HELIO CASTRONEVES (No. 3 REV Group Team Penske Chevrolet): “People don’t realize that qualifying is extremely difficult. I took it to the limit – I had one eye closed and one eye open. Experience is a big part of this and today was really, really good. The conditions were really difficult today in practice – the gusting winds were horrendous. We worked mostly on the race setup (in practice). My engineer did a phenomenal job and obviously everybody at Team Penske – the REV Group car was really fast. Qualifying is one thing – the race is another – but…
Author: Mike Haag
Mike Haag
Mike Haag has covered motorsports in San Antonio and South Texas for more than 39 years. In addition to covering motorsports for the San Antonio Express-News for nearly 28 years, Mike also has co-hosted TrackSmack with Dawn Murphy for 19 race seasons. In addition to being a writer, Mike taught high school English and Journalism for 30 years before retiring in May, 2020.
RICHMOND, Va. – A photographic look at Friday’s NASCAR racing action at Richmond International Raceway. All photos provided courtesy of NASCAR and Getty Images.
Courtesy of the NHRA CONCORD, N.C. – Courtney Force raced to the Funny Car qualifying lead Friday evening at the eighth annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway. Clay Millican (Top Fuel) Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Jerry Savoie (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also provisional qualifying leaders at the sixth of 24 events on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Force raced a track-elapsed time record of 3.851-seconds at 323.27 mph in her Advance Auto Parts Chevy Camaro in the second qualifying session. Her teammate, Robert Hight, qualified second at 3.873 at 333.91 in his Auto…
CONCORD, N.C. – Tanner Gray has jumped into the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series spotlight with a quick start in his rookie season. But even at 18 years old, the Pro Stock rising star knows his performance is only made possible by the support of a strong team. Gray, who won his first career Pro Stock race earlier this season in Las Vegas, has credited that strong backing for a seemingly smooth transition into the tough class driving his Gray Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro. The next challenge comes this weekend when he takes part in the eighth annual NHRA…
Courtesy of the NHRA CONCORD, N.C. – To have success over the years at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, taking place this weekend at state-of-the-art zMAX Dragway, the key term for Andrew Hines is adapt. In that regard, the five-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Andrew Hines has had no trouble adapting to the most unique race on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Hines has won the past three Four-Wide Nationals on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson and will look to make it a fourth time against a loaded PSM field. The challenges are vast, but…
Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix Fast Facts Race weekend: Friday, April 28 – Saturday, April 29, 2017 Track: Phoenix International Raceway, a 1.022-mile oval Race distance: 250 laps / 255.5 miles Entry List: Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix (PDF) Firestone tire allotment: Nine sets primary Twitter: @PhoenixRaceway, @IndyCar, #DesertDiamondPGP, #IndyCar Event website: www.phoenixraceway.com INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com 2016 race winner: Scott Dixon (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet) 2016 pole winner: Helio Castroneves (No. 3 REV Group Team Penske Chevrolet), 38.2604 seconds (192.324 mph) Qualifying lap record: Helio Castroneves (19.0997 seconds; 192.631 mph), set on April…
CONCORD, N.C. – Placed in the middle of three straight races, this weekend’s eight annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at the state-of-the-art zMAX Dragway provides a chance for drivers to bounce back if they struggled last weekend in Houston. But the uniqueness of the race also poses a massive challenge for every driver in the Funny Car class. The prospect of competing against three other 10,000-horsepower dragsters at the same time is not an easy task, though it does present a thrilling, one-of-a-kind experience. For Tommy Johnson Jr., who won in Las Vegas, returning to zMAX Dragway brings excitement, especially when…
CONCORD, N.C. – After 18 seasons and more than 600 races behind the wheel, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will bring his NASCAR Cup Series driving career to a close at the conclusion of 2017. Today, he shared the news with members of his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports team. The fan favorite and two-time Daytona 500 champion will discuss his decision in a press conference this afternoon. He will be joined by Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, for whom Earnhardt has driven since 2008. The two first met about the driver’s decision on March 29. Earnhardt, who will turn 43 in October,…
Courtesy of the NHRA CONCORD, N.C. – The more challenges the better as far as Tony Schumacher is concerned, which is why the eight-time Top Fuel world championship always looks forward to the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, which take place this weekend at state-of-the-art zMAX Dragway. Matched up against three other 10,000-horsepower dragsters, creating a sensory experience unmatched in drag racing, Schumacher and his standout U.S. Army team eagerly anticipate the extra challenge of one of the biggest spectacles in the sport. Now the longtime Top Fuel star who has 83 career wins hopes to add his first NHRA Four-Wide Nationals…
By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service BRISTOL, Tenn. – A week off and an extra day at Bristol did nothing to break Jimmie Johnson’s momentum. Grabbing the lead from Kevin Harvick on Lap 480 of 500 in Monday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, Johnson stayed out front for the final 21 laps and beat Clint Bowyer to the finish line by 1.199 seconds. The checkered flag was Johnson’s second at the .533-mile short track, his second straight this season and the 82nd of his career in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, leaving him one victory behind Cale…