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Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images By Adam Carabine & Logan Morris Logan Morris: Hey Adam, We just saw another unique race at COTA. Christopher Bell out-dueled Kyle Busch and William Byron to go back to back. You were there! What are your initial takeaways?   Adam Carabine: Firstly, I thought the race was awesome.  They talk about COTA as being a world-class facility, and while it looks nice on TV, I never quite understood why until I got here myself.  The place is beautiful, and the track made for a couple of great races this weekend.   I’m not sure I’m getting the same warm and fuzzies from you, though.  What did you think? LM: First off, I’m thrilled you enjoyed yourself. I thought the strategy of the last stage was wonderful! However, the first two stages left something to be desired. The race hit a lull after the chaos on lap 1, after that, from a TV viewer's perspective it began to take on the feel of a “Sunday drive.”   AC: That’s fair, I suppose.  I mean, we’re never going to see as much passing on a road course as we do on speedways.  But I felt like the newly redesigned course was a hit, and it kept the drivers guessing enough to keep things interesting.  I was actually shocked when talking to the drivers at the start of the weekend at how little they knew about the new layout.   These days it seems like they spend their weekends on track, and then the rest of the week in a simulator.  But apparently the team that does the track scans for their simulators had not had a chance to get out and look at the new redesign, so a lot of it was just based on everyone’s best guess.  Some drivers mentioned that there had been 4 or 5 different iterations of the course on the simulator before settling on what they thought was ‘the closest they could get.’  Ahead of practice, the drivers were noticeably antsy to get out there and get a good feel for things. LM: That’s pretty incredible when you consider how clean the race was. The TV broadcast during practice on Prime mentioned that the simulators were struggling to capture the course. However, they gave the impression that it got figured out in the end.  Were you surprised it was such a clean race, overall?  AC: I think based on the drivers who were up front near the end, no, I’m not surprised.  But I will say, Turn One was less crazy than we’ve seen in years past.  I think that makes for a better product, even if the TV announcers like to play up the thrills and spills of Calamity Corner. As a quick aside, it’s actually really interesting to watch a race from the media center, as you have access to a lot more than your normal TV broadcast at home - however they are also playing the TV audio in there too.  It’s interesting to see how they decide what to show and what not to pay attention to.  This isn’t even necessarily a criticism, it’s an amazingly difficult task to see it all playing out in real time and to decide what’s important to highlight.  But I do like the peek behind the curtain. But yes, I was impressed with the clean racing - and you could tell the drivers were pleased about it too.  I was bracing myself for a cranky Kyle Busch on pit road after the race and he was honestly so pleasant about the whole thing.   LM: He had a wonderful day, all things considered. With around 10 laps to go, I had become convinced that he was going to finally break the winless streak. He’s been close a multitude of times. But this weekend felt more like it was his to lose than any other race where he’s come up short recently. However, if RCR keeps building him cars like the one he had Sunday, it’s simply a matter of time before Kyle Busch is back in victory lane in NASCAR’s top series.  AC: He did say something to that effect on pit road after the race. He said that as long as he keeps getting cars that can run in the Top 5, the win will come soon. He was surprisingly in good spirits.  I will agree with what you said earlier. The last stage was the best part of the race. But there was plenty of action in the first half too, at least I thought. What did you make of Shane Van Gisbergen? I know he couldn’t close it out but he’s pretty bad fast at these lefts and rights! LM: While he didn’t win, in every single road course we run in this Gen 7 era he continues to prove he’s the man to beat. I thought that trend continued this weekend despite the final result. Similar to how we saw Chase Elliott master road courses in the Gen 6 era. There’s a very good chance that the man called “SVG” will be right up there with Hall of Famers like Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart when it comes to road course prowess when it’s all said and done.  AC: Agreed. The guy just loves his road courses! I hope he sticks around in NASCAR for a while, he’s fun to have around. One last thing I want to ask you before we move on to our awards - did the TV broadcast talk at all about some of the controversy around Turn 6 and track limits? LM: Absolutely. Much was made of the rules that were in place. Then, even more chatter ensued after NASCAR seemingly called an audible and decided no track limits at Turn 6. I’m very curious about your take on what we saw there.  AC: I was listening to Kyle Busch’s radio at the time, and they were hesitant to try and cut the corner in Turn 6, saying something like “it’ll be us that gets dinged on it if we go.”  It wasn’t super clear to us in the media center either what the rule really was.  Obviously there were strict limits in the previous turns, called the “esses.”  But suddenly Turn 6 is a free for all? And they only really let everyone know after like 20 laps into the race?  Very confusing.   And also, my main question is why? The track limits are there because that’s the way the track is designed.  If you go beyond the limit, you get a penalty.  Why should one corner be different from any other? LM: I couldn’t agree more. If I were to describe the officiating thus far this season, it can be summed up by saying “consistently inconsistent” AC: Agreed. Anyway - let’s get to our weekly awards! Best Performer LM: For best performer I have to go with Kyle Busch. While he didn’t win, this was his most complete performance in quite some time.  He led 42 laps and was a factor from the drop of the green flag. Richard Childress has to like what he’s seeing out of his veteran star.  AC: Those 42 laps were the most of anyone in the field.  Busch is a great choice in this category, and while it feels strange to say - there was a part of me rooting for him!   Just to be different, I’ll say Christopher Bell.  Sure, it’s easy to choose the guy who won the race, but he really put on a masterclass in the final 15 laps or so in clean, hard racing.  While it was sad to see Busch falter at the end, Bell truly did deserve the victory. Biggest Move of the Race LM: My biggest move of the race has to go to the entire No. 9 team. The Dawsonville, GA native battled back from adversity from literally the first lap. To have a Top 5 after seemingly struggling all day, credit where it’s due. That’s what playoff and championship caliber teams do more often than not - truly salvage a day. It’s early to be talking points, but Chase Elliott and company kept themselves in a solid position Sunday.   AC: It was a gutsy call to go and get fresh tires on that last caution.  I have a friend who is a big Chase Elliott fan who was texting me during that.  “Why did [crew chief] Alan Gustafson have Chase pit here!  2 laps ago he said he had Top 5 speed.  Now he went from P13 to p22!”  It turned out to be a great call.   Not to be unoriginal, but I’m going to pick CBell again here for this award.  For a while it was clear that Bell had the better car, he just couldn’t get past Kyle Busch.  There was a moment when they were both approaching Turn 1, and Bell had him.  Busch threw a pretty aggressive block with his line into the corner.  Bell could easily have taken him out, and not really even taken any blame for it.  But he checked up, swerved away, and let Busch go.  Eventually he caught him and the rest is history.   It was a respectful racing move, possibly aided by the memories of last year’s COTA race where Bell clobbered Kyle Busch in approximately the exact same spot.  Bell wasn’t proud of it then, and it showed maturity to let him go, only to chase him down and catch him a little later on. Biggest Disappointment LM: There are a few people I’m considering this week.  But, I have to go with A.J. Allmendinger. While his day wasn’t nearly as bad as his final result showed, a 30th place finish for one of the all-time great road racers in NASCAR history is bitter disappointment. As I’ve said previously, it’s early to be discussing points, but you know Allmendinger has every road course circled for his best opportunities to sneak into the playoffs.  AC: You’re not wrong.  He had some good runs up there, but ultimately it’s sad to see someone who should be succeeding not meet that potential.   For me, my disappointment is for Connor Zilisch.  The young phenom took the Xfinity race by storm on Saturday, winning despite some major adversity.  He becomes the second youngest driver to make their Cup Series debut (Joey Logano holds the record), and even in just half a race, he showed some flashes of brilliance.  The kid can wheel. To see him go out (and take his teammate with him) in the way he did was sad, and I have a sneaking suspicion he might have made his way to the front and at least challenged for the win if he’d managed to stay in the race. What to Watch for Next Weekend LM: Next week we begin what is now the truncated “west coast swing” Phoenix carries extra importance for a few reasons. The big one being it’s where the Championship race is held so it’s a big opportunity for everyone to get some notes in the notebook. Secondly, it serves as our first look at everyone’s short track package this season.  Christopher Bell will go for three straight victories at a track he won at last spring. We could be talking about a trifecta next week!  AC: You’re not wrong there, Bell is aces at Phoenix, and Vegas too right after that if we’re being honest.  When does someone else win next? I don’t love Phoenix as our Championship track, but I suppose that’s a conversation for another day.  Nonetheless, it’s a good measuring stick for the teams that hope to challenge for that Championship later this fall.  It also marks the point in the schedule where we get more to the ‘normal’ NASCAR tracks.  The first three races of the season this year have been wildcards - Phoenix should show us who is a legitimate challenger this year.  Until then, thanks Logan! LM: Always a pleasure, my friend. Let's enjoy a little fun in the sun!

Christopher Bell celebrates in victory lane at Circuit of the Americas - Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images By Adam Carabine Kyle Busch had a great day, but was thwarted by Christopher Bell with five laps to go.  Bell took advantage of a late caution, newer tires, and perhaps even his dirt-racing background to make it two wins in a row.    Much was made of the style of racing at the end.  Even Kyle Busch, who wound up finishing 5th, was complimentary of Bell’s clean racing.   “He was much faster than me, and was able to do a good job of biding his time and waiting for me to make a couple mistakes in a row.  Once I made two mistakes in a row, then it was over,” Busch said on pit road after the race.   Bell himself was pleased with the way it all played out, saying, “I can’t reiterate enough how amazing it was to have such respectful, clean and hard racing. That was just a beautiful ending to a race.”   The 20 team of Bell didn’t unload the way they wanted to at the start of the weekend.  They qualified 19th, and with limited practice, crew chief Adam Stevens talked about how proud he was of his team for rebounding.   “This is really what this team is capable of, going forward.  I’ve felt that for a while, and it’s nice to have all of the other pieces of the puzzle – pit stops, the changes, communication – to facilitate that.”   Kyle Busch was one of the cars to beat early on.  He qualified 8th, and was a strong contender from the start.  Busch earned the most stage points of any driver on the day, with 14.  He began battling Shane Van Gisbergen for the lead on lap 25, and that continued en route to him leading 42 laps – more than anyone else as well.   As the laps were winding down, and teams all needed one final pit stop to make it to the end, Bell’s crew chief, Adam Stevens made a gutsy call to keep him out on track for a little longer than the rest of the pack.    It’s common to see the leader peel off, and the rest of the field quickly follows suit, not wanting to be caught on the wrong strategy.  However, Stevens explained, “I wasn’t willing to pit too early and have too many more laps to go.  I felt like the laps remaining post-stop would have put us in an uncomfortable zone with those rear tires.”   The gamble paid off, and the tires may well have proven to be the deciding factor in the race finish.   A rare late-race caution at a road course played directly into Bell’s lap.  When Busch’s teammate Austin Dillon got spun by Denny Hamlin and wound up stuck in a gravel pit, the day’s 4th caution came out (and only the 2nd for cause), tightening up the leaders, and giving the advantage to Bell on newer tires.   Busch did his best to hold him off, but with five laps to go Bell took the lead for the first time, and held onto it until the checkered flag.   In his attempts to keep Bell at bay, a little bit of contact bent Busch’s control arm or toe link, which eventually had him fade back to finish P5 on the day.   Christopher Bell noted that until that point, Busch was hard to pass cleanly, saying, “I was trying my hardest to get position on him.  He was attacking his braking zones so hard.”   Busch added, “I thought we were supposed to be able to bang wheels and race these things side-by-side, but not the case.”   Last year, Christopher Bell felt like he let some wins slip away, even when he had the fastest car on the track.  This year, he said it was nice to capitalize on race wins, sometimes when they didn’t even have the fastest car – referencing last week’s win at Atlanta.   Crew chief Adam Stevens put it best:   “Last week was probably one we didn’t really have circled […] we were able to put ourselves in position to race for it.  When it comes down to a race, I’m going to take Bell every time.”   He also added this to the rest of the field: “This week we certainly did have circled.  And I’ll tell you, we have the next two weeks circled as well.”

Connor Zilisch celebrates his win at COTA - Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images By Adam Carabine Connor Zilisch captured another road course victory at Circuit of the Americas Saturday, and he did it with the odds stacked against him.  This is the second Xfinity Series victory for Zilisch in his young career, in just his 7th start.    The win locks him into the playoffs, and sets the stage for an interesting Cup Series race on Sunday, where Zilisch will become the second-youngest driver to make their Cup Series debut (Joey Logano was the youngest).   The 88 car was fast in both practice and qualifying, with Zilisch securing the pole Friday evening – ahead of competitive Cup Series regulars Ross Chastain and William Byron.  He beat Chastain by just under 0.2 seconds.    What looked like a great start to the race quickly turned sour for Zilisch, despite the near-four-second lead he had built over second place.  Near the end of the first stage, the plan was for him to pit with two laps to go – jump the stage break and set himself up with track position to start Stage Two.  At the same time, Argentinian driver Baltazar Leguizamon became stuck on the track bringing out a caution.   The caution was thrown, and pit road technically closed about half a second before Zilisch crossed the commitment line, meaning he would be penalized for entering a closed pit.  So not only did Zilisch give up stage points, his penalty put him to the tail of the longest line for the next restart, giving up his strategic track position.    “That penalty is tough.  You’re the fastest car, cruising out front.  That penalty is not really in your control and it puts you in last,” he said post-race.   Zilisch was reassured over his radio, with his team saying, “You’ve got so much more pace than any of the other cars out here.  Take care of it.  Do not get greedy.”   While he restarted 32nd, he managed to fight his way back into the Top 10 within 15 laps.  Zilisch again chose to pit early at the end of Stage 2 to keep his track position for the final stage.  This time, it went smoothly, and he received no penalties.   He restarted third at the start of the final stage, and immediately went to work trying to get to the front again.  An aggressive move resulted in door-slamming Craftsman Truck Series regular, Corey Heim, who was running in the 24 car.  Heim took the worst of it and spun, but it gave Zilisch a rub on his right front tire.    At first, his team was concerned the tire would puncture and go down before he could get back around to pit road.  However, as he continued on, the tire seemed to be holding tough.  They decided to keep him out on the track and see what happened.   “I was rubbing the right front for a few laps,” he said after the race, adding, “I had damage and I was probably being harder on it than I needed to.”   Over the radio, he was consistently reminded that he couldn’t afford to take any more bumps, especially on the right front.    “I was trying to be as easy as I could on it, and thankfully I made it to the end,” Zilisch said.  His bad luck seemingly ran out, as leader Austin Hill overshot a corner, giving up the lead.   Zilisch was now in P2, with his teammate Carson Kvapil in the lead.  The two of them continued to lock up their tires, each attempting to outmaneuver the other.  But Zilisch wouldn’t be denied.    Shortly after Zilisch made the pass for the lead, Kvapil also got a penalty for cutting some of the track limits.  This gave Zilisch the breathing room he needed to calm down and bring it home.   After the race, Zilisch was hard on himself, saying, “I made way too many mistakes, made it way harder on myself.  It was way too chaotic of a race for my liking, but we ended up getting the job done anyway.”   “I’ve already texted three people that I feel I did wrong.  I’ve got to drive 80% at these places, I’m so fast.”   Regardless of what the other drivers think, Connor Zilisch is now locked into the Xfinity Series playoffs, and has gained some valuable experience before tackling the Cup Series COTA race on Sunday.   “It’s going to be a lot tougher tomorrow, everyone is so good in the Cup Series,” he said, though he did say he felt Saturday’s reps would help his cause.  “As different as the cars are, the technique is pretty much the same.”   Connor Zilisch starts 14th in tomorrow’s Cup Series race, the EchoPark Texas Grand Prix.

By Adam Carabine Happy weekend everyone, it’s time for another edition of Stats Saturday. This weekend NASCAR travels to Austin, Texas for the Echopark Texas Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas, or COTA.   Relatively new to the NASCAR schedule, COTA is a road course facility that opened in 2012.  NASCAR first visited in 2021 with Chase Elliott taking the inaugural victory.  This year the race has been changed – it will be on the 2.356-mile layout.    Tomorrow’s race will be 95 laps long (for a total of 223.82 miles), with stage breaks occurring at 20 – 45 – 95.  Pit road speed is 40 mph, and the caution vehicle runs at 50 mph.    This year, the NASCAR Cup Series has run 467 laps, for 912.14 miles so far this season.  12 drivers have completed all of them.    Top 5 Career Average Finishers at COTA: Ross Chastain 4.00 over 4 races (1 win) Alex Bowman 4.25 over 4 races Tyler Reddick 5.00 over 4 races (1 win) Ty Gibbs 6.00 over 2 races Chase Elliott 7.00 over 3 races (1 win)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at COTA: Josh Berry 35.00 over 1 race Bubba Wallace 32.25 over 4 races Cole Custer 29.50 over 2 races Daniel Suarez 28.75 over 4 races Justin Haley 28.25 over 4 races   COTA is a Road Course   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Road Courses: Chase Elliott 8.19 over 35 races (7 wins) Tyler Reddick 11.10 over 26 races (3 wins) Shane Van Gisbergen 11.90 over 6 races (1 win) Chris Buescher 13.13 over 37 races (1 win) Kyle Busch 14.48 over 58 races (4 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Road Courses: John Hunter Nemechek 28.28 over 7 races Ty Dillon 27.08 over 25 races Ryan Preece 25.94 over 23 races Bubba Wallace 22.98 over 32 races Austin Dillon 22.98 over 39 races   With COTA being so new to the schedule, there have only been four Cup Series races there, and four different winners.  Chase Elliott, William Byron, Ross Chastain and Tyler Reddick are all tied for winningest driver at COTA with one each.   Notable drivers who have not won at COTA: Kyle Busch (has won at 24 other tracks) Denny Hamlin (has won at 19 other tracks) Joey Logano (has won at 19 other tracks) Kyle Larson (has won at 18 other tracks) Brad Keselowski (has won at 17 other tracks)   Ross Chastain scored his first ever Cup Series win at COTA – it was his 121st start.   Based on average finish, Ross Chastain, Alex Bowman and Ty Gibbs all have COTA as their BEST track, meanwhile Bubba Wallace, Cole Custer, Daniel Suarez and Brad Keselowski all have it as his WORST.   Based on their point pace, let’s have a look at how this season is comparing to last season for drivers:   Drivers Faring Better than in 2024 Tyler Reddick +748 pts Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +588 pts Bubba Wallace +539 pts John Hunter Nemechek +432 pts Ryan Blaney +418 pts   Drivers Faring Worse than in 2024 Brad Keselowski -560 pts Josh Berry -535 pts Ty Gibbs -503 pts Ross Chastain -362 pts Noah Gragson -345 pts   Here is the current battle for Rookie of the Year: Riley Herbst 40 Shane Van Gisbergen 18   The Manufacturer Standings are calculated by awarding points to the highest finisher for each manufacturer according to their finishing position.  (40 for 1st, 35 for 2nd, 34 for 3rd, etc.)  No stage points or playoff points count.   Manufacturer Standings         Chevrolet 75 Toyota 75 Ford 63   Here is the same formula, but used on a team-vs-team basis:   Chartered Team Standings Hendrick 74 Joe Gibbs 73 23XI 63 Penske 63 Spire 62 Legacy Motor Club 59 Trackhouse 53 Hyak 51 Kaulig 46 RFK 46 RCR 44 Front Row 36 Haas Factory 17 Rick Ware 14 Wood Bros 13   At each stage break, the Top 10 drivers are awarded points based on their finishing positions.  Here are the leaders this year:   Stage Point Leaders Joey Logano 22 Ryan Blaney 21 Austin Cindric 20 Bubba Wallace 18 Alex Bowman 17 William Byron 16 Chase Elliott 14 Tyler Reddick 13 Kyle Larson 10 Josh Berry 10   Milestone Watch Chase Elliott Looking for his 20th Career Win Kyle Larson Looking for his 30th Career Win Tyler Reddick Looking for his 40th Career Top 5 Ross Chastain Looking for his 60th Career Top 10 Denny Hamlin Looking for his 360th Career Top 10 John Hunter Nemechek Looking for his 10th Career Top 10 Tyler Reddick Looking for his 80th Career Top 10   Here are the top 10 longest active winless streaks:   Winless Streaks Justin Haley 139 races Erik Jones 79 races Bubba Wallace 77 races Kyle Busch 55 races Martin Truex Jr. 50 races Michael McDowell 46 races Daniel Suarez 32 races William Byron 26 races Chase Elliott 25 races Denny Hamlin 23 races   The race begins Sunday, March 2nd at 3:30 pm EST (12:30 pm PST) – Enjoy the race everyone!   Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter  @RacingRefresh   Is there an error? Is there a stat missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

Press Release | NHRA NHRA has announced that four qualifying sessions will return to the racing schedule during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Fans will get the chance to enjoy four sessions at every race, except for the NHRA Virginia Nationals, which will feature three qualifying sessions on Saturday, June 21 as part of a unique two-day event, and the prestigious Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, which will have its traditional five qualifying sessions over Labor Day Weekend. The other 18 national events will feature four qualifying sessions, with two taking place on Friday and two on Saturday, giving fans ample opportunity to see all their favorite NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series stars. The Saturday qualifying schedule will also see an adjustment, as Top Fuel and Funny Car will now kick off both sessions, running before Pro Stock/Pro Stock Motorcycle, mirroring the Sunday eliminations schedule as well. The Friday qualifying will remain the same, with Pro Stock/Pro Stock Motorcycle running before Top Fuel and Funny Car, which will allow for several nitro-at-night sessions. “I really love this new format for the Saturday schedule, and I look forward to seeing it take place all year long,” Funny Car standout Bob Tasca III said. “For the fans who are excited to see nitro racing, it’s a great chance to give them a chance to see it first on Saturdays during the Pro qualifying schedule.” Added reigning Pro Stock champ Greg Anderson: “This is beneficial to Pro Stock because those are the conditions we will race in on Sunday. It had been difficult on Sunday because we don’t have any practice [running after nitro] during qualifying. So, this should help us with our raceday tune-up, which is what is most important for the weekend.” At numerous races, including both Charlotte four-wide events, Epping, Bristol, Norwalk, Seattle, Sonoma, Indianapolis, Reading, St. Louis, and Dallas, fans will be treated to primetime qualifying under the lights on Friday night, as the 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph nitro machines put on a spectacular night show. Starting in Phoenix and concluding in Indianapolis, Saturday’s qualifying schedule during 13 regular-season events, including both four-wide events in April, will also include the popular Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge. The bonus event brings competitive racing to Saturday qualifying and has been a huge hit with a bonus purse and bonus championship points on the line. Semifinalists from the previous race will face off in a rematch, with the winners advancing for a must-see Saturday showdown. “We’re excited to return to four qualifying rounds at our national events this year. It’s a welcomed move by our race teams and will only enhance the competitive environment of NHRA Drag Racing, which only makes for a better show for our great fans,” NHRA Vice President of Racing Administration Josh Peterson said. “They get to see more racing, more incredible performances, and it’s a great way to showcase all the standout racing teams and drivers within the NHRA.” The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season opens March 6-9 with the 56th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at legendary Gainesville Raceway and features 20 total events at standout facilities across the country. To purchase tickets to an upcoming NHRA event, visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. (Photo Courtesy NHRA)

Press Release | NHRA The International Drag Racing Hall of Fame will welcome 10 new inductees March 6 during a ceremony at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center in Gainesville, Fla. The event is presented by Wynn’s. Pro Stock Motorcycle legends Terry Vance and Byron Hines, past Top Fuel and Funny Car world champion Gary Scelzi, longtime nitro team owner and driver Jim Head, former racer and racetrack owner Charlie Allen, drag racing pioneers Jay Howell and Gary Dyer, and NHRA National Dragster Editor Phil Burgess. Racetrack owner/operator Debbie Bader and Summit's Paul Sergi will also be honored alongside the Class of 2025 inductees into the Hall of Fame, which was established in 1991 by drag racing legend Don Garlits. The Vance & Hines name is familiar to anyone associated with high-performance motorcycles, whether on a dragstrip, a road course, or the streets. Terry Vance and Byron Hines first met at Russ Collins’ RC Engineering shop and conspired on a Top Gas Honda that decimated the drag bike arena in the 1970s. By 1980, they’d left to form Vance & Hines, which over the last four decades has won scores of events and world championships across drag racing and road racing. Both also contributed to those numbers as both are past NHRA national event-winning riders, and Hines' sons, Matt and Andrew, are both multitime world champions in NHRA's Pro Stock Motorcycle class. Charlie Allen began his racing career in Super Stock Dodges but came to national acclaim as a racetrack operator, running successful programs at famed Orange County International Raceway in Southern California and Firebird International Raceway outside of Phoenix, the latter of which he built from scratch after OCIR closed in 1983. Gary Scelzi has been a race-winning driver in every type of car that he drove, from early sand drag racing entries through Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Top Fuel, and Funny Car. In an NHRA career that spanned more than 20 years, Scelzi won 43 NHRA national events, three Top Fuel world championships, and a Funny Car championship. Jim Head, a self-proclaimed “mad scientist,” has been burning nitro and innovating within the sport since 1980, first as a driver in both Top Fuel and Funny Car – he’s one of the few drivers to have the prestigious NHRA U.S. Nationals in both classes – and later as a successful, race-winning team owner and tuner. Jay Howell was a noted race-car driver and builder in the 1960s and ‘70s. As an employee at Dick Branstner Enterprises, he helped develop the famed Little Red Wagon wheelstander and designed and engineered many successful and innovative race cars. After opening his own business, Automotive Engineering, he continued to create and drive cars, including his own famed F Troop Willys gasser with Tom Prock. Gary Dyer was in on the ground floor of the new Funny Car movement in the mid-1960s and for years drove the famed Mr. Norm’s Dodge Funny Car of Norm Krause on the match-race trail to great acclaim and love from the fans, and opened Dyer’s Blowers, where he began building superchargers for other racers. Dyer went on to become a nitro tuner and later the driver of a match-race Hemi Colt Pro Stocker. Phil Burgess is NHRA's editorial director and the editor of NHRA’s National Dragster magazine, a post he has held since 1986 after joining the NHRA in 1982. As National Dragster’s long-running editor, he’s overseen the magazine's growth and changes. In 1995, he helped create and develop NHRA.com, making NHRA the first motorsports sanctioning body to have a major presence on the internet. His Dragster Insider column on NHRA.com contains more than 900 articles chronicling the history of drag racing. Debbie Bader is the recipient of the annual Pat Garlits Memorial award. With her late husband, Bill, they transformed a humble dragstrip in Norwalk, Ohio, into one of the all-time great drag racing facilities, now known as Summit Motorsports Park, host of the annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. The family raised the bar on customer experience and satisfaction and showed a whole generation of track operators how to do it. Paul Sergi, who founded Summit Racing Equipment in 1968, is the recipient of the annual Founders Award. He went from a curious backyard tinkerer with an interest and curiosity in motors and machines to the creator of what has become one of the go-to parts source for motoring enthusiasts around the world. The induction ceremony will be streamed live on both FloSports and CompetitionPlus.com beginning at 8 p.m. ET. (Photo Courtesy NHRA)

Press Release | JIM DUNN RACING Jim Dunn Racing and Funny Car driver Buddy Hull will start the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series with the return of Florida-based True Brand as their primary sponsor for the historic Gatornationals March 7-9 at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway. Last year True Brand made their primary debut with Jim Dunn Racing at the Texas Fall Nationals and the success of that promotion led to an expansion of the program. True Brand will be a season long partner with the team and primary partner at multiple events. “I am thrilled to be in the True Brand Funny Car for Jim Dunn Racing,” said Hull. “They are amazing partners. Last year we did a ton of great things around the Texas Fall Nationals with the National Breast Cancer Foundation. We have big plans for 2025, and I can’t wait to wheel this True Brand Funny Car into the staging lanes on Friday of the Gatornationals.” True Brand performance additives and treatments can be used in all types of engines, fuel systems, gear/transmissions and hydraulic systems. Additionally, joining Jim Dunn Racing at the Gatornationals will be Tillamook Country Smoker. (Photo Courtesy Jim Dunn Racing)

Press Release | NHRA AMARILLO, Texas (Feb. 28, 2025) – NHRA officials are pleased to announce Amarillo Dragway has joined the NHRA Member Track Network as part of the NHRA’s South Central Division (Division 4). Boasting a rich history in the drag racing community, Amarillo Dragway’s decision to become an NHRA Member Track reinforces its commitment to providing a safe, competitive and exciting environment for racers of all levels. The addition of Amarillo Dragway also marks the ninth track to join the NHRA Member Track Network since the end of last season, adding to the more than 100 NHRA member tracks. “We’re thrilled to join the NHRA South Central Division and become part of the NHRA family,” Amarillo Dragway Track Manager Jeff Fiedler said. “This partnership will allow us to provide our racers with even more opportunities to compete and grow in the sport of drag racing. We’re looking forward to a successful season and the benefits that this collaboration will bring to our racers and fans.” Amarillo Dragway will be eligible to offer racers in the area a variety of NHRA-sanctioned racing opportunities in the future, including the NHRA Summit Racing Series, the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League, NHRA Street Legal, NHRA Jr. Street and more. Additionally, the track will have the chance to host NHRA specialty events like the NHRA Summit King of the Track and more. As part of the NHRA Member Track Network, Amarillo Dragway will also have access to NHRA’s extensive support programs, insurance benefits and national marketing platforms. With this new partnership, the facility will play a key role in promoting grassroots NHRA drag racing and fostering a strong community of racers and fans in the area. “We are excited to welcome Amarillo Dragway back to the NHRA South Central family,” NHRA South Central Division Director Jonathan Johnson said. “Amarillo Dragway was the host of the NHRA World Finals from 1974-1977. They are a great addition to our current track network. We look forward to working with their team to continue fostering the growth of drag racing in the area.” For more information on upcoming events and programs at Amarillo Dragway, visit https://www.facebook.com/AmarilloDragway/ or www.nhradiv4.com. For more information on NHRA, including the 2025 schedule, visit www.nhra.com. (Photo Courtesy NHRA)

Press Release | NHRA As part of the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season kick-off at the 56th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, NHRA fans will once again be treated to the third annual Gatornationals Kickoff Party and Fanfest at Burnyzz Speed Shop in Ocala, Fla., on Wednesday, March 5 from 6-9 p.m. The free event offers an epic fanfest to head into one of the biggest events of the year in Gainesville. Featuring a massive car show, live music, food trucks, and a driver autograph session from 7-8:30 p.m. that will include NHRA legends and current standouts, the fanfest at the state-of-the-art facility owned by Brittanie Hart and her husband, Top Fuel driver Josh Hart, promises something special to help kick off the 2025 season. Fans will also get an up-close look at the “Golden Gator” trophy that will be awarded to the winners of Gatornationals. “This year, we have well over 40 drivers signed up to be here, autographing hero cards and items that fans may bring,” said Brittanie Hart, co-owner of Burnyzz Speed Shop. “We're super excited. This is our first year that we've had a sponsor for the event. Citizens First Bank reached out, and they just thought that it was such a great event, so they wanted to be a part of it. We have a different charity this year. “We try to choose a different one each year that we put on this event. So, all funds we raise will be donated to EARS, a local endangered animal sanctuary. We’ll have the live band, about eight food trucks, balloon animals, face painting, and tons of cool cars. There will be handmade trophies for the car show. It should be a lot of fun.” The autograph session will feature more than 30 NHRA drivers, as fans will have the opportunity to meet their favorite drivers before the 2025 season kicks off. Drivers include past Gainesville winners Josh Hart, Brittany Force, and Jack Beckman, as well as reigning NHRA champions Antron Brown and Austin Prock. Also on the roster is NHRA legend and Florida native Don “Big Daddy” Garlits, as well as NHRA drivers Justin Ashley, Jasmine Salinas, Shawn Reed, Cruz Pedregon, Paul Lee, Daniel Wilkerson, Jeg Coughlin Jr., Camrie Caruso, Aaron Stanfield, and many more. In 2024, Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won the Gatornationals to open the year. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 9. Fans will also get to see the Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout on Saturday, as eight star drivers take part in the bonus race that promises big money and bragging rights. Brown is the defending winner of the specialty race. The Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals will have the season debut in the highly competitive Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series and the Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown class, as well as a full slate of Sportsman classes in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which features some of the sport’s top drivers. Race fans at Gainesville Raceway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremony that introduces and celebrates each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan-favorite SealMaster NHRA Track Walk, which benefits the Darrell Gwynn Foundation in Gainesville. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners of the season opener. The Nitro Alley Stage is a huge attraction all weekend and is the main entertainment hub in the pits when the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competitors are not on the track, hosting Nitro School, NHRA Insider Live, meet and greets, and much more. Before the first round of eliminations on Sunday, fans can enjoy a C-17 flyover from the Mississippi Air National Guard’s 172nd Airlift Wing. NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 7, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 8 at 12:30 and 3:10 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 9. The first round of the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout takes place on Saturday at 12:15 p.m. ET and the semifinals are at 2:20 p.m. The finals are slated for 3:30 p.m. A special Callout broadcast will air at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1. To purchase tickets to the 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. General parking is free, and limited preferred parking is available for purchase. Get your tickets now for the Top Eliminator Club because these will sell out. (Photo Courtesy NHRA)

Press Release | NHRA Tony Stewart will race in the Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout for the first time in his NHRA career, as the motorsports legend and reigning NHRA Rookie of the Year is officially part of the eight-car bonus race that takes place on Saturday, March 8 as part of the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at legendary Gainesville Raceway. Stewart will move into the eighth spot as Tony Schumacher will not be racing in Gainesville. The eight-time Top Fuel world champion and 88-time event winner is expected to announce his racing plans for 2025 in the coming weeks. The big-money specialty race takes place with a unique callout format, offering an opportunity for eight Top Fuel stars the chance for a major double-up weekend to kick off the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season in Gainesville. “I’m looking forward to competing in the Top Fuel Callout at Gainesville,” Stewart said. “The field is stacked with talent, and we won’t know who we are up against until we get there, so that adds an exciting element to the event. Hopefully, we’re able to bring home the trophy and some extra bonus money for the team for all of their hard work.” Four-time world champ Steve Torrence secured the top spot in the one-day specialty event for a second straight year, while the official full eight-car field looks like this: Final 2025 Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout Field 1. Steve Torrence 2. Doug Kalitta 3. Shawn Langdon 4. Justin Ashley 5. Antron Brown 6. Brittany Force 7. Clay Millican 8. Tony Stewart With the unique callout aspect of the bonus race, Torrence will get the first opportunity to select his first-round opponent. If he doesn’t select Kalitta, the 2023 champ will get the second pick, moving down the line until all first-round matchups are set. The driver who makes the quickest winning run in the first round will then select their semifinal opponent, locking in the other matchup. Stewart, who advanced to a pair of final rounds during his first Top Fuel season, will have his first opportunity to take part in the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout, and being in the eighth spot, he will get called out by a driver in the opening round. Those first-round selections take place at noon ET on Friday, March 7 in the Top Eliminator Club, with the opening round of racing slated for 12:15 p.m. on Saturday. The semifinals follow at 2:20 p.m. and the final round takes place at 3:30 p.m. A special Callout broadcast will air at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1. Torrence won the inaugural Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout in 2022, with the Texan capturing the victory after weather pushed the completion of the bonus race to Indy. Local native Josh Hart provided a feel-good story in 2023 by earning the victory from the No. 8 position, while Brown’s championship run started with his memorable specialty race victory a year ago. Brown defeated Brittany Force in the final under the lights in Gainesville in 2024, setting the stage for a run at his fourth world championship. This year is a loaded field in the bonus race, as Torrence, Kalitta, Langdon, Brown, and Force have won world titles. With a big purse, a special Callout trophy, and plenty of bragging rights on the line, it can also provide the perfect boost to open the season at one of the most historic races on the NHRA schedule. In 2024, Langdon (Top Fuel), J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won the Gatornationals to open the year. It marked the first double-up victory for Kalitta Motorsports, while six-time world champ Enders won the historic race for the first time. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 9. NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 7, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 8 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 9. To purchase tickets to the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, visit www.nhra.evenue.net/. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Get your tickets now for the Top Eliminator Club before they sell out. RIGHT TRAILERS NHRA TOP FUEL ALL-STAR CALLOUT SCHEDULE (ET): Friday, March 7: Noon – Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout first-round selections in Top Eliminator Club (Get your TEC Tickets today!) Saturday, March 8 12:10 p.m. – Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout opening ceremonies 12:15 p.m. – First round for Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout 2:20 p.m. – Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout for round two. The winning driver who makes the quickest run in the first round will select their semifinal opponent. 3:30 p.m. – Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout final round 9 p.m. – Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout show airs on FS1 (Photo Courtesy NHRA)