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Press Release | NHRA BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 18, 2024) – Top Fuel’s Justin Ashley picked up his third win of the season on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway, defeating Shawn Langdon in the final round of the 42nd Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.   Blake Alexander (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also won the 13th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.   Ashley led wire-to-wire against Langdon, going 3.745-seconds at 329.34 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster to roll to his 14th career victory. Ashley defeated Billy Torrence, Tony Stewart and Josh Hart to reach the final round, earning his first career Top Fuel win at Brainerd and also getting his first victory since April. He moved to third in points and showcased impressive consistency during eliminations, with all four runs between 3.74 and 3.76. That bodes well for a strong performance in Indy and the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. “Everything that we've done throughout the entire regular season so far has been done with intent and purpose," Ashley said. "We want to win each and every race that we go to, but ultimately, it's about positioning ourselves well for Indy and beyond. We broke out a new car this weekend and kudos to Mike (Green) and Tommy (DeLago), they did an amazing job. The car went up and down the track every time today. There's just something about a new chassis that feels great. There's going to be ups and downs, it's about staying level-headed.   "This class is so difficult, it's so tough. The margin of error is so small, so when you're able to be consistent like that, it just increases your chances of winning. It's one of those sports that any given Sunday, anything can happen. It's so hard to run in such a tight window like that, but this team came through and got it done."   Langdon went to the finals for the sixth time in 2024 and the 44th time in his career, getting past Shawn Reed, Kalitta Motorsports teammate Doug Kalitta and Ida Zetterstrom, who made her NHRA Top Fuel debut this weekend. Kalitta now holds an 84-point lead over Langdon.   In Funny Car, Blake Alexander enjoyed a terrific redemption weekend in Brainerd after the team battled back following an explosion in Sonoma. The turnaround was impressive and Alexander ended his weekend in the winner’s circle for the first time this season, picking up the win in his 11,000-horsepower Head Racing Ford Mustang when defending world champion Matt Hagan went red in the final round. Alexander would have been tough to beat, posting a 3.927 at 324.67 in the championship round after staying in the low 3.90s the entire day.   It's the fourth career victory for Alexander – and his second in Funny Car – and he advanced to the final round on the strength of round wins against Dave Richards, Jack Beckman and Chad Green. Working with crew chief Jim Head, Alexander has turned into a legit contender and will head to the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals seventh in points, feeling fully capable his team can compete against anyone. Alexander proved that in Brainerd, taking another step forward in his career at a track that means a great deal to him.   “Sonoma was the hardest race I've ever had in my career and then to come here and have one of the best races I've ever had in my career, it means a lot," Alexander said. "I don't want to sound arrogant, but I know that when I'm on, I'm one of the top guys out here. I know when I'm not on, just like anyone else, I can be a problem for my race team. So I'm trying to keep it tight, four straight runs every single time. Saying that is really easy to do, but doing that is really hard.   "I'm really proud of this team, they worked really hard on the combination and seeing them pull the strings on it in between runs. We're making legit horsepower now and when it turns into a horsepower game we can play that game now and I'm pretty proud of that. It's just a nice to place to come to and when you can feel that the people who own the track and the fans care, it just makes this big difference."   After struggling in qualifying, Hagan reached the finals for the fourth time this year and 91st time in his career, getting past Ron Capps, Daniel Wilkerson and J.R. Todd. Austin Prock remains in the points lead, holding a 218-point advantage over Bob Tasca III heading to Indy.   Pro Stock points leader Dallas Glenn got back to his winning ways in impressive fashion, picking up a repeat win in Brainerd after defeating Mason McGaha in the final round, going 6.613 at 206.95 in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro. It’s the third season of the season for Glenn – and his first since Chicago in May – and the 11th in his career. Brainerd also continues to treat Glenn very well, defeating Eric Latino with a 6.598, defending world champion Erica Enders and Aaron Stanfield, who had won three of the past four races, to reach the final round.   McGaha left first but ran into trouble as Glenn cruised to a victory. It opened up his lead over KB Titan Racing teammate Greg Anderson to 184 points heading to the regular-season finale in Indy and gets Glenn back on track, also snapping the six-race winning streak of Elite Motorsports in the process.   “It feels really good,” Glenn said. “I went to three finals in that six-race streak where they kept winning. It was definitely good to finally seal the deal. We made a really nice run there in the final, even though I kind of got caught with my pants down on the tree. I kept flickering it all day and had really long trees, then all of a sudden I get a quick one and it caught me off guard.   “Everybody on the crew did an awesome job. You go up second round against Erica and you know she's going to be tough, and then you follow it up with Aaron Stanfield, who's won three out of the last four – yeah, it was a tough day. This is a big Pro Stock area, the Zoo is always a good time, and people around here definitely show up for this race. They support it, and it's really great seeing the stands packed and everybody up against the fence cheering every run you go up and down.”   McGaha reached his first final round of the season and third in his career thanks to victories against No. 1 qualifier Jerry Tucker, David Cuadra and Fernando Cuadra Jr.   The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action Aug. 28-Sept. 2 with the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. (Photo Courtesy NHRA)

Press Release | SCAG RACING BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 18, 2024) – Justin Ashley and the SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel dragster team picked up their third victory of the season Sunday at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. Facing Shawn Langdon in the finals, Ashley handled the Cheetah II and Turf Tiger II adorned SCAG Toyota dragster to a 3.745-second pass at 329.34 mph to hold off Langdon who had a cylinder out to finish in 4.020 seconds at 261.32 mph. “We broke out a new car this weekend and kudos to Mike Green and Tommy DeLago, they did an amazing job. There's just something about a new chassis that feels great. It's nice to get a win on the board, especially after the struggles that we had,” Ashley said. “We also know that at the same time that's what racing is all about. There's going to be ups and downs, it's about staying level-headed. I'm just glad all the SCAG Toyota team's hard work has come to fruition and they get a reward.” En route to the 24th final round of his career, fifth this season, Justin Ashley and the SCAG team picked up a first-round victory against Billy Torrence laying down a 3.747-second run at 328.30 mph while B. Torrence smoked the tires for just an 8.055 at 116.88. In the quarterfinals, Ashley faced off with motorsports legend Tony Stewart. Ashley would up his record against the titan to 3-1 with a 3.763 run at 328.30 while Stewart’s dragster ran into tire smoke early for a 9.435 pass at 78.54. The semifinal berth earned Ashely a spot in the final Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the season happening at the Toyota U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis in just 10 days. Ashley lined up against Josh Hart in the semifinals and the SCAG Toyota dragster’s performance would maintain with a 3.754 second run at 330.39 mph bettering Hart’s 4.135 at 225.82. “This class is so difficult, it's so tough. It's a 14-car field and I think that's harder than a full field because no matter who you line up against, it's going to be a full-time car,” Ashley said. “The margin of error is so small, so when you're able to be consistent like that, it just increases your chances of winning. It's one of those sports that any given Sunday, anything can happen. It's so hard to run in such a tight window like that, but this team came through and got it done.” Ashley has now moved into third in the points standings with one event left before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six race playoffs. “Everything that we've done throughout the entire regular season so far has been done with intent and purpose,” Ashley said. “We want to win each and every race that we go to, but ultimately, it's about positioning ourselves well for Indy and beyond.” Daniel Wilkerson and the SCAG Ford Mustang started their day from the No. 12 qualifying position to face Alexis DeJoria in the first round. Wilkerson would have a solid 3.927-second pass at 325.37 mph to defeat Alexis DeJoria who had a 4.254 at 218.55. Into the quarterfinals, Wilkerson’s Jackal themed hot rod would have tire smoke almost immediately and ultimately coast to a 10.218 at 88.82 mph. Wilkerson would have to watch reigning world champion and eventual event runner-up Matt Hagan drive to a 3.969 at 324.05. “The Jackal could not be tamed today. We thought we were in a good place after first round and then detuned it a bunch and the ole' girl did not listen. So, we are going to stay tomorrow to test and figure some things out,” said Wilkerson. “It was exciting to hang in The Zoo with SCAG and hang on the back of one of the local dealer’s Jackals. It was a fun weekend but now it’s time to get ready for Indy. I can’t wait.” Coming into race day as the No. 14 qualifier, Dave Richards was on a solid run in the first round before the BlueBird Turf car shut off early. Richards would cross the finish line at 4.118 seconds and 263.46 mph, but it wouldn’t be enough for eventual race winner Blake Alexander’s 3.927 at 325.37. “Started off our weekend with a Zoo run with all the SCAG folks on the Versatran truck. That was a good time and having the cars all decked out, that made the weekend special. We had a hairy moment in the third qualifying session, we got a little sideways but at least we were able to show off both sides of the BlueBird look on the car,” Richards said. “I really feel confident we're on to something with the performance of the car and it's coming at the right time as we get into the Countdown. I’m looking forward to getting five qualifying runs in Indy, I think it will do us some good heading into raceday.”   SCAG Racing has one regular Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series event left, the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park Aug. 30-Sept. 2 before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship kicks off for the final six races of the season. (Photo Courtesy Scag Racing)

Press Release | SCRAPPERS RACING BRAINERD, Minn. (August 18, 2024) - Top Fuel newcomer Jasmine Salinas remains optimistic after reaching a new personal best speed in qualifying at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Despite a frustrating first-round exit on race day, the fan-favorite driver is not counting her Scrappers Racing Top Fuel team out of contention for the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship. In qualifying, Jasmine laid down the fourth quickest pass of the valuable Friday evening session, showing the fans at Brainerd International Raceway a blistering lap of 3.714 seconds at 334.90, recording the fastest speed of her burgeoning career. She backed it up with another good-looking qualifying run on Saturday when she went 3.737 at 332.92 in the final session. Entering race day from the No. 6 qualifying position, Jasmine lined up against the No. 12 qualifier, Josh Hart. This marked the first time the two faced each other in eliminations. Jasmine made a stellar effort with a run of 3.742 at 330.96 but Hart got the starting line advantage and held on to it to take the holeshot win. I’m disappointed and feel like I let our team down this weekend,” remarked Jasmine. “That put us even further back from making it into the countdown. We have a lot of work ahead of us to make up for these first-round losses. I ran my fastest speed this weekend, going 334.90 mph, so we know our car is there. It’s going to take a lot of work over the next couple of weeks, but we’re not giving up just yet.” The Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis will mark the final event of the regular season leading into the Countdown to the Championship. Performances at the iconic event will be worth points-and-a-half, which means that anything can happen as racers vie to be a part of the Top Ten. The Scrappers Sisters will be reunited at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park when Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Jianna Evaristo joins her sister to compete at the Big GO from August 30 - September 2. (Photo Courtesy Scrappers Racing)

(Photo Courtesy NHRA) PRO STOCK FUNNY CAR TOP FUEL

Press Release | NHRA BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 17, 2024) – On the final Funny Car pass of the day at Brainerd International Raceway, points leader Austin Prock powered to the No. 1 spot and claimed his sixth straight victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday at the 42nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Antron Brown (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Jerry Tucker (Pro Stock) also qualified No. 1 at the 13th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Prock went a stellar 3.860-seconds at 334.07 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to close out qualifying and win the specialty race against Ron Capps in the process. It gives Prock an incredible seven victories in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, which is the most in the history of the program that started a year ago. He's earned 23 bonus championship points as well, while the run hands the points leader and first-year Funny Car driver an equally incredible nine No. 1 qualifiers in the first 13 races of the season. Like he’s done several times in 2024, Prock will look for a clean sweep of the weekend on Sunday, opening eliminations against Jim Campbell. “It was impressive, but the conditions were coming to everybody,” Prock said. “Safety Safari did an outstanding job of getting the race track back into tip-top shape. I'm really proud of the team, we had a great day and were low of both sessions. “I was nervous but a little excited to get another shot at a late run here because last night we threw up. We were kind of scratching our heads on why. It was really close to making it and it just didn't go. (Today), it went right down there and made a really nice pass. We ended up with three more points, a Mission win, and another yellow hat – pretty proud of that.” Bob Tasca III jumped to second after going 3.868 at 334.98 in the final session, while Blake Alexander took third thank to Friday’s run of 3.874 at 331.61. In Top Fuel, Antron Brown stayed red-hot in Brainerd, as the defending event winner and victor in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge repeated the first part of that on Saturday, defeating Steve Torrence in the final of the bonus race with a run of 3.842 at 314.17 in his 11,000-horsepower Matco Tools Toyota dragster. It is Brown’s second victory in the Challenge this season, giving him 10 bonus points for the Countdown to the Championship. Brainerd continues to be a great place for the three-time world champion who looking to be peaking at the perfect time. He’s the back-to-back Indy winner and Brown, who is currently fifth in points, also won the most recent race in Sonoma, giving him plenty of momentum at an ideal time. “It's always been a plan in motion to try to peak at the right time. Our car has been running exceptionally well and that's just a tribute to our team,” Brown said. “They've been working really hard at this and they got a good combination. We've been running strong enough, even with the Mission #2Fast2Tasty to pull off the runs. We make it down track every run, and when you do that, it gives you a chance to win. “This is one of those great tracks. This is a special track for us, this is where we ran our first .60, a 3.68 against J.R. Todd. This track always has some great memories for us, and we always kick into gear – this is where we get into our groove. We race enough races in a row to know where we're at and where we need to be at. Tomorrow, hopefully we can continue that trend and carry it on to the U.S. Nationals.” Torrence kept the No. 1 position on the strength of Friday’s 3.688 at 335.32 in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors Toyota dragster. It gives the four-time world champ his third top spot this season and the 40th in his career. He’ll open eliminations against Ida Zetterstrom, who is making her Top Fuel debut this weekend in Brainerd. “This is time where you really get up on your A-game and start working on trying to go win a championship,” Torrence said. “We have here and Indy left, and then it's 'katy bar the door.' Everybody is going to be swinging as hard as they can and trying to go out and win a championship. We're right in the thick of things, and we need to capitalize on every opportunity we have to stay a top three car and start the Countdown strong.” Tony Stewart stayed in the second spot thanks to Friday’s 3.688 at 332.18 and Brittany Force jumped to third in the final qualifying session thanks to a run of 3.698 at 335.48. Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson capped off the night with his third win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, taking down KB Titan Racing teammate Cory Reed in the final of the bonus race with a run of 6.618 at 204.79 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. It was an ideal finish for the evening for Anderson, who will look to sweep his hometown race and win for the first time in Brainerd since 2011. “It was definitely a great day," Anderson said. "You have to stick it out. Nobody cares how it happened, they just know who won, period, so you have to find a way to win. We did. It was a great race in the final with my new teammate, Cory Reed. He's obviously going to be a special racer. I'm very proud of the boy, and I dodged a bullet. We'll see what the Good Lord brings tomorrow. "Today was a great day. I love racing on Saturday, and as I've said many times before, after a great win on Sunday I sure wish we could race tomorrow, and man we get to race tomorrow. I'm very happy about that, and I can't wait to get to it. I think tomorrow is going to be smooth, it should be a great day, and hopefully we can find a way to show off in front of the hometown fans." Jerry Tucker earned his second career No. 1 qualifier of the year in his Outlaw Mile Hi Beer/Scag Power Equipment Car after a strong pass of 6.612 at 207.78. It adds to Tucker’s current momentum after running well in Sonoma and advancing to the semifinals. He’ll face off with Mason McGaha, hoping to pick up his first career win in Pro Stock and give Elite Motorsports its seventh straight victory of the year as well. “We knew we had it in us. We went to Sonoma, and we were probably the fastest car. I let the team down," Tucker said. "We went over to Rock Falls and did some testing and we were faster than Jeg and TJ and Erica. Really, in testing, if you're that fast, you've got a good racecar. When the car is that fast, it's a lot of pressure on a guy not to mess up a good deal. Erica drove that car for five years, and there are no issues with that car. It's the fastest car. "The Elite team is something, it's hard to put your finger on. Everyone is pulling in the same direction. Erica Enders has been great to me, Jeg has been right beside me. Anytime you have that many championships trying to keep you in line, it's kind of hard to mess up. My team is good that works on my car, so it's really just up to the driver." Enders is second with a 6.612 at 207.27 and Anderson qualified third. Eliminations for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals begin at 10:30 a.m. CT on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway. (Photo Courtesy NHRA)

Press Release | ELITE MOTORSPORTS BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 17, 2024) – Jerry Tucker and the Mile Hi Light Beer / SCAG Power Equipment team earned their second No. 1 qualifying position of the season Saturday at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. Tucker, who picked up the first No. 1 position of his Pro Stock career earlier this season at the Las Vegas Four-Wide event, handled his Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer machine to a 6.612-second pass at 207.78 mph during the second session on Saturday. “We knew we had this type of performance in us. We went to Sonoma, and we were probably the fastest car, but I let the team down,” said Tucker who is looking for his first Pro Stock victory on Sunday. “We went over to Rock Falls and did some testing, and we were faster than Jeg [Coughlin Jr.] and TJ [Troy Coughlin Jr.] and Erica [Enders]. When the car is that fast, it's a lot of pressure on a guy not to mess up a good deal.” Tucker stayed consistent throughout qualifying opening the weekend with a 6.619-second pass at 206.76 mph on Friday afternoon before inclement weather postponed the second session to Saturday and Tucker laid down his No. 1 pass. In the third qualifying session, Tucker would run a 6.626 pass at 207.40 before closing out the night with a 6.619 run at 206.73. Tucker will start his race day with a matchup against Mason McGaha. Elite Motorsports’ teams occupied five of the top six qualifying positions heading into Sunday raceday. Tucker narrowly held off teammate and six-time world champion Erica Enders and her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / SCAG team by .51 mph. Enders sits No. 2 with a 6.612 second run at 207.27 mph. For Corral Boots / Cuadra / Columbia Impex, Fernando Cuadra Jr. holds the No. 4 spot (6.619 at 205.35) with his brother Cristian Cuadra in fifth (6.625 at 206.54) and Aaron Stanfield in the JHG / Melling / Janac Brothers hot rod sits sixth (6.625 at 205.04). “The Elite team is something, it's hard to put your finger on. Everyone is pulling in the same direction. When you get this many different people and this many egos, it's hard to keep everybody going in the same way,” Tucker said. “Erica Enders has been great to me, Jeg has been right beside me. Anytime you have that many championships trying to keep you in line, it's kind of hard to mess up. My team is good that works on my car, so it's really just up to the driver.” Elite Motorsports will be looking for its seventh consecutive victory and ninth win in 13 races Sunday at BIR. Troy Coughlin Jr. in the JEGS.com / White Castle car started the streak at the New England Nationals followed by two in a row from Stanfield at the Virginia Nationals and Summit Nationals, Jeg Jr. picked up the fifth win at the Northwest Nationals just before Stanfield picked up his third of the season at the Sonoma Nationals. “Winning one of these things is very, very difficult. Our team, Elite, knows how to win, I just need to learn how to win. I've had the fastest car, realistically, three times probably all year and I can't get it done. Aaron Stanfield told me, if you just keep on dragging it up there enough times, it'll happen,” Tucker said. “I have to learn how to race the fastest car. I kind of had it down on racing a slower car and there's not much pressure. But when you have the faster car, it's a lot of pressure. We have to learn how to win with a fast car. Our car and our team is extremely capable of winning.” Eliminations as the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainers International Raceway will begin at 10:30 a.m. with Pro Stock taking the track at 11:35 a.m. Television coverage of the event will continue with a second qualifying show Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will air on FOX Broadcasting Network (FOX) Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET. (Photo Courtesy Elite Motorsports)

Press Release | NASCAR WINSTON SALEM, N.C. (Aug. 17, 2024) – Today, NASCAR announced The Clash will come to historic Bowman Gray Stadium for the first-time as the opening exhibition event for the 2025 season on Feb. 2. The announcement was made by Ben Kennedy as part of pre-race for tonight’s NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series event at the racetrack. This will mark the first NASCAR Cup Series event at the racetrack in 54 years. The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium will be broadcast live on FOX. “Bowman Gray Stadium has a storied history in motorsports, so we look forward to bringing the Cup Series back to this revered racetrack for the first time since 1971,” said Kennedy, Executive Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Innovation Officer, NASCAR. “As NASCAR’s first weekly racetrack, Bowman Gray Stadium holds a special place as the original home to grassroots racing. With a history of intense competition, we are proud to host The Clash at the ‘The Madhouse.’” To commemorate the return to Bowman Gray, NASCAR Studios and FOX Sports Films are producing a one-hour documentary entitled The Madhouse: NASCAR’s Return to Bowman Gray Stadium that will premiere on FS1. The film will explore the rich and rollicking history of the Winston-Salem venue while weaving a narrative that focuses on preparations for The Clash in 2025. It’s a story that intersects two unique worlds: the biggest motorsports series in North America, and the grassroots charm of small-town America at Bowman Gray Stadium. More details on the documentary, including when fans will be able to watch on FS1, will be released at a later date. “The city of Winston-Salem is very excited and grateful to NASCAR for selecting Bowman Gray Stadium as the site for The Clash in 2025,” said City of Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines. “This further solidifies our city’s relationship with NASCAR and the many fans in the region as we welcome the NASCAR Cup Series back to Bowman Gray Stadium.” Built in 1937, Bowman Gray Stadium, a quarter-mile short track, holds a special place in NASCAR history as the longest-running weekly racetrack. In 1949, Bill France Sr. and Alvin Hawkins, two founding fathers of NASCAR, brought motorsports to the facility as the first weekly racetrack and first paved racetrack that NASCAR competed on. Earlier this year, NASCAR took over the long-term management of racing operations at Bowman Gray Stadium in partnership with the City of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The racetrack hosted 29 NASCAR Grand National, now NASCAR Cup Series, races from 1958 to 1971. Bowman Gray Stadium has hosted many NASCAR legends including Richard Petty, Junior Johnson, Glen Wood, David Pearson, Ned Jarrett, Richie Evans, Jerry Cook, and others. Petty won his 100th NASCAR Grand National race in the 1969 Myers Brothers 250 at the racetrack. More recently, Bowman Gray Stadium hosted several East Series races from 2011 to 2015. Ben Kennedy, great grandson of Bill France Sr., won an East Series race there in 2013. Other winners include two-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion Ben Rhodes and Cup Series drivers Ryan Preece and Corey LaJoie. Current NASCAR Cup Series drivers Alex Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Justin Haley, Corey LaJoie, Kyle Larson, Ryan Preece, Daniel Suarez, and Bubba Wallace have all competed in their professional careers at Bowman Gray Stadium. For more information and to get on the list to purchase tickets for The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, visit NASCARClash.com. To learn more about the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series season with weekly modified, sportsman, street stock and stadium stock competition, visit bowmangrayracing.com. (Photo Credit: x.com/NASCARONFOX )

Press Release | HAAS FACTORY TEAM BROOKLYN, Mich. (Aug. 17, 2024) – Haas Factory Team has signed drivers Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer to pilot its two NASCAR Xfinity Series entries beginning in 2025, with both racers joining the company under multiyear agreements. Creed will drive the No. 00 Ford Mustang Dark Horse and Mayer will drive the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Haas Factory Team has elected to use the No. 41 in the Xfinity Series in place of the No. 98 that it is inheriting from Stewart-Haas Racing to better align with its overall program. Haas Factory Team announced in July that it will use the No. 41 in the NASCAR Cup Series with driver Cole Custer. “We’ve developed a strong and consistent Xfinity Series program at Stewart-Haas that wins races and championships. In 2025, that program will operate as Haas Factory Team. The name is changing, but our commitment to winning remains the same,” said Joe Custer, president, Haas Factory Team. “Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer have won championships on their way to the Xfinity Series and they’re both hungry to win races and compete for an Xfinity Series title. They bring significant experience and a shared desire to win. Having them a part of Haas Factory Team allows us to operate at a high level and collect trophies.” Creed is the 2020 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion. The 26-year-old from Alpine, California, in an eight-time race winner in the Truck Series who has been competing fulltime in the Xfinity Series since 2022. While still seeking his first Xfinity Series victory, Creed has earned 10 second-place finishes, the most recent of which came June 22 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. He qualified for the NASCAR Playoffs last year and finished seventh in the championship. “I’ve won in every division I’ve raced in and I feel like I’ve earned my place in the Xfinity Series, but that’s not enough. I want to win in the Xfinity Series,” said Creed, who currently drives for Joe Gibbs Racing. “I watched what Cole Custer did last year on his way to the Xfinity Series championship and when I talked with him about the setup of the organization, everything he said resonated with me. I feel like Haas Factory Team is a place where I can succeed, and where Sam and I can work together to win races and be championship contenders.” The 21-year-old Mayer is a six-time Xfinity Series race winner who advanced to the Championship 4 in 2023. A native of Franklin, Wisconsin, Mayer scored back-to-back ARCA Menards Series East championships in 2019-2020 before joining the Xfinity Series in 2021 with an 18-race schedule for JR Motorsports (JRM). He has competed fulltime in the Xfinity Series for JRM since 2022. “The Xfinity Series is a really great place to learn and grow and get yourself ready for the NASCAR Cup Series,” Mayer said. “Cup is my ultimate goal, and to really push myself to become the kind of driver who can succeed in Cup, I needed to get out of my comfort zone, challenge myself, and hone my race skills so that when that Cup moment comes, I’m ready. The Haas team got Cole Custer ready for his moment and it’s a place that will help get me and Sheldon ready for our moments.” Thirteen races remains for both Mayer and Creed in 2024 and each have their eyes set on the NASCAR Playoffs. Mayer is already locked into the 12-driver, seven-race title chase via his two victories this year – April 13 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth and June 15 at Iowa Speedway in Newton. Creed has a 69-point cushion over the top-12 cutoff with six regular-season races still remaining before the playoffs begin Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. (Photo Credit: x.com/bobpockrass )

(Photo Courtesy NHRA) PRO STOCK FUNNY CAR TOP FUEL

Press Release | NHRA BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 16, 2024) – Four-time Top Fuel world champion Steve Torrence powered to the provisional No. 1 position on speed at Brainerd International Raceway, taking the top spot over Tony Stewart on Friday at the 42nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Blake Alexander (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 13th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Torrence and Stewart both went a blistering 3.688-seconds during the second qualifying session at Brainerd, but Torrence had the faster run, going an impressive 335.32 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster. If that holds, it would be Torrence’s third top spot of the season and the 40th in his career. After winning in Seattle, things are continuing to come around for Torrence, who is currently third in Top Fuel points. “We've been working on trying to make power,” Torrence said. “At the end of the day, power is speed, and the high mile an hour is just an exhibition of power and being able to get it down. These conditions here are different than a lot of places we go, so it's rather difficult to make power here. I was a little surprised to see .68 being low. “The track is good, everything is good, but people are struggling to make the power they want. We were wanting to run quicker than .68, and that's just what it gave us. We were just a little closer to it than everybody else, only a little better than Smoke. Pretty cool to see him come out and do as well as he's done right here. We got lucky and it’s been a good day.” Stewart went a career-best 3.688 at 332.18 to sit in the second spot, while points leader and reigning world champ Doug Kalitta is third with a run of 3.703 at 335.40. Funny Car’s Blake Alexander made a big move to close out qualifying on Friday in Brainerd, jumping to the No. 1 position in his 11,000-horsepower Head Racing Ford Mustang after a strong run of 3.874 at 331.61. It would be Alexander’s first career No. 1 qualifier should it hold. It was a standout performance by Alexander, who has enjoyed some strong moments during the 2024 campaign, including a pair of semifinal finishes over the last four events. Adding his first career No. 1 qualifier would certainly add that list if Alexander can hang on. “Given the circumstances of the previous race, that was very sweet – but also, I think we're capable of doing that, and it wasn't exactly surprising,” Alexander said. “It's repetitive – that's the second time we've run 3.87, and that's when you start becoming a problem for these guys out here who are, quite frankly, bigger outfits than us. It feels pretty good to be able to run with them. “We're having the best season we've ever had, to be honest. We just haven't won a race yet. I think that gets lost in the nature of this business is you're only as good as your last run. That will happen tomorrow, and that will happen on Sunday, but right now we're happy with where we're at.” Alexis DeJoria took the second spot after going 3.882 at 332.84 and Bob Tasca III, who won the most recent race in Sonoma, is third thanks to a run 3.884 at 332.59. In Pro Stock, Duluth native Greg Anderson put together a classic performance at the track where he grew up racing, taking the provisional No. 1 position with a run of 6.641 at 207.08 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. That puts Anderson in position to pick up his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the year and the third in the past four races. Anderson hasn’t won in Brainerd since 2011, something the five-time world champion would love to change as the Countdown to the Championship approaches. He closed out qualifying with a standout run and will look to continue that on Saturday when Pro Stock will make three qualifying runs. “I was hoping we could have run a little bit quicker, but the bottom line is that we did all we could do today. We got all the points that they had to give, and we won Friday,” Anderson said. “So, we'll move into tomorrow as a new day, and we'll use that as tuning data. There's definitely a lot of room left in it, we know we can run better which is great news. “I love racing here at Brainerd. When it's cloudy and cool like this, the racetrack is great. The bottom line is that the racetrack is better than we went up there prepared for. That's a good problem. You go home and find some courage, come back tomorrow and be better. That's what we'll do. We'll come back like a lion tomorrow and hopefully run better and take No. 1 home with us.” Aaron Stanfield, who has won three of the past four races, is currently second with a 6.642 at 206.26 and Matt Hartford is right behind after going 6.643 at 204.66. Qualifying continues at 12 p.m. CT on Saturday at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. (Photo Courtesy NHRA)

Press Release | HAAS FACTORY TEAM KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (Aug. 15, 2024) – Haas Factory Team has hired Aaron Kramer to be the crew chief for driver Cole Custer and the No. 41 NASCAR Cup Series team in 2025. Kramer will come to Haas Factory Team at the conclusion of the 2024 season from RFK Racing, with whom Haas Factory Team will have a technical alliance. The 35-year-old from Wellsville, New York, is currently the lead race engineer for Cup Series driver Chris Buescher and the No. 17 team. Kramer has been with RFK since 2016, rising from an electrical and data systems engineer who oversaw the team’s 8-post advanced track simulator rig to lead race engineer on RFK’s No. 60 NASCAR Xfinity Series team in 2018. Kramer was promoted to Cup in 2019, working as the secondary race engineer for two years with the No. 6 team and driver Ryan Newman before moving to the No. 17 team in 2021 with Buescher. Kramer was on the pit box for Buescher’s first Cup Series win with RFK on Sept. 17, 2022 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway before becoming the lead race engineer for the No. 17 team in 2023. Since then, Kramer has won three more races with Buescher and helped orchestrate his career-best finish of seventh in last year’s championship standings. “Aaron’s engineering pedigree and his history with RFK Racing are great assets for Haas Factory Team. We’re proud to have him join our team,” said Joe Custer, president, Haas Factory Team. “NASCAR, and the Cup Series in particular, has become very engineering-driven. Limited track time and the nuances of the NextGen car have put a premium on simulation and data, and to really maximize all that information, you need people who can apply that information to the car and work closely with the driver to fine-tune the car. Aaron is that person, and we’re confident he can build a team of like-minded people who will have our race team ready to go for 2025.” Kramer earned a mechanical engineering degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) in 2016. Throughout his college years, Kramer was immersed in racing. After being the car chief at K-Automotive Motorsports for driver Brian Keselowski in 2010, Kramer joined Max-Q Motorsports in 2011. He was the front-end mechanic for the team’s No. 37 Cup Series entry during his freshman year at UNCC. From 2012 through the midpoint of 2015, Kramer built engines at Arrington Racing Engines. He spent the remainder of 2015 with BorgWarner Turbo Systems as a commercial vehicle application engineer. Kramer joined Penske Technology Group in 2016, providing wind tunnel support and operating the team’s 7-post rig with cars from Team Penske’s NASCAR and INDYCAR operation. That time with Penske paved Kramer’s path to RFK. “This is a great opportunity and I’m very grateful for it,” Kramer said. “I’ve been working toward the crew chief position since I was racing go-karts in high school. It’s a proud moment to have it come with Haas Factory Team. Their alliance with RFK makes the learning curve a little less steep because I’m very familiar with the people and processes at RFK. “Having Cole as the driver is a huge asset. He’s highly motivated and dedicated to his craft. He puts in the time away from the track so that he’s ready every time he climbs into the racecar. That’s what you want as a crew chief. We’re going to push each other and support each other to get the best results possible.” Custer is the reigning Xfinity Series champion and current Xfinity Series point leader who secured his spot in the NASCAR Playoffs with a victory July 13 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. Custer’s move to Haas Factory Team in 2025 brings the 26-year-old back to the Cup Series, where he was the 2020 Rookie of the Year and a race winner in just his 20th career start – July 12, 2020 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. “I’m very happy to have Aaron join Haas Factory Team,” Custer said. “Crew chief is a crucial piece in the makeup of a race team and Aaron brings a lot to our program. His background will really be a plus for me and our whole organization. Both of us still have jobs to do this year, but it’s reassuring to know that he’ll be my guy on top of the pit box next year.” (Photo Courtesy NASCAR)