They’ve won a lot of races around here, but new for me. It adds a little special element. I love being here. Excited to run today and get ready for 2025. Not just for ourselves, we’re here helping Firestone and INDYCAR out right now. We’re trying to get a good package for next year. A couple of new car configurations, so always exciting to be here at the speedway.”

    How much will the hybrid impact this race. We know it’s early days…

    “Look, the car is different. It weighs a little bit more, and the hybrid component is a factor. Next year, the complexity of this race, I don’t think it’s going to flip on its head but you’re going to have new elements that you weren’t used to last year. The hybrid will be a big part of that. You’re going to have to figure out how to utilize that and get the most out of it, especially at the end of the race. We’re learning about that today. We didn’t have that this year. So, I’m going to try and figure out what’s best for us, and the league is trying to figure out what’s best for everybody.”

    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.

  • Forte Racing Looking for Repeat at 2024 Motul Petit Le Mans

    Forte Racing Looking for Repeat at 2024 Motul Petit Le Mans

    Braselton, Georgia (Thursday, October 10, 2024) – Forte Racing enters the final race of the season with some great momentum, similar to last year when they won the WeatherTech GTD class with their No. 78 Lamborghini GT3. They are hoping to ride that momentum to a repeat performance of their 2023 win.

    The team finished third at VIR and fourth at Indianapolis’ endurance race, and with two of last season’s winning drivers, Misha Goikhberg and Loris Spinelli, returning this year, the team is confident that they have a great chance of pulling off a repeat win.

    Misha Goikhberg is looking forward to the challenge of the upcoming 10-hour race, while reflecting on last year’s win. “Amazing, how quickly a year goes by,” Goikhberg said. “We still remember vividly last year’s win. It’s a long hard race, with crazy traffic flow, questionable weather, and running in great unlit darkness. Excited to test our entire team again and see what we can do.

    The unpredictability of endurance races is sure to make for an interesting 10 hours. Loris Spinelli considers last year’s win at Petit Le Mans a highlight of his career and feels that he and his teammates have what it takes to be competitive again this year. “Winning the race last year was one of the biggest thrills in my career”, Spinelli said, “and this year we will try to make it happen again. We are fast on the track and we are prepared to handle any situation. I am sure that with the team and my teammates we will be able to do a good job. I can’t wait to get going!”

    Devlin DeFrancesco, the team’s new endurance driver for the 2024, is confident that the team can have a good result this weekend as they carry their momentum from the 6-hour race at Indianapolis into the final race of the season. “Looking forward to the last race of the 2024 season with Forte Lamborghini,” DeFrancesco said. “After our strong form in the Indy 6 hour, I really feel we can close out the season with a strong result!”

    Team Principal Shane Seneviratne has high expectations going into the final race of the IMSA WeatherTech 2024 season this weekend at Road Atlanta. “The number one goal of this weekend would be to survive,” Seneviratne stated. “Last year we were fortunate enough to win this race and I know our expectations are high. To be grounded, I would like to first finish and retain our championship position of fourth place. It’s in all our minds to try and hone in and finish the race. I strongly believe we have the team and the driver lineup capable of accomplishing another race win. I believe it’s totally achievable by minimizing mistakes and penalties and avoiding any misfortunes.”

    You can see some snippets of the team in action at the Indianapolis race on IMSA’s “Win The Weekend Presented by Michelin | S2:E7 | Battle on the Bricks at INDY”, but make sure to also tune in to watch the team live on Saturday, October 12th. Coverage of the IMSA Petit Le Mans at Michelin Road Atlanta will begin at noon ET on NBC and Peacock. Peacock will carry the entire race from start to finish, while NBC will have coverage of the race from noon-3 p.m. ET.

    About Forte Racing (Formerly known as US RaceTronics)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    About O’Gara Motorsport

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

    About Change Racing

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

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

  • JDX Racing Ready for Penultimate Round of Porsche Carrera Cup at Road Atlanta

    JDX Racing Ready for Penultimate Round of Porsche Carrera Cup at Road Atlanta

    Alex Sedgwick, Zachary Vanier Elias De La Torre and Madeline Stewart Searching For Wins, Solid Point Week as Season Approaches Finish Line

    BRASELTON, Georgia (October 10, 2024) – JDX Racing has pulled its way into the home stretch of the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup North America season with two cars in the top five of the standings and a visit for all four drivers to a track that is brand new to each of them, at least in a race setting.

    Alex Sedgwick, Zachary Vanier, Elias De La Torre and Madeline Stewart visit Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta this week for Rounds 13 and 14 of the 16-race season. Sedgwick and Vanier sit second and fourth, respectively, in the Driver’s Championship with De La Torre ninth and Stewart 16th during her rookie campaign. As a support race for Saturday’s Petit Le Mans endurance race, Porsche Carrera Cup activities take place through the week. Practice began on Wednesday with a pair of sessions, with qualifying at 8:35 a.m. on Thursday morning and the first 40-minute race of the week at 5:05 p.m. EDT. Friday, October 11th’s race two is scheduled for a 10:55 a.m. EDT green flag.

    Each race can be seen live at IMSA.tv or for subscribers on the Peacock streaming network.

    JDX Racing Pre-Race News and Notes

    • Sedgwick leads the way among the JDX Racing drivers, all of whom are on pace for career-best finishes in Porsche Carrera Cup. Though a challenging start to the season means Sedgwick and his No. 98 PT Autosport/Byers Imports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup needs some luck to catch the leader, he holds a 19-point gap over third place heading into Road Atlanta.
    • Vanier was the Porsche Sprint Challenge champion in the 992 Porsche a season ago and earlier this season in Miami became the first person to win a race in both championships. A strong weekend in the No. 9 Technica Mining/Byers Imports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup at Road Atlanta would put him in position to climb as high as second in the standings at season’s end.
    • De La Torre has already more than tripled his point total of 29 from a year ago, scoring 91 points to sit ninth in the current standings. His No. 4 HCB Yachts/iKon Boats/Porsche Columbus Porsche 911 GT3 Cup has crossed the line for a top-five finish twice this season, at his home race of Miami and again at Road America.
    • Stewart’s No. 82 Spool Imports/Byers Imports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in each of the past four races and in five of the past seven, showing her improvement as her rookie season has marched along. The strength of that run has allowed her to climb to 16th in the competitive field.
    • In addition to the individual driver’s championship, JDX sits second in the Entrant Standings, 35 points behind the leaders.
    • JDX Racing is no stranger to the track. The last time Porsche Carrera Cup visited Road Atlanta for a doubleheader in 2022, JDX Racing earned gold with Parker Thompson behind the wheel.
    • This is the first official race visit to Road Atlanta for all four of the JDX drivers. Each participated in a test day prior to the weekend in preparation, however.
    • Despite never racing there before, both Sedgwick and Stewart were quick to declare Road Atlanta among their “new favorite tracks” after the test.
    • Team Principal Jeremy Dale is making a return to the race track this week while recovering from heart surgery early in the summer.
    • The opening practice session on Wednesday was a success for all four JDX Racing drivers. Sedgwick was second, Vanier fourth, De La Torre 10th and Stewart 12th overall in FP1. De La Torre went even quicker in FP2, jumping to eighth overall in the combined results.

    JDX Racing Quote Board

    Alex Sedgwick, Driver, No. 98 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “We had a very strong test last week so it’s good to be going in with some recent knowledge, albeit a track I have not yet raced on. I think most of the front runners are in a similar boat so it will be interesting to see who figures it out first. We have done very well this season on the tracks with limited practice, so I feel good about it. We’re going to try to get another win, but above that we need to have a solid weekend and finish the year strong.”

    Madeline Stewart, Driver, No. 82 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “Road Atlanta is my new favorite track. It’s a race I’ve looked forward to ever since I saw the schedule. It’s an exciting track to drive, and very high speed. I had a great couple of days testing and feel like I really made progress learning the track. I’m sure that will continue to evolve throughout race week and I’m looking forward to a couple of great races.”

    Elias De La Torre, Driver, No. 4 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “Heading into the penultimate round of the championship we are recovering from a mixed weekend in Indy and are building off of the positives we left with. Arter our test here at Road Atlanta we had much positive feedback and runtime improvements that are trending us in a good direction. Now that we’re back again with the team, it’s time to put it all together and show what we are capable of.”

    About JDX Racing:

    Founded in 2008 and based outside of Denver, CO, JDX Racing represents the very best in professional motorsports. Competing in the IMSA sports car series, JDX Racing campaigns cars in events throughout North America. JDX Racing features world-class drivers, outstanding crew members and dynamic marketers from Champ Car, IndyCar, NASCAR, ALMS and the Champ Car Atlantic Championship series. For more information, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/jdxracing, on Twitter @JDXRACING and on Instagram @jdxracing.

  • EVENT PREVIEW: Wright Motorsports Confident for Strong IMSA Finale at Petit Le Mans

    EVENT PREVIEW: Wright Motorsports Confident for Strong IMSA Finale at Petit Le Mans

    BRASELTON, Ga., (October 10, 2024) – The season finale for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is Saturday, October 12 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, and Wright Motorsports sweeps into the weekend riding high with two recent back-to-back wins. The team comes into Petit Le Mans as the most recent GTD class race winners in the WeatherTech Championship, and also just secured a class victory and championship title in the Fanatec GT World Challenge series. This success has the team in high spirits as they prepare to conclude the season with the No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R, driven by Adam Adelson, Elliott Skeer, and Jan Heylen.

    “It has been an incredible few weeks for our two race programs,” said Team Owner John Wright. “For Adam and Elliott to secure their first IMSA win and first championship together in two back-to-back events makes us more ready than ever to end the 2024 race season on a high note. Petit Le Mans is a challenging event but one we have done well at before. As a team, we are performing at a very high level and we will stay focused to close out the year the same way.”

    With a well-established pedigree of racing Porsches for two decades, Wright Motorsports has proven time and time again their ability to run up front in both sprint and endurance races. The crew in pit lane becomes a vital part of the team’s success, especially in the longer races when so many pit stops are required throughout the course of the race.

    This weekend’s Petit Le Mans is a fan-favorite and a perfect way to close out the IMSA WeatherTech season. On Saturday, October 12, the season will conclude with ten hours of racing, beginning at 12:10 PM ET. Adelson, Skeer, and Heylen will rotate the driving duties of the Porsche 911 GT3 R, while the championship-winning pit crew will focus on keeping the car in top racing form over the course of the ten hours.

    Cooler temperatures will play well into the hands of the Porsche, a machine known to perform exceptionally in cooler and even wet conditions. With lows reaching into the 40s Fahrenheit, and highs only in the 70s, Wright Motorsports has a strong package heading into the final event.

    The season-finale endurance event is not only a part of the full-season championship, but it also marks the conclusion of the six-race endurance championship. Following their win at Indianapolis, Wright is mathematically in the hunt for the Michelin Endurance Cup title, for which points will be awarded based on running position in the four-, eight-, and ten-hour marks. Currently, six points separate the Porsche team from the class leaders, with a maximum of 15 to be awarded.

    Fans within the United States will be able to watch the first three hours of the Motul Petit Le Mans on NBC starting Saturday at 12:00 PM ET. Subscribers to Peacock can watch from start to finish, and comprehensive audio coverage of the race will be offered at imsaradio.com. For event information, visit imsa.com.

    DRIVER QUOTES

    Adam Adelson

    What an absolutely insane year it’s been. In my second year of GT3 racing, we’ve had multiple IMSA podiums, an IMSA race win, and a championship with SRO. I’m still pinching myself to see if I’m dreaming. Regardless, the job isn’t done quite yet, as our IMSA Endurance Cup championship hopes were fully revived by our amazing result at Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis. After a season filled with so many ups and downs and so many amazing achievements, it seems only fitting that our biggest test is how we wrap it up. Petit Le Mans is one of the most intense races in the world on one of the most challenging tracks, and it’s going to take all of our skill and effort to perform well. I know we have the best team and I have the best co-drivers. Even though I always try to manage expectations, I know the sky’s the limit for us.

    Elliott Skeer

    It’s bittersweet feeling on wrapping up my first IMSA season at Petit. I’ve loved every second of it, and don’t want it to end. Adam, Jan, and I have exceeded our own expectations for the season. We want to end it with a similar feeling! Petit Le Mans is not the most forgiving race in the world, but we will put everything we have learned together for a strong 10 hours.

    Jan Heylen

    I hope we can keep the good momentum going after our win at Indy. Petit is one of my favorite races on the calendar. I hope that we can finally get on the top step of the podium here. We’ve come close so many times, but I feel good about our chances with the Wright Motorsports team, Porsche, and with Adam and Elliott behind the wheel.

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

  • RISI COMPETIZIONE TO FINISH IMSA IMEC SEASON AT PETIT LE MANS

    RISI COMPETIZIONE TO FINISH IMSA IMEC SEASON AT PETIT LE MANS

    Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 No. 62:

    Davide Rigon (ITA)
    Daniel Serra (BRA)
    Alessandro Pier Guidi (ITA)

    (Houston, Texas, October 9, 2024) … The final round of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Championship Series and the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) Championship head to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for the 27th annual Motul Petit Le Mans. This popular 10-hour race will be held October 9-12 at the 2.54-mile, 12-turn Braselton, Georgia road course.

    Risi Competizione, the fan-favorite Houston, Texas-based Ferrari team will bring their No. 62 Ferrari 296 GT3 GTD Pro class car to close out the season. The driver line up includes Ferrari factory drivers Italian Davide Rigon and Brazilian Daniel Serra, who have competed with Risi in the IMEC series for the previous four rounds, plus Alessandro Pier Guidi, who was a co-driver in the team’s victory at the Rolex 24 At Daytona this past January. Pier Guidi also paired with the duo of Rigon and Serra last year at Petit Le Mans, where they finished third on the podium.

    This year’s IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Series finale will feature 54 entries, including 13 in the GTD Pro class in which Risi Competizione competes. Another Ferrari 296 GT3 team is entered in the GTD Pro class, with former Risi driver Toni Vilander at the wheel. Additionally, five Ferraris are entered in the GTD class. All four classes – Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), and Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) will compete together.

    The Risi Competizione team won the inaugural IMEC championship in 2022 and continues to chase their second title this year.

    The team’s race record in the IMEC series this year includes a class victory at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, a second-place finish at the 12 Hours of Sebring, 11th place at the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, and ninth at the 6 Hours of Indianapolis.

    Risi Competizione boasts a storied history at Road Atlanta, having won the inaugural Petit Le Mans in 1998 with a Ferrari 333 SP. The team has since collected additional victories at the scenic North Georgia road course in 2008 and 2009 with the Ferrari 430 GT, as well as in 2016 and 2019 with the Ferrari 488 GTE.

    Quotes:

    Davide Rigon, driver, No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3:

    “I’m very happy to be back at Petit. It’s a very nice track and I really like it. It will be very busy with the traffic and as we’ve seen at Indianapolis and other races this year, the strategy will be very, very important. With all the cars there is likely to be many yellows (flags) so the strategy will be very important. Last year we had a good car to be fast. Let’s see, we are ready, have a super team and we’ll work for the best outcome. I think we will try to defend the championship but first of all try to do the best and then we’ll see about the championship.”

    Daniel Serra, driver, No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3:

    “It’s great to be back at Petit Le Mans. It’s one of my favorite tracks. We have a good history there with some victories and some podiums. It will be nice to end the season with Risi again. We still have a chance in the endurance championship (IMEC) and our focus is to fight for it until the last lap. I’m looking forward to this weekend.”

    Alessandro Pier Guidi driver, No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3:

    “It’s always a pleasure to be here in the U.S. with Risi. After winning Daytona, I’m back for Petit. We won three years ago, and we were on the podium last year so we will try again. There is still a hope to win the IMEC championship for the guys so we will push hard to try to make it. For sure to win Petit again, which is an amazing race, would be the best closing of the year, starting with the victory in Daytona and closing victory at Petit. We never give up and we try strong and try to win this race.”

    The race is set to start at 12:10 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 12, with live television coverage on NBC beginning at 12:00 noon for three hours. Fans can also enjoy flag-to-flag streaming on Peacock, which will carry the full 10-hour race starting at noon. Additionally, IMSA’s YouTube channel will provide a live international feed outside the U.S., while IMSA Radio will cover select sessions live at IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com.

    Qualifying for the GTD Pro class will take place on Friday, October 11, at 3:25 p.m. ET for a duration of 15 minutes. This session will be available for viewing on Peacock and IMSA.com. All times are Eastern.

    Sponsors for the 2024 season for Risi Competizione include Pennzoil, Ferrari of Houston, OMP Racing and DEA.

    For more information and social media about the team, please see www.risicompetizione.com and follow us on Facebook/RisiCompetizione and Twitter @RisiComp and on Instagram/RisiComp.

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

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

    CHEVROLET IN NHRA
    2024 TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS
    TEXAS MOTORPLEX
    ENNIS, TEXAS
    TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE | NOTES & STATS
    OCTOBER 11-13, 2024

    CHEVROLET CONTINUES THE HUNT FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP IN FUNNY CAR AND PRO STOCK AT THE TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS

    Notes:

    • The fourth of six events in the Countdown to the Championship, Team Chevy heads to Texas Motorplex for the Texas NHRA FallNationals Oct. 11-13.
    • Capturing his first win behind the wheel of a Funny Car since returning to competition and giving Chevrolet a strong hold on first and second, Jack Beckman, who is racing on behalf of John Force, moved Force up to second in the point standings after his St. Louis win just 105 back from teammate Austin Prock.
    • Beckman currently has a round win-loss record of 12-4 in the five races he’s competed in since returning to competition after four years.
    • With two wins in three events during the Countdown to the Championship and seven victories this season in 10 final round appearances, Prock holds strongly the championship standings lead over Beckman and seeks a return to the Winner’s Circle in Dallas this weekend.
    • Prock, who has shown he’s a natural behind the wheel of a Funny Car in his first season in the category, has a staggering round win-loss record of 44-10. Additionally, he’s captured 12 No. 1 qualifiers in 2024.
    • Racing to Round 2 at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis, Brittany Force has been fast in qualifying, earning her third No. 1 qualifier recently at Charlotte 2. Force currently sits eighth in Top Fuel standings, just 173 points behind the leader.
    • Racing to his fifth win of the 2024 season, Dallas Glenn currently leads the Pro Stock points chase over Aaron Stanfield by 31 points. Glenn, who captured the fifth victory at World Wide Technology Raceway, looks to head to Dallas to expand his lead while only 116 points separate the top-four.

    Quotes:

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

    “I’m excited to get back into the seat of our AAA Chevy Camaro SS. (It’s a) big weekend ahead with the Stampede of Speed. We always love heading to Dallas with the Myer family. They have a great facility for us racers and fans and we are looking for a strong start to this last 3-race dash to end The Countdown.”

    JACK BECKMAN, DRIVER OF THE PEAK ANTIFREEZE AND COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS FUNNY CAR:

    “There is no greater motivation for the next race than winning the previous race! After what our Peak Chevy team was able to do for John (Force) in St. Louis, every man on that team is ready and prepared for a repeat. As if I needed any extra incentive, Dallas holds special meaning for me. I attended the very first national event they held there, in 1986. My USAF buddy and I drove 500 miles, one way, in his Chevy Chevette. Dallas was also the site of (what I thought was) my last event win, back in 2020. Now, with a renewed passion for driving, a team fresh from winning, and my 87-year-old father less than an hour’s drive…I can’t wait!”

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

    “Closing in on the end of the season as we head to Dallas, Texas this weekend. The Texas Motorplex is a race track our team is very familiar with and we have previous wins here. With four qualifying runs, we plan to qualify top five and earn bonus points along the way. We are sitting eighth in points and still have a good chance to continue moving up.

    This event is a unique one on our circuit beginning with a fan fest on Thursday in downtown Waxahachie, then a chance for a team to win extra cash on Friday night. The fans pack always pack the Motorplex and I’m excited to get this weekend started!”

    How to Watch:

    The Texas NHRA FallNationals from the Texas Motorplex air first with Friday and Saturday qualifying on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Sunday’s finals air following, also on FS1, at 4 p.m. ET. Coverage streams live throughout the weekend on NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

    TEAM CHEVY BY THE NUMBERS:

    1,460: Round wins for John Force (1st all-time).

    626: Round wins for Robert Hight; 13th all-time. Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), sits 12th, with 633.

    167: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for John Force (1st all-time).

    169: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins since 1967.

    84: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Robert Hight (6th all-time). Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) is fifth with 88.

    89: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins with the Camaro SS body.

    49: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Brittany Force.

    28: Number of NHRA championships Chevrolet holds as a manufacturer since entering the first in 1966. This is the seventh-consecutive award and ninth in 11 seasons. No other manufacturer has won it more than Chevrolet.

    26: Wins by John Force in a Chevrolet-bodied Funny Car.

    20: Chevrolet career Top Fuel wins in NHRA.

    16: Number of Chevrolet career wins by Brittany Force.

    7: Number of Funny Car driver championships.

    2: Number of Top Fuel driver championships.

    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.

  • Crawford Keeps F2 Team, Updates Targets

    Crawford Keeps F2 Team, Updates Targets

    Young Texan Targeting top three in F2 Championship to close 2024 and prepares for additional F1 outings and more

    HOUSTON, TX (9 Oct. 2024) –While the FIA Formula 2 schedule takes a two month break between races, there has been no slowing down for aspiring American Formula 1 driver Jak Crawford, who has confirmed plans to return to F2 with his Lucas Oil DAMS Racing team for the 2025 season.

    Crawford currently holds fifth in the F2 championship standings, and is looking to make a strong closeout of the year to move to third in the overall title standings in the final two events of the season.

    “We look forward to finishing the season strong,” said the 19 year old Texan racer. “We are close to our top three goal, but we have never competed for the top spot. The new car just didn’t work for us at enough places this year, but we are hopeful we can turn it around with two race weekends to go.”

    The new for 2024 F2 car created engineering challenges up and down the paddock. DAMS has been tested to be consistent from weekend to weekend, especially in qualifying.

    “With DAMS, we are going to come back stronger in 2025,” said Crawford. “I have never been in a team for two years in a row, and we are determined as a group to win the championship in 2025. Racing is a team sport, not an individual sport. We will do it together and it will be rewarding.”

    Beyond his F2 schedule, Crawford has continued to make progress on his ultimate ambition, to race in Formula 1. Having adapted quickly in his multiple outings behind the wheel of the 2022 Aston Martin Aramco 2022 F1 car, Crawford is looking forward to his upcoming F1 car outings as the season ends.

    “Of course the highlights of the year have been the time in the F1 car, and there is still more to come with a couple of additional opportunities for me yet in 2024.”

    Jak has been involved even more with Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team than anticipated coming in to the season, as the squad has tapped into his strong contributions in the sim, as well as expanding his role with the commercial marketing support for the growing team.

    “I have found a great new home at Aston Martin Aramco and for 2025, and into 2026 we will continue to add extensive F1 sim time while building on the commercial relationships, especially in the USA as we end the year,” said Crawford.

    Beyond the confirmation of his return to Formula 2 next season, there are some additional exciting future announcements to come before his return to race action in Lusail, Qatar in November.

    “I have been chasing F1 since I was 12 years old and we are close now and not going to give up now,” said Crawford, who has also grown his management team. “I will continue to build on my professionalism and take on short term pro driver opportunities that don’t get in the way of my F1 future.”

    Crawford is staying put for 2025 but also making some big internal changes. Having left the Red Bull program following last season, decision making was purposely slowed down, but now with sound footing found there are various support personnel changes that have occurred.

    “I have another year promised with Aston Martin Aramco. Maybe I will find an F1 opportunity with them, or maybe not, said Crawford. “One change we made is bringing in Harry Soden and the team at Infinity Sports Management to assist with how I can be on the F1 grid as early as 2026, but no later than 2027.”

    As the pace continues for Crawford, he continues to keep his eyes on his ultimate goal and will look to make more progress as he eyes the upcoming outing for F2 in Qatar on November 1.

  • FUNNY CAR VETERAN RON CAPPS LOOKS FOR SUCCESS AT TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS TO CLOSE OUT STAMPEDE OF SPEED

    FUNNY CAR VETERAN RON CAPPS LOOKS FOR SUCCESS AT TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS TO CLOSE OUT STAMPEDE OF SPEED

    ENNIS, Texas (Oct. 8, 2024) – Three-time Funny Car champion Ron Capps is no stranger to winning NHRA Mission Food Drag Racing Series races, especially recently at the Texas Motorplex, home of the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals, which is the main event of the 10-day Stampede of Speed. This weekend, Capps will be looking to make a splash to open the second half of the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

    Capps and his 11,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra team have three wins at the legendary facility and after four final round finishes this season, Capps, who is fourth in points, hopes this weekend’s Texas NHRA FallNationals is where he breaks through for his first win of the year.

    “The old cliché of ‘everything’s bigger in Texas’ definitely holds true for us in the NHRA,” Capps said. “The FallNationals is what I call a momentum weekend and it always has been. It’s either going to put you in the place you want to be with two races left to go in the Countdown to the Championship, or it can be the place that takes you completely out of the hunt.”

    Last season, Leah Pruett (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all collected NHRA wins in Dallas and this year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage airing at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday Oct. 13. It is the fourth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship and the 18th of 20 races during the 2024 season.

    A Texas-sized playoff showdown starts with “Friday Night Live,” which offers more than $40,000 in bonus money to the stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle. The low qualifier under the lights on Friday night will net Top Fuel and Funny Car stars $15,000 each in bonus money, with $7,500 going to the quickest qualifier in Pro Stock and $5,000 in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

    Capps picked up wins in Dallas in back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022, victories that paved the way for back-to-back world championships as well. He is currently fourth in the Funny Car points standings, following his recent runner-up finish in St. Louis to Jack Beckman, who is racing in place of John Force, and is 194 points out of first.

    If Capps wants to be in the championship hunt, he’ll need to get past points leader Austin Prock, who has seven wins on the season and won the first two races in the playoffs. Beckman sits second (105 points back) and Bob Tasca III in third (-159), thanks to his three wins this season. Reigning champion and defending Texas NHRA FallNationals winner Hagan rounds out the top five, and Capps knows he has work to do to stay alive in the title hunt and also pick up his long-awaited first victory of the season.

    “In the years we won the championship and had good seasons where we battled for the title, the Dallas race at Texas Motorplex was always one that was sort of a make it or break it for us, and a lot of other teams as well,” said Capps, who has 76 career victories. “So for us, we’re looking to this race to build on the momentum our NAPA Auto Care team has after coming off another final round in St. Louis.”

    Top Fuel’s Pruett stepped out of her dragster at the start of the season and headed driving duties over to her husband and motorsports legend Tony Stewart. Stewart, a four-time winner at Texas Motor Speedway, has a runner-up finish to his credit this season and will be looking for his first career Top Fuel win. He’ll be up against points leader and three-time champion Antron Brown, standout Justin Ashley, former champ Shawn Langdon and reigning champion Doug Kalitta.

    Enders, a Texas native, has three wins at the Texas Motorplex. She’s looking for her first win since the season-opener while trying to track down points leader Dallas Glenn, who has back-to-back wins, teammate Aaron Stanfield and longtime rival Greg Anderson.

    Herrera won the Texas NHRA FallNationals last year, setting class records in the process, en route to the world title. He’s back in the points lead after his St. Louis win. The six-time champ Matt Smith is in second, while others to watch include John Hall, Angie Smith, 2023 NHRA Rookie of the Year Chase Van Sant, Richard Gadson and Jianna Evaristo.

    The Texas NHRA FallNationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which includes some of the sport’s top drivers and begins racing on Wednesday. The weekend will include the exciting new Holley EFI Factory X category and the Jr. Dragster Shootout, as well as a jet dragster exhibition after nitro qualifying on Friday.

    Fans will also be treated to the JEG’s Allstar event, which pits sportsman racers from across the country against each other for the ultimate drag racing battle. After a successful first year at the famed Texas Motorplex in 2023, the unique specialty race is back as a major highlight of the 2024 Stampede of Speed as one of most highly-anticipated sportsman events of the year.

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

    As always, fans can get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food, and fun.

    Leading into the race, fans can take part in several events as part of the 10-day Stampede for Speed festival. That includes the Champions’ Dinner (October 9, 6 p.m.) and the Pre-Stage Fan Fest at Railyard Park in downtown Waxahachie (October 10, 6 p.m.), where fans can meet and get autographs from all the top stars in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and the JEGS Allstars participants.

    NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:15 and 7:00 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 11, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 12:00 and 3:00 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, Oct. 13. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday and as well as action from eliminations at 4 p.m.

    To purchase tickets to the Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, call 800-668-6775 or visit tickets.texasmotorplex.com. Children 12 and under are admitted free in general admissions areas with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

    About Mission Foods

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

    About NHRA

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