Author: Mike Haag

By Rob Gray, NASCAR Wire Service NEWTON, Iowa — Ryan Preece’s short-lived, but ambitious 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule began three weeks ago at his de facto home track, New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It ended Saturday in the U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway — as confetti swirled and soared to highlight his first career series triumph in Victory Lane. Preece, held off a hard-charging Kyle Benjamin in a green-white checkered finish that came after the third restart in the race’s final 17 pulse-quickening laps. “I thought this race would never end, that’s for sure,” an emotional Preece told the…

Courtesy of the NHRA SONOMA, Calif. – LE Tonglet raced to his first career NHRA Mickey Thompson Tire Pro Bike Battle win during the Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway on Saturday. Tonglet received a $7,500 payday in the all-star bonus race featuring the top eight Pro Stock Motorcycles in the category. In other racing, Leah Pritchett (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Drew Skillman (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) earned No. 1 qualifying positions and will lead their classes into Sunday’s 11 a.m. eliminations at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event. In…

Courtesy of the Verizon IndyCar Series LEXINGTON, Ohio – Will Power will start from the front row in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio for the sixth straight year on Sunday after claiming the Verizon P1 Award in Verizon IndyCar Series qualifying today at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Driving the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Power’s best lap of 1 minute, 4.1720 seconds (126.672 mph) in the Firestone Fast Six was enough to earn his third pole position at Mid-Ohio, his fifth pole this season and the 49th of his Indy car career – tying the 2014 series champion…

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service LONG POND, Pa. – With his boss out of the race, Christopher Bell filled the void, pulling away to win the Overton’s 150 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday at Pocono Raceway. Bell overtook John Hunter Nemechek on Lap 54 of 60 at the 2.5-mile triangular track and finished 1.964 seconds ahead of runner-up Ben Rhodes, who passed Nemechek for the second position on Lap 56. One circuit later Ryan Truex took the third spot from Nemechek, who held on to fourth at the finish. The victory was Bell’s first at Pocono,…

Courtesy of the NHRA SONOMA, Calif. – Robert Hight powered to the Funny Car qualifying lead Friday evening at the 30th annual Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway. Leah Pritchett (Top Fuel), Drew Skillman (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also provisional qualifying leaders in their respective categories at the 15th of 24 events on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Hight set the national speed record at a 339.87 mph with his 3.807-second pass in his Auto Club of Southern California / California Highway Patrol Chevy Camaro during the second qualifying session.…

Courtesy of the Verizon IndyCar Series LEXINGTON, Ohio – Ryan Hunter-Reay continued his recent surge, setting the pace on the first day of practice for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. The Andretti Autosport driver was fastest in the second of two 45-minute sessions on the 13-turn, 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with a lap of 1 minute, 4.2961 seconds (126.428 mph) in the No. 28 DHL Honda. Hunter-Reay is hopeful it bodes well for a strong showing in Sunday’s race. “Today, it was a good run. Car was good,” said the 36-year-old Floridian, whose best finish in 11 previous…

Courtesy of the NHRA SONOMA, Calif. – Switching to a Suzuki for the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season certainly hasn’t slowed Scotty Pollacheck’s consistency. The Pro Stock Motorcycle veteran has four semifinal appearances and zero first-round losses through the first seven races of the PSM season, putting him right in the thick of the world championship hunt. Of course, Pollacheck, a veteran of 88 races, is still seeking that first career Pro Stock Motorcycle win. Satisfied with the consistency on his Suzuki Extended Protection bike, Pollacheck, who is currently fourth in the points standings, hopes he can…

Courtesy of the NHRA SONOMA, Calif. – No situation has proven to be too big for Tanner Gray in his rookie season in Pro Stock. After a first-round loss last weekend in Denver, Gray is determined to make sure that continues to be the case during his first experience with the famed NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Western Swing. The second of three stops takes place during this weekend’s 30th annual Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway, with Gray looking to make quick amends in his Valvoline/Nova Services Chevrolet Camaro after the early exit in Denver. With what…

The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Fast Facts Race weekend: Friday, July 28 – Sunday, July 30 Track: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a 13-turn, 2.258-mile road course in Lexington, Ohio Race distance: 90 laps / 203.22 miles Entry list: Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (PDF) Push-to-pass parameters: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation. Firestone tire allotment: Seven sets primary, four sets alternate. Teams must use one set of primary and one new set of alternate tires in the race. Twitter: @Mid_Ohio @IndyCar, #Honda200, #IndyCar Event website: http://www.midohio.com/ INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com 2016 race winner: Simon Pagenaud (No. 22 PPG Automotive Refinish Chevrolet) 2016 Verizon…

Courtesy of the NHRA SONOMA, Calif. – J.R. Todd knows the importance of winning at Sonoma Raceway, doing it in 2016 in Top Fuel. While the Kalitta Motorsports driver is in a different class heading to the Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals this weekend, the sentiment remains true for the now Funny Car driver. Still looking for his first career Funny Car win in his 10,000-horsepower DHL Toyota Camry, Todd is looking to break through with the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship looming. Doing so at the Toyota-sponsored event would provide a big boost in that…