BRISTOL, Tenn. – A photographic look at the NASCAR racing action on Friday from Bristol Motor Speedway. All photos provided courtesy of NASCAR and Getty Images.
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.
BAYTOWN, Texas – Clay Millican powered his Parts Plus / Great Clips Top Fuel dragster to the qualifying lead Friday at the 30th annual NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway Park. Courtney Force (Funny Car) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) were also provisional leaders in their respective categories at the fifth of 24 events on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season schedule. Millican, who is still seeking his first NHRA Top Fuel win, set the track elapsed time record with his 3.722-second run at 325.69 mph during the second qualifying session. “I got to do my…
SIMON PAGENAUD (No. 1 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet): “It was a good day for the Menards Chevrolet team. We were able to get a lot of laps in and collect some good data. The car felt good. I think we’re in a good place in terms of speed and balance. This track can be a little tricky and it’s really important to get that balance. Everyone tested here not that long ago, so the cars are pretty dialed in. This is just a fun track to drive.” JOSEF NEWGARDEN (No. 2 Fitzgerald Glider Kits Team Penske Chevrolet): “I really enjoy…
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Marco Andretti got off to a fast start today, recording the best practice lap in preparation for Sunday’s Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama presented by America’s First. Andretti, in the No. 27 Andretti Autosport Honda, toured Barber Motorsports Park’s 2.3-mile, 17-turn permanent road course in 1 minute, 7.7134 seconds (122.280 mph) to top the combined speed chart from a pair of Verizon IndyCar Series practice sessions. Two-time Barber race winner Will Power was second at 1:07.7454 (122.222 mph). HONDA GRAND PRIX OF ALABAMA: Practice 1; Practice 2; Combined practice results Andretti’s last win and second of…
BAYTOWN, Texas – There is a long list of great memories for Erica Enders at her home track, Royal Purple Raceway, including a pair of back-to-back victories in 2014 and 2015 that helped cement her back-to-back Pro Stock world championships. Searching for her first NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series win since that dominant 2015 season, Enders hopes a return home for this weekend’s 30th annual NHRA SpringNationals provides the trick. But following the struggles of last season, Enders insists her team and her Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is still capable of plenty of great performances. “We’re not lacking confidence…
Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama Fast Facts Race weekend: Friday, April 21 – Sunday, April 23 Track: Barber Motorsports Park, a 2.3-mile, 17-turn road course (clockwise) in Birmingham, Alabama Race distance: 90 laps / 207 miles Entry List: Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama (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 Twitter: @BarberMotorPark @IndyCar, #HIGPA, #IndyCar Event website: www.barbermotorsports.com INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com 2016 race winner: Simon Pagenaud (No. 22 PPG Automotive Refinish Team Penske Chevrolet) 2016 Verizon P1 Award…
BAYTOWN, Texas – After winning the last two NHRA Top Alcohol world championships, Jonnie Lindberg had big expectations when he joined Head Racing to drive a 10,000-horsepower Funny Car for the first time. But through his first two races in the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, even Lindberg couldn’t have imagined his rookie season would start this well. Lindberg advanced to the final round at his Funny Car debut in Gainesville and followed it with another finals berth at his second race in Las Vegas. The Swedish-born Lindberg has made a distinctive impression on the star-studded class…
BAYTOWN, Texas – If the last two years are any indication, a good start to the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series has the chance to become even better for Doug Kalitta when he arrives at Royal Purple Raceway, the site of this weekend’s 30th annual NHRA SpringNationals. The Top Fuel standout has posted two straight wins at the race in his 10,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster, and a third straight victory would give him the most wins (four) in Top Fuel history at the facility. Currently fourth in the 2017 point standings with one final round appearance, Kalitta, whose…
BAYTOWN, Texas – Last season’s performance at Royal Purple Raceway provided a massive boost to NHRA Funny Car standout Courtney Force, winning her first race in more than a year and grabbing a share of the points lead in the process. After a frustrating stretch – at least when it comes to eliminations – during the past three races of the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, Force is hopeful of again turning the corner at the facility, which plays host to the 30th annual NHRA SpringNationals, April 21-23. Force has been impressive at times in her 10,000-horsepower…
FORT WORTH, Texas – The following is an event recap from Wednesday’s test session at Texas Motor Speedway featuring 14 Verizon IndyCar Series drivers preparing for the Rainguard Water Sealers 600 on Saturday, June 10. Event Recap Fourteen drivers representing eight Verizon IndyCar Series organizations participated in the one-day open test session on the repaved and re-profiled 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval. Four-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon, testing in the No. 83 Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Charlie Kimball, recorded the fastest laps in both Session 1 and Session 2 of the roughly 5½-hour test. He ran a top lap…