Search this site

NHRA Wire Services INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 3, 2022) – Top Fuel’s Steve Torrence put together a pair of impressive runs on Saturday, rolling to the victory in the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout specialty race at Lucas Oil Raceway as part of this weekend’s prestigious 68th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals. Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the current No. 1 qualifiers at the 16th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the final event of the regular season. In the final round of the specialty event with a total purse of $130,000, Torrence, the four-time defending world champion, went 3.692-seconds at 329.02 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster to slip past points leader Brittany Force, who had a run of 3.704 at 330.31. Torrence beat Justin Ashley in the semifinals, while Force advanced to the final with a victory against Mike Salinas. It continues the strong momentum for Torrence, who won in Brainerd and was stellar on the starting line on Saturday to collect the $80,000 prize. “First, tons of respect for Brittany Force and that team because they've been bad to the bone, but them Capco boys have been bad to the bone for five years,” said Torrence, whose run also has him qualified second. “We didn't forget what we were doing, but you’ve got to persevere and stay with the boys who brought you there. I'll tell you what, we're standing proud. We don’t look stupid now because we're walking away with the cash. I'm only as good as the car that they give me, but when you're confident in it, you're confident in yourself.” Ashley bounced back from his semifinal loss to Torrence by holding onto his provisional No. 1 spot in Top Fuel, doing so in impressive fashion with a spectacular run of 3.671 at 335.32 in his 11,000-horsepower Phillips Connect dragster, breaking the track speed record in the process. It keeps Ashley on track for his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and the young standout was thrilled to make an incredible run to stay at the top of a Top Fuel field that is already among the quickest in history. “Obviously, we didn't accomplish what we wanted to and win the shootout, but we really went up there with a plan and we executed on it,” Ashley said. “To go out there tonight and run 335 miles per hour, that's the type of run where you’re really excited to see the time slip. I mean, 335 miles per hour at Indy, where there's so much history and strategy, it means so much to us. It's really an amazing feeling.” Salinas is currently third with a run of 3.701 at 331.36, while Force’s run in the final puts her fourth. Hight’s run of 3.870 at 331.94 in his 11,000-horsepower Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS held up from Friday, as the Funny Car points leader also made a pair of strong runs on Friday. It puts him on track for his fourth No. 1 qualifier this season and 75th in his career, while his other highlight was calling out Bob Tasca III for his first-round matchup in the Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout. Hight had the first pick and selected Tasca, who has won three of the past four races. The Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout will take place on Sunday and the rest of the first-round matchups include Ron Capps taking on defending Indy winner Tim Wilkerson, Matt Hagan facing off with Alexis DeJoria and Cruz Pedregon racing John Force. “We had three runs in a row that this Auto Club Chevy made respectable runs and that’s what you have to do to win races, whether it’s a specialty race or on race day Monday,” Hight said. “As far as our selection, there’s no guarantees after first round you’re going to get lane choice. We thought originally it was going to be hotter, a little bit tougher conditions and that would have played into our hand. When the conditions changed, we didn’t change our minds. Why not get out there and have some fun? That’s what this is all about, creating excitement for the fans so why not have the two best cars in the country running against each other. It’s going to be an exciting day.” Tasca’s 3.878 at 331.53 from Friday has him second, while Force’s 3.881 at 333.25 held up for the third spot. Pro Stock’s Anderson made a strong move on Saturday, vaulting to the top in his Hendricks.com Chevrolet Camaro with a pass of 6.567 at 208.10. It puts the defending world champ on track for his third No. 1 spot this season and 121st in his career, but the 100th career win is what is really on Anderson’s mind. He’s currently at 99 and getting his 100th victory at the world’s biggest drag race would mean a great deal to Anderson, who has six career wins at the Big Go. “I wasn’t necessarily expecting that, but wishing and hoping we could do it,” Anderson said. “We knew going in that this would be the pole run, without a doubt. It’s not very often you hear a driver say they made a perfect run, but that was pretty close. I hit all the shift points and the car went straight down the lane. We all know I’m trying to get my 100th win and I couldn’t think of a better scenario than to win it here. I love this race more than anything. It’s bigger, better, and it’s so hard to win.” Anderson’s KB Racing teammate Dallas Glenn is currently second after going 6.578 at 207.72, while points leader Erica Enders got bumped to third with her 6.582 at 208.97. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Sampey jumped past her teammate on Saturday, taking the No. 1 spot from Eddie Krawiec with her pass of 6.796 at 199.88 on her Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. Sampey is after her fourth No. 1 spot of the season and also her first victory at Indy since 2002. That’s the big goal for the weekend for Sampey, who made the best two passes of the day on Saturday in the class. “Last night, my teammate Eddie was No. 1, and I came out here and took it from him,” Sampey said. “We knew last night there was more left in my bike and there is still more left. I don’t think I did the best job of riding it. This is Indy and I know it’s the biggest race but to be honest, I’m greedy. I want to win them all.” Matt Smith jumped up to second with a 6.800 at 201.16, while Krawiec’s 6.826 at 198.79 has him third. Qualifying continues at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday at the prestigious Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. The Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout will also take place on Sunday. *** TOP FUEL ALL-STAR CALLOUT: ROUND ONE -- Justin Ashley, 3.722, 330.96 def. Doug Kalitta, Foul - Red Light; Mike Salinas, 3.709, 332.10 def. Shawn Langdon, Broke; Brittany Force, 3.684, 337.75 def. Antron Brown, 5.056, 168.20; Steve Torrence, 3.697, 329.50 def. Leah Pruett, 5.125, 227.34; SEMIFINAL -- S. Torrence, 3.701, 329.10 def. J. Ashley, 3.721, 323.74; B. Force, 4.016, 230.29 def. M. Salinas, 7.929, 84.99; FINAL -- S. Torrence, 3.692, 329.02 def. B. Force, 3.704, 330.31. INDIANAPOLIS -- Saturday's results after the first three of five rounds of qualifying for the 68th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, 16th of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Sunday for Monday's final eliminations. Top Fuel -- 1. Justin Ashley, 3.671 seconds, 335.32 mph; 2. Steve Torrence, 3.692, 329.02; 3. Mike Salinas, 3.701, 331.36; 4. Brittany Force, 3.704, 330.31; 5. Clay Millican, 3.707, 324.98; 6. Antron Brown, 3.712, 330.55; 7. Billy Torrence, 3.717, 325.53; 8. Josh Hart, 3.722, 330.15; 9. Doug Foley, 3.722, 326.56; 10. Leah Pruett, 3.725, 332.51; 11. Doug Kalitta, 3.749, 320.43; 12. Austin Prock, 3.750, 333.58; 13. Shawn Langdon, 3.754, 322.73; 14. Dan Mercier, 3.758, 318.77; 15. Tripp Tatum, 3.781, 318.54; 16. Kyle Wurtzel, 3.795, 327.59. Not Qualified: 17. Alex Laughlin, 3.813, 311.99; 18. Will Smith, 3.832, 318.02; 19. Krista Baldwin, 3.866, 305.01; 20. Tony Schumacher, 3.960, 246.21; 21. Scott Palmer, 3.972, 264.39; 22. Spencer Massey, 4.168, 198.52; 23. Cameron Ferre, 5.864, 116.44; 24. Lex Joon, 10.263, 99.83; 25. Scott Farley, broke. Funny Car -- 1. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.870, 331.94; 2. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.878, 331.53; 3. John Force, Camaro, 3.881, 333.25; 4. Ron Capps, Toyota Supra, 3.881, 326.56; 5. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.892, 333.41; 6. J.R. Todd, Supra, 3.894, 329.50; 7. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.899, 326.16; 8. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.906, 324.83; 9. Alexis DeJoria, Supra, 3.907, 329.02; 10. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.924, 304.39; 11. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 3.937, 320.97; 12. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.955, 319.98; 13. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.963, 322.73; 14. Jim Campbell, Charger, 3.980, 316.45; 15. John Smith, Charger, 4.034, 312.50; 16. Justin Schriefer, Charger, 4.132, 283.19. Not Qualified: 17. Dale Creasy Jr., 4.176, 240.12; 18. Terry Haddock, 5.063, 155.85. Pro Stock -- 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.567, 208.10; 2. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.578, 207.72; 3. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.582, 208.97; 4. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.593, 207.34; 5. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.596, 208.97; 6. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.599, 208.52; 7. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.600, 207.88; 8. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.601, 208.71; 9. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.604, 209.20; 10. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.605, 207.62; 11. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Mustang, 6.629, 207.15; 12. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.633, 207.59; 13. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.634, 208.01; 14. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.640, 207.02; 15. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.644, 208.42; 16. Fernando Cuadra, Mustang, 6.661, 206.57. Not Qualified: 17. Alan Prusiensky, 6.674, 205.72; 18. Larry Morgan, 6.714, 205.79. Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 6.796, 199.88; 2. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 6.800, 201.16; 3. Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.826, 198.79; 4. Angie Smith, EBR, 6.828, 200.20; 5. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.835, 197.57; 6. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.846, 196.50; 7. Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 6.873, 195.70; 8. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.875, 197.05; 9. Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.884, 198.76; 10. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.898, 195.00; 11. Chip Ellis, EBR, 6.899, 194.94; 12. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.900, 195.39; 13. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 6.910, 196.02; 14. Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 6.937, 192.28; 15. Ron Tornow, Victory, 6.945, 192.28; 16. Malcolm Phillips Jr., Suzuki, 6.946, 194.41. Not Qualified: 17. Scotty Pollacheck, 6.958, 196.53; 18. Chris Bostick, 6.989, 191.38; 19. Gaige Herrera, 7.068, 188.31; 20. Michael Phillips, 7.099, 193.05.

Two-Time NHRA Funny Car Champion Ron Capps entered the 2022 US Nationals with high expectations and sentiment. A recent interview with NHRA.com quoted the pilot of the NAPA Toyota Supra as saying “We cruised around every campground with the Wally, and people were so excited to get their pictures with it and with our team,” Capps said. “It was so much fun. There were so many pictures floating around that next week, and I think that Sunday night made a lot of people’s weekends.” ( NHRA ) Capps' appreciation for the US National event was similar to what other drivers have been feeling in the recent weeks as the annual stop in Indy approached. Friday at the track included amateur, semi-pro, and professional racing. A 5pm concert kicked off qualifying for the top-tiers of the national drag racing scene. In Ron's first pass of the weekend under the lights he scraped the wall near the end of the run. His team was forced to assess potential damages. Upon review, the car was going to survive and the team was more let down that they lost an opportunity to run the fastest qualifying effort. Saturday's pass was more impressive. After a morning of rain, the NHRA's greatest teams had the opportunity to restart with a fresh mind. Capps ran a 3.881 ET at 326.56 MPH. He told reporters after the run that he wasn't surprised, and he wasn't phased or hurt after the contact with the wall. As of the posting of this article, Capps sits P4 in the 2022 US Nationals provisional qualifying order.

A selection of media and business partners met at the John Force Racing Indianapolis headquarters and race shop on Wednesday morning for a forum that was formally hosted by Peak Auto. All of the hospitality boxes were checked. A complimentary breakfast greeted each of the inbound attendees, then a grande tour followed. According to our guide, the team stopped offering tours to the general public prior to the beginning the Covid-19 epidemic, but the virus and public regulations certainly haven't made it any easier for them to reconsider that decision. Approximately ten people were guided by a gentleman named Steve that was an employee of JFR since 2007, but worked with John Medlen for over a decade prior to that. He walked us down a 600 foot hallway that was divided into different work bays, each with a set of machinery or supplies dedicated to a type of automotive engineering. There was a paint booth, a CNC shop, a body shop, chassis room, and a graphics department. This insider view was considered behind the scenes and at different times along the way we were advised that photography was not permitted. The tour stopped for several minutes between each bay for the opportunity to ask questions or see a machine or worker grinding. The team was making their final touches and preparing to leave the bay for the 2022 US Nationals, their home race and the most prestigious of the annual national Camping World Drag Racing Series calendar. At the completion of the tour of the race shop, two separate heritage facilities bookended the shop on the second floor of the property. First was the John Force Racing museum. We w ere given the opportunity to see in person many of the team's most recognizable cars including John Force's famed 'Elvis' ride, Robert Hight's State of California Highway Patrol livery, and old tools and industry memorabilia. To enjoy a similar experience I encourage you to check out the shop tour that was granted to NHRA's youtube channel at your leisure. The completion of the walkthrough was an intimate, calm, and peaceful tribute as we walked through the Eric Medlen Project, which is both a safety initiative the team created with their partners and an homage to their fallen driver Eric Medlen who passed away as the result of a blown tire and a brain injury in 2007. With an emotionally charged voice, the tour guide emphasized that Eric was family. And so it goes. Racing royalty to outsiders, but John Force Racing functions internally as a 'small business'. They believe that the men and women who work for their operation are family and a team. Many of the folks we encountered working through the shop emphasized their tenure, some in the tens, fifteens, and even twenty years or more of employment...proudly. The team's drivers, who many fans young and old believe are horsepower heroes, think of themselves as employees. In an interview each of their drivers, the philosophy is consistent. Top Fuel champion Brittany Force answered simply, 'We're teammates, We're family.'' when asked about the ritual that she shares with father John. Both drivers are known for standing at the staging lane when the other makes a pass. 16x champion John Force indicated the same repeatedly. "Brittany, and Robert, and Prock, all of em. They're family. When we lost Eric, he was family too." The team may be named after the hall-of-fame racer, but it carries the weight of so many more. Robert Hight, who is both a funny car champion and President of John Force Racing talked about the team's goals as the Countdown approaches, but was also fond on what he felt was an NHRA family atmosphere. He referenced his recent match race at Summit Motorsports Park and his memories with the Bader family, one of the most respected track owners in the sport. In Seattle's National NHRA event in 2019, the Top Fuel winner was JFR's Austin Prock. Prock's father has been a mainstay at the team and a leader on Robert Hight's funny car team for a number of years. Austin stated that he essentially grew up with John Force Racing, and he feels like he is family, but so are his sponsors. At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Austin's sponsor Montana Brand was forced to make a decision to leave their motorsports marketing budget behind. Prock told me there wasn't lost respect, but instead they regularly shared calls and texts between him and the respected former partner. He said Montana Brands' and Rocky Mountain Twist owner Frank Tiegs is a loyal member of the John Force Racing family as well. Despite losing his opportunity of being a top fuel racer, Austin continued to work on race cars until his return in 2022. A rare scenario in racing, Tiegs' brands resumed their relationship with JFR and Prock with a full season of support. Whether it is in the shop, on the road, or at an appearance somewhere along the way, the John Force Racing team is a true American made family. Their pride and trust for one another's talents is a formula for success. They are positioned well heading into the countdown for a record breaking (their own) 22nd championship.

Written By: Matt Marr Photo By: Phelan M. Ebenhack Due to qualifying being cancelled by rain, the lineup was set by points which meant teammates Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson would bring the field to the green. The race itself was originally scheduled for Saturday night, but was postponed to Sunday morning, again due to rain. The closing laps of stage 1 saw a big wreck near the front of the field as Denny Hamlin got loose out of turn 2 and the accordion effect took place with Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney and several others. Joey Logano held off a late run by Elliott to win Stage 1. The run came a little too late for Martin Truex Jr. in Stage 2 as Kyle Busch kept him at bay to secure the stage 2 victory. With 22 laps to go in the race, a downpour of rain hit turn 1 with almost no warning, and nearly the entire field was involved in a massive wreck. Austin Dillon, one of the few who was left unscathed, led the final laps of the Coke Zero Sugar 400. Dillon survived and won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, his first of the season and locked himself into the playoffs which ultimately ended Martin Truex Jr.'s playoff hopes. Coke Zero Sugar 400 Top 5: 1. Austin Dillon 2. Tyler Reddick 3. Austin Cindric 4. Landon Cassill 5. Noah Gragson Playoff Contenders heading into round 1 at Darlington: 1. Chase Elliott 2. Joey Logano 3. Ross Chastain 4. Kyle Larson 5. William Byron 6. Denny Hamlin 7. Ryan Blaney 8. Tyler Reddick 9. Kevin Harvick 10. Christopher Bell 11. Kyle Busch 12. Chase Briscoe 13. Daniel Suarez 14. Austin Cindric 15. Alex Bowman 16. Austin Dillon

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 1, 2022) – Brad Keselowski, the No. 6 team and RFK Racing will be featured in the upcoming series ‘Race for the Championship,’ which premieres tonight, Thursday, Sept. 1, at 10 p.m. ET on USA Network. The network’s new unscripted series will give a behind-the-scenes look at the elite drivers and team competing in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS). Documenting the lives of the sport’s best on and off the track, viewers will get a rare glimpse of what it takes to balance personal relationships with the pressure to perform. Packed with action, heart and drama, this exhilarating series will offer up a taste of what it’s really like to partake in the world’s top level of stock car racing. Watch as the drivers are pushed mentally and physically to their limits, navigating a NASCAR season unlike any other – with a new car, new tracks and new challenges – for their chance to make history. Spanning 10 episodes, ‘Race for the Championship’ will tell the story of the 2022 season and playoffs. The series will feature past champions and upcoming drivers, including RFK Racing Co-Owner and driver of the No. 6 Ford Mustang, Keselowski. Keselowski and RFK will be featured in two separate episodes with the first slated for Thursday, Sept. 22 (Episode 4). It will focus on both the Bristol Dirt and Talladega races, while the second feature will come in Episode 7, slated to air Thursday, Oct. 13. Keselowski returns to action this weekend at Darlington Raceway, which begins the 2022 NASCAR Playoffs and final 10-race run.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 1, 2022) – JR Motorsports / Chevrolet Press Release JR Motorsports today named longtime crew chief Mike Bumgarner to its director of competition role. Bumgarner, currently the crew chief for Josh Berry and JRM’s No. 8 team, will assume the position at the conclusion of the 2022 season. A 27-year veteran of the sport, it’s a new but familiar spot for the 47-year-old Bumgarner, who served as race operations director for JRM from 2014-20 and oversaw the production and maintenance of the team’s race car inventory. “Mike knows JR Motorsports inside and out,” said L.W. Miller, JRM’s director of motorsports. “He’s very well respected in the building and within the garage and has an innate leadership quality that our group can rally around. With his level of experience, competitive focus and communication skills, it’s a natural transition for him.” A native of Huntersville, N.C., Bumgarner spent 17 years with Hendrick Motorsports prior to joining JRM in 2013. He holds more than 100 starts as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series since 2007, including seven victories, and was a NASCAR Cup Series crew chief during his tenure with HMS. Additionally, Bumgarner served as a full-time JRM crew chief in 2013 and 2021. “We’ve got such a talented core of people here at JRM, and I’m just really thankful for this opportunity,” said Bumgarner. “I certainly don’t have all the answers, but my goal is to communicate well and give our teams all the support they need so we can keep hanging win banners in the shop. “I’m looking forward to next year but my first priority is going after the championship and finishing the season out strong with Josh and our No. 8 team.” This season, Bumgarner has led Berry to two wins (Dover Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway), nine top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. Berry is currently fifth in the championship point standings as the series heads to Darlington Raceway this weekend.

Mooresville, N.C. (Aug. 31, 2022) — 23XI Racing 23Xl Racing announced today that Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 23 Toyota Camry TRD, will switch car numbers for the final 10 races of the season and run the No. 45 as the organization pursues the Owner’s Championship. Wallace will remain paired with his crew chief, Bootie Barker. The move will best position 23XI Racing and the No. 45 car for the strongest run in the playoffs for the Owner’s Championship. Ty Gibbs will continue to serve as 23XI’s substitute driver and will now drive the No. 23 Toyota Camry TRD with support from Billy Scott and the current No. 45 crew. Aside from the number being different, there will be no changes to the primary partner on either car. With the No. 45 team in the Owner’s Championship but not the Driver’s Championship, the opportunity arose to look at different options to give the organization the best chance for the highest possible finish at the end of the season. This situation marks the first time in the Modern Era of the Cup Series that a team has been in one championship but not the other. “After consulting with NASCAR, the competition and ownership teams at 23XI made this decision in the best interest of the entire organization and for all our employees who helped earn a spot in the playoffs for the Owner’s Championship through their hard work,” said team president Steve Lauletta. “While Ty has done a great job for us in the No. 45 car, we feel that Bubba’s experience in this car, at the upcoming playoff tracks and his recent momentum will give 23XI the best chance at maximizing our points each weekend. We recognize that this is a unique opportunity in the Cup Series, and we’re grateful to our employees and partners for standing with the team and supporting this decision.”

NHRA.tv / FOX Sports / NHRA INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 30, 2022) – Legendary championship-winning racecar driver and team owner Tony Stewart is headed to the FOX broadcast booth for the biggest race of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, this weekend’s prestigious Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Stewart will join the NHRA on FOX team of Brian Lohnes and Tony Pedregon for eliminations on Monday, Sept. 5 at the Big Go, with eliminations set to air from 2-5 p.m. ET on FOX. “Tony Stewart is one of the racing world’s most versatile drivers, celebrating success at the highest levels,” said Frank Wilson, FOX Sports VP Event & Studio Production. “He is now bringing that versatility to the broadcast booth, first in the NASCAR Cup Series on FOX earlier this year, and now as part of the NHRA on FOX for drag racing’s most iconic event. Along with two-time Funny Car champ, Tony Pedregon, the two Tonys will no doubt provide some entertaining and insightful analysis beginning this weekend from Indy.” Stewart added NHRA team owner to his impressive, Hall of Fame resumè this season with the introduction of Tony Stewart Racing. The two-car nitro team features three-time Funny Car world champ Matt Hagan and Top Fuel star Leah Pruett, as the standout duo and title contenders have combined for four wins during the 2022 season. Stewart, who also called action during select NASCAR on FOX broadcasts this season, will now join the NHRA on FOX broadcast booth on drag racing’s grandest stage, offering his unique insight and adding another must-see incentive for fans at a critical juncture of the season. Along with the prestige of the annual race in Indy, the 68th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals is the last race before the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, giving NHRA a huge platform on FOX to close the regular season with Stewart in the booth as well. “It’s a great opportunity to have a motorsports icon and a new NHRA owner like Tony to join the NHRA on FOX broadcast during the U.S. Nationals,” NHRA Vice President of Broadcast Steve Reintjes said. “Tony is passionate about the NHRA, and he brings his experience from his recent role as an analyst during select NASCAR on FOX events to the NHRA broadcast booth. It’s a natural fit for Indy, our highest-profile NHRA event.” The race on the FOX network comes during a stretch that features eight of nine NHRA races on FOX, a string that started in June in Bristol. The coverage on FOX has yielded impressive viewership numbers throughout, including the most recent broadcast in Brainerd on Aug. 21. Coverage of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals registered 813,000 viewers, up more than 10 percent over last year’s Brainerd race on FOX. Television coverage of the prestigious Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals includes racing action on Fox Sports 1 (FS1) from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 3, and coverage of the Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Funny Car Callout from 4-5:30 p.m. Qualifying action will continue from 5:30-7 p.m. on Sunday on FS1. On Monday, live coverage from eliminations will begin at 12 p.m. on FS1 and continue on FOX from 2-5 p.m. For more information on NHRA, please visit www.nhra.com . UPCOMING NHRA ON FOX SCHEDULE August 31-Sept. 5: Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis. MONDAY, SEPT. 5: 2:00-5:00 P.M. ET on FOX Sept. 15-18: Pep Boys NHRA Nationals, Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, Pa. SUNDAY, SEPT. 18 2:00-4:00 P.M. ET or 4:30-6:30 P.M. ET on FOX (NFL adjacent broadcast, check local listings) Qualifying action at each race will air on Fox Sports 1 (FS1). For the full NHRA broadcast schedule on FOX and FS1, please visit www.nhra.com .

WELCOME, N.C. (August 30, 2022) – Richard Childress Racing Press Release Let’s Ride! The toughest sport on dirt meets the track too tough to tame this September at Darlington Raceway when Anthony Alfredo pilots the No. 23 Carolina Cowboys Chevrolet Camaro SS in the VFW Help A Hero 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway. The race airs live on Saturday, September 4 at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network. The Carolina Cowboys represent the Carolinas in the PBR Team Series, an elite new league that features the world’s top bull riders competing on teams in five-on-five bull riding games during an 11-event season. The team is operated by Richard Childress Racing with 2018 Daytona 500 Champion Austin Dillon serving as General Manager. The Cowboys are coached by PBR co-founder Jerome Davis. “I didn’t grow up bull riding, but as someone who loves action sports I’ve really been enjoying learning more about the Carolina Cowboys and the new PBR Teams Series,” said Alfredo, driver of the No. 23 Carolina Cowboys Chevrolet for Our Motorsports. “It’s so cool to be able to show NASCAR fans just how entertaining the sport of bull riding can be. I hope they have the chance to come out to the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem Sept. 9-11 for the inaugural Carolina Cowboys Homestand.” Don’t miss your chance to witness history in the making as the world’s toughest cowboys line up to take center stage at the Carolina Cowboys inaugural homestand. Watch the Carolina Cowboys lay it all on the line to become Cowboy Day Champions September 9-11 at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Use discount code GOCOWBOYS for 15% off the price of select tickets when you purchase tickets through Ticketmaster: https://www.ticketmaster.com/pbr-professional-bull-riders-tickets/artist/2859854?venueId=369555 For more information on Carolina Cowboys, visit https://pbr.com/teams/cowboys/ , Carolina Cowboys on Facebook, @carolinacowboyspbr on Instagram, or @CARCowboysPBR on Twitter.

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - AUGUST 28: Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 BREZTRI Chevrolet, celebrates in the Ruoff Mortgage victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on August 28, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) NASCAR Bettor Hits Correlated Parlay for Payout Dollars Shy of $1 Million Daytona and other superspeedways are notoriously known for producing unpredictable finishes, possibly swaying a gambler to bet the field for little investment in return for a potential huge payday. Inclement weather with a sprinkle of controversy, high banking, and faster average speeds led the field to the inevitable “Big One,” both for drivers and for one lucky bettor. Justin Marks, Owner of Team Trackhouse estimated the carnage at $4 million in damages for all the teams involved. After the completion of the Coke Zero 400 NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale, Austin Dillon was declared the winner and locked the No. 3 for Richard Childress Racing into the playoffs. As many NASCAR fans celebrated Dillon’s victory via social media, screenshots of winning bets emerged with massive payouts. In fact, $13.49 on a rainy day at Daytona was the best bet the nearly million-dollar payout recipient could have made. One lucky bettor placed a free bet through FanDuel in the amount of $13.49 on a correlated parlay that pays out a whopping $999,433.63. The winning ticket included these four drivers to finish in the top 10: Cody Ware at +2000 B.J. McLeod at +2000 Landon Cassill at +1500 David Ragan at +950 A screenshot of the winning bet is circulating on Twitter: Tweets of other winning parlays that have payouts upward of more than $70,000 from the Coke Zero 400 also surfaced. Results from the NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero 400 at Daytona: 1. Austin Dillon 2. Tyler Reddick 3. Austin Cindric 4. Landon Cassill 5. Noah Gragson 6. Cody Ware, Ford 7. BJ McLeod(i), Ford 8. Martin Truex Jr. 9. David Ragan 10. Kyle Busch 11. Bubba Wallace 12. Joey Logano 13. Ty Gibbs 14. Alex Bowman 15. Ryan Blaney 16. Cole Custer 17. Erik Jones 18. Ty Dillon 19. Harrison Burton 20. Kevin Harvick 21. Aric Almirola 22. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 23. Todd Gilliland 24. Daniel Suarez 25. Denny Hamlin 26. Daniel Hemric 27. Chris Buescher 28. Justin Haley 29. Chase Elliott 30. Corey LaJoie 31. Chase Briscoe 32. Michael McDowell 33. Ross Chastain 34. William Byron 35. Brad Keselowski 36. Christopher Bell 37. Kyle Larson

DAWSONVILLE, GA. (August 29, 2022) – HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS PRESS RELEASE As part of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the Chase Elliott Foundation has joined forces again with NAPA and Hendrick Motorsports for the sixth edition of its “DESI9N TO DRIVE” art collaboration with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Children’s). For this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway on Sept. 4, Elliott’s race car and race uniform, from head to toe, will feature a design submitted by a cancer patient at Children’s. “We had such a great experience last year at Darlington with a full design makeover thanks to NAPA and Hendrick Motorsports that we wanted to do it again.” said Elliott, a Dawsonville, Ga. native who is the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champion. “I’m thrilled with how this program has grown over the years and how it brings attention to the quality of pediatric care that Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta provides the region. I believe the fans are going to really like the design as much as I do.” This year’s DESI9N TO DRIVE program received dozens of submissions from patients at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s. A sketched design by 16-year-old Dani Gamel of Sharpsburg, Ga. was selected for the full-design makeover and will be depicted on Elliott’s Alpinestars racing suit, gloves, shoes, and Arai helmet, in addition to a full paint out of the No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Diagnosed with Leukemia at age 13, Gamel’s design showcases the Children’s facility dogs that helped her cope with cancer treatment and therapy during many visits to Children’s before becoming cancer free late last year. “It is an honor to once again support the kids at Children’s and to bring awareness to a world class hospital,” said Marti Walsh, vice president of marketing, NAPA. “The NAPA organization is proud of its relationship with the Chase Elliott Foundation and thrilled to support the good work it does in NAPA’s hometown of Atlanta.” The DESI9N TO DRIVE program has raised and donated over $250,000 to Children’s from the auction of autographed racing shoes and corporate partner support in its first five years. Elements of Elliott’s racing uniform are being auctioned off via The NASCAR Foundation’s auction page on eBay ( LINK ) beginning today, Monday, Aug. 29, and closing Thursday, Sept. 8, following the Darlington race. All auction proceeds will go to the Chase Elliott Foundation to benefit the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s. In addition, a portion of each die-cast sold of the specially-designed race car will be donated with the auction proceeds. “Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is very grateful that the Chase Elliott Foundation and DESI9N TO DRIVE art collaboration is showcasing the artistic talent of our patients receiving treatment at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s,” said Beth Buursema, senior development director at the Children’s Foundation. “Treating more than 520 new cancer patients in 2021, the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center cares for more kids with cancer than anywhere else in Georgia or in the Southeast. This continued collaboration will bring hope to our patients while furthering our mission of making kids better today and healthier tomorrow.” ABOUT CHASE ELLIOTT FOUNDATION The Chase Elliott Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing support and financial assistance to well-qualified charitable organizations with an emphasis on helping others live healthier, happier lives. Chase Elliott is the driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series. Elliott is the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Champion and was voted the NASCAR Cup Series’ Most Popular Driver the last four seasons. Visit www.chaseelliott.com/foundation for more information.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – With a huge assist from Richard Childress Racing teammate Tyler Reddick after a rain delay of more than three hours, Austin Dillon forced his way into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff and broke Martin Truex Jr.’s heart. Dillon’s victory in Sunday’s rain-delayed Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway—his first of the season and his second at the track—needed the convergence of several different circumstances to fall into place. After avoiding serious damage in a wreck off Turn 4 on lap 125, Dillon survived a subsequent 13-car melee in Turn 1 and took the lead before rain halted the race. After a red-flag period of 3 hours, 19 minutes, 57 seconds, Dillon fell behind 2022 Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric and trailed him from the restart on Lap 145 of 160 until he made the race-winning move on Lap 158. As the cars reached Turn 1, Dillon tapped Cindric’s No. 2 Team Penske Ford, and the Chevrolets of Dillon, Reddick and Landon Cassill moved past as Cindric made a magnificent save on the apron. Reddick, the race runner-up, closed up to the bumper of Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet and drafted with his teammate to the finish line, holding off a last-ditch run from Cindric, who finished third, just .140 seconds behind the winner. “There was a lot going on there. I knew that if we got to the white (final lap), I was afraid somebody would—if I waited too long, I was afraid somebody would wreck behind us, so I wanted to go ahead and get the lead. We were able to get it. “I had a big run to him, and then I had my teammate, the 8 (Reddick), back there. I knew we were in good shape there to the end. He did a good job checking up any kind of run. Just a little too much push there and got him (Cindric) loose.” Cindric said the bump was fair game, give what was on the line for Dillon. “I think that’s fair game any race of the season, but that meant a lot for him to win that race,” Cindric told Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass on pit road. “He had three cars that were certainly going to be able to work with him… “I feel like he got the run too late, and then he hit me straight on the entry to the corner. Just glad I saved it, glad I got a shot to still come back up through the field—but I hate losing.” Dillon’s victory knocked Truex out of the Playoff and handed the final berth to Ryan Blaney, who finished three points ahead of Truex in the final regular-season standings. When heavy rain stopped the action 21 laps from the finish, it looked as if Dillon might be awarded the victory. As the cars sped toward Turn 1 on Lap 138, a sudden rain began to fall. The cars of Justin Haley, Daniel Hemric and Denny Hamlin broke loose at the front of the field, and the cars behind them were unable to stop on the slick asphalt and plowed into the wreck. Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet, which had been damaged in a wreck off Turn 4 on Lap 125—and ended its slide facing backward on pit road—was the first to emerge from the Lap 138 chaos at cautious pace and shortly thereafter was confirmed as the race leader by NASCAR. “We ran into rain in the middle of Turn 1 and just lost it,” Hamlin said of the 13-car pileup. “We had rain down the front. So about 10 seconds before we got into Turn 1, it was raining. I’m sure the fans felt it, and then they watched us all pile in there.” NASCAR opted to wait out the rain, dried the track and lifted the red flag at 3:54 p.m. The resumption didn’t change the winner, but it enabled Blaney to move up the leaderboard past wrecked cars to a 15th-place finish, enough to eliminate eight-place finisher Truex from the Playoff. Cassill came home fourth, followed by Noah Gragson, as only 10 drivers finished on the lead lap, and only 17 were running at the end. Early in the race, Blaney got a serious scare, as far as his Playoff hopes were concerned. On Lap 31, Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford was third in line in the bottom lane behind Erik Jones and Denny Hamlin when Jones’ No. 43 Petty GMS Chevrolet got loose and lost momentum off Turn 2. Blaney slammed into the back of Hamlin’s Toyota, turning the No. 11 Camry toward the infield. As the bottom lane compressed, Christopher Bell’s No. 20 Toyota spun behind Blaney, shot across the track and knocked Blaney’s Mustang into the outside wall, severely damaging the right-front quarter of Blaney’s car. The eight-car accident knocked Bell and Brad Keselowski out of the race, denying Keselowski a Playoff spot for the first time since 2013. “Somebody wrecked in front of me,” Keselowski said. “I’m not really sure exactly what happened, but there were just a bunch of cars wrecking in front of me. I didn’t have anywhere to go and couldn’t slow down in time, so I hate it for our team." “We had a really fast race car. We were working our way to the front.” Truex earned six points with a fifth-place finish in Stage 1 and raced to a runner-up result in Stage 2, good for nine points, as Blaney continued to lose laps to the lead pack. The first two stages reduced Blaney’s lead over Truex in the standings to 10 points, but a wreck on the backstretch early in the final stage halted Truex’s charge. On Lap 102, Michael McDowell, running second, pulled out of line with a run on leader Joey Logano, but Reddick’s off-center hit to McDowell’s back bumper sent the No. 34 Ford rocketing into the outside wall. The contact ignited an eight-car melee that eliminated the machines of McDowell, Ross Chastain and William Byron. The wreck ended the Playoff hopes for McDowell, who had restarted in the lead on Lap 101. Truex’s car was damaged, too, but not terminally. Ultimately, though, it was the damage in that wreck that kept the 2017 series champion from maintaining a gap over Blaney sufficient to earn the final Playoff spot. “That's definitely a lot more stressful than I wanted coming into here, but I just got to give a lot of props to the 12 group, you know, for fixing it and sticking with it all day,” Blaney said. “That's why you do it. “Your day can start off like that, and you just stay with it and stay in the game. And it was definitely beneficial for us.” --30-- NASCAR Cup Series Race - 64th Annual Coke Zero Sugar 400 Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida Saturday, August 27, 2022 1. (21) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 160. 2. (6) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 160. 3. (14) Austin Cindric #, Ford, 160. 4. (35) Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, 160. 5. (37) Noah Gragson(i), Chevrolet, 160. 6. (33) Cody Ware, Ford, 160. 7. (36) BJ McLeod(i), Ford, 160. 8. (13) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 160. 9. (34) David Ragan, Ford, 160. 10. (22) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 160. 11. (30) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 159. 12. (3) Joey Logano, Ford, 158. 13. (23) Ty Gibbs(i), Toyota, 158. 14. (10) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 156. 15. (16) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 154. 16. (15) Cole Custer, Ford, 153. 17. (11) Erik Jones, Chevrolet, DVP, 148. 18. (25) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Accident, 144. 19. (29) Harrison Burton #, Ford, DVP, 140. 20. (7) Kevin Harvick, Ford, Accident, 139. 21. (27) Aric Almirola, Ford, Accident, 138. 22. (20) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, Accident, 138. 23. (32) Todd Gilliland #, Ford, Accident, 138. 24. (4) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, Accident, 137. 25. (19) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Accident, 137. 26. (28) Daniel Hemric(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 137. 27. (8) Chris Buescher, Ford, Accident, 137. 28. (18) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, Accident, 137. 29. (2) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, Accident, 137. 30. (31) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 137. 31. (26) Chase Briscoe, Ford, Accident, 124. 32. (9) Michael McDowell, Ford, Accident, 101. 33. (12) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, Accident, 101. 34. (17) William Byron, Chevrolet, Accident, 101. 35. (24) Brad Keselowski, Ford, DVP, 31. 36. (5) Christopher Bell, Toyota, Accident, 30. 37. (1) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Engine, 14. Average Speed of Race Winner: 138.942 mph. Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 52 Mins, 44 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.128 Seconds. Caution Flags: 7 for 30 laps. Lead Changes: 39 among 19 drivers. Lap Leaders: K. Larson 0;C. Elliott 1-21;E. Jones 22-23;C. Elliott 24-26;E. Jones 27-30;C. Elliott 31-34;J. Logano 35-36;C. LaJoie 37-40;B. Wallace 41-42;E. Jones 43;C. LaJoie 44-45;E. Jones 46-50;C. Buescher 51;E. Jones 52-58;W. Byron 59;E. Jones 60-62;A. Bowman 63;D. Hamlin 64-76;J. Logano 77-78;B. McLeod(i) 79-80;C. Elliott 81;T. Reddick 82-85;C. Elliott 86-87;K. Busch 88-89;T. Reddick 90-91;K. Busch 92-96;M. Truex Jr. 97;T. Dillon 98;M. McDowell 99-100;J. Logano 101-106;T. Reddick 107-108;J. Logano 109;T. Reddick 110-114;A. Bowman 115-124;J. Logano 125-127;J. Haley 128-135;D. Suarez 136-137;A. Dillon 138-144;A. Cindric # 145-157;A. Dillon 158-160. Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Chase Elliott 5 times for 31 laps; Erik Jones 6 times for 22 laps; Joey Logano 5 times for 14 laps; Austin Cindric # 1 time for 13 laps; Tyler Reddick 4 times for 13 laps; Denny Hamlin 1 time for 13 laps; Alex Bowman 2 times for 11 laps; Austin Dillon 2 times for 10 laps; Justin Haley 1 time for 8 laps; Kyle Busch 2 times for 7 laps; Corey LaJoie 2 times for 6 laps; BJ McLeod(i) 1 time for 2 laps; Bubba Wallace 1 time for 2 laps; Michael McDowell 1 time for 2 laps; Daniel Suarez 1 time for 2 laps; Ty Dillon 1 time for 1 lap; Martin Truex Jr. 1 time for 1 lap; Chris Buescher 1 time for 1 lap; William Byron 1 time for 1 lap. Stage #1 Top Ten: 22,9,21,18,19,7,23,47,43,34 Stage #2 Top Ten: 18,19,11,22,23,38,8,4,47,3 NASCAR WIRE SERVICES - Reid Spencer

By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Friday night’s bizarre, attrition-filled, rain-delayed NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway produced an appropriately unexpected outcome when Jeremy Clements took the checkered flag under caution at the end of the third attempt at overtime. Clements’ victory in the Wawa 250, a race that started roughly three hours late and ended shortly before 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, was his first at Daytona and the second of his career. Both of Clements victories have come on August 27, his first at Road America on Aug. 27, 2017. “I’m speechless, man—I don’t even know what to say,” said Clements, who grabbed a Playoff spot with the victory and shoved Ryan Sieg into 13th place in the standings, 12 points below the cut line. “We survived that big wreck back there (in the first overtime). It was like a ‘Days of Thunder’ wreck. “Then I was like, ‘If we can just keep up with these guys, it’ll be a good day—top five and bring this car home in one piece.’ But, wow! This is incredible.” As race leader Austin Hill lost electrical power and steered his Chevrolet to the apron, Clements got a push from Sage Karam on the third overtime restart on Lap 117 and was out front on the final lap when NASCAR called the 11th caution for Riley Herbst’s spin on the backstretch. Timmy Hill finished second, followed by AJ Allmendinger, Brandon Brown and Karam, who posted his career-best finish. Eighteen of the 38 cars that started the race were already in the garage when Clements took the checkered flag. A massive multicar wreck on Lap 98 of a scheduled 100 sent the race to overtime. First, Landon Cassill’s Chevrolet slapped the outside wall and collided with Jeb Burton’s Camaro. Then, at the front of the field, Daniel Hemric moved down the track and turned off the nose of Noah Gragson Chevrolet, igniting a melee that involved eight cars. But that was just the appetizer before a feast of crumpled chassis that followed the restart for the first attempt at overtime. On Lap 104, Brown’s Chevrolet got loose on the backstretch in front of Riley Herbst’s Ford. Brown spun, and 13 cars were damaged in the ensuing chaos. But the hardest hit of the night came on overtime attempt No. 2. Chain reaction contact between the cars of Clements, Allmendinger and Noah Gragson turned Gragson into the path of Landon Cassill’s Chevrolet. The impact from Cassill’s car spun Gragson around 360 degrees and tore the body off the front clip. Gragson had led a race-high 54 laps at that point. A multicar accident on Lap 83 put a dent in Sheldon Creed’s Playoff hopes and destroyed his No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 26 Toyota got loose off Turn 2 and spun off the front bumper of Brown’s Chevy. “All of a sudden, I was looking at the inside wall,” Nemechek said. “I’m not sure what happened, but I felt like I was hooked in the left rear.” Creed’s Camaro hit Nemechek’s car and spun to the inside and shot back across the track into traffic, demolishing Joe Graf Jr.’s Ford. The wreck kept Creed below the Playoff cut line, 55 points behind Cassill for the last spot, with three races left before the Playoff field is set. --30— NASCAR Xfinity Series Race - 21st Annual Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida Friday, August 26, 2022 1. (9) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 118. 2. (37) Timmy Hill(i), Chevrolet, 118. 3. (1) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 118. 4. (25) Brandon Brown, Chevrolet, 118. 5. (24) Sage Karam, Chevrolet, 118. 6. (36) Ryan Vargas, Chevrolet, 118. 7. (8) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 118. 8. (21) Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 118. 9. (28) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, 118. 10. (32) Kyle Sieg #, Ford, 118. 11. (34) Jesse Iwuji #, Chevrolet, 118. 12. (22) Myatt Snider, Chevrolet, 118. 13. (15) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 118. 14. (14) Austin Hill #, Chevrolet, 118. 15. (6) Riley Herbst, Ford, 118. 16. (31) Joey Gase, Ford, 116. 17. (18) Blaine Perkins(i), Chevrolet, 116. 18. (5) Josh Berry, Chevrolet, 115. 19. (16) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, DVP, 114. 20. (12) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 114. 21. (29) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 113. 22. (2) Noah Gragson, Chevrolet, Accident, 110. 23. (10) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, Accident, 110. 24. (33) Matt Mills(i), Toyota, Accident, 110. 25. (38) Justin Haley(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 103. 26. (11) Ryan Sieg, Ford, Accident, 103. 27. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 103. 28. (30) Caesar Bacarella, Chevrolet, Accident, 103. 29. (35) Josh Williams, Ford, Accident, 103. 30. (23) Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, Accident, 103. 31. (26) David Starr, Ford, Accident, 98. 32. (13) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, Accident, 98. 33. (27) Mason Massey, Chevrolet, Engine, 97. 34. (4) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, Accident, 91. 35. (19) John Hunter Nemechek(i), Toyota, Accident, 82. 36. (7) Sheldon Creed #, Chevrolet, Accident, 82. 37. (20) Joe Graf Jr, Ford, Accident, 82. 38. (3) Sammy Smith, Toyota, Accident, 14. Average Speed of Race Winner: 113.328 mph. Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 36 Mins, 11 Secs. Margin of Victory: Caution Seconds. Caution Flags: 10 for 41 laps. Lead Changes: 19 among 12 drivers. Lap Leaders: A. Allmendinger 1-4;N. Gragson 5-16;J. Berry 17-18;R. Herbst 19;T. Gibbs 20-24;R. Herbst 25;T. Gibbs 26-31;J. Berry 32-35;B. Brown 36;A. Alfredo 37-40;J. Allgaier 41-49;A. Alfredo 50-51;J. Allgaier 52-53;A. Alfredo 54-55;N. Gragson 56-62;R. Vargas 63;N. Gragson 64-96;D. Hemric 97;A. Hill # 98-115;J. Clements 116-118. Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Noah Gragson 3 times for 52 laps; Austin Hill # 1 time for 18 laps; Ty Gibbs 2 times for 11 laps; Justin Allgaier 2 times for 11 laps; Anthony Alfredo 3 times for 8 laps; Josh Berry 2 times for 6 laps; AJ Allmendinger 1 time for 4 laps; Jeremy Clements 1 time for 3 laps; Riley Herbst 2 times for 2 laps; Daniel Hemric 1 time for 1 lap; Ryan Vargas 1 time for 1 lap; Brandon Brown 1 time for 1 lap. Stage #1 Top Ten: 54,21,2,16,8,19,7,1,14,39 Stage #2 Top Ten: 9,23,98,1,8,26,54,7,31,39

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 27, 2022) — T. Taylor Warren, whose famous photograph of the 1959 Daytona 500 finish helped determine the winner of the race, has been named the recipient of the 2023 Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. He is the first photojournalist to win the prestigious award named after Ken Squier and Barney Hall, the first two recipients. Warren began photographing race cars at the Milwaukee Fairgrounds in 1948 and was hired by Bill France Sr. to photograph the Daytona Beach Road Course in 1952. He went on to become the track photographer at Daytona International Speedway, where he worked every Daytona 500 until his death in 2008. “While T. Taylor Warren was best known for his photo of the 1959 Daytona 500 finish, his photographs brought NASCAR to our fans for nearly six decades,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France. “Through his work for NASCAR, race tracks and countless motorsports outlets, his images were often the only way for fans to see the action from the race track. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and when it comes to NASCAR photography, no one was more prolific than T. Taylor.” In addition to his work for NASCAR and tracks, Warren shot photos for several racing magazines, most notably Southern MotoRacing Warren has been honored with several prestigious awards. In 2006, he became the first photographer to win the International Motorsports Hall of Fame's Henry T. McLemore Award for achievement in journalism. He posthumously won the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Myers Brothers Award in 2008 for outstanding contributions to the sport of stock car racing. He was also inducted into the NMPA Hall of Fame in January of 2009. Warren will be honored during NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony festivities on Jan. 20, 2023 and featured in an exhibit in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Tickets to the Induction Weekend events are available at NASCARHall.com. The other seven nominees for the award were: Russ Catlin, one of the best-known early racing writers and historians; editor of Speed Age Magazine George Cunningham, long-time beat writer for The Charlotte Observer, Atlanta Constitution and NASCAR Scene; is the namesake for the annual NMPA award for Excellence in Writing Shav Glick, covered motorsports for the Los Angeles Times for 37 years bringing NASCAR coverage to the West Coast Mike Harris, spent 30 years as the lead motorsports writer for the Associated Press Bob Montgomery, co-founder and announcer for the Universal Racing Network Bob Moore, spent more than 20 years as a NASCAR beat writer including stints with the Daytona Beach News-Journal and The Charlotte Observer Deb Williams, the first woman to receive the American Motorsports Media Award of Excellence.

by AJ Appeal The Racing Refresh brand is primarily focused on two themes, diversity and entertainment. When the opportunity to cover video gaming is provided to our team, we are quick to jump on the experience. Through the summer of 2022, NHRA Drag Racing has grown into the second most-read form of motorsports at Racing Refresh. Their new game from GameMill Entertainment debuted today on August 26th. I had the opportunity to test drive an early release and wasn't as satisfied as I had hoped. That being said, I'd still encourage you to give it a whirl. My review below includes what I felt were the highs and lows of various elements I look for in a national motorsports video game. LICENSING: C+ First things, first. The new title and license is one that we've been waiting for well over a decade. You may have seen some reviews from frustrated fans or social influencers who were immediately discouraged that leading automotive manufacturers are missing from this premiere. I can indeed confirm that the racing horsepower brands we are used to seeing in traffic at a red light, or going 330 mph on the green Sundays on Fox are not included. While it isn't my preferred aesthetic for race cars to have fictional body lines on their cars, previous top-shelf racing titles have absolutely experienced similar challenges getting proper outfits on the cars. I'm not sure if this was a licensing issue, or a deadline scenario that wasn't met, but this along with other pros and cons in the game will be discussed with the game's producers in an exclusive interview next week from the US Nationals in Indianapolis. The vehicles still resemble the real ones in the sportsman classes as you can see in the below image taken from career mode. It is inherently obvious that they're shooting for a Dodge Challenger on the front end of this Lucas Oil semi-pro racer. Additionally, they went right for the fame and fortune when it came to feeling like you're racing against the best of the best. The biggest names such as Force and Capps, and the best venues including Auto Club, Bristol, and Summit Motorsports Park are all included in the release. The trophy stands tall, a proud standing 'Wally' is in the game for weekend winners, and countless proper sponsors such as competing oil vendors, Goodyear Tires, and multiple automotive part suppliers all make their way into the feature. I've learned through the years that licensing is one of the most challenging pieces of the puzzle for a video game, and even more complex if it is an independent or smaller budget studio making the project. They did a nice job on this, if future releases should come...they know by now that car makes need added, but they went the right way including so many other fun elements. CAREER: A The thing I am most impressed about on Speed for All is the concept that we aren't expected to just make three-second passes all day long until we are bored ten minutes into play. The developers recognized that the gamer needed more and they DELIVERED. To be honest, I found myself clicking around the different menus and I was impressed at the customization the player is given access to on the career menus. We can paint our car, sign sponsors, change helmets and firesuits, heck we can even change our raing hauler. Additionally, every piece of the car can be upgraded or even changed from one brand to another. Even within the same part brand you can upgrade to different lines and purchase a more premium option with in-game cash. Unlike in similar experiences, which use a coin or a credit symbol, NHRA Speed for All uses the US Dollar to symbolize currency. This isn't major, but a nice look and feel. This money can be used for the prior mentioned car parts, or an advanced research and development module. Each part of your car that you have your engineers develop takes time and money, sometimes weeks to improve. Every piece that is installed on the car wears through a race weekend. You can see in the screenshot above that you only have 30 minutes to make proper adjustments to the car between rounds, so it is important to use your brain and your wallet efficiently or you may walk away from a race weekend in the negative. Championships are awarded and a nearly accurate version of Fox's material-design studio graphics conclude every pass with commentating audio and a full replay to review what you did correct or where you made errors on your pass. This helps you decide your race strategy through any given race weekend. As you succeed through a season you have the opportunity to move through the ranks and earn a spot in the big-leagues racing in the Pro-Stock, Funny Car, or Top-Fuel categories. ON TRACK RACING: C- Typically, we would address racing first on a motorsports review, but drag racing is a game that involves so much more that I felt it appropriate to review other elements first. Now that we're here...I'm at a loss. I feel that the game is laggy and too much in the 'simulator' realm..not enough 'arcade' feel. I found it exceptionally challenging to perform my first several burnouts and in my first 10 attempts to race in a 'Quick Race' event, only one time did I complete a pass without being disqualified. For the sake of the argument, let's assume I'm a poor racing gamer. I'll give the studio credit where it is due. The player is responsible for a lot, which I enjoy. Everything from turning the motor on, to performing their burnout, and going through the gears. With more practice I think I'll enjoy this a bit more, but I don't think the detail accommodates a bulk audience, especially when video gamers can often be children. If the game developers intend on it being this intense, I'd recommend a variety of difficulties and options to be included as well. I was surprised that there was a fully mobile fanbase at each track, not the funny cardboard cutouts that some sports games put into the stands to eliminate motion or lag. It was humourous that they did not include the team's pit crew at the staging lanes to support their driver, though. Some of the fun of a successful drag racing pass is the interaction and emotion of the pit crew. They work as hard as their drivers and it would have been nice for them to be recognized. On track damage models were impressive and lackluster at different times depending on what incident occurred. I was absolutely thrilled to see blown tires. The fire effects and parachute deployment are all great. Body panel crunching was not as impressive overall. GRAPHICS and MEDIA PRESENTATION: B While I personally was not playing on a modern gen console, my Playstation 4 graphics came and went. I was happy to see some really cool details and visuals through my experience such as very detailed race tracks, but let me down to see a cockpit that had minimal polygons and a pair of racing gloves that looked like it came out of a computer from 1998. Fortunately for me, I play using 'chase cam'. The sound on my test was not great, but I've seen other players using the Playstation 5 that sounded much better. They need to make some kind of change to have linear and stereo sound that matches across all devices. The audio from the commentator is crystal clear and I'm thankful they included Brian Lohnes of Fox Sports. His recordings were expertly provided and the analyst obviously had fun poking fun at the gamer when they mess up. Taking away from what may have been my own television's settings, I'm content with where the media portion of the game is. Their use of Lohnes as well as the graphics package they have installed on day one felt like it was more of a championship racing experience than simply, a drag race. It makes it a more fun experience when making each round's pass. OVERALL: *C+ While the feedback from fans has been hit or miss, I think this is something you're going to want to get your hands on. It is lacking in some areas, yes...but it's day one on the first build of a new game engine in the public's eyes. Add the product they've already established on a micro budget, and the development's focus and pressure to improve.... *plus a few patches here and there, and this can be enjoyed for many months. I say if you're in the market for a fun racing game this fall, or you are unable to go enjoy the thrill of being baptized by nitro in person, pull the trigger on this game and give it a shot. For a full trailer, enjoy below. Stay tuned for more next week when I interview developers from GameMill Entertainment! (The previous review was completed by Racing Refresh site editor AJ Appeal after testing the NHRA Championship Drag Racing: SPEED FOR ALL video game on a second generation Playstation 4 console. The game was provided for testing and review purposes from the developer GameMill Entertainment with no paid promotion, and without additional updates installed, or 'as-is'.)