Race of Champions Modified Series competitors are gearing up to head to Mahoning Valley Speedway for the Series opener and so are race fans. If opening day at the 1/4-mile facility is any indication of what fans are in store for Saturday, April 8, at 3:00pm will be one of the most anticipated start times on their 2023 schedules.
Matt Hirschman and Austin Beers of Northampton, Pa., will resume their battles at what is their “hometrack”. The duo has battled each other many times on the 1/4-mile track, which has helped shape their careers.
“Mahoning is fun to race,” offered Hirschman, who has become one, if not arguably the top-star in Modified racing during the 2000’s. “It has multiple grooves and because of the size of the track, it really levels the playing field. You have to be handling, but you also have to be patient and drive precisely to get the job done. It is a lot of fun for the driver and because of the size of the track, it’s right there in front of the fans.”
Austin Beers, who was the 2021 Race of Champions Modified Series titleholder. He has also enjoyed success after continuing his family tradition of racing at the Lehighton oval. Beers has finished second to Hirschman on many occasions, he’s looking to swap those positions on April 8.
“We have been close again,” stated Beers. ‘We’ve got more experience and been doing a lot of racing. Hopefully, we’ll be in contention at Mahoning and be able to gain one more position. I’m really looking forward to racing on home turf at Mahoning.”
Qualifying for the 75-lap Series opener will begin at 3:00pm on Saturday, April 8 along with a full card of Mahoning racing.
Where: Mahoning Valley Speedway, Lehighton, Pa.
When: Saturday, April 8, 2023.
Directions: The track is located in Lehighton, Pa., (2522 Blakeslee Blvd. E., Lehighton, Pa.) just a few short miles (Southwest) off Interstate 476 (Pennsylvania Northeast Extension) and Pennsylvania 209.
What: Race of Champions “Spring Meltdown” “75” for the Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Series.
More Information: www.mahoningvalley-speedway.
ROC Mods PR
United Rentals Racing: Ryan Preece Richmond Advance
Notes of Interest |
● Ryan Preece heads to Richmond Raceway this weekend for the sixth time of his NASCAR Cup Series career. He has a best finish of 20th (twice, 2019 and 2020) and a best start of 16th. Preece has also made four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Richmond. Last season, he ran for BJ McLeod Motorsports in the No. 5 Ford, started sixth and finished 16th, his best Xfinity finish at the track. He also made one ARCA Menards Series East start in 2015 in the No. 41 for Doug Fuller. Preece started last of 35 cars and raced his way to a 14th-place finish.
● In one NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start at Richmond Raceway in 2021, Preece started third and won the 156-lap race, leading 98 laps total. Preece ran the race for Ed Partridge in the No. 6 and dominated the entire evening.
● Six races into the 2023 season, Preece is 29th in the driver standings with 69 points.
● The Cup Series went left and right last weekend at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas for the first road course race of the season. It marked the series’ third visit to COTA, the 3.426-mile, 20-turn road course. Preece made his second start at the Texas course on Sunday, starting 26th and finishing 36th in the No. 41 Ford Mustang. Preece rallied to a 10th-place finish in stage one but the end of the race was tough as he got caught up in a wreck in the final laps.
● The 2023 West Coast swing wrapped up a few weeks ago at Phoenix Raceway and the series returned to the Southeast at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Preece raced for the fifth time in his Cup Series career. He was credited with a 28th-place finish at Atlanta. Prior to Atlanta, the series wrapped up the 2023 West Coast Swing at Phoenix Raceway, where Preece ended with a 12th-place finish, his best points-paying finish of the season.
● Preece was a victim of circumstances in the second event of the season at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, getting caught up in a multicar accident on a lap-88 restart and ultimately finishing 33rd. The following weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Preece battled a tight racecar all day and was credited with a 23rd-place finish.
● Preece opened the 2023 season with a strong showing in the 65th running of the Daytona 500. He and the No. 41 Ford Mustang qualified 20th and logged the best 10-consecutive-lap average in final practice. On race day, Preece finished second in Stage 1 before getting caught up in a multicar accident on lap 181. He was unable to return to the race and finished 36th.
● United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE: URI), the largest equipment rental company in the world, is serving as the primary sponsor of Ryan Preece and the No. 41 team of Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) for select NASCAR Cup Series races in 2023. The partnership began with the non-points Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum, Feb. 4-5 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. United Rentals has an integrated network of 1,449 rental locations in North America, 13 in Europe, 27 in Australia and 19 in New Zealand. In North America, the company operates in 49 states and every Canadian province. The company’s approximately 24,700 employees serve construction and industrial customers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners and others. The company offers approximately 4,700 classes of equipment for rent with a total original cost of $19.3 billion. United Rentals is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, the Barron’s 400 Index and the Russell 3000 Index®. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. Additional information about United Rentals is available at UnitedRentals.com.
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Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing |
You’ve had success at Richmond Raceway in the past and won the modified race at the track in 2021, what’s it like to race at Richmond? “Ever since we switched over to the NextGen Cup car, there are a lot of things that I’m starting to learn translate from what I used to race to what it is now. There’s a lot of things that are similar to the modifieds and a lot of things you’ve got to look for and be mindful of when it comes to that track. It’s one of those tracks that will sort of tempt you to be looking for maybe a little bit better turn or you can want a certain amount of forward drive and then you hurt other areas. It’s a really delicate balance of what you need in order to be fast there.”
With your short-track background, are you looking forward to this weekend’s race? “I am really looking forward to Richmond this weekend, we’ve got this one circled for sure. I feel like after Phoenix, Richmond has turned into something that I’m really looking forward to. Phoenix was a good race for our team and we got our best finish of the season. We learned a lot that weekend after practice and qualifying. We didn’t show what we had in practice and qualifying but when it came time for the race, we really showed what we had. We were fast and our car was strong. My team and I were able to take notes from that race and I think we’ll be able to capitalize on what we learned there and the success we had and really put it all together at Richmond.
What is your team the most focused on now that we’re six races into the season? “We have to be on offense now. I’ve been saying that for weeks now but it’s even more true now than ever. We have not gotten the finishes that we need and despite how we’re getting there, we’ve got to change the narrative. Our main goal is consistency now. We need to unload fast, qualify well and stay out of trouble to salvage good finishes. Our team needs good finishes.”
We had our first road-course race of the season at COTA last weekend, how did that go? “I was really looking forward to COTA because I’m not a road-course racer and I don’t have a ton of road course experience but we worked really hard on that program leading up to the race. Road courses are all about strategy and if it works out in your favor or not. I felt like we had a good strategy and my crew chief Chad worked hard on what he thought would put us in the best position at the end. But we got a penalty and then toward the end of the race, the strategy did end up working in our favor when a caution came out and we were up there toward the front of the field. But you never go green at the end of those races and then we got swept up in other people’s messes and it ruined our day. It didn’t go great at all from that perspective but we did make gains on the road course program.”
SHR PR |
Vore's Compact Touring Series To Open Season In De Graff OH Sunday
The 12th season of the Vores Compact Touring Series Powered by Mercer County Electric kicks off on Sunday, April 2 at Shadybowl Speedway as part of Cabin Fever. The David Yoder Construction LLC 40 and the D&J Sales B4 Mini Series will give fans two VCTS features and feature winners on race day.
Five states are represented by the 35 cars that are entered to date. Defending VCTS champion Chris Jennings leads off the list of entries as he looks to defend his Cabin Fever Win from last year. Defending B4 Mini Series champion Bradly Winters is also entered, graduating to the main series in 2023.
Former series champions Tom Gossar and Bo Hoelscher, along with 2022 VCTS Senior champion Yogi Metz. 2022 VCTS race winners Nicholas Meade, TJ Fannin, Jason Clevenger, Joseph Jennings, Trent Gossar, Kyle Frame and Brandon Barcus are also entered.
The full entry list can be found below. Those marked with a “B4” are eligible for the D&J Sales B4 Mini Series.
The Vores Compact Touring Series has made 15 previous appearances at the DeGraff, OH facility. Former series champion Gary Eaton Jr. has four wins at Shadybowl, more than anyone else. Chris Jennings, Nicholas Meade and Jason Clevenger earned wins at Shadybowl last season.
Cabin Fever is the first of a 14-race season for the Vores Compact Touring Series. VCTS will see familiar venues such as Shadybowl, Anderson, and Winchester; while also visiting the Milwaukee Mile and Flat Rock Speedway (MI) for the first time.
Saturday, April 1 will serve as a practice day for all teams, with rotating open practice scheduled from 2:00-6:00pm. Pit gates will open at 11:00am Saturday.
A big day of racing is scheduled Sunday featuring the Vores Compact Touring Series, CRA Late Model Sportsman and Street Stocks, and Modifieds. Pit gates open at 8:00am, with practice at 10:00am, qualifying at 12:30, and racing at 2:00.
Vores Compact Touring Series David Yoder Construction LLC 40/D&J Sales B4 Mini Series Entry List:
35 cars entered as of 3/27/23 from 5 different states
Shadybowl Speedway PR
Alina Loibnegger confirmed at Racingfuel Motorsport, stepping up to EuroNASCAR PRO
Alina Loibnegger will take the next step in her career and challenge the elite drivers in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. The Austrian will return to Racingfuel Motorsport and move up to EuroNASCAR PRO for the 2023 NWES season. The Wolfsberg native joined the EuroNASCAR 2 championship in 2021 after getting her first taste of the car in the 2019 Club Challenge season. After a successful season with Racingfuel Motorsport out of Switzerland in 2022, Loibnegger is looking forward to the next challenge.
At the age of 28, the Maria Saal resident has eight Lady Trophy race wins to her credit in EuroNASCAR 2. With three top-10 finishes, in 2022 Loibnegger was 17th overall and second in the Lady Trophy standings. To top the benchmark of three tenth-place finishes despite moving to the top class is the goal in 2023, as Loibnegger and Racingfuel Motorsport can rely on last year's experience. The driver and the team have proven to be a strong and reliable combination that will write another chapter for the NWES history books.
"I want to improve personally and also perform better on the track," said Loibnegger before the first race of the season. "It's important to keep learning and I'm looking forward to a season with a lot of great people around me. I'm fully motivated to start the season with this new challenge and I know that the team will support me in my development. We want to pick up where we left off last year and I'm ready to give it my all. I love the EuroNASCAR atmosphere! It's the fans and the people that make the series so special. And the cars are awesome and provide pure racing.”
Team Manager Ferruccio Finkbohner is delighted to be working with the Austrian again: "We are all happy to have Alina back in our ranks this year. She has the talent and is very ambitious. We are sure that she will prove her pace and speed. EuroNASCAR PRO has a high level, but the whole team believes in Alina and everyone is confident that we will continue to build on the success we had last year.” For Racingfuel Motorsport it's the second season in the world of EuroNASCAR and with the experience gained in 2022, the organization is ready to take the next step.
Loibnegger, who started racing at the age of 12, has her roots in karting on tracks in Austria and immediately fell in love with EuroNASCAR when she tried out the 400-horsepower V8 beasts in the 2019 Club Challenge season. She's a florist who won a regional florist competition in 2013 and with the support of her trusted sponsors, she will be competing for the Challenger Trophy. Her sister, Melinda, is not only a talented singer, but she's also the racer‘s spotter on race weekends, guiding her through two exciting sprint races on the radio.
The 2023 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series kicks off May 5-6 at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain. All qualifying and race events will be streamed live on EuroNASCAR's YouTube channel, Motorsport.tv and various television services around the world. Loibnegger, who enjoys hiking, archery, squash, crossfit and snowboarding in her spare time, is focused and motivated to climb the EuroNASCAR ladder and her authentic presence will once again make her a key driver in the NWES paddock.
NWES PR
RACE ADVANCE: Connor Mosack at Richmond Raceway
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SHR PR
Goodyear Fast Facts -- Richmond / Texas
NASCAR Cup Series -- Race No. 7 – 400 laps / 300 miles
Richmond Raceway (0.75-mile oval) – Richmond, Va.
Fast Facts for April 1-2, 2023
Tire: Goodyear Eagle 18-inch Speedway Radials
Set limits: Cup – 1 set for practice, 1 set for qualifying and 9 sets for the race
(8 race sets plus 1 set transferred from qualifying)
Tire Codes: Left-side -- D-5124; Right-side -- D-5126
Tire Circumference: Left-side -- 2,251 mm (88.62 in.); Right-side -- 2,276 mm (89.61 in.)
Minimum Recommended Inflation: Left Front -- 12 psi; Left Rear -- 12 psi;
Right Front -- 30 psi; Right Rear -- 26 psi
Storyline – Cup teams know what to expect on high-wear Richmond: Tire wear will be a factor and tire management will be a priority for NASCAR Cup drivers at Richmond Raceway this weekend. Richmond has become one of the highest wear tracks on the NASCAR circuit, so four-tire stops will be the norm this Sunday. Pit crews will be busy with nine sets of tires for the 400 lap (300-mile) race. The one advantage Cup teams have is a deep notebook on this particular tire set-up, with this weekend’s race being the eighth on this combination of left- and right-side tires since the series went to the Next Gen car at the beginning of last season. Cup teams ran this tire set-up twice on this track in 2022, and got a refresher course at Phoenix three weeks ago.
“Cup teams can expect some fall-off on the high-wear track surface at Richmond this weekend,” said Greg Stucker. “Tire wear means several things for this race. First, when the tires wear, it help lay rubber on the track surface which, in turn, means that drivers will adjust their lines looking for fresh asphalt and more grip. Second, on high wear tracks, teams will take almost every opportunity to take four tires, thus making the pit crews a vital part of the race in keeping or gaining track position. This is a well-established tire set-up, so teams will know what to expect.”
Notes – Cup cars return to Richmond on popular tire set-up: Being on the 18-inch bead diameter tire, NASCAR Cup teams will run a different tire set-up than those in the Xfinity Series at Richmond this week . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires Cup teams ran at Richmond twice last season . . . they also ran this tire set-up at Phoenix three weeks ago, as well as at Phoenix, New Hampshire and Gateway last season . . . with this 18-inch tire, and its lower profile sidewall, NASCAR Cup cars will not run inner liners in any of their tires in 2023.
Wet Weather Tires – Goodyear to bring wet weather tires to short track Richmond: Goodyear will bring its 18-inch wet weather radial tires to Richmond for the NASCAR Cup cars, should NASCAR determine that conditions warrant . . . Goodyear tested its 18-inch bead diameter wet weather tire at Martinsville in June 2022, in order to determine the feasibility of running in wet conditions on ovals . . . Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric and Tyler Reddick participated in that Martinsville test . . . NASCAR Cup teams last ran a wet weather tire in competition at Watkins Glen last August . . . in addition to the obvious difference of a tread pattern versus Goodyear’s dry weather “slick” tires, the “Goodyear” and “Eagle” lettering on the sidewalls of the wet weather tires is white, not the standard yellow.
Follow us on Twitter: @GoodyearRacing.
GOODYEAR TIRE NOTES
NASCAR Xfinity Series -- Race No. 7 -- 250 laps / 187.5 miles
Richmond Raceway (0.75-mile oval) – Richmond, Va.
Fast Facts for April 1, 2023
Tire: Goodyear Eagle 15-inch Speedway Radials
Set limits: Xfinity: 5 sets for the event
Tire Codes: Left-side -- D-6114; Right-side -- D-6116
Tire Circumference: Left-side -- 2,218 mm (87.32 in.); Right-side -- 2,244 mm (88.35 in.)
Minimum Recommended Inflation: Left Front -- 12 psi; Left Rear -- 12 psi;
Right Front -- 30 psi; Right Rear -- 27 psi
Notes – Xfinity teams return to Richmond on 2022 tire set-up: Being on 15-inch bead diameter tires, NASCAR Xfinity Series teams will run a different tire set-up than those in the Cup Series at Richmond this weekend . . . this is the same tire set-up these teams ran at Richmond last season . . . they also just ran this tire set-up at Phoenix in early-March . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, Xfinity teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Richmond.
Wet Weather Tires – Goodyear to bring wet weather tires to short track Richmond: Goodyear will bring its 15-inch wet weather radial tires to Richmond for the NASCAR Xfinity cars, should NASCAR determine that conditions warrant . . . Goodyear tested its 15-inch bead diameter wet weather tires on Cup cars at both Richmond (May 2021) and Martinsville (April 2021) in order to determine the feasibility of running in wet conditions on ovals . . . Xfinity teams last ran a wet weather tire in competition at Portland last June . . . in addition to the obvious difference of a tread pattern versus Goodyear’s dry weather “slick” tires, the “Goodyear” and “Eagle” lettering on the sidewalls of the wet weather tires is white, not the standard yellow.
Follow us on Twitter: @GoodyearRacing.
GOODYEAR TIRE NOTES NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – Race No. 5 – 147-laps / 220.5 milesTexas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval) – Fort Worth, Tex.Fast Facts for March 31-April 1, 2023 Tire: Goodyear Eagle 15-inch Speedway Radials
Set limits: Craftsman Trucks: 5 sets for the event
Tire Codes: Left-side -- D-6110; Right-side -- D-6112
Tire Circumference: Left-side -- 2,225 mm (87.60 in.); Right-side -- 2,250 mm (88.58 in.)
Minimum Recommended Inflation: Left Front -- 19 psi; Left Rear – 19 psi;
Right Front -- 52 psi; Right Rear -- 48 psi
Notes – Trucks on return to Texas on 2022 tire set-up: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams will run the same tire set-up at Texas this weekend that they ran at this track last season . . . this is also the same combination of left- and right side tires that these teams ran at Las Vegas earlier this season and twice in 2022, as well as at Kansas in 2022 . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, Truck teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Texas . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.
Follow us on Twitter: @GoodyearRacing.
Goodyear Racing PR
Racing at South Boston Speedway ‘Clicks’ for Defending Smart Modified Tour Champion Caleb Heady
.Caleb Heady had never seen South Boston Speedway in person prior to last year’s SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic event at the .4-mile oval. So, like a lot of racers, he attempted to familiarize himself with the track prior to the event using the iRacing simulation.
“It’s kind of funny,” Heady remarked.
“Going into the South Boston race last year I told everybody I absolutely suck at that place in iRacing. I am probably the worst South Boston Speedway driver on iRacing you will ever meet. As soon as we got there, we figured it out. It clicked.”
Click it did. The Shelbyville, Kentucky resident, driving for Tommy Baldwin Racing, finished third in last year’s 99-lap race.
“South Boston Speedway kind of took me by surprise last year,” Heady said.
“The place is crazy fast. It was really fun, really racy, and just a good overall time. I’m very excited to go back. It’s a track with a lot of grip and it’s a fast track. That’s the kind of place where I like to be.”
Heady is excited about returning to South Boston Speedway for The Flying VA Classic, a 99-lap race for the SMART Modified Tour, that headlines the URW Credit Union Fools Rush 262 racing program on Saturday afternoon, April 1 at South Boston Speedway.
He finished second in the season-opener at Florence (South Carolina) Motor Speedway and is looking to rebound from a 15th-place finish in last week’s race at Caraway Speedway.
“It’s definitely a track I look forward to,” Heady said.
“South Boston Speedway is an extremely fast racetrack. I really can’t get over how we got around that track for qualifying last year. It was pretty insane the speed we were able to carry into the corners and how much power we could get down on exit. It plays out to my cards pretty well.”
The Kentucky native is confident about his chances heading into Saturday’s event.
“I know as long as I keep the car beneath me and I set myself up right I can compete with just about anybody in the field,” explained Heady.
“It’s playing chess, not checkers. You have to set yourself up for the end of the race, make sure all of the boxes are checked and that you’ve got the best car you can possibly have to go win the race at the end.”
Heady, who has two career race wins and one career pole win on the SMART Modified Tour, entered the 2023 season as the defending series champion. In winning last year’s SMART Modified Tour title, he helped Tommy Baldwin Racing win its third championship of the 2022 season.
“Last year’s championship came as kind of a surprise to us,” Heady pointed out.
“It was our first time trying win the season championship. To be able to win it in our first time trying was really cool.
“It takes consistency to win championships,” he continued.
“Last year I got only one win on the tour. I know if we continue our consistent runs, we will be fine. This year I want at least two or three wins on the year, have some good races, put up some good performances, and try to distance myself and show people I am ready to step up and move up.”
The list of Smart Stars that have filed early entries for Saturday’s event at South Boston Speedway includes current series points leader and last week’s winner at Caraway Speedway, Brandon Ward, former NASCAR Cup Series Champion Bobby Labonte, Matt Hirschman, who won last year’s South Boston Speedway race and scored 28 wins overall last season, and Burt and Jason Myers.
Saturday afternoon’s URW Credit Union Fools Rush 262 racing program will consist of four races. Twin 71-lap races for the Sentara Healthcare Late Model Stock Car Division and a 21-lap race for the competitors in the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division are scheduled in addition to the 99-lap SMART Modified Tour race.
As part of the afternoon’s activities, fans will have the opportunity to meet the SMART Stars competing in the 99-lap SMART Modified Tour race during an autograph session to be held behind the main grandstand immediately following qualifying.
Saturday’s URW Credit Union Fools Rush 262 event-day schedule has frontstretch spectator gates opening at 10:45 a.m. Practice is set to start at 11 a.m., qualifying is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and the first race of the afternoon is set to get the green flag at 3 p.m.
Advance adult general admission tickets are $17 each and may be purchased online on the speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com, or by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.
Tickets at the gate on Saturday are priced at $20 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $17 each at the gate on race day.
The latest news and updates from South Boston Speedway can be found on the speedway’s website and through the track’s social media channels. Information may also be obtained by phoning the speedway at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.
SBS PR
Toyota Racing - Weekly Preview - 03.29.23
It is the annual Toyota Owners weekend at Richmond Raceway this Saturday and Sunday, while the NASCAR Truck Series competes in Texas for the second straight weekend. The NHRA Drag Racing Series runs at iconic Pomona Dragstrip, while the ARCA cars are on-track on the West Coast in Irwindale, California.
NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS
Reddick looks to continue to impress… Tyler Reddick battled through multiple overtime restarts to win at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday. It was his first victory for 23XI Racing and Toyota, and fourth of his career. Reddick has now earned three consecutive top-five finishes and moved inside the top-10 in points. The California-native is looking for his first top-10 finish in the NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond this weekend.
Hamlin ready for another home win… Denny Hamlin celebrated as a team owner on Sunday, and now the Chesterfield, Virginia-native is ready to pick up the victory while driving. Hamlin and crew chief Chris Gabehart proved to have the right strategy one season ago as he passed William Bryon with five laps to go to earn the win – his fourth Cup Series victory at the track.
Smith plans to cash in… Sammy Smith led all full-time Xfinity Series drivers with a fourth-place finish at Circuit of the Americas, which qualified the 18-year-old to run as part of the first Dash 4 Cash race in Richmond, with the top-finishing driver earning $100,000. Smith will be making his Richmond Raceway debut in the ToyotaCare 250 on Saturday.
Home track for Hunt… Sam Hunt, owner of Sam Hunt Racing, will be heading home when his two Toyota GR Supras compete on Saturday. Hunt, a Midlothian, Virginia-native, owns the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra driven by Connor Mosack and Kaz Grala’s No. 26 Toyota GR Supra. The team scored its best finish – a third place result by John Hunter Nemechek – at the track in 2021.
Friesen looking to go back-to-back… Stewart Friesen clinched his Playoff berth and earned his first win at Texas Motor Speedway in this race one season ago. He led 60 laps (of 149) to earn his first victory aboard a Toyota Tundra TRD Pro.
Ankrum continues strong start to the season… Tyler Ankrum earned a season-best fourth-place finish at Circuit of the Americas on Saturday – the third top-10 run in as many starts on the Austin road course – to move Ankrum inside the current Playoff field. The California-native has had multiple strong runs at Texas Motor Speedway – including a third-place finish in his track debut in 2019.
NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car
Ashley plans to add another Pomona win… Fresh off his first victory of the season in Phoenix, Justin Ashley heads to California to compete at the Pomona Dragstrip. The New York-native is the defending race winner at the Winternationals.
Torrence leads again… Steve Torrence is still looking for his first victory of the season, but his strong performance in the first two events has put him on-top of the Top Fuel standings. Torrence began the season in the final round in Gainesville, before adding a semi-final performance in Phoenix.
DeJoria running well to begin the season… Alexis DeJoria and her DC Motorsports team has had a stellar start to the season. In Phoenix, DeJoria won the first #2Fast2Tasty challenge on Saturday before registering her second straight semi-final performance. The Texan heads to Pomona inside the top-five in the point standings.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA West
Hingorani back close to home… One week after making his ARCA East debut, Sean Hingorani heads back closer to home to compete in ARCA West racing action at Irwindale Speedway. The California-native is making his track debut – one week after a top-five finish at Five Flags Speedway in Florida.
TRD PR
Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Richmond Raceway
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Chandler Smith, No. 16 Quick Tie Products Chevrolet Camaro
"I'm really excited to get back to short track racing this weekend at Richmond. Finishing 12th on the road course at COTA was a decent result after a hard day's work, but it's nice to know we're heading back to ovals for a bit now. I've had a lot of success in the past few years at Richmond, and I hope we can get some momentum rolling again before our off-weekend."
- Chandler Smith on Richmond Raceway |
Kaulig Racing PR
Vores CRA Late Model Sportsman Season Begins In Ohio Sunday
On Sunday, April 2nd the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman Powered by JEGS will embark on their 18th season of racing with a stop at Shadybowl Speedway for the Cabin Fever 75. A staple event of the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman, the Cabin Fever has been part of the schedule since 2010 when the event first launched at Plymouth Speedway.
The first ever Cabin Fever was won by Cedar Lake, Indiana’s Keith Sterkowitz. An eventual two-time CRA LMS Champion, Sterkowitz led 34 of the 75 laps en route to the win. After Sterkowitz, 2015 CRA LMS Champion Jason Atkinson won the event in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, the race moved to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Atkinson continued his streak of winning on opening night with another win at IRP after coming from sixth to lead 34 of the 40 laps. In 2014, the Cabin Fever served as the second race of the season for the CRA LMS; Trey Craig took the lead from Atkinson on lap 15 and went on to win. 2015 saw IRP represent the opening night once again and Shawn Amor got around Craig at the halfway mark to send Craig to Victory Lane. In 2016, a dramatic finish greeted fans at IRP when Eddie Van Meter made a last-lap pass on Terry Fisher, Jr to collect the win. Fisher, Jr got his redemption in 2017 when he inherited the lead from Amor who dropped out of the race after leading 34 laps.
The CRA LMS took a hiatus from the Cabin Fever event in 2018 before weather washed away the 2019 edition of the event. Unique circumstances in 2020 didn’t allow racing to begin until June. In 2021 the Cabin Fever was again canceled and Shadybowl Speedway became the event host in 2022.
Last season, Ryan Fleming took home the Cabin Fever victory from Shadybowl Speedway. The Xenia, Ohio driver rolled off 5th in the 50-lap race and had collected the lead by lap 10. Fleming held on to collect his first and only win with the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman.
Fans who wish to attend the Cabin Fever 75 from Shadybowl Speedway can get tickets at the gate on Sunday, April 2nd. Grandstands open at Noon ET with racing beginning at 2:00 PM ET. Racing alongside the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman are the CRA Street Stocks Powered by JEGS, open-wheel Modifieds, and Vores Compact Touring Series.
For more information on the CRA Street Stocks, including a full schedule, results, and more log onto www.CRA-Racing.com. To keep up with everything happening with Champion Racing Association, follow CRA: Champion Racing Association on Facebook and @CRARacing on Twitter.
CRA PR