Performance Tech Motorsports driver Jon Brownson was the lone highlight for the team in Round 10 of the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda Sunday at Road America. After three podium finishes on Saturday, confidence was high going into the second race of the weekend at the 14-turn, 4.048-mile road course, but a series of unfortunate incidents led to disappointing finishes for a majority of the Performance Tech drivers. 

Jon Brownson raced his way from 23^rd to sixth overall to capture second place in L1 Masters.

"It was a thrilling race. Thanks to the Performance Tech Motorsports crew, I had a beautiful car. I was able to work my way through the field. I was hoping to move further up than I did, but we'll take this for sure. I'd like to think it was my cat-like reflexes and a lot of good luck that kept me out of trouble out there today." 

Joel Janco, who ran sixth for most of the race finished a respectable eighth after being spun at the end of the race.

"It was my best race ever. I was running in sixth place for most of the race. Then some other drivers became overly optimistic. I was first hit in Turn 5 and spun and then was hit again in Turn 6 and spun again. So I wound up eighth but I certainly didn't finish where I thought I should, but I'm looking forward to VIR."  

Hayden Duerson was set up for a podium finish, maintaining a hold on first after a great start.  Duerson, 22, had car issues towards the end of the race causing him to slide off at Turn 14 and end his day early.

"After a penalty we were assessed for a restart procedure yesterday we finished fifth today. We had a great start, came out of the first turn in third and slowly worked our way to first. We slowly made our way to first and led for about half the race. Novich started to catch up to me and was able to pass me at one point. We ran really well together and then something happened in Turn 14. We honestly don't know what it was but it was a very big failure. At that point I just became a passenger. I'm just glad to be okay and hope to get the car together for VIR." 

Also ending his day early was Robert Alon. Like Duerson, Alon was running with the leaders but after an on-track incident he ended his day 15^th in the L1 class.

 "Performance Tech gave me a great car. It was a podium car and I was up there battling and had a chance, so it's frustrating to go out like that."  

Craig Duerson was not able to start the race due to car issues before the green flag.

"Not a lot you can say about today. We had a good run yesterday so it's disappointing not to be able to go for another podium, but the team is really trying to get us there." 

Team Principal Brent O'Neill was frustrated by the day and lack of results, especially after a successful Race 1. 

"It was just not a good day," O'Neill said. "That's what it comes down to. It seemed like all of our guys just got punted out there. Some of it's just racing, but we have a lot of damage all around and it's just not how we want to end any race." 

Performance Tech Motorsports' next Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda race weekend will be Aug. 22-24 at Virginia International Raceway in Danville, Virginia. For event details, check imsa.com/series/prototype-lites/schedule. 

A fifth-place finish in the second of three Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama races was the high point of Christina Nielsen's weekend at Road America's historic 4.048-mile road course. 

Round 11's 45-minute sprint took off Saturday evening, followed by Round 12 Sunday morning. The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) development series field raced its final laps on Sunday evening - a make-up race from Lime Rock Park, which was rained out in late May. 

"I think we had a rough start," Nielsen said. "We had multiple problems with me and the car. Some of the issues we didn't figure out until after qualifying, so it took a bit of my confidence. It was a bit tough because we are running pretty high in the championship and we should normally be in the top-5."

"Saturday's race was one big chaos," Nielsen said. "Everything that could go wrong I think went wrong for everyone. It was a crazy race. Unfortunately I tapped Colin Thompson on the second restart and broke my cooler.

"I got jumpstarted on the first restart of the race, so I was being extra cautious when we went green the second time. I looked in the mirror for a second and when I looked back Colin was braking and there was nothing more to do. That's how racing is sometimes. You have to have your eyes everywhere and it's just not always possible."

Round 12 of racing action on the 14-turn legendary circuit Sunday morning was smoother sailing for Nielsen, who started fourth and dropped just one spot to finish fifth when the checkered flag flew.

"I went from fourth to third at the start," Nielsen said. "I took Colin Thompson on the outside in Corner 1, but I had a few difficulties holding it afterwards. I flattened my left front tire which made it even a bigger challenge because a lot of the high speed corners you put your weight on the left front wheel/left side, so that didn't make it any easier; but we still finished in the top-5. My goal for every race is to finish in the top-5 but of course a podium finish is always nice."

 The second part of Sunday's double-header ended in similar fashion to the start of the weekend for Nielsen's NGT Motorsport team. 

After starting fifth on the grid for Lime Rock Park's make-up race, the Aarhus, Denmark-native Nielsen experienced mechanical problems that resulted in an early retirement to pit lane.  

"My pace was really good in the race," Nielsen said. "We were fighting a lot in the top but suddenly I was going down the back straight and the car started to shake a bit over the front. When I had to brake the car couldn't because the suspension broke out of the blue. So another DNF (Did Not Finish) unfortunately." 

Christina Nielsen and the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama drivers will be back in racing action at Circuit of the Americas on Sept. 18-19.

Gaming fans can now experience the thrills of driving an all-electric racing car around some of the world’s best known circuits after the FIA Formula E Championship revealed its Spark-Renault SRT_01E is to feature in the top selling Forza Motorsport 5, available today on Xbox One.

Available as a free download in the Xbox Live marketplace, this marks the first time in video game history that a fully-electric single-seater has been featured as a playable car on a home entertainment system.

The ‘First in Forza’ announcement was made during this weeks’ gamescom gaming conference in Cologne, Germany – the world’s largest trade fair for interactive entertainment – where a full scale Formula E car was also on display.

As part of Forza Motorsport 5, fans will be able to race the Spark-Renault SRT_01E around iconic tracks throughout the world including the streets of Long Beach where the 20 Formula E drivers will compete in the inaugural Long Beach ePrix on April 4 2015. 

The Forza Motorsport franchise is a critically acclaimed racing simulator made by developers Turn 10 Studios and published by Microsoft Studios. First published in 2005 with the release of Forza Motorsport, Forza Motorsport titles are available exclusively for Xbox One and Xbox 360 customers and have since sold more than 10 million copies.

Jaume Sallares, Sales & Marketing Director at Formula E, said: “It’s fantastic that gaming fans will be able to drive our Formula E car and experience electric racing for the first time in their own homes. The partnership with the Forza Motorsport series ties in perfectly with our desire to increase interaction with our fans through social media, offering new ways to experience motorsport by making it accessible to the general public and the chance to play a part of the racing through FanBoost.”

As well as the Forza partnership, Formula E aims to encourage interactivity via its unique FanBoost feature, which allows fans to vote for their favourite driver to receive a ‘speed burst’ during the race. In addition, selected Formula E races – such as the Long Beach ePrix – will offer free admission to help inspire fans to get involved.

For more information on Formula E visit www.fiaformulae.com. 

Extreme Speed Motorsports’ Scott Sharp and Ryan Dalziel returned to the podium with a third-place finish during today’s TUDOR United SportsCar Championship race – the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America.

Despite crisp, clean and error-free pit stops and properly executed race strategies, the six restarts on Sunday afternoon plagued the No. 1 and No. 2 Tequila Patrón Honda Performance Development ARX-03b (HPD) entries and its quest for a double-podium finish.

“It is nice to be back on the podium," Sharp added. "It has been a lot longer than I thought it would be. Third place is a great rebound for the team. It is funny, you go to some of these races and you expect it is going to go well and it hasn’t for us. Even though Road America is my favorite track, I didn’t expect that this, with the long straights, was going to be good place for us."
 
Ed Brown started the race for the No. 2 Tequila Patrón HPD from the fifth position. Brown maintained a top-10 spot through his stint. He raced for more than an hour, and nearly half his stint was under caution. Brown pitted on Lap 23 for tires, fuel and driver change to Johannes van Overbeek.
 
From the 10^th position, van Overbeek reached fourth by Lap 39. During the restart on Lap 43, van Overbeek fought to maintain position but was swarmed by the DP machines and found himself back in ninth place.
 
In a battle of the P2 machines, van Overbeek was maintaining his racing line behind the No. 42 machine of Gustavo Yacaman. While swerving through traffic ahead of van Overbeek, the No. 42 veered down on the nose of the No. 2, which caused the former to spin off course and bring out another caution. There was minor damage to the nose No. 2 Tequila Patrón.
 
While under caution, van Overbeek pitted for fuel and Continental Tires while the team inspected the damage. He returned to the field and advanced from ninth to eighth.

TUDOR United SportsCar Championship rookie David Ostella and teammate James French were confident their Performance Tech Motorsports team could secure a podium finish today at Road America after consecutive fourth-place finishes at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Watkins Glen International in recent weeks. However, sixty seconds is all it took to dash Performance Tech Motorsports' podium hopes at the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase Sunday at Road America. 

The team hoped for a few more green flag laps so that a good pit strategy could get them back in the hunt. But it was not in the cards for Performance Tech and its two young drivers, Ostella and James French. 

Team Principal Brent O'Neill knew his team had a good car and was disappointed with the sequence of events, but also saw the potential he has with his two young stars. 

"It was a little frustrating today," O'Neill said. "But we had good pace and James and David both did an awesome job in the car. I thought we had Colin Braun going into Canada Corner and David just stayed in there. And unfortunately they determined that we got the penalty. It wasn't David's fault, that was just one of those situations. We kept fighting and when we get to VIR I think we're going to have a good car." 

"Definitely not the day we were hoping for coming into the weekend," Ostella said. "The Performance Tech guys gave James and me a phenomenal car and James had an awesome stint before we made the driver change under the yellow.

 "We were definitely fast out there and had the second fastest lap of the race before we got penalized. We could have probably made up the difference as fast as we were, but the yellows were just too long for us to have a chance. The guys have really shown how fast we can be, so we are looking forward to the next race at VIR."

Putting forth a great effort at his home track, French, a Sheboygan-native, demonstrated a glimpse of what he and Ostella can do together. As he grows more comfortable in only his second race with Performance Tech, his performance has continued to improve. 

A well-timed pit stop by the Performance Tech team secured first place in class with a significant gap on the competition, but it was given up while serving a stop-and-go plus 60-seconds penalty. With a fast car in his hands, Ostella's only hope was a long stint of green flag racing, which never materialized. Ostella managed to pull together a sixth-place finish for the team.

"The cards just didn't fall in our favor today," French said. "I was able to pick up a few spots which I was happy with, but we just couldn't do anything with it today. But everybody did a great job and I am definitely getting a lot more comfortable with the car and the team, which helps too. We are definitely overdue for a good result and it will come." 

Performance Tech's next stop on the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship schedule is the Oak Tree Grand Prix on Sunday, Aug. 24 at Virginia International Raceway.

 Angel Benitez Jr. won Round 5 of Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama competition at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut back in May, but he never got to defend his win in Round 6 because it was rained out. 

That chance finally came Sunday with the addition of a third race to the regularly scheduled Rounds 11 and 12 at Road America, and the Venezuelan picked up right where he had left off at Lime Rock Park, taking the Platinum Cup win for the fourth time this season. 

"We found something on the car just at the last minute, right after qualifying for the Road America races," Benitez Jr. said. "It was disappointing for Rounds 11 and 12, but for the Lime Rock rescheduled race we knew we would start third with a good car."

Benitez Jr. took the lead on Lap 2 in his 911 Porsche GT3 Cup car, and never looked back. A caution on Lap 12 bunched the field back up again, but he still beat second-place finisher Jesse Lazare to the checkered flag by 0.787 seconds. 

"I just stuck to my plan, staying focused on getting this podium," Benitez Jr. said. "I have to thank Porsche, my dad, Formula Motorsport and Avid Motorsports for all of their help. They support me even in the bad situations. I am more than happy to give them this win as a gift for all of the hard work they do for me." 

Lazare, driving for Door Doctor/Moorespeed, started ninth, and drove all the way up to second to collect his second Platinum podium finish of the weekend in Road America. 

"I picked everyone off one by one, and took advantage of everyone's mistakes," Lazare said. "I am really happy with two podiums this weekend. Of course I would have liked three, but we will get it next time." 

Competition Motorsports driver Michael Lewis rounded out the Platinum podium with third in Round 6, capping off a lucrative points weekend in Road America that included three podium finishes. 

"I had a couple of good looks and good dives, but in the end it was really clean racing," Lewis said. "But as soon as I saw Benitez or anyone else I was racing try to dive inside, I had to lift and think about the points. I'm really happy with the team's effort, and we will keep chugging along and try to get some more wins." 

Kelly Moss Motorsports driver Colin Thompson saw his points lead dwindle during the three rounds of racing at Road America. In the Round 6 race, he started and finished sixth. 

Wright Motorsports driver Kristin Treager was involved in an incident on Lap 18, the final lap of the race, which forced the 45-minute sprint to end under caution.  

Platinum Masters

Wright Motorsports driver Kasey Kuhlman continued his Platinum Masters domination with another win, his 10^th of the season. 

David Calvert-Jones of Competition Motorsports finished second, firming up his second spot in the Platinum Masters division championship with his third podium of the weekend. 

TPC Racing's David Williams rounded out the Platinum Masters podium in third. 

Gold Cup/Gold Masters

Michael Levitas drove his TPC Racing 911 GT3 Cup car around Patrick Otto-Madsento win Gold Cup and Gold Masters honors in Round 6. 

"It was a spectacular race, and we got a bit of redemption," Levitas said. "The longer I drove the car, the more the gas tank went down and the faster it went." 

Gold Cup championship leader Patrick-Otto Madsen and his ANSA Motorsports team finished second, collecting his eighth podium of the season. 

Topp Racing's Jeff Mosing finished third in Gold Cup, and also took home second-place Gold Masters honors.

Fred Poordad of Competition Racing rounded out the Gold Masters podium in third, his seventh Gold Masters podium of 2014.

Yokohama Hard Charger

Yokohama Hard Charger Winner Wayne Ducote

Kelly Moss Motorsports driver Wayne Ducotepicked up the Yokohama Hard Charger award in Round 6 for picking up three positions in the Gold Class. 

"I had a good start and I stayed with it, which allowed me to pick off a couple of cars right from the beginning," Ducote said. "Unfortunately I got taken out at the end of the race, but winning the Yokohama Hard Charger Award is a nice bonus!" 

ROUND 6 POST-RACE QUOTES:

ANGEL BENITEZ JR. (No. 05 Formula Motorsport/Avid Motorsport, winner): "We found something on the car just at the last minute, right after qualifying for the Road America races. It was disappointing for Rounds 11 and 12, but for the Lime Rock makeup race we knew we would start third with a good car. I just stuck to my plan, staying focused on getting this podium. I have to thank Porsche, my dad, Formula Motorsport and Avid Motorsport for all their help. They support me even in the bad situations. I am more than happy to give them this win as a gift for all the hard work they do for me."

JESSE LAZARE (No. 31 Door Doctor/Moorespeed, second): "We started ninth, and I just knew I had to make all the right calls and positions on the track. I picked everyone off one by one, and took advantage of everyone's mistakes. Sloan (Urry) went for the pass on the inside in Turn 3, and I had to push him down the straight on the outside. As soon as I had room to go inside I went. I am really happy with two podiums this weekend. Of course I would have liked three, but we will get it next time."

MICHAEL LEWIS (No. 98 Competition Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian, third):"It was a really good weekend for us in points. Starting on pole position twice was great. We swept that quite easily. In Race 1 we missed the start a little bit and finished second. We won Race 2 and then in this Lime Rock make-up race, we ended up third. I wanted to capitalize on our strong car. We started second and had a lot of pace to try and get around the leader. I had a couple of good looks and good dives, but in the end it was really clean racing. I was trying to manage the situation as best as I could, and maybe try to close the door. But as soon as I saw Benitez or anyone else I was racing try to dive inside, I had to lift and think about the points. I'm really happy with the team's effort, and we will keep chugging along and try to get some more wins."  

KASEY KUHLMAN (No. 15 Wright Motorsports, first, Platinum Masters): "This was a tough race. Everyone drove really hard, and really aggressive. There were very few mistakes from the field, so I was not able to move up much. It was a battle just to hold my spot. This has been a long weekend with three races, but I'm happy to finish in the top-5. It was a great weekend, and I want to thank Wright Motorsports for a great car."

DAVID WILLIAMS (No. 37 TPC Racing, third, Platinum Masters): "This was a great race. I had a little bit of a tough time finding the setup this weekend, but finally got it early in this last race. We had a good qualifying spot coming from Lime Rock, so those two things worked great for me today."

MICHAEL LEVITAS (No. 35 TPC Racing, winner, Gold, Gold Masters): "It was a spectacular race, and we got a bit of redemption. It's a little late in the weekend, but we finally found the car and I just love the way the chassis felt. TPC did an amazing job on the setup. The longer I drove the car, the more the gas tank went down and the faster it went. It just wanted to go. I'm really thankful for the team, my teammate Dave Williams, and to the other competitors in the class."

PATRICK-OTTO MADSEN (No. 99 ANSA Motorsports, second, Gold): "This weekend was super tough. I started out the weekend running as high as second place, but dropped back to finish fourth in Race 1. In Race 2 I kind of out-braked myself, and locked them up, resulting in a flat spot and finished 10th. Today to finish off the weekend in second place is really the icing on the cake. After all that hard effort out there, I felt like I had the pace to be on the podium in every race. It is what it is, and I'm glad to be here in second place. I want to say a special thanks to my team ANSA Motorsports for an awesome car at a great place to race. Thank you to Porsche, Yokohama, Road America and everyone else who made this happen."

JEFF MOSING (No. 01 Topp Racing, third, Gold, Gold Masters): "The race was going pretty good for us again. Topp Racing as always gave me a good car. I was picking up a bit of a push here and there, but nothing I couldn't deal with. I was just trying to maintain carnage avoidance, especially trying to stay safe at the end of the race. Hats off to Kristin Treager, she really drove her heart out. She crushes it in the brake zone, and she got me in Turn 1, really clean and fair. I just hate to see what happened to her, and I was right behind it. I hope she's ok and I hope she'll be able to go racing with us again soon." 

FRED POORDAD (No. 02 Competition Motorsports, third, Gold Masters): "The race went pretty well, I was happy with the overall finish here. The past couple of years here I have not even seen the checkered flag. Competition Motorsports put a great car under me and we got a couple of lucky breaks throughout. Feels great and it is something to build on for the rest of the season."

WAYNE DUCOTE (No. 68 Kelly-Moss Motorsport/Porsche of Bucks County, Yokohama Hard Charger Award): "I had a good start and I stayed with it, which allowed me to pick off a couple of cars right from the beginning. Unfortunately I got taken out at the end of the race, but winning the Yokohama Hard Charger Award is a nice bonus!" 

IMSA

The International Motor Sports Association, LLC (IMSA) is the sanctioning body of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the road-racing series resulting from the merger of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón and the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. IMSA also sanctions the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda, as well as four single-make series: Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama; Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin; Ferrari Challenge North America; and Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America. IMSA is the exclusive strategic partner in North America with the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) which operates the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a part of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The partnership enables selected TUDOR United SportsCar Championship competitors to earn automatic entries into the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.

(IMSA PR)

 Australian Top Fuel rookie Richie Crampton may not have any family ties to Brainerd International Raceway, but this weekend’s 33rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals feels very much like a hometown race. 

Having the Lucas Oil name attached to the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event makes the race a big deal for Crampton, who has already piloted his GEICO/Lucas Oil dragster to one win in his first Top Fuel season. The incentive to do well is certainly there for Crampton for that reason, but also to enter the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship on a good note.

 Currently sitting ninth in points, Crampton couldn’t come up with a better scenario to enter the upcoming Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals and the Countdown than a victory this weekend in Brainerd.

 “It's a hometown feel for everyone at Morgan Lucas Racing,” Crampton said. “Brainerd is a pretty special event for Lucas Oil and the Lucas family, and we always have a great time. It’s a big event to do well at and build some momentum for the Countdown. We just need to stay consistent and do well every run so we can gather all the information we can for Sunday. The way (crew chief) Aaron Brooks has the car running right now, it's fun to go to every race.”

 Spencer Massey (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) were last year’s winners of the event that will once again be televised nationally on ESPN2. The race also serves as the 17th of 24 races during the 2014 season and is the penultimate stop in the regular season. 

Crampton, who picked up his first career victory earlier at Englishtown, is one of the frontrunners for the Auto Club Road to the Future Award that goes to NHRA’s Rookie of the Year, but at the moment he is more concerned with getting ready for his first championship chase. 

That starts with doing well in Brainerd coming off the heels of his first NHRA Western Swing where Crampton earned round victories at each of the three races, including a semifinal appearance in Sonoma.

 “Our GEICO team did a fantastic job on the Western Swing,” Crampton said. “The car strung together five good runs in a row in Seattle. I'd like to continue down that path of consistency and making run after run and having good information to fall back on for race day. Aaron and the GEICO team are doing the right things and things are looking like they are starting to fall into place for the last part of the season.” 

That gives Crampton confidence that he can compete against anyone in the loaded Top Fuel field that is headed by points leader Doug Kalitta, who won the most recent event in Seattle.

 Other marquee challengers include Massey, Tony Schumacher, who leads active Top Fuel drivers with three wins at Brainerd, Antron Brown, Brittany Force, J.R. Todd, Khalid alBalooshi, and category veteran Steve Torrence. Crampton has a 34-point lead over 10th-place Todd and holds a 162-point advantage over Bob Vandergriff, who is currently in 11th.

 Crampton is also within striking distance of several drivers in front of him, but his focus remains on his own performance.

 “We figure if we run well enough, the numbers will take care of themselves,” Crampton said. “We're just focused on stringing together a lot of consistent runs, like we did in Seattle, and trying to go rounds on race day. We can only control what we do with our race car, and not what's going on around us with the other cars in the top 10. If we can get our car running like we know it can, we'll make our way up a little higher in the top 10 for the beginning of the Countdown.”

 As far as the pressure that comes along with a championship chase in Top Fuel, Crampton is ready for that. The rookie jitters are long gone and with a talented and experienced team surrounding him, Crampton is more than prepared for a successful stretch run in his debut season.

 “The mindset of being a rookie going into races went away quite some time ago for me,” Crampton said. “I'm excited to get to each new race, do well, try to compete and go win rounds. I think I'm in a good place and am really excited to finish out the year well and finish in a good position in the top 10 in my rookie year.”

 In Funny Car, Capps took home the victory in Brainerd a year ago, marking his fourth win at the track. But no one owns Brainerd like 16-time and reigning world champion John Force, who has 11 wins at the facility and won the most recent event in Seattle. Both will be challenged from an ultra-competitive Funny Car class that also features Tommy Johnson Jr., points leader Robert Hight, 1992 Brainerd winner Cruz Pedregon, Matt Hagan, Sonoma winner Courtney Force, Tim Wilkerson, Del Worsham and two-time season winner Alexis DeJoria.

     Reigning Pro Stock world champion Jeg Coughlin has four wins in Brainerd and has two wins this season. Native Minnesotan Greg Anderson recently moved into the top 10 and is seeking his fourth Brainerd victory. Pro Stock points leader Erica Enders-Stevens, who has four wins this season, has one career victory at the track while other top contenders are Allen Johnson, Dave Connolly, Jason Line, Vincent Nobile, Shane Gray, Jonathan Gray, V Gaines and Chris McGaha.   

 As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and enjoy some cherished face time and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.            

Fans also will want to visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

The event will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday, Aug. 15, with sessions at 3 and 5:30 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, Aug. 16, at 1 and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 17. To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call Brainerd International Raceway at (866) 444-4455 or visit www.brainerdraceway.com.  

Following a strong run at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the new LFR Chassis, Rob Fuller and team are excited to return to Thompson Speedway for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) race on August 13.

Todd Szegedy, 2003 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion, will once again drive for Rob Fuller Motorsports.  Szegedy has 18 career wins and 10 pole positions in the NWMT including three career victories at Thompson Speedway.

“I like Thompson because of the higher speeds and it’s usually pretty good racing,” said Szegedy.  “There’s a good outside and bottom groove and the groove changes while you’re racing so it adds some thinking and strategy. It’s a challenging track and requires good horsepower and good handling.”

“Track position, staying up front, and qualifying well will be the keys to winning,” continued Szegedy.  “Also, having a good pit stop and staying out of trouble are important as well.”

The team will run the same LFR Chassis as the Loudon race in July, where the No. 15 ran in the Top-4 all day until encountering mechanical issues at the end of the race.

“The limited practice time with a new chassis will be a challenge for sure,” said team owner, Rob Fuller.  “We will be running a basic set up for the race and will test the following day to finalize our LFR set up to bring back for the October race.  After how we ran at Loudon, I honestly believe we will pull off a win the next few races.”

Thyroid cancer survivor and 15-40 Connection spokesperson Stephanie Corliss will join the team as an honorary crewmember.  15-40 Connection is a non-profit organization that has partnered with Rob Fuller Motorsports to raise awareness of cancer symptoms and the obstacles teens and young adults face to diagnose cancer at earlier stages.  A photo of Stephanie will be featured on the decklid of the No. 15 during the Thompson Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway (Aug. 20) events.

(Lucas Oil Pro Motocross PR)

Feld Motor Sports^® today unveiled the 2014 Monster Energy Cup track design that is inspired by five time Monster Energy Supercross Champion Ricky Carmichael. The Monster Energy Cup will be held at Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday, October 18, and will feature the world’s top riders. 

The uniquely designed Monster Energy Cup hybrid track incorporates highly technical elements from both supercross and motocross through the use of over 10,000 cubic yards of dirt. The vision was to challenge the world’s best racers by amplifying traditional track features seen in supercross and motocross. Taking off from the longest start in supercross history, the riders will leave the gate on an inclined start before they split apart and race into the 180 degree bowl turns. This unique start will be 200 yards in length and will demand speeds that will exceed 70 miles per hour.

“This year’s track design is unlike anything I have ever seen in my career,” said Carmichael. “It’s definitely going to be exciting and challenging for everyone. We started with a great foundation and have an epic final product.” 

“Just when you think the Monster Energy Cup track design couldn’t get any more interesting, [Ricky] Carmichael finds a way to make it even more challenging,” said Ryan Dungey. “The track requires the perfect blend of persistence and aggressiveness. Bike setup is also key on this track. And you can’t forget about the Joker Lane, which can be your worst enemy, especially if you forget to go through it.” 

Racers will also be treated to a massive sand roller section, a technical rhythm lane and the devious joker lane, which will be longer than what the racers are used to. Additionally, the Monster Energy Cup track will feature the AMSOIL Arch, which is a large, 150’ sweeper turn so massive that it will extend into the grandstands. 

“It will be cool to see these guys take the AMSOIL Arch and then come down into massive sand rollers,” added Carmichael. “These sections require a lot of technical maneuvering, so the racers definitely need to be prepared both mentally and physically.” 

The Monster Energy Cup posts a $250,000 purse with the winner walking away with a $100,000 check, and any rider that wins all three Main Events will take home $1 million.  

For more information on the Monster Energy Cup, log on to www.MonsterEnergyCup.com.  For all media requests, please contact Denny Hartwig This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 630-566-6305. To follow the Monster Energy Cup on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram log on to www.Facebook.com/VegasMECup; www.Twitter.com/VegasMECup;www.Instagram.com/MonsterEnergyCup.com.

Tickets for the 2014 Monster Energy Cup can be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office, UNLVtickets outlets, online at www.UNLVtickets.com,www.MonsterEnergyCup.com,  or by phone at (702) 739-FANS. Tickets will be available at the Sam Boyd Stadium Box Office on the day of the event only.