Author: Mike Haag

Courtesy Dave Densmore PHOENIX, Ariz. – The fact that Steve Torrence rolls into this week’s 32nd annual CARQUEST Nationals as the Top Fuel point leader has everything to do with legendary crew chief Alan Johnson’s contributions as consultant to his race team – but not for the reasons one might imagine. Johnson, who as crew chief or team owner won NHRA Top Fuel Championships with five different drivers, hasn’t made any major changes since coming on board last fall.  What he has done is instill a new confidence in a Capco Contractors crew carefully assembled by Torrence over the last…

Courtesy of NASCAR DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Legendary engine builders, crew chiefs, owners, drivers and the most recognizable voice in motorsports. The talents, eras and levels may differ, but all share a common thread. They shaped NASCAR, and on Wednesday, they were recognized as nominees for the highest honor the sport bestows – enshrinement into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. NASCAR today announced the 20 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017, as well as the five nominees for the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Included among the list are five first-time nominees, all legends…

Courtesy of the NHRA CHANDLER, Ariz. – The 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season opener at Pomona marked the 100th career Funny Car race for Alexis DeJoria, and as she heads into her fifth full season, the three-time winner feels more comfortable than ever behind the wheel of her 10,000-horsepower Tequila Patrόn Toyota Camry. The improvements have been noticeable throughout her career, but DeJoria appears poised for her best Funny Car finish yet heading into this weekend’s CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. DeJoria, who finished a career-best seventh in 2014 and won…

Courtesy of Geiger Media Global PHOENIX – Erica Enders’ epic racing career will reach another milestone when she races at this weekend’s CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. The event will be her 200th career Pro Stock race, dating back to her debut in Pomona in February 2005. Over that span, Enders has become an NHRA superstar, winning the 2014 and 2015 Pro Stock championships and 21 NHRA national events. “It’s hard to believe in one sense,” Enders said. “In another sense, it’s like, ‘Are you sure it’s not 200,000 races?’ I feel like I’ve been…

Courtesy of the NHRA CHANDLER, Ariz. – Leah Pritchett is in uncharted territory in her young NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series career, but this is the moment she has always wanted and the Top Fuel driver plans to take advantage. Pritchett earned a full-time driving position behind the wheel of Bob Vandergriff Racing’s 10,000-horsepower Quaker State/FireAde dragster before the season, a role Pritchett has been aggressively pursuing since joining the Top Fuel ranks. But she also knows the full-time role leads to a bigger spotlight and demands results, which has Pritchett and her team working hard heading to this…

Courtesy of John Force Racing YORBA LINDA, CA – John Force and the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car team will add the branding of Republic Services, the second largest provider of services in the domestic non-hazardous solid waste industry, during the Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. The PEAK/Republic Services Camaro will look to improve on Force’s season opening semi-final finish at the Circle K NHRA Winternationals that has the 16-time Funny Car champion sitting in the No. 4 position in the Mello Yello Funny Car standings. “Bryan Emrich the Chief Marketing…

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”2″ gal_title=”Daytona 500″] By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Most of the time, when an athlete talks about a “team victory,” it’s nothing more than a sports cliché. But Denny Hamlin’s win in Sunday’s Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway—by the closest margin in the history of the Great American Race—was a testament to the strength and solidarity of the Toyota teams of Joe Gibbs Racing and Furniture Row Racing, a JGR affiliate. In a wild last lap at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, Hamlin moved into the outside lane in front of Kevin Harvick, who had…

Special to Raceday SA CHATSWORTH, Calif. (February 19, 2016) – Auto Club Raceway at Pomona has historically been a strong racetrack for Jimmy DeFrank, and the 56th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals, held at the venerable Southern California facility last weekend, held true to form. Thousand Oaks, California-based sportsman racer DeFrank earned his 19th national event trophy with the defeat of Fred Moreno in the Super Stock final round. It was the 46th final of DeFrank’s career and his 37th in the extremely competitive Super Stock category. “We are so excited to get another national event win and to start…

KYLE – The NAPA 250 will mark the season-opening race on March 19 at Central Texas Speedway. The event will be the first of nine races that will be held at the 3/8-mile speedway this season.  Other race dates that have been announced include:  April 23, May 21, June 18, July 9, August 13, September 10, October 22 and November 12. Raceday SA will post more details about the season opener soon.

Courtesy of the NHRA POMONA, Calif. – Ron Capps raced to his first Funny Car victory in nearly a year Sunday at the Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also were winners at the season-opening NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event near Los Angeles. Capps emerged from a strong performing field as the winner and had to defeat defending world champion Del Worsham in the final round to take his 46th career victory. He outran Jeff Diehl, Chad Head and Robert Hight in early rounds. In…