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Other series racing

  • CLARIOS AND OPTIMA BATTERIES ANNOUNCE INDY NXT MILWAUKEE SPONSORSHIP WITH RISING STAR YUVEN SUNDARAMOORTHY

    CLARIOS AND OPTIMA BATTERIES ANNOUNCE INDY NXT MILWAUKEE SPONSORSHIP WITH RISING STAR YUVEN SUNDARAMOORTHY

    The battery industry powerhouses plan to support Wisconsin driver at ‘hometown” INDY NXT event in Milwaukee

    GLENDALE, WI (Aug. 28, 2024) – Clarios, the world’s largest supplier of low-voltage batteries and solutions, as well as the company behind OPTIMA Batteries, has announced an exciting new collaboration with INDY NXT driver Yuven Sundaramoorthy. With the next round of the INDY NXT series near Clarios’ and OPTIMA Batteries’ headquarters, the team looks to debut a new look for hometown hero Sundaramoorthy’s car on the starting grid at the Hy-Vee Milwaukee 100 race on August 31.

    Clarios and OPTIMA Batteries are slated to support INDY NXT rising star Yuven Sundaramoorthy.

    INDY NXT, formerly known as Indy Lites, is an explosively popular open-wheel racing series that feeds directly into INDYCAR, the premier open-wheel racing series in the United States. Featuring a lineup of 16 or more cars, INDY NXT is part of the Road to Indy developmental program. It is the final step for drivers before joining the elite ranks of INDYCAR, with 14 races on America’s most challenging raceways.

    Yuven Sundaramoorthy rose rapidly through the ranks of USF Pro 2000, USF2000, F1600 and karting to become the first Indian-American driver to win an INDYCAR-sanctioned event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2021 and again in 2022 as part of the USF2000 Championship. In 2024, Sundaramoorthy continues his INDY NXT push as a full-time driver for Abel Motorsports, now with support from Clarios and Optima Batteries. Most recently, he claimed his first-ever podium finish in INDY NXT at Worldwide Technology Raceway in St. Louis, Missouri, on August 18.

    The Abel Motorsporrts car driven by Sundaramoorthy will feature a new Clarios-Optima livery for the upcoming round of Indy NXT in Milwaukee.

    The upcoming Hy-Vee Milwaukee 100 race on August 31 will showcase the debut of the Clarios-Optima Batteries-backed Abel Motorsports car driven by Sundaramoorthy.

    “The heart of OPTIMA Batteries is with motorsports and enthusiasts,” said Marketing Director of OPTIMA Batteries Cameron Douglass. “We are constantly looking for new ways to align with drivers and race teams to help take our products to the next level.”

    Fans can see the Clarios-Optima INDY NXT race car in person at the Milwaukee 100 in West Allis, Wisconsin, or live exclusively on Peacock starting at 2:50 p.m. CT on Saturday, August 31. In addition to roaring around the racetrack, the CLARIOS-OPTIMA INDY NXT car will also be at a variety of events.

    For more information on how to see Sundaramoorthy and the CLARIOS-OPTIMA Batteries INDY NXT car in action, click here.

    About Clarios
    Clarios is the global leader in advanced, low-voltage battery technologies for mobility. Our batteries and smart solutions power nearly every type of vehicle and are found in 1 of 3 cars on the road today. With around 18,000 employees in over 100 countries, we bring deep expertise to our Aftermarket and OEM partners, and reliability, safety and comfort to everyday lives. We answer to the planet with a rigorous sustainability focus – advancing best-in-class sustainability practices and advocating for them across our industry. We work to ensure 100% of our products sold are recyclable, and we recycle 8,000 batteries an hour in our network. Clarios is a Brookfield portfolio company.

    About OPTIMA® Batteries
    OPTIMA high-performance automotive, marine and heavy-duty AGM batteries are manufactured by Clarios, LLC, the world’s largest manufacturer of automotive batteries. OPTIMA REDTOP®, YELLOWTOP® and BLUETOP® batteries feature state-of-the-art SPIRALCELL TECHNOLOGY®. This patented design allows OPTIMA batteries to deliver superior performance in both starting and deep cycling applications. The OPTIMA product family also includes a line of Digital Chargers, with advanced multi-stage charging to charge and maintain a variety of vehicle batteries, maximizing battery life and performance. The newest additions to the OPTIMA YELLOWTOP line are now offered in DIN group sizes H6 and H7. This offering allows a variety of modern vehicles, ranging from late-model domestic performance to European models, to experience the power and performance of OPTIMA Batteries. To learn more or to purchase OPTIMA products, please visit www.optimabatteries.com, call 1-888-8OPTIMA (1-888-867-8462) or find @OPTIMABatteries on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

  • Mazda MX-5 Cup Completes Successful Open Test at Martinsville

    Mazda MX-5 Cup Completes Successful Open Test at Martinsville

    Teams prepare for October 26 exhibition race

    MARTINSVILLE, Va. (Aug. 28, 2024) – The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin welcomed teams and drivers to an open test at Martinsville Speedway on Monday in preparation for the series’ oval track debut on October 26. The highly competitive series, which traditionally stages races on a select schedule of some of North Americas most compelling road and street circuits, will innovate with a first-ever oval event at the revered half-mile Virginia bullring.

    More than 20 drivers participated in the test and included a mix of Mazda MX-5 Cup regulars as well as drivers with ARCA, CARS Tour and other oval experience, but zero time in a MX-5 Cup car.

    The test consisted of two, two-hour long sessions, the second of which was held in the evening and under the lights. The second session also gave competitors the chance to practice race starts.

    The Virginia is for Race Lovers event at Martinsville Speedway partners MX-5 Cup with the Whelen Modifieds Tour on October 26. The race will be a non-points race for MX-5 Cup, and instead offer prize money including $15,000 to the winner. A livestream will be available on the RACER and IMSA YouTube channels.

    Quotes from Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup test at Martinsville

    Nate Cicero, No. 83 McCumbee McAleer Racing
    “I’ve never driven anything on an oval at all, so this is a really cool experience. The cars are actually pretty fun to drive. You just have to treat it like regular corners on any other track. But I think it’ll be pretty difficult to race and pass with how close everyone’s gonna be, but I think it’ll be super cool.”

    Jared Thomas, No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering
    “I’d say the biggest difference that I found was just the changing groove, or the groove that you’re running and how it affects the race car. It’s something I played around with as we went through the tire life changing. Where you ran on the track really adjusted how the car drove. You know, not saying it’s faster slower, but getting comfortable with it.”

    “I would expect it [the race] to be pretty racy. I got out there and passed some cars and ran side by side, and the cars seem to run well. The top groove is definitely there, and the guy who’s on top can make it very, very difficult for the car on the bottom. I think it’ll put on a good show.”

    Sally Mott, No. 15 Spark Performance
    “I think that Martinsville is really fun. Definitely a different driving style, but it’s more about digging and getting the most out of the car and the track. I thought it was fun. I’m having a good time and I think the racing will be interesting.

    “I think right now, it’s getting off the brake and trying to carry as much mid-corner speed as possible. We’re also working on the setup, which we’re finding some nuggets of speed everywhere. So, yeah, it’s just about getting the car to turn as fast as possible without scrubbing off too much speed.”

    Brandon Pierce, No. 2 Carroll Speedshop in CARS Tour
    “I got introduced to this because of Chad [McCumbee]. I raced with him on the CARS Tour and in the late model stock stuff. Weeks ago, back at the track he asked me if I’d be interested. I told him, ‘are you serious?’ And he’s like, ‘heck yeah.’

    “It’s kind of like a full-blown mini stock I guess, would be the closest thing us oval track guys would convert it to, but they’re a ton of fun to drive. For me, in the late model stock stuff, we don’t downshift any during the race, so that’s been the biggest learning curve for me. Towards the end of that first session, I started kind of getting the hang of it, and we’re in the ballpark. The main thing is just having fun and these little cars are a lot of fun to drive. It’s just a joy to be here and do something different from what I’m accustomed to.”

    Jonathan Applegate, Senior Manager, Mazda Motorsports
    “If the test was this much fun, I can’t wait until we’re racing. We’re so grateful for everyone that made this test possible. It confirms what we thought; that MX-5 Cup drivers would take quickly to Martinsville and be very close in lap times. It was great to see some new faces from other racing series join us for the test and we’re getting ready to announce some special entrants that the fans are going to love.”

    About: The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup awards more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships.

    Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

  • TeamSLR Set for Canadian Tire Motorport Park

    TeamSLR Set for Canadian Tire Motorport Park

    Pro-Am Challenge Leader Barry Boes Welcomes Back 16-Year-Old Julian DaCosta

    ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (Aug. 28, 2024) – Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, which began its life as an iconic road-racing circuit known as Mosport Park, plays host to its first Trans Am Series Presented by Pirelli headline event since 2014 this weekend, and TeamSLR and its M1 Racecars equipment are ready for the challenge with drivers Barry Boes, the TA2 Pro-Am Challenge-class frontrunner, and 16-year-old Julian DaCosta, who will be making his second career TA2 start.

    When Trans Am competitors last turned laps on the 2.459-mile, 10-turn circuit about an hour’s drive north and east of Toronto eight seasons ago, it was Canadian road-racing veteran and former NASCAR road-course ringer Ron Fellows who scored the victory. Just two of the 27 drivers entered in Saturday’s 41-lap, 75-minute race took part in that 2014 race – Amy Ruman in the TA class, who was runner-up to Fellows by a scant 1.892 seconds, and Tom Sheehan, who with Boes is chasing this year’s Pro-Am Challenge championship.

    Boes, driver of the No. 27 Accio Data/SLR-M1 Racecars Ford Mustang, hits town this weekend with a 102-point lead in the Pro-Am Challenge standings after scoring his fifth class win in nine races this season last Friday at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. Boes’ most recent class victory came after he was spun from behind on the second lap of the race, then forced to limp his racecar back to the pits with a flat right-rear tire for a quick tire change before resuming on the lead lap in 26th place. He made a determined drive the rest of the way, picking up 16 spots en route to his top-10 overall finish. He looks to continue that momentum this weekend in his first career visit to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, just two races removed from his first career Cube 3 Architecture TA2 Series Western Championship victory July 27 at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway, and his fourth-place finish with co-driver Greg Biffle the previous weekend in the SpeedTour All-Star Race at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut.

    Joining Boes and TeamSLR in the M1 Racecars camp for the second time this season is DaCosta, who enjoyed a solid, workmanlike TA2 Series debut April 13 at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, Louisiana. The teenage driving prodigy from Myakka City, Florida, who’ll be behind the wheel of the No. 17 Powered by Hixon/Austin Hatcher Foundation/SLR-M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro this weekend, qualified ninth and fought his way to an 11th-place finish after getting shoved off the track in the opening laps of the race at NOLA. DaCosta hopes to benefit from recent experience at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park this weekend. A fulltime competitor in the Mazda MX-5 Cup Series this season, he took part in the series’ weekend doubleheader at the track July 13-14, scoring an impressive runner-up finish from the 20th starting position in the second of two races.

    Riding along with this weekend’s TeamSLR drivers and their M1 Racecars, as it has all season long, is Nashville, Tennessee-based Franklin Road Apparel Company, which has been a longtime team supporter.

    M1 Racecars was represented on the podium at 12 of the 13 TA2 rounds in 2023, highlighted by a pair of victories by Rafa Matos for Peterson Racing. Team SLR’s Dillon Machavern and Thad Moffitt both scored podium finishes, as did Connor Mosack at the season-opening event at Sebring, when he qualified on the pole and led the first 19 laps of the race before finishing third. Evan Slater earned TeamSLR’s first podium finish of 2024 Memorial Day weekend with his second-place finish at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut, and Kvapil followed with his podium in the series’ inaugural race at Pittsburgh. Austin Green of Peterson Racing added a podium finish of second for M1 Racecars last weekend at Watkins Glen.

    This weekend’s CTMP SpeedTour kicks off with a three-pack of test sessions Thursday at 10 a.m., noon and 2:40 p.m. EDT. Official practice is set for 11:50 a.m. Friday, followed by qualifying at 3:50 p.m. Race time is 2:15 p.m. Saturday with live television provided by series partner MAVTV, augmented by live-streaming video on the Trans Am and SpeedTour channels on YouTube. MAVTV will air a 60-minute race show at 8 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Sept. 12.

    Barry Boes, Driver, No. 27 Accio Data/SLR-M1 Racecars Ford Mustang:

    Your overall thoughts as you head to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for the first time this weekend?

    “It looks like a really fun track, and it starts with a really interesting turn one. It’s blind, it’s fast, it crests over a hill, there’s a wall on the other side of it, and you have to carry a lot of speed through it because there’s kind of a straight after you get through it. You’ve got to work your way up to it, but once you get your confidence up on your way through it, then it’s go time. I’m going to have to get up to speed quickly since I’ve never been there before. But we have more than the usual amount of track time, so that’ll definitely help.”

    What are your impressions of the track based on your preparation?

    “I’ve watched videos, it looks like a tricky track, it looks like a fun track, there’s a lot of blind stuff, and there are some nice concrete walls that I really don’t want to have to encounter. There are plenty of sim resources out there, but the sim resources, when you go to a track that doesn’t have a lot of concrete walls everywhere, work a little better because the walls can appear a little intimidating. But that was the case before I first went to Watkins Glen back in the day and it turned out pretty well.”

    What’s your approach to getting up to speed on a track you’re driving on for the first time?

    “I’ve actually gotten pretty good at finding success at tracks my first time there. The first time I ever went to Portland (in July), I actually won there. I’ve been to enough different kinds of tracks that usually ‘this is like that,’ and ‘that is like that from another track.’ And you kind of put it all together in your mind after you go around there a few times, and kind of a la carte you pick and choose how you get through best at those kind of segments at other tracks.”

    How does it change the complexion of the race when you have all of the Trans Am classes on track at the same time, and how do you deal with it?

    “Well, I have excellent spotters, and having fantastic spotters is an absolute must this weekend. The TA cars come up on you fast, and it is essentially a sprint race and they don’t have time to wait for you to get out of their way. So you’ve got to know when they’re coming and you’ve got to be prepared for where you’re going to go, and you have to let them by when they get to you whether it’s convenient or not. You can drive in your mirrors the entire race and you can get wrecked, or you can have great spotters, and having great spotters is what I’ve got and it’s the best way to go.”

    Julian DaCosta, Driver, No. 17 Powered by Hixon/Austin Hatcher Foundation SLR-M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro:

    You’ll be one of the few drivers in the race this weekend with any firsthand experience on the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park circuit after your successful Mazda MX-5 Cup Series weekend there in July. Your thoughts?

    “When we were there with IMSA, race one didn’t go our way and I ended up starting race two from the back and ended up finishing second. That race was really good, obviously. It lifted our spirits up from the day before, when we didn’t even finish. It’s a really fun track, so I’m pretty excited.”

    Based on your experience on that track, how are you expecting things to go in your TeamSLR M1 Racecars equipment there?

    “I definitely think it’s going to be different in TA2 just because of how the car is, fundamentally, but I think there are a lot of things that I can transfer over, especially momentum. TA2, obviously you have a ton of horsepower and it’s a big car, so a lot of people assume you can just throw it in and drive it out. But at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, I’m pretty confident that whoever can roll the most speed is going to be able to build a pretty good gap. I guess we’ll see, but that’s what I think it’s going to come down to. I’ve looked over the entry list and I think there are a good many drivers who are going to be able to do that.”

    Your first race with TeamSLR at NOLA in April was the typical race with all TA2 cars in the field. This weekend, there will be five different classes of racecars, from the big TA cars to the various GT classes. How are you preparing to deal with that?

    “To be completely honest, I’m not really thinking about that much. For me, that’s something you get on track – you think about it before you get on track and before the race about what to expect from some of the fast cars and the slower cars. Obviously, you go into the race cautiously and knowing there’s going to be different speed variations, but it’s not something you can really plan beforehand. NOLA for us was really good. Obviously, being our first race in TA2, it went well. The team did a great job putting the car together and getting me comfortable. In the race, we had a pretty good start up until turn one – we got turned going into turn one – and we made it back to finish 11th. Obviously that’s not where we wanted to be, but I think it was a pretty solid run for our first race. The team did great. I loved the environment, everything about it, they did a great job on the car throughout the whole weekend. I’m really looking forward to this weekend, especially knowing this track and how these cars are going to handle on this track.”

    About TeamSLR:

    TeamSLR (Scott Lagasse Racing) competes fulltime in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s newly renamed Cube 3 Architecture TA2 Series in a multifaceted effort that includes dedicated entries in the TA2 division, customer programs, driver coaching and car construction. Its history dates back to 1985 and covers a wide spectrum of motorsports, including NASCAR, IMSA, SCCA, ARCA and ASA. TeamSLR is a family-owned organization run by Scott Lagasse Sr., and Scott Lagasse Jr., The father-and-son duo have combined to win more than 120 races and seven championships across a variety of series and styles of racecars, from paved ovals to road courses to dirt tracks. For more information, please visit us online at www.TeamSLR.com, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram and on LinkedIn.

  • Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Lamborghini Super Trofeo Stable Takes on the Circuit of the Americas

    Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Lamborghini Super Trofeo Stable Takes on the Circuit of the Americas

    AUSTIN, Texas (August 27, 2024) — The Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) Lamborghini Super Trofeo (LST) team will continue its championship efforts at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Rounds 7 and 8 of the LST North America Championship. With 43 cars set to compete in the two 50-minute rounds, all four WTRAndretti driver pairings remain in championship contention across the PRO, PRO|AM and AM classes. The team will join the World Endurance Championship to take on COTA’s challenging 20 turns across the 3.426-mile track.

    Danny Formal and Ryan Norman will return to their No. 1 WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán LST after the duo secured their first win of the 2024 LST North America season at Watkins Glen International. The No. 1 car now sits in third in the PRO class championship standings, with just ten points separating Formal and Norman from the lead. After a double podium finish at Watkins Glen, the driver duo will look to continue their momentum as they enter the second half of the season and make a charge for the championship lead.

    Nate Stacy and Nick Persing will continue their championship hunt in the No. 8 WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán LST. A mixed weekend at Watkins Glen saw the duo drop to fourth in the PRO|AM championship, with misfortune ruining their race in the fifth round. However, the pair recovered well, taking a podium in the sixth round of LST North America competition in order to keep their championship hopes intact.

    In the No. 10 DEX Imaging WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán LST, Graham Doyle and Ashton Harrison continue the momentum from Watkins Glen. Two solid finishes by the driver pair across the weekend saw the No. 10 team jump in the AM championship standings as they took their first podium of the season in the fifth round. Entering the second half of the season, both Doyle and Harrison look to continue their positive trajectory.

    Anthony McIntosh and Glenn McGee return to pilot the No. 69 Global Power Components WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán LST as the duo looks to string together strong results to regain their championship lead in the AM class. In the last four rounds of the 2024 LST North America season, the driver pair has either stood on the podium or been struck by misfortune during the race. Now sitting in second in the AM championship, McIntosh and McGee will look to regain their consistency from the first rounds as they enter the second half of the season.
    The WTRAndretti LST stable will log their first laps around the Circuit of the Americas at 10:20 a.m. CDT on Friday, August 30, with qualifying and the first race of the doubleheader commencing at 9:30 a.m. CDT and 6:10 p.m. CDT respectively on Saturday, August 31. The second race of the weekend will take place at 9:50 a.m. CDT on Sunday, September 1. Rounds 7 and 8 LST North America Championship from Circuit of the Americas will be streamed live on Peacock.

    Ryan Norman, No. 1 WTRAndretti LST (PRO): “I’m feeling really good going into COTA race weekend! We had a great couple days of testing and made huge improvements in our car and it was a lot more comfortable over long run pace. We had a strong race weekend in Watkins Glen with a win and 2nd place and Danny and I will be looking to continue that consistency through the rest of the season.”

    Danny Formal, No. 1 WTRAndretti LST (PRO): “COTA is up next. This was my first ever race that I did with WTRAndretti back in 2021. Kyle (Marcelli) and I got our first podium in our first race with the team, so super excited to get back there. Our test earlier in the month, we did really well. We tried a lot of stuff and we found really good balance for the car. It’s going to be extremely hot, probably one of the hottest races I’ve ever done in my life, so super excited to get going. So proud of this WTRAndretti team. We’re sitting third in the championship, a few points from the lead. Excited to get going at COTA, get back with the crew, Ryan Norman, and hopefully put the number one car where it belongs.”

    Nate Stacy, No. 8 WTRAndretti LST (PRO|AM): “Excited to be back at the track this weekend in the No. 8. After doing some testing here recently with the team, I am confident we have a good racecar and can have some good results!”

    Nick Persing, No. 8 WTRAndretti LST (PRO|AM): “I’m really excited to be back at COTA – it was one of my first podiums when I was racing F4 back in the day. I’ve had a lot of time at the track and hope that I can make that track time translate. The test went pretty well earlier this month. It was a little tricky adjusting to the drive style around the track in a GT car rather than a formula car, but I have no doubt I’ll figure it out by the time the race weekend comes and have a feeling it’ll be a good weekend for Nate and I.”

    Graham Doyle, No. 10 DEX Imaging WTRAndretti LST (AM): “Looking ahead to my debut in the No. 10 DEX Imaging LST with Ashton. I really how can’t express how excited I am. First, just to get back in the car. It’s been a long break since Watkins Glen, so it’s going to be awesome to be back with the team again and get back to racing. Second, getting to work with Ashton further and continue progressing on our goals we set for the season and our continued improvements race after race. I think COTA will be a place we can really showcase those. As we reach the midpoint in the season and midway in the points, Ashton and I are looking to capitalize on a very strong test we recently had and looking ahead to getting some solid finishes and points that will hopefully leave us in a good position in the standings heading to the final round.”

    Ashton Harrison, No. 10 DEX Imaging WTRAndretti LST (AM): “Looking forward to going back to COTA in Super Trofeo. WTRAndretti has had a lot of success there and I’ve personally had some success there in a variety of cars, so I’m looking being at as infamous of a track as COTA. Getting to experience this with Graham, his first time at our test, he did an amazing job – that track is pretty challenging. Looking forward to racing in the AM category and continuing our podium success. As we are winding down the season here in the U.S., preparing for our European tour at World Finals, I’m looking forward to working with Graham and continuing our success with WTRAndretti.”

    Anthony McIntosh, No. 69 Global Power Components WTRAndretti LST (AM): “Glenn and I have prepared quite a bit for this race. The prerace work with the team has been top notch. We are looking forward to racing hard with all the other drivers in the series.”
    ABOUT WTRANDRETTI’S DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
    Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Wayne Taylor Racing, now with Andretti Global (#WTRAndretti), is a leader in sportscar racing, recognized worldwide for fielding championship winning racing efforts since 2007. WTRAndretti has run a stable of championship winning cars and drivers in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series for over half a decade, forming the basis of its Driver Development Program. Since its inception in 2015, the team has clinched eight North American PRO Driver, Team and Dealer Championship titles, fielded the first woman World Finals race winner and became the overall 2017 Champions at the World Finals in Imola, Italy. In addition to its Lamborghini Super Trofeo stable, WTRAndretti fields a two-car GTP program with it Championship winning No 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 and No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 effort as well as GTD program with the No. 45 DEX Imaging Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2.

  • CORVETTE RACING AT COTA: Corvette’s Home Race

    CORVETTE RACING AT COTA: Corvette’s Home Race

    TF Sport looking for season’s best FIA WEC result in series’ lone American stop

    DETROIT (August 27, 2024) – TF Sport and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R program come full-circle this weekend as the FIA World Endurance Championship returns to Circuit of The Americas for the first time since 2020 at the six-hour Lone Star Le Mans.

    Two of the TF Sport-run Corvettes are set for Sunday’s race around the 21-turn, 3.4-mile circuit in Austin. It’s the lone visit to the U.S. for the FIA WEC and the pair of first-year GT3.Rs that are part of the LMGT3 class.

    However, it isn’t the first race for the Corvettes at COTA this season as the Corvette swept both rounds of GT World Challenge America.

    Despite a difference in weather conditions – May vs. September and tires – Pirelli vs. Goodyear – there are significant lessons that can carry over to the WEC round.

    From an engineering perspective, suspension and other points in chassis setup – with validations from Chevrolet’s Driver in the Loop simulator – should provide a solid baseline for when TF Sport arrives at COTA and hits the track for Friday’s first practice.

    The squad has previous success at COTA with a GTE-Am class win in the last FIA WEC event at the track in 2020. Corvette factory driver Charlie Eastwood was part of the winning lineup and was part of the program’s first test with the Corvette Z06 GT3.R roughly a year ago.

    Eastwood will continue in the No. 81 Corvette alongside full-season teammates Tom Van Rompuy and Rui Andrade – each of which will compete at COTA for the first time. So will all three members of the No. 82 Z06 GT3.R lineup: while Hiroshi Koizumi, Sebastien Baud and factory driver Daniel Juncadella, who also tested the Corvette for the first at COTA last August.

    The Lone Star Le Mans is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 1. MotorTrend TV will air live television coverage with streaming coverage on the FIA WEC app and the MAX app in the U.S. Radio Le Mans also will stream audio coverage of Saturday’s final practice and qualifying, plus Sunday’s race.

    TF SPORT PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

    CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “In general it’s a fantastic track. It’s undergone some repaving so it will be interesting to see what happens with that. I have fond memories of COTA. The last time we were there in WEC we won the race, which was a great result. It also was the very first place I got to drive the Z06 GT3.R a year ago in the heat of the summer, which is what we’re going to have. I think it will suit the car very well. Degradation will be a key – in the middle of summer in Austin it’s not going to be cool at all – so managing that from the outset will be important. I’m looking forward to it. Brazil wasn’t a great result but we showed some strong pace, which at the minute is what we need to show. We’ve got a bit of confidence going in.

    “The three sectors are three different racetracks, for sure. The first is super-high speed. You really have to have a good aero platform to get through. It’s still seven corners but they’re almost all high-speed so you need a good car under you. The middle sector is super-tricky with really long apexes and really late apexes. Then going to the final sector you still need a really good car under you. There is a lot of speed so the deg will be high. It’s a really tricky track to get it fully hooked up. It’s a super-long lap with a lot of high-speed corners with a lot of corners… it’ll test both the car and the drivers. Hopefully we can put everything together for a good result.”

    RUI ANDRADE, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m very excited to race in COTA for the first time. The track is incredible and to race a Corvette in the USA is such an amazing opportunity. The season hasn’t been easy for us but we are taking steps forward, and in Brazil we saw some good steps in performance. I can’t wait to hit the track and give it our all to try and chase some trophies.”

    DANIEL JUNCADELLA, NO. 82 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “COTA will be quite a special event for me. I’ve never raced at COTA but I did my first test there in a Corvette GT3 last August. So it’s cool to close out my first proper year of driving Corvettes at COTA. With it being the home WEC race for the Corvette should be a good event. The track is cool. Watching on TV, you always think it’s not super-exciting because there is so much asphalt runoffs there. But when I drove there last year, I was quite impressed by the combination of high-speed corners, the fast changes of direction and elevation. It’s quite interesting and I really enjoyed it, even though I only drove maybe 20 or 25 laps. So it should be cool. It will be difficult to manage the heat so that will play a big role in terms of strategy and how we manage the tires. These are a couple of good ingredients to make the race quite exciting for everybody. Hopefully we can navigate those and get our best result for the season.”

    2024 FIA World Endurance Championship Points

    LMGT3 Drivers Standings

    1. Aliaksandr Malykhin/Joel Sturm/Klaus Bachler – 100
    2. Morris Schuring/Richard Lietz/Yasser Shahin – 75
    3. Augusto Farfus/Darren Leung/Sean Gelael – 74
    4. Alex Riberas/Daniel Mancinelli/Ian James – 55
    5. Alessio Rovera/Francois Heriau/Simon Mann – 49
    6. Charlie Eastwood/Rui Andrade/Tom Van Rompuy – 11
    7. Daniel Juncadella/Hiroshi Koizumi/Sebastien Baud – 10

    LMGT3 Teams Standings

    1. No. 92 Manthey PureRxcing – 100
    2. No. 91 Manthey EMA – 75
    3. No. 31 Team WRT – 74
    4. No. 27 Heart of Racing Team – 55
    5. No. 55 Vista AF Corse – 49
    6. No. 81 TF Sport – 11
    7. No. 82 TF Sport – 10

    CORVETTE RACING AT COTA: By the Numbers

    • 3: Generations of Corvette Racing entries at COTA since 2013 – Corvette C6.R (2013), Corvette C7.R (2014-2019) and the mid-engine Corvette C8.R – which raced at COTA for the first time in WEC competition in 2020 – and Z06 GT3.R, both of which are eighth-gen Corvettes
    • 4: Class wins at COTA for Corvette Racing entries in two championships: IMSA and GT World Challenge America. Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen won twice in ALMS GT/WeatherTech Championship GTLM. Tommy Milner and Alec Udell won in GT World Challenge America earlier this year in the first wins for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R
    • 8: Wins this year for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R including two earlier this year at Circuit of The Americas
    • 14: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001
    • 27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portimão, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen
    • 51: Number of drivers in Corvette Racing entries since 1999. DXDT Racing’s Bryson Morris joined the list at Road America in GT World Challenge America
    • 71: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year
    • 135: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 116 in IMSA, nine at Le Mans, three in the FIA WEC and seven in GT World Challenge America
    • 302: Event starts by Corvette Racing entries since 1999, starting with that year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona. No. 300 came in early August at Road America in IMSA
    • 3845.40: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its eight previous events at Circuit of The Americas. That represents 24 trips across the Texas Panhandle.
    • 387,712.20: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles. That means Corvette Racing has raced to the moon and more than halfway back!

    Corvette Racing at Circuit of The Americas

    2013 – IMSA

    No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 1st in GT

    No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 11th in GT

    2014 – IMSA

    No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 9th in GTLM

    No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 10th in GTLM

    2014 – FIA WEC

    No. 65 Corvette C7.R: Tommy Milner/Jordan Taylor/Ricky Taylor – 7th in GTE Pro (FIA WEC entry)

    2015 – IMSA

    No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen: 6th in GTLM

    No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner: 8th in GTLM

    2016 – IMSA

    No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen: 3rd in GTLM

    No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner: 5th in GTLM

    2017 – IMSA

    No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen: 1st in GTLM

    No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner: 7th in GTLM

    2020 – FIA WEC

    No. 63 Corvette C8.R: Jan Magnussen/Mike Rockenfeller: 6th in GTE Pro

    2024 – GT World Challenge

    No. 63 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Tommy Milner/Alec Udell – 1st,1st in Pro

    No. 08 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Bryan Sellers/Scott Smithson – 6th, 11th in Pro-Am

    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.

  • Four-time Winner at the CTMP, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin Eager to compete in the WeatherTech 200 this Weekend

    Four-time Winner at the CTMP, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin Eager to compete in the WeatherTech 200 this Weekend

    EventWeatherTech 200
    TrackCanadian Tire Motorsport Park (Bowmanville, Ontario), September 1st, 2024
    BroadcastTSN + app (live) | TSN (tape delayed) | RDS (tape delayed) | FloRacing (USA)
    Race2:00 PM E.T. – nascar.ca/race-center/

    Trois-Rivières (Quebec), August 27th, 2024.- After the ICAR event unfortunately shortened by a mechanical failure last Saturday, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin will be on track this weekend as part of a very important race for the NASCAR Canada series and especially the driver of the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab car: the WeatherTech 200 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP), located northeast of Toronto, in Bowmanville.

    The legendary track formerly known as Mosport, which has hosted the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Canada eight times and where Louis-Philippe Dumoulin has won multiple times, including four in the NASCAR Canada series, is hosting another major motorsport event this weekend, featuring the legendary American Trans Am series, where Louis-Philippe Dumoulin has also competed in recent years, and the NASCAR Canada series, which will be the eleventh of thirteen 2024 races.

    “Our expectations were high for the race at the Complexe ICAR last Saturday, unfortunately an engine failure put an early end to our race. What more can I say except that it’s part of motorsport? We now have to focus on the WeatherTech 200. I’ve won four times in NASCAR Canada at CTMP and finished on the podium the last two times I’ve raced there, so of course my expectations are high,” said Louis-Philippe Dumoulin. He specifies: “The doubt is the engine change. Will the new engine be as efficient as the one we had in previous races? We obviously hope so. I don’t start a NASCAR Canada race to finish sixth, I always want to win. We are facing a challenge that the entire Dumoulin Compétition team and the people who work on the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab car want to resolve brilliantly.”

    Third in the season-opening race last May at the CTMP and second in the WeatherTech 200 last year when he had fought a very spectacular battle for victory until the last corner, Dumoulin does not hide his ambitions: “we will do everything to bring the WeatherTech 200 trophy, with the colours of our main sponsor, at home!”

    Despite his retirement at ICAR, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin is still in fourth place in the drivers’ championship standings, but the 7-point gap on third place has now increased to 30. Winning a fourth title is now unrealistic, but the hope of winning in the next rounds remains the driver and his team’s motivation.

    This Saturday, August 31, free practice will take place at 12:50 p.m. before qualifying session is scheduled for 5:25 p.m. The WeatherTech 200, the final road race of the 2024 NASCAR Canada season, will start on Sunday, September 1 shortly after 2 p.m.

    ABOUT PARTNERS

    WeatherTech is committed to designing, engineering and manufacturing the finest products possible for your vehicle, home and your pet. From the industry leading FloorLiner to the 100% non-toxic Pet Feeding System, WeatherTech has dedicated itself to exceed customer expectations of quality, craftsmanship and environmental sustainability for over 30 years. To see the full line of automotive, home and pet products that are guaranteed for life, visit weathertech.ca

    Groupe Bellemare is a 3rd generation family business that has been serving clients since 1959. Today, the company has more than 500 employees and provides them with an innovative work environment facilitating work-family balance and a healthy and safe quality of life. With over a half century of experience and its sustained R&D efforts, the Company offers high-quality products and services in areas as diverse as concrete, abrasives and minerals, dimensional load transportation, and recycling. Groupe Bellemare is also very involved in its industry and attaches great importance to its social and environmental role as a member of the business community. Groupe Bellemare makes a positive contribution to the quality of life of citizens in the communities it serves by supporting numerous social causes and promoting local purchasing through its responsible procurement practices. For more information, visit groupebellemare.com

    Omnifab has joined Dumoulin Compétition in June 2023.In less than twenty years, Omnifab has made its place in the mechanical manufacturing industry in Quebec. They have earned this place by offering a unique turnkey solution to large companies and SMEs that want to modernize their production line or have their industrial equipment repaired. No matter your industry, you can count on Omnifab team to manufacture custom industrial machinery or solve your mechanical problems with great precision, in a timely manner and with quality components, as pledged. Visit omnifab.ca for more information.

    Rousseau Metal has been manufacturing high-quality products for 70 years. Over the years the company become known as a leader in storage solutions. The quality, durability and reliability of their products have earned them a reputation as being among the best in the industry. Over the years, the quality of Rousseau products and excellence of the company’s business practices have been recognized through various certifications and membership in industrial and automotive organizations. To learn more about the company and its products, visit rousseau.com

    Dumoulin Competition

    Jean-François and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin founded the Dumoulin Competition Race Team in 2009. Working with financial, marketing, logistics and sports management experts, they built up a solid business structure. Dumoulin Competition prepares its own race cars in-house since 2016. Their motto: “Passion – Performance – Partnerships” expresses their will to perform on the track and offer their partners maximum visibility and profitability in return for their commitment. Their vision: To become Canada’s leader in motorsports through on-track performance, an entrepreneurial spirit and human values. dumoulincompetition.com

  • TOP FUEL’S ANTRON BROWN LOOKS TO ADD TO INDY LEGACY AT TOYOTA NHRA U.S. NATIONALS

    TOP FUEL’S ANTRON BROWN LOOKS TO ADD TO INDY LEGACY AT TOYOTA NHRA U.S. NATIONALS

    Three-time world champ seeking third straight win at The Big Go and sixth in his standout career

    INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 26, 2024) – Five wins at the world’s biggest drag race has put Antron Brown on the path to becoming a Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals legend. He’s rolled to back-to-back wins at The Big Go and a third straight victory would continue to build an already impressive legacy at the prestigious event.

    Brown gets that opportunity at this weekend’s 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, as the three-time world champion looks to become the first driver since Tony Schumacher (2007-2009) to pick up three consecutive victories on drag racing’s grandest stage.

    His Toyota teammate, Funny Car driver Ron Capps, and Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith will also try to do the same in Indy this year, but a sixth Indy victory would put Brown among the sport’s elite. Only six other drivers have won six times at Indy and it’s a class Brown could join with another victory this weekend at The Big Go in his 11,000-horsepower Matco Tools/Toyota dragster.

    “I’m super excited for the Toyota U.S. Nationals. It’s so cool to be able to participate in the 70th running of this historic event, especially with it now being a Toyota race,” said Brown, who enjoyed two Indy wins in Pro Stock Motorcycle early in his career. “We’re really striving hard right now. Our team is peaking at the right time and we’d love to pull off the undeniable turkey here, so that’s what we’re going in to do. That’s our game plan.

    “We’ve won here the last two years and we’re going to try and continue that streak. The points are really tight and we’re working hard to push to be into that top four going into the Countdown. We’re going to give it all we’ve got and see what we can do. Our Matco Tools Toyota team is ready to go.”

    Brown (Top Fuel), Capps (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all claimed NHRA U.S. Nationals victories in 2023 and this year’s race will again be broadcast on FOX and FS1, including a special Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout broadcast on FOX at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday and eliminations coverage on FOX beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday. It is the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 campaign and the final race in the regular season, and plenty is on the line at the prestigious race.

    Along with the chance at Indy glory, it’s a points-and-a-half race, meaning Brown and the other standouts could make a big move in the standings. He’s currently fifth in points, but only 14 out of fourth and 82 out of third, and a considerable jump could be in place with a stellar weekend.

    That’s the goal, but nothing comes in easy in Top Fuel, which features a wealth of talent and 20 overall dragsters in Indy, including points leader and reigning world champion Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon, Brainerd winner Justin Ashley, four-time champ Steve Torrence, Clay Millican, motorsports legend and NHRA rookie Tony Stewart, Tony Schumacher, whose 10 Indy victories are the most in NHRA history, and Brittany Force.

    But Brown has always performed well when it matters most, evidenced by his back-to-back Indy triumphs. He’s already won three times in 2024 (Chicago, Norwalk and Sonoma) and the 77-time event winner has no plans of slowing down at The Big Go.

    “It’s always been a plan in motion to try and peak at the right time, and our car has been running exceptionally well,” Brown said. “That’s a tribute to our team. The U.S. Nationals is our last race to get in the position we need to get in heading into the Countdown.

    “We’re trying to get back to that true form and I believe we’re there. What makes the class so different today is now you have 10-12 cars that are good every race and there’s at least 14 cars that can win a race.”

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

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

    Capps, a three-time Funny Car world champ, sported an iconic paint scheme last year with his Don Prudhomme Hot Wheels tribute car. He is after his first win of the year against the likes of points leader Austin Prock, three-time 2024 winner Bob Tasca III, reigning champion Matt Hagan, and Gainesville winner J.R. Todd. Jack Beckman, who will be racing for John Force in Indy, will also be making his Indy return.

    Hartford won his first NHRA U.S. Nationals last season. The eight-time event winner is looking for his first win of 2024. Leading the Pro Stock points is standout Dallas Glenn followed by multi-time champs Greg Anderson and Erica Enders, with Aaron Stanfield and Jeg Coughlin Jr. also looking for Indy success.

    Smith, a six-time NHRA champ, captured his third NHRA U.S. Nationals win last season. Smith won the most recent race in Sonoma and has his sights set on dethroning reigning world champ Gaige Herrera, who has won six of the eight events this season. Also in the mix is former NHRA U.S. Nationals winner John Hall, Richard Gadson, Jianna Evaristo, Angie Smith, Steve Johnson and Seattle winner Chase Van Sant.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    About 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.

  • Power Gains Ground on Palou with Portland Victory

    Power Gains Ground on Palou with Portland Victory

    PORTLAND, Ore. (Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024) – Will Power and Team Penske made their point Sunday by winning the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland: The race for the Astor Challenge Cup is far from over.

    Power earned his series-leading third victory of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season in the No. 12 Verizon Business Team Penske Chevrolet and gained ground on championship leader Alex Palou with three races remaining. He drove to a 9.8267-second victory over the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda of Palou on the 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course at Portland International Raceway.

    Two-time series champion Power, who started second, earned the 44th win of his Hall of Fame career on the heels of disappointing consecutive finishes of 12th in July at Toronto and 18th last weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway.

    “Very rewarding,” Power said. “I came here determined, so did the whole team. We wanted to get qualifying right and then execute in the race. It’s not a last-ditch effort, but really if Palou finished ahead of us today, it was going to be very difficult.

    “We’re going to keep fighting ahead here. A couple of bad races before this, but let’s see if we can get a championship.”

    Josef Newgarden completed the podium by finishing third in the No. 2 TireRack.com Team Penske Chevrolet, with Colton Herta fourth in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Global with Curb-Agajanian. Marcus Armstrong rounded out the top five in the No. 11 American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

    Two-time and defending series champion Palou leads Power by 54 points – the maximum number a driver can earn in one race. Herta slipped from second to third, 67 points behind Palou, after finishing fourth in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Global with Curb-Agajanian.

    The three remaining races are all on ovals – the Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s doubleheader Aug. 31-Sept. 1 at the Milwaukee Mile and the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on Sept. 15 at Nashville Superspeedway. The INDYCAR SERIES hasn’t raced at the Milwaukee Mile since 2015 or Nashville Superspeedway since 2008.

    Power has 10 career victories on ovals, including in 2014 at Milwaukee and last month at Iowa Speedway; Palou has none among his 11 career wins.

    “We’ve been very, very good on ovals – very solid,” Power said. “Obviously, they’re two ovals that we haven’t raced at in a long time, so it’s anyone’s game. I hope we get it right. We’ll do our best and take the fight to Alex.”

    Power wasted no time taking the fight to Palou at the drop of the green flag. He passed NTT P1 Award winner Santino Ferrucci entering Turn 1 on the first lap and was out front and in control for the rest of the 110-lap race except for pit stops. Power led a race-high 101 laps.

    Palou passed Ferrucci for second on Lap 8 and, like Power, stayed in that spot for most of the remainder of the race except for pit stops. Ferrucci, who earned AJ Foyt Racing’s emotional first pole since 2014, finished eighth in the No. 14 Phoenix Investors Chevrolet.

    Two-time and defending series champion Palou’s best chance to pass Power came on Lap 26 when Pietro Fittipaldi exited the pits in the No. 30 Localiza Rent a Car Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing directly in front of Power after serving a drive-through penalty. That slowed Power and allowed Palou to pull right up to Power’s gearbox in Turn 7, but Power parried the move and kept the lead.

    Quick work by the Team Penske pit crew on Power’s first stop all but sealed the win, especially since there were no caution periods after a first-lap fracas involving Kyle Kirkwood, Scott Dixon and Fittipaldi. Power’s first stop, at the end of Lap 32, lasted 6.9 seconds. Palou made his first stop one lap later, but it took 9.2 seconds.

    From there, Palou slipped back as varying tire strategies unfolded over the final two pit stops. Power started on the Firestone Firehawk primary tires and was able to use the quicker Firestone alternate red-sidewall tires in all three pit stops. Palou aggressively used a set of alternate tires in NTT P1 Award qualifying Saturday and was forced to the less-grippy primary tires for his final stint, ensuring Power’s cruise to victory.

    “Maybe we were a bit wrong with the strategy there,” Palou said. “Went too aggressive in qualifying yesterday and really didn’t have any good used alternates. It was tough work there on primaries having to catch Will, but the 12 deserved it today. They were very, very fast. Happy with the P2 today.”

    The top eight drivers in the standings are still mathematically eligible to win the Astor Challenge Cup as season champion, but it’s looking more and more like a three-driver race for the title between Palou, Power and Herta.

    The drive for a seventh title by Dixon probably was derailed when he crashed the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda into the guardrail on Lap 1 after contact from Fittipaldi. Dixon was forced into the dirt earlier in the lap amid tight traffic by the No. 27 AutoNation Honda of Andretti Global’s Kirkwood, and Dixon was hip-checked by Fittipaldi’s car shortly after returning to the racing surface.

    Dixon finished last in the 28-car field – his lowest finish since being taken out in a crash and placing 32nd in the 2017 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. He is fifth in points, 101 behind Palou.

    The first race of the Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s doubleheader is at 6 p.m. ET Saturday, Aug. 31, with live coverage on Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network. The second race is at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 1, with USA Network, Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network providing live coverage.

  • Korthoff Preston Motorsports Breaks Through for First IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTD Victory Sunday at VIR

    Korthoff Preston Motorsports Breaks Through for First IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTD Victory Sunday at VIR

    DANVILLE, Virginia – Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing team Korthoff Preston Motorsports (KPM) broke through for its first victory in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s competitive GT Daytona (GTD) class Sunday with a convincing win by team co-drivers Mikael Grenier and Kenton Koch in the No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR). The No. 32’s maiden win came just over three years after the team made its IMSA GTD debut in July of 2021 at Watkins Glen International. The triumph follows KPM’s IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup GTD team and driver championships last year and several near-miss shots at a race win over the course of the team’s full-season campaigns, which began in 2022.

    After qualifying on the outside front row – KPM’s second stout qualifying performance in a row after Grenier won the pole earlier this month at Road America – Koch pounced from his second place starting position to grab the GTD lead on the first lap of the race. Koch then maintained a close but comfortable gap on the field while doing his best to save fuel in what turned out to be a double stint to open the race.

    Grenier took the wheel after the KPM team executed its second flawless pit stop and picked right up where Koch left off. The KPM team led a GTD class-high 82 of the race’s 86 laps, losing the top spot only twice for two laps each time when the field cycled through a pair of green-flag pit stops. With a GTD Pro competitor in between him and the second place GTD challenger, Grenier took the checkered flag for the milestone win by 0.897 of a second.

    Meanwhile, season-long GTD class championship leaders Winward Racing and team co-drivers Russell Ward and Philip Ellis secured a solid race result to improve their points margin with a late charge to a fourth-place finish. After Ward kept the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the lead pack and out of trouble in his race-opening stint, a good stop by the Winward crew just before the race’s 45-minute mark put Ellis back in the race in the top 10.

    Driving almost the final two hours over the course of two stints, Ellis kept the championship in mind as he chose his battles and looked for the right chances to improve race positions. The best opportunities came in the final 10 minutes of the race when Ellis took advantage of being in the middle of a GTD Pro class battle and the typical frenzied fight to the finish that always occurs at the end of IMSA races.

    Ellis found a way by Winward’s closest championship competitor to take the checkered flag in a race-high fourth place and one spot ahead of their title rival.

    With two endurance races remaining on 2024’s schedule next month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and in October at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the No. 57 team and drivers have a 284-point lead in the WeatherTech GTD standings, 2,698 – 2,414, over the nearest competitor.

    Sunday’s KPM win also gave Mercedes-AMG another major boost in the GTD manufacturer championship with the Silver Star’s series-leading fifth victory of the season following Winward’s four race wins in the first half of the year. Now with 2,882 points, a season-high 507 clear of the closest competitor, Mercedes-AMG heads to next month’s race in Indianapolis with a chance to clinch the title one race before the end of the season.

    Grenier and the KPM team also improved their stakes in the GTD team and driver championship standings with Sunday’s win. The No. 32 KPM squad is third in the GTD team championship with 2,178 points while Grenier moved into third in the driver championship rankings for the first time this season with the same number of points.

    Next up for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams is the Battle on the Bricks six-hour race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, September 19 – 22. Longtime KPM driver Mike Skeen returns to the No. 32 with Grenier and Koch at Indy while Indy Dontje resumes his familiar endurance roll with Winward to co-drive the No. 57 with Ward and Ellis.

    Mikael Grenier, Driver – No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I’m happy, especially for Herb Korthoff and the entire Korthoff Preston Motorsports team. All of the mechanics, they have been working so hard, but we have just had some bad luck. We should have won three or four races over the last few years, but you can never stop trying, so it is good to get a victory. We started off Friday really off, we were almost the last car, and it was really hard to drive, but we made a good change overnight with good feedback from my teammate. We had good track position after Kenton’s great qualifying and we knew we had to keep it. I think it is hard to overtake for everyone here. Kenton took the lead and did a good job with fuel saving, so it gave us a short pit stop. In the end, I was just managing a bit and keeping them behind me. Every win is important, but this one is very special, extra special because I am happy for the team, I know that they wanted this, and I am also happy for Kenton.”

    Kenton Koch, Driver – No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Having the track position here is really important, so once we were where we needed to be I was kind of managing it from there, just making it to each pit stop with as much fuel in the tank so we would have the shortest stop as possible. We did that, the crew nailed the stops like they always do, and then we’re able to maintain track position. My first win in GTD and for the team as well. Everyone has worked really hard to get to this point, to finally have the planets align. They knew it was coming eventually as we’ve always had opportunities to win, but something has always gotten in our way. Not this time! It feels good, and it definitely feels good to be piloting one of these Mercedes-AMG GT3 cars. It’s only my second time here in a Mercedes-AMG GT3, and first in GTD, but we have wins now two years in a row. Obviously, the car is quite nice to drive. I’m very fortunate to be a part of this program.”

    Philip Ellis, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Finishing ahead of our main competitor is helpful but I wouldn’t say it makes it easier. I think it’s going to be the same mentality going into the final races of keeping out of trouble and making sure we finish. Increasing the points gap a little bit again is nice but this was more of a statement, I would say, to them that we will also give them a good fight, a good run for their money. It was a good fight, and I tried to pick the right battles along the way with the right cars, choosing who I let by, who I would fight, and try to wiggle our way back to the front that way. It worked out perfectly. Of course, it would have been a little bit nicer to be an extra step or two up on the podium, but from where we started the weekend, and how it was going with the safety car and with the GTD Pro cars in between battling, I think it was a very good race for us.”

  • Kevin Harvick Enters Pro Late Model Race at Florence Motor Speedway

    Kevin Harvick Enters Pro Late Model Race at Florence Motor Speedway

    Harvick to Pilot the No. 62 for Rackley W.A.R.

    Harrisburg, N.C. (August 26, 2024) – KHI Management (KHIM) announced today Kevin Harvick will enter the CARS Tour Pro Late Model race at Florence (S.C.) Motor Speedway on Friday, August 30, 2024. Harvick will pilot the No. 62 Realtree/Hunt Brothers Pizza car for Rackley W.A.R.

    “I’ve had a lot of fun this season running the Late Models, but I know I need to do more races to get better,” said Harvick. “These cars are so different from what I’ve spent most of my career driving, but I’m having fun learning all about them. Adding Florence was an easy decision and I’m glad we were able to work it out with Rackley W.A.R. and have both Realtree and Hunt Brothers Pizza on board. I’m excited to get to Florence and have some fun this weekend.”

    Retiring from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition at the end of the 2023 season, Harvick switched gears this year to go back to his roots and late model racing. Most recently, Harvick competed in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car race at North Wilkesboro Speedway where he finished 10th. Earlier this season, Harvick made his first start at Five Flags Speedway in a Super Late Model, starting the race from the fourth position and finishing 13th.

    Based in Nashville, Tenn., Rackley W.A.R. competes full time in the NASCAR Truck Series and various Late Model series. The team began competing full time in the NASCAR Truck Series in 2021 and won its first race at Talladega Superspeedway in 2022 with Matt DiBenedetto. With DiBenedetto behind the wheel, the team made its first appearance in the NASCAR Truck Series Playoffs in 2023. Ty Dillon currently drives the team’s No. 25 truck. In addition to the Truck Series, the team competes in Pro and Super Late Model competition, providing valuable seat time for members of their driver development program. Since its inception, Rackley W.A.R. has had a roster full of the biggest names in NASCAR, including Josh Berry, Timothy Peters, William Byron and Ross Chastain.

    “We are super-excited to have Kevin Harvick driving one of our Rackley W.A.R. Late Models at Florence Motor Speedway this week,” said Rackley W.A.R. co-owner Willie Allen. “This partnership has more capability than just a one-off appearance. It symbolizes Rackley W.A.R.’s dedication to working with top-tier talent to elevate the entire team and its drivers. With Kevin’s involvement, it aligns with our commitment to developing young talent. We are excited for his feedback and invaluable insight to our program. This collaboration with Kevin has the potential to broaden a strategy to bring in seasoned drivers who can help shape the future of Rackley W.A.R. and its driver development program.”

    The CARS Tour race at Florence Motor Speedway on Friday, August 30, will be broadcast live on FloRacingbeginning at 4:30 p.m. EDT with the Pro Late Model race at 7:30 p.m. EDT followed by the Late Model Stock Car race at 8:45 p.m. EDT.

    About KHI Management

    KHI Management, LLC (KHIM) is a full-service sports and celebrity-marketing agency representing some of the most successful and high-profile professionals in the sports and broadcasting industries, as well as offering a variety of consulting and marketing services to corporate sponsors. In representing many of the biggest names in NASCAR, UFC, PGA, and bullriding, KHIM consistently maximizes their client’s brand awareness and marketplace value.

    Founded by NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, KHI Management affords clients the opportunity to expose their brands across multiple sports and entertainment platforms via a singular agency with a vast array of services ranging from career management and media relations to licensing and philanthropy.

    In addition to KHIM, Harvick and his wife, DeLana, co-own Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI). KHI competed full time in the NASCAR Truck Series, Xfinity Series and ARCA Series from 2001 through 2011, earning three championships in the NASCAR Truck Series. The organization took an 11-year hiatus before relaunching in 2023 and returned to full-time competition in 2024 with its late model program.

    About Rackley W.A.R.

    Rackley W.A.R. offers motorsports competition, development, marketing, management, and a suite of other industry-related services for professional race car drivers, race teams and industry sponsors. Rackley W.A.R. competes nationally in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as well as operating a driver development program based at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in regional Super and Pro Late Model events. Rackley W.A.R. is headed and co-owned by Curtis Sutton (Rackley Roofing, Inc.) and Willie Allen (Willie Allen Racing and W.A.R. Shocks, LLC).