Coming from 13th, Damion Gardner was able to run up to seventh with Tanner Thorson following from 10th. Eleventh starting Chad Boat was eighth with Jac Haudenschild and Hunter Schuerenberg rounding out the top-ten.

Following the night’s feature event, the inaugural Pizza Express Pole Shuffle took place with all 12 lock in drivers getting a shot to better their position in Saturday’s A-Feature. Drawing for their position in the dash order, drivers squared off in 11, head-to-head, two lap dashes. Starting with the 12th and 11th position, the winner went on to face the driver who drew 10th, the process repeated itself all the way up the ladder. The first round saw Zach Daum square off against Shane Cottle with Daum eventually moving from 12th to eighth on the starting grid before being defeated by Joey Saldana. Ultimately, the front row came down to Bryan Clauson and Christopher Bell. Crossing the white flag 0.038 seconds apart, Bell found the wall in the third and fourth turns, ensuring Bryan Clauson the pole position.

With all four qualifying nights in the books, the total number of entries received for the 30th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl National presented by General Tire stands at 250, with 335 of those finding drivers to compete, beating out the record of 326 drivers set in 2015.

The final day of the 30th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire gets underway at 9:30 A.M. (CT) with Hot Laps for the first two N Features. Qualifying features are estimated to run until 5:45 P.M. at which point the Tulsa Expo Raceway will be reworked.

Opening Ceremonies will take place at 6:35 P.M. (CT).

SRL MAKES CHANGES TO MOVE FORWARD

Starting in 2016, the SRL will no longer sanction the SRL Legends, or SRL S2 Tour Series.  The focus of the SRL will now be solely directed at the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series and special events like the Winter Showdown.

“We’ve enjoyed having the Legends and S2 series under our banner,” stated the SRL’s Larry Collins.  “With the current growth of the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series and the opportunities to put on events like our Winter Showdown, we had to adjust our focus and our energies.”

2015 was the first year the SRL presented the Winter Showdown.  The nationally televised $130,000 Super Late Model event held at Kern County Raceway Park was a huge success in its first year, with over 60 Super Late Model entries from across the nation.

“Our background is promoting events,” stated Collins, whose family owned and operated Mesa Marin Raceway, a half-mile paved oval in Bakersfield for 30 years.  “If we’re going to create and present events like the Winter Showdown, we’re going to give it maximum effort to insure it’s a success for everyone involved.  With that being said, we had to make some changes that would allow us the time and energy necessary to put on events of this size and stature.”

The founders of the S2 concept, Tim Huddleston and Jeff Schrader will take over and rebrand the S2’s as Racecar Factory Spec Late Models in 2016, with a complete schedule of events.

In regards to the legends, Chris Carli and his ‘Legends of the Pacific’ series will insure that legends racing will continue to thrive in our region.

The next event for the SRL is the upcoming Winter Showdown, February 27^th and 28^th at Kern County Raceway Park.  The first official event of the year for the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series will be April 9^th at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

SPEARS Southwest Tour Series

CHRISTOPHER BELL DOMINATES

JOHN CHRISTNER TRUCKING QUALIFYING NIGHT

Let the victory bells toll, as Norman, Oklahoma’s Christopher Bell went uncontested for his second career preliminary night score; topping Thursday’s John Christner Trucking Qualifying night at the 30th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire.

“If you give me one race a year, it’s this race. It’s something I want to win so badly and I promise, I want to win it more than anyone else in here,” commented Bell on his night. “I’m glad to be in this position and hopefully can carry this momentum into Saturday.”

Earning the pole through Heat and Qualifier points, Bell made quick work of fellow front row starter, Sheldon Haudenschild, following two attempts at the start. Left to contend with Danny Stratton, the Bondio entry shot to the runner-up spot on the opening lap.

Caution on the seventh circuit, the green lights were short lived as Sheldon struck the cone on the restart, sending the Ohio driver to the tail.

Working to over a half-straight advantage before the caution flew again on Lap 10, the pause this time was for second running Stratton who found the wall that lines the top of turn three. Danny was okay, and with the help of the Hay lined wall was able to continue.

At speed once again, the Keith Kunz Motorsports No. 71 rode the high-line to perfection, pulling to a nearly two second advantage before the 15th lap. While Bell pulled away, the race within the top-five began picking up as Jerry Coons, Jr. arrived at the party from the 10th starting spot.

Having found fourth on Lap 14, the Wilke-Pak No. 5 was able to maneuver all line on the Tulsa Expo Raceway. Dicing it up with Tracy Hines for the third spot, the leaders began to hit slower traffic on the 18th lap.

Going to a three car battle for second as traffic brought C.J. Leary to Hines and Coons, the pair worked to hold off the No. 5 machine. Working Lap 20, traffic finally bit as Leary went cross through the first and second turns, leaving the hub clear for Coons to snag two spots before the caution flew on Lap 21 for a tangle exiting turn two.

With a clear racetrack, Christopher Bell rode the wall to a 2.360 second advantage at the checkered flag.

Jerry Coons, Jr, crossing in second marks the 13th time in as many years that the Arizona veteran has locked into Saturday’s A-Feature.

Asked about the magic that he seems to have at the Tulsa Expo Raceway, Coons replied,

“It’s just being with car owners and good cars. Things have changed over the years, set up and so forth, it’s just staying up with what’s changing. We had a couple of years where we struggled a bit and kind of caught up on some better setups.”

Shane Cottle put on a show on the closing lap, putting his No. 71x in the show with the pass for the final transfer spot on C.J. Leary.

“In the Heat Race, we had too much left rear drive. In the feature, we were a lot better and able to rotate the corners a lot better and keep it down low. Those guys wash out and I could get underneath them.”

Tracy Hines completed the top-five. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. came from 13th to sixth with Justin Peck from the B-Feature to seventh. Justin Grant crossed eighth with Joe B. Miller crawling from 22nd to ninth with Harli White rounding out the top-ten.

Thursday’s John Christner Trucking Qualifying Night saw 84 drivers drawn in to bring the week’s total to 250 competitors. Going into Friday’s Vacuworx Qualifying night, 88 drivers are scheduled to begin. If all 88 check in, the 30th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire will see a record setting 338 drivers in attendance.

Friday night’s Hot Laps have been moved up to 4:30 P.M. (CT) with races scheduled to begin at 5:30 P.M. The full revised schedule is as follows:

Friday, January 15 Vacuworx International Night Revised Schedule

AUTOTRADER AND TEAM PENSKE ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR EXTENSION

Company To Sponsor Both No. 2 and No. 22 Fords in 2016 and Beyond

Team Penske and Autotrader, the popular online car shopping website and app, today announced a multi-year extension that will see the companies build on their partnership in 2016 and beyond. As part of the new agreement, the Autotrader brand will be featured on both the No. 2 and No. 22 Ford Fusion cars driven by Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, respectively, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with each driver running primary races in the Autotrader livery this season.

Keselowski will race the Autotrader Ford Fusion on Feb. 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and again on August 20 at Bristol Motor Speedway, while Logano will have the familiar orange No. 22 Autotrader design in the April 17 event at Bristol. Logano will also run an Autotrader/Shell-Pennzoil co-branded car at the July 9 event at Kentucky Speedway. Autotrader will continue to be featured as an associate sponsor on both cars throughout the course of the season.

“We are fortunate to expand our relationship with Autotrader beginning in 2016,” said Roger Penske. “The entire Autotrader team has embraced motorsports and the marketing opportunities that racing brings over the last couple of years and we are excited that they view Team Penske as a long-term partner. As Penske Automotive Group continues to work with Autotrader to promote our vehicles, we look forward to bringing Autotrader to Victory Lane with our cars and help them build their brand along the way.”

The two companies began their relationship prior to the 2014 season as Autotrader became an associate sponsor on the No. 22 machine driven by Logano. Over each of the last two seasons, Autotrader has adorned the side of the Logano’s Sprint Cup Series Ford, with special paint schemes featured at select races. Logano nearly earned a win for Autotrader last season at Kentucky Speedway, where he finished second after leading 23 laps late in the race. Logano earned a series-best six wins in 2015, including winning the Daytona 500, en route to a sixth-place finish in the point standings, while Keselowski earned one victory and finished seventh in points.

“After a couple of very successful seasons with Team Penske, we decided to expand the partnership,” said John Kovac, senior vice president of marketing at Cox Automotive, which is the parent company of Autotrader. “With both Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski sporting the Autotrader brand, this year promises to be a thrilling season on the track for us, and we’re looking forward to engaging with NASCAR’s loyal fans and cheering our drivers on to Victory Lane.”

More than 17 million consumers visit the Autotrader site each month to research their next vehicle purchase and browse the millions of new, used and certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles listed for sale. As the ultimate automotive marketplace, Autotrader offers a comprehensive suite of online and mobile tools to help make the car shopping process easier, including more than four million listings for vehicles, Private Seller services, vehicle reviews, text alerts, expert advice and more.

The 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season will get underway on Saturday night, Feb. 13, for the official start of Daytona Speedweeks and the running of the non-points special event, the Sprint Unlimited, while the 58^th running of the Daytona 500 will take place on Feb. 21

Team Penske

Voting Begins for 2016 West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame Nominees;

Expanded Preliminary Ballot Lists 22 Historic, Modern Era Figures 

The West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame has announced its nominations for the organization’s 2016 induction ceremonies.

The star-studded list contains 22 names – easily the most varied in the Hall’s 15-year history – and includes drivers, owners, crew chiefs and others from historic (pre-1970) and modern eras of the sport.

It also represents a major departure from past voting under which nominees were required to have a direct connection to a NASCAR premier series, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and its predecessors and other national racing groups. The organization’s board of directors recently made eligible all west coast racing figures that have made major impacts toward the expansion and betterment of stock car racing.

The Board of Directors’ first round of balloting, from which 12 semi-finalists are to be chosen, ends in early February. A second ballot will choose the five 2016 inductees. The inductees will be named Saturday, March 12, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.

The Class of 2016 will be enshrined on June 23 at the Meritage Resort in Napa, Calif. The event again accompanies the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup and K&N Pro Series West weekend at nearby Sonoma Raceway.

“The expansion of eligibility has allowed the research committee to go back 75 years and create more than 100 biographies of persons deemed worthy of nomination,” said Ken Clapp, chairman of the board of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame.

Here are the 22 nominees by category:

Agency/Marketing

–        John Bickford, Vallejo, Calif. As Jeff Gordon’s step father, de facto agent and off-track tutor, Bickford molded Gordon into a superstar in NASCAR’s post-1990, television-centric era.

Drivers

–        Mike Duncan, Bakersfield, Calif. NASCAR K&N Pro Series West driver and owner champion in 2004-05.

–        Ron Esau, El Cajon, Calif. Inaugural NASCAR Elite Series Southwest Tour champion in 1986 and track champion at Cajon (Calif.) Speedway.

–        Garrett Evans, East Wenatchee, Wash. Inaugural NASCAR Elite Series Northwest Tour champion in 1985 and operator of Wenatchee Valley (Wash.) Raceway.

–        Rick Henderson, Petaluma, Calif. First west coast driver to win a NASCAR national racing series championship, capturing the 1959 sportsman title. Deceased.

–        Johnny Key, Salinas, Calif. Multiple roadster and hard top champion who won 54 California Stock Car Racing Association events – including eight over an eight-day period – in 1952. Deceased.

–        Doug McCoun, Prunedale, Calif. First west coast driver to win the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series national championship under its modern-day format in 1985.

–        Jim Pettit II, Seaside, Calif. NASCAR Pacific Coast Region champion (1984) and 2004-05 NASCAR Elite Series Southwest Tour champion.

–        Al Pombo, Fresno, Calif. Winner of seven NASCAR super modified championships and more than 500 races in virtually every kind of car from 1948 through his retirement in 1971. Deceased.

–        Dan Press, Vader, Wash. Innovative manufacturer of racing equipment won 1989 NASCAR Elite Series Southwest Tour title in 1989 as well as two Saugus (Calif.) Sportsman championships and 38 races. Deceased

–        Clyde Prickett, Fresno, Calif. Won 1955 NASCAR California State Championship for hard tops with one NASCAR K&N Pro Series victory and a seventh-place points finish in a partial season.

–        Oren Prosser, Granada Hills, Calif. Virtually unbeatable at Saugus (Calif.) Speedway, won five sportsman stock car championships at the .333-mile oval in 1964 and 1967-72.

–        Frank Secrist, Oildale, Calif. Won 1951-54 jalopy titles – then the top division – at Bakersfield (Calif.) Speedway as well at the 1953-55 titles at Hanford (Calif.) Speedway. Held Daytona International Speedway sportsman qualifying records.

–        Johnny Steele, Carmichael, Calif. Winner of five NASCAR K&N Pro Series races over a five-year span finished among the top five in the division’s points on four occasions. He also competed in 11 NASCAR premier series races between 1965 and 1971.

–        Jim Thirkettle, Sylmar, Calif. All time winner and super stock champion at Mesa Marin (Calif.) Raceway with 78 victories and five championships. Two-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series West winner but never competed in a full season.

Owners

–        Dave Fuge, Sumner, Wash. Two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner champion with Mike Bliss (2002) and Travis Kvapil (1994). Prior to moving east, he built late model race cars that dominated NASCAR and other touring circuits in the Pacific Northwest.

–        Michael Gaughan, Las Vegas, Nev. Won NASCAR K&N Pro Series championships in 2001-02 with son Brendan Gaughan. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team posted nine victories with the younger Gaughan and Steve Park.

–        Gene Monaco, Spokane, Wash. NASCAR K&N Pro Series West owner from 1997-2003, collecting four wins and 49 top-10 finishes with Kevin Richards behind the wheel of his No. 85 Monaco Enterprises Chevrolet. Biggest victory was the 1999 Coca-Cola 500 at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan.

–        Tom Olson, Sonora, Calif. Partnering with Eldon and Doug George, Olson’s Fords captured NASCAR K&N Pro Series West rookie of the year honors for the younger George – a future West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame member – in 1994 and the championship the following year.

–        Gene Price, Parker, Ariz. Price’s drivers – Greg Pursley and Dylan Kwasniewski – won three NASCAR K&N Pro Series West titles (2011, 2013 and 2014). In just 144 series starts, Gene Price Motorsports registered 26 wins and 114 top-10 finishes.

–        Bill Strauser, Walla Walla, Wash. Won the 1994 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship with West Coast Stock Car Hall of Famer Mike Chase behind the wheel. His equipment won six times over three seasons in the series.

Crew Chief

–        Chuck Williamson, Seaside, Calif. Innovative crew chief and strategist who came on northern California’s NASCAR scene in the late 1970s with his late brother and West Coast Stock Car Hall of Famer Tim Williamson. The pair finished second in its rookie season on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.

Phoenix International Raceway

HSCOTT MOTORSPORTS RELOCATES HEADQUARTERS TO NORTH CAROLINA

HScott Motorsports announced today that it has moved its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team headquarters from Spartanburg, S.C., to Mooresville, N.C. The new shop features nearly 50,000 square feet and a closer proximity to industry resources.

“The new HScott Motorsports headquarters in Mooresville, N.C., provides our NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams ample room to prepare and maintain quality cars throughout the season and well into the future,” said team owner Harry Scott, Jr.  “The move to Mooresville also allows us to better coordinate with our partners and suppliers.”

Driving for HScott Motorsports in 2016 will be Clint Bowyer behind the wheel of the No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Chevrolet and Michael Annett driving the No. 46 Pilot/Flying J Chevrolet.

“I want to thank the city of Spartanburg and our friends there for being so supportive and helping to get HScott Motorsports launched,” concluded Scott.

Rico Abreu Hits Pay Dirt on River Spirit Casino Qualifying Night

ASCS Racing

Drivers happy to be back on track for Goodyear tire test at LVMS

For a quartet of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers, the best part of this week’s Goodyear tire test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was simply being back behind the wheel.

Sprint Cup Series drivers Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth were in good spirits while speaking to a group of media during a break in testing tires at the 1.5-mile superspeedway on Wednesday.

“I was in full offseason mode, and then after that first run yesterday, there’s no other way to get that smile,” Johnson said. “It’s fun to get on the track, knock the rust off and get ready for the season. It’s a nice way to remember how cool my job is and have some fun.”

Busch was happy to be back in his hometown and enjoys testing at LVMS.

“Most importantly, it’s the weather,” the 2004 Sprint Cup Series champion said of the benefits of testing in Las Vegas. “It’s a track we race only once a year, so the notes don’t get as defined, and we always love to go to tracks we have minimal data from.”

Keselowski spent a good amount of time studying data on laptops in the garage with his crew chief, Paul Wolfe, and his team’s engineers.

“We’re always learning something, and every track has a different tire,” said Keselowski, the 2012 Sprint Cup Series champion. “Those tires are constructed to combat a number of variables, whether it’s track surface, the rules package on the cars, the speeds or the downforce. It doesn’t necessarily carry off to anywhere else, but hopefully we can learn something about the car as we’re assisting Goodyear to be better everywhere else.”

Kenseth and his peers are ready for the 2016 season to begin.

“We’re still a few weeks away, but obviously last year ended on a strong note,” he said. “We’re looking forward to getting the season started, and every race is a big one. You want to come out strong and get some wins early in the year, and then hopefully you’re strong at the right time at the end of the year.”

All of the Sprint Cup Series teams will have a full day of open testing on Thursday, March 3, to kick off LVMS’ 2016 NASCAR Weekend. The big racing weekend continues on Friday, March 4, with Stratosphere Pole Day, the Boyd Gaming 300 Xfinity Series race on Saturday, March 5, and the Kobalt 400 on Sunday, March 6. Tickets are still available at www.lvms.com or by calling 1-800-644-4444.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Christian McGhee Signs with NTS Motorsports for 2016

NTS Motorsports has added another young talent to the their driver development program.  Seventeen-year-old Christian McGhee will be behind the wheel of an NTS Motorsports Chevrolet in the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series for 2016.

Claremont, California’s McGhee, started his racing career at age 9 (2007) in Bandoleros at Irwindale Speedway.  He then moved up to Legends, then Irwindale Race Trucks and by 2014 he was in a NASCAR Late Model, where he won the NASCAR California State Rookie-of-the-Year title.  Christian also made his first SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series start in 2014, where he started on the front row at Irwindale Speedway and led the first 50 laps of the race.

“We saw Christian make a great run at Irwindale in his first series start,” stated NTS Motorsports west coast manager, Gary Collins. “Once we met with Christian and his dad (Loyd), we knew we had a good fit for the team.”

McGhee will be paired with teammate Blaine Rocha, and a third NTS driver that will soon be announced.  With this stable of drivers, along with NTS’ technical alliance with Port City Racecars and W.A.R Shocks and Suspension, the 21, 28 and 29 teams should all be in a position to compete for the 2016 title.

In 2015, NTS drivers Greg Voigt, Parker Stephens, and Rocha finished second, third and sixth in the 2015 SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series championship.

For 2016, NTS Motorsports will continue to compete with three full-time teams in the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series, in addition to fielding teams in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the K&N Pro Series.

NTS Motorsports

Landauer Named To Drive For BMR In NASCAR K&N Pro Series

Joins Lineup Of Drivers For 2016 

Bill McAnally Racing announced that Julia Landauer will join the team’s lineup in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series for 2016.

Landauer brings with her a diverse racing resume that includes a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series championship this past season in the Limited Late Model division at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Virginia.

The 24-year-old – who is originally from New York City; but currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina – joins a BMR driver lineup that includes Chris Eggleston, Todd Gilliland, and Riley Herbst. Plans call for all four drivers to run the full schedule in the K&N Pro Series West, along with select events in the K&N Pro Series East.

“It’s great to have Julia join the BMR team, as she moves up to the K&N Pro Series,” said BMR President Bill McAnally. “She has experienced success in a variety of racing venues and we want to provide her the opportunity to continue that success at this level of competition. We look forward to working with her again and anticipate an exciting season ahead.”

It marks a return to BMR for Landauer, who competed in a handful of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model races for the race team at All American Speedway in Roseville, California in 2009.
Landauer will be making her debut in the K&N Pro Series as she launches into her rookie season in 2016.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be racing in the K&N Pro Series with Bill McAnally Racing,” Landauer said. “Bill and I have worked together in the past, so I’m really looking forward to building on that relationship for a great team dynamic this year.

“After a track championship in 2015, it’s time to carry that momentum into 2016,” she said. “BMR is a successful, hard working group of people who produce top-notch equipment and I can’t wait to get on track for the first race. A huge thank you to all of the partners who helped make this season come together.”

Landauer began her racing career at the age of 13, competing in the Skip Barber Racing series in 2005. The following year she ran the full series and became the first female champion in the history of the series, scoring 12 wins.

Her racing resume also includes Formula BMW in 2007, Ford Focus Midgets in 2008, late model events with BMR in 2009, select late model races at South Boston (Virginia) Speedway in 2010/2011, and partial seasons in Legend cars from 2012 to 2014. She became the first woman to win a NASCAR track championship in the Limited Late Model division at Motor Mile Speedway in 2015.

Landauer has been busy away from the track, as well. She graduated from Stanford University in 2014, with a bachelor’s degree in science, technology and society. Landauer took a short hiatus from racing in 2012 to be a cast member on the television series “Survivor.” She made it to day 19 before being eliminated in the season that aired in early 2013.

Landauer is also an advocate for women in sports and in education in the field of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Bill McAnally Racing

Alex Bright Pulls Off Stunning Victory in Chili Bowl 2016 Opener;

Thorson Tops VIROC VIII

With only a few feet to spare at the line, Pennsylvania’s Alex Bright held off Indiana’s Joey Saldana at the line to kick off the 30th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire on a high note; topping Tuesday’s Warren Cat Qualifying Night for his first Chili Bowl preliminary score.

Marking the second time since 2014 that Alex has made the show, he was asked how special the preliminary night win was to him,

“Absolutely amazing. This possibly tops as one of the best wins of my career, if not it definitely ties the one big race in Australia I won, but Saturday would definitely top them all. This is big for me.”

Giving chase from the eight starting spot, Bright cracked the top five by Lap 6 as California’s Kyle Larson took off with the lead. Sitting comfortably ahead of Jonathan Beason, the Oklahoma shoe worked to hold off Zach Daum, while at the same time Alex Bright quietly continued his march to the front.

Taking over third on Lap 9, Bright jumped to second the following lap. In the right place at the right time, the caution flew on Lap 11 as leader Kyle Larson found himself the victim of a slower car. Finding the No 22e stalled off the exit of the second turn, the resulting impact would send Larson spinning to a stop. Kyle would restart at the tail of the field.

“It was unfortunate he [Kyle] got caught up in a wreck,” said Bright. “He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but that’s racing. We’ve all been in that position.”
“I don’t think that’s all he had,” continued Alex when asked about his chances had Larson not crashed. “It would’ve been interesting to see what would have happened. I think we definitely had something for him.”

Challenged by Daum on the restart, Zach would end up tripping back to third as Jonathan Beason was able to sneak between the wall and the right rear of the No. 5d. Building some breathing room, the fight for second was anything but calm as Beason, Daum, and Spencer Bayston looked like LA traffic, going after each other in nearly every turn. Three wide the length of the back stretch, the race was slowed on Lap 21 for a flip in turn four.

Going for a Hail Mary slide on the restart, Beason slammed the cushion in turn four, causing a domino effect that brought Spencer Bayston to a halt. Going for the same slide again on the ensuing restart, the cushion again bit the No. 8j, allowing Joey Saldana to suddenly jump into second.

Working every angle possible on the No. 77b in the closing laps, Bright would edge out Joey by 0.144 seconds at the line.

“I don’t know how in the hell to drive these racecars to tell you the truth. It’s just an honor to race a Midget with these guys. Last year I finished fourth, so I missed it by one,” said Saldana. “Just putting yourself in the show, I’ve never done that before so for me it’s a huge honor to say I get to race the A Main on Saturday night.”

Zach Daum was the final transfer into Saturday’s 55 lap A-Feature.

“There are eight or 10 crown jewel events for Midget racing and this is at the top of the list so to be locked into it is big. Less than eight percent of the drivers here will make the race. There is no other race in the world that tough to make,” commented Zach about making the cut. “We work all year for the Chili Bowl, basically. We are always learning, always trying, and just trying to make our racecar better.”

Jonathan Beason settled for fourth with Arizona’s R.J. Johnson scoring Hard Charger honors; coming from 16th to round out the top-five.Chad Boespflug advanced six spots to finish sixth with Matt Sherrell seventh and Andrew Felker eighth. Rebounding from the Lap 11 crash, Kyle Larson charged back to finish ninth with Dillon Welch completing the top-ten.In a stunning display, the eighth annual Vacuworx Invitational Race of Champions found a new champion as 2015 NMDoTY, Tanner Thorson, held off the hard charging No. 71k of Kyle Larson. Taking advantage of a restart near the race’s half-way point, Thorson snagged the lead from Tracy Hines. Joined by Larson in the process, the pair dueled nearly the entire last half of the 20 lap affair with Thorson able to hold off several attempts at a Kyle Larson slide-job.

Tuesday’s Warren Cat Qualifying Night saw 85 drivers check in. The week’s flip count hit eight on the opening night with all drivers involved able to walk away.

The 30th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl National presented by General Tire continues on Wednesday, January 13, 2016 with the River Spirit Casino Qualifying Night. Full roster of scheduled drivers, as well as information regarding the event can be found at http://www.chilibowl.com.

Results:

Crew chiefs pleased with first day of Goodyear tire test session

at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Great weather greeted a quartet of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers and their crews on the first day of a Goodyear tire test session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Tuesday.

Sprint Cup Series drivers Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth spent the better part of a cool, crisp and sunny day testing tires at the 1.5-mile superspeedway, and their crew chiefs were pleased by Day 1 progress.

“It’s going well, I think, and the drivers seem happy with the amount of grip we’ve gotten,” said Chad Knaus, crew chief of Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet. “The weather was perfect if you’re trying to generate speed, and the speeds are high. We’ll have to see how that correlates when it comes time to race and you’ve got 43 cars out there – it’ll obviously be a little bit slower – but everything seems to be fine.”

Keselowski made the final laps of the day as the sun set in his No. 2 Ford Fusion that was sporting the new body style that was released on Monday.

“I think we got a lot of things accomplished,” said Keselowski’s crew chief Paul Wolfe. “Obviously, there’s two agendas here – one is for Goodyear and getting through their runs and the teams trying to get some information on different changes and things we’re looking at with the new rules package. We got some good runs in for Goodyear, and we got some good data for ourselves as well.”

The two-day tire test continues at LVMS on Wednesday. The teams will have a full day of open testing on Thursday, March 3, to kick off LVMS’ 2016 NASCAR Weekend.

The big racing weekend continues on Friday, March 4, with Stratosphere Pole Day, the Boyd Gaming 300 Xfinity Series race on Saturday, March 5, and the Kobalt 400 on Sunday, March 6.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Gus Dean Pairs With Mason Mitchell Motorsports For ARCA Season Opener

Officials from 2014 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards championship team Mason Mitchell Motorsports (MMM) announced today the signing of Late Model standout Gus Dean to pilot the team’s flagship No. 98 Chevrolet entry for next month’s season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Additionally, Dean, a native of Bluffton, South Carolina will also participate in the ARCA Racing Series open-test at the 2.5-mile superspeedway this weekend. Dean will join teammates Spencer Boyd, Noah Gragson and Zane Smith who also have committed to the test in other MMM entries.

“I can’t begin to explain how excited I am for this opportunity with Mason Mitchell Motorsports,” said Dean. “We put this partnership together very quickly, but I’ve seen firsthand how committed Mason and the team are. I’m honored to be associated with a championship team for my ARCA debut.”

Dean, 21, leaps into ARCA competition after a healthy stint in Late Model racing, including a regular competitor in the CARS Tour. Additionally, Dean is a former winner in the X-1R Pro Cup Series and made his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKPSE) debut at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway last fall.

Though familiar with the aspects of short track racing, Dean is ready to embrace the superspeedway technique and feels that Mason Mitchell Motorsports is the perfect place to help strengthen his racing resume.

“Daytona will be the biggest race of my career and I surely want to make the best of it,” added Dean. “Mason Mitchell Motorsports has proven time and time again to have the equipment not only to contend, but win. It’s my job to learn as much as I can at the test and take that knowledge back for the race next month and see if we can keep the winning streak alive.”

Team owner and 2014 ARCA championship driver Mason Mitchell is elated to welcome Dean to the team’s stables, especially for his debut.

“Mason Mitchell Motorsports is very pleased to welcome Gus to the team for Daytona,” he said. “He’s been waiting for the right opportunity to make his ARCA debut and we’re glad that he chose our team. We think despite his inexperience in an ARCA car he’ll surprise some people and be a contender when it counts next month at Daytona.”

Mason Mitchell Motorsports is the most recent winner on the ARCA Racing Series tour with Mitchell capturing his third career victory at Kansas Speedway last October. The Full Throttle S’loonshine 98.9 marked the first time the Mooresville, North Carolina-based organization fielded three cars with two cars finishing inside the top-five and the third inside the top-12.

Sponsorship for Dean’s ARCA Racing Series debut has been secured and will be announced at a later date.

Mason Mitchell Motorsports

Justin Lloyd Set for Daytona; Full-Time Deal in Works for 2016

Justin Lloyd will return with Carter 2 Motorsports in the 2016 ARCA Racing Series season as he will drive the No. 40 Dodge at the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.

The exciting announcement is also backed with a part-time deal for 2016 [with no other races yet to be confirmed] and a full-time agreement also in the works.

The 32nd running of ARCA at Daytona will be the 10th ARCA start and first at Daytona for the 23-year-old.

“I am excited to strap in to a C2M car at Daytona,” said Lloyd. “It takes a lot of effort on everyone’s part to make a deal like this happen.”

The banking of Daytona is not the only thing high as Lloyd hopes to “cash in on the opportunity” to race in the newly renovated stadium of the ‘World Center of Racing.’

“The stakes are always higher at Daytona,” Lloyd said, “and I am ready to cash in on the opportunity to drive for Roger [Carter, team owner] and the rest of the team. Being able to race at Daytona in February is a dream come true.”

Starting his first ARCA race in 2009 at Berlin Raceway, the then-teenager drove to a stellar ninth-place result in Bill Venturini’s No. 15 Chevrolet.

Driving twice more that season at Toledo and Rockingham, Lloyd has been a regular face at Berlin, returning to race at the half-mile track in 2012,’13 and ’15; all for C2M.

“One of the reasons why the ARCA Racing Series is so great is because of the variety of tracks they schedule every year,” he said. “Berlin Raceway was the site of my first ARCA start in 2009 and first career top-10 finish. It is a tough track that requires a lot of patience but has always been my favorite.”

For Lloyd, the 2015 season was one of momentum building between himself and C2M, finishing as high as 17th in four weekends; the most times he’s ever competed in a single ARCA season.

“For 2016,” he said, “I hope to build on the momentum that C2M and I gained last year. We raced on an extremely limited budget and competed with some of the top teams in ARCA.

“It was a testament of everyone’s hard work. It is important that I continue to earn the respect of the other ARCA competitors and finish the Daytona race up front.”

Roger Carter is optimistic about the announcement with Lloyd, a part-time driver for the team since 2012.

“Very happy to have him,” Carter said. “[We] plan on running for championship. Justin has raced part time for C2M for several years. He is an awesome talent and I believe he is a big part of our future.”

Carter recently piloted the No. 40 car at Daytona in 2015, finishing in the 32nd position.

Carter 2 Motorsports

PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK, HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS

CONTINUE PARTNERSHIP

PRIMARY SPONSORSHIP SHIFTS TO KASEY KAHNE’S NO. 5 TEAM IN 2016

Panasonic Toughbook will become a primary sponsor of the No. 5 Chevrolet SS team of driver Kasey Kahne in 2016, continuing its nearly decade-long relationship with 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports.

This season, Panasonic will be featured as a No. 5 team primary sponsor in two Sprint Cup races — Feb. 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Oct. 2 at Dover International Speedway — and as an associate-level partner in all other events.

“We’ve partnered with Hendrick Motorsports for almost a decade because they exemplify the attributes the Panasonic and Toughbook brands represent — quality, performance, reliability and leadership,” said Jan Ruderman, vice president, Business Mobility Group, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. “Kasey is an extension of the Hendrick Motorsports brand and an exemplary competitor in his own right. As we enter the 2016 NASCAR season, we believe our partnership with Kasey, his team and Hendrick Motorsports will deliver great results both on and off the track.”

Panasonic became a Hendrick Motorsports technology partner in 2007 and expanded its program in 2014 by adding on-car sponsorship. It was a two-race primary sponsor of the No. 24 Sprint Cup team in 2014 and 2015 as part of its current three-year agreement that runs through 2016.

Panasonic leverages the Hendrick Motorsports relationship to promote its Toughbook mobility products and other technology solutions for business. Throughout its Concord facility and at racetracks across the United States, Hendrick Motorsports employs Panasonic innovations, including Toughbook computers, Toughpad tablets, cameras, displays, digital signage and projection units. The team also utilizes Panasonic’s professional video products to support its in-house content production capabilities.

“The partnership influences all areas of our company,” said Patrick Perkins, Hendrick Motorsports’ vice president of marketing. “Panasonic products are used in every Hendrick Motorsports department, from competition to marketing, and we’ve seen the results. We’re proud to continue the relationship and look forward to more wins together in 2016 and beyond.”

Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2012, Kahne, 35, has earned three Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berths and five race wins with the No. 5 team. The Enumclaw, Washington, native has 17 career wins, 27 pole positions and 156 top-10 finishes in NASCAR’s top division.

“I’m happy to be part of Panasonic’s continued relationship with Hendrick Motorsports,” Kahne said. “They’re a worldwide brand, and their technology helps with our performance every day, both on and off of the racetrack. It’s a partnership that directly impacts our whole organization and will help give us every opportunity for success in 2016.”

Hendrick Motorsports

Dominique Van Wieringen Joins Rette Jones Racing

For Full NASCAR K&N East Slate

Dominique Van Wieringen, driver of the No. 30 Rette Jones Racing Ford Fusion for Rette Jones Racing (RJR) in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE).

Officials from Rette Jones Racing (RJR) announced today that Late Model standout Dominique Van Wieringen (@DominiqueRacing) has joined the team for a full NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) schedule this season.

Van Wieringen, 20, advances to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East after running a Late Model schedule last season for NEMCO Motorsports. During her rookie season, her ability to maximize speed and car control awarded her with five top-five finishes and seven top-10 efforts overall.

Under the leadership of co-owner and former ARCA Racing Series championship crew chief Mark Rette, the Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada native will pilot the No. 30 Rette Jones Racing Ford Fusion beginning with the season-opener at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway on Feb. 14.

“I’m very excited about this opportunity from Rette Jones Racing and the chance to compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this season,” said Van Wieringen who now resides in Charlotte. “I’m up for the challenges that come with an advancement to the K&N Pro Series East, but with the support of Mark, Terry (Jones, co-owner) and the rest of the RJR team, I’m excited for the future.”

Entering her 14th year of competition, Van Wieringen has set many accololades, despite her youth. She was the first female to lead a lap in the CRA / JEGS All-Star Series and the first rookie to win a JEGS / CRA All-Star Series points race. In addition, Van Wieringen was the first female to win an Outlaw Super Late Model championship in the United States, while holding the current record at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway for the most laps led (74) by a female competitor.

While bidding for a drivers championship in addition to chasing a Rookie of the Year crown, Van Wieringen is University of North Carolina-Charlotte Junior working towards a mechanical engineering degree with a minor in motorsports engineering.

Rette who launched Rette Jones Racing on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East tour last July sees the determination and heart in his young driver, while echoing her enthusiasm to perform right away.

RJR jointly owned by racers Rette and driver Terry Jones burst onto the scene last year with an impressive second-place showing with driver Grant Quinlan at Columbus Motor Speedway, after qualifying third. Additional solid performances at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Richmond (Va.) International Raceway have the upbeat about a full schedule.

“I can’t being to tell you how excited we are for this partnership with Dominique,” added Rette. “She brings an enormous racing background to the Rette Jones Racing team, while also showing the eagerness to learn and showcase not only her talent, but the capabilities of Rette Jones Racing.

“We’re equally proud to have a driver from Canada, actually right from Terry’s hometown, where she’ll not only bring a unique fan base to a full-time presence in the United States, but continue to be a successful role model in two countries. It’s a win-win situation for Rette Jones Racing.”

Marketing partners for Van Wieringen’s effort, along with details for the team’s second NASCAR K&N Pro Series East program are forthcoming.

Rette Jones Racing

Building on the triumphs from 2015, Menards will continue its partnership with Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR XFINITY Series program as a primary sponsor for select races with both the No. 2 Chevrolet with Paul Menard and the No. 33 Chevrolet with Brandon Jones for the 2016 season.

Menards, the third-largest home improvement store in the United States, has been prevalent in RCR’s XFINITY Series campaign since 2012.

“We are excited to be back for another season of NASCAR XFINITY Series racing with RCR. Last year proved to be a success with Paul Menard’s win in our home state of Wisconsin at Road America along with four top-five and eight top-10 finishes with Menard and Brandon Jones behind the wheel,” said Jeff Abbott, Menards Promotion Manager. “We are proud of the caliber of race cars Richard Childress and his team bring to the race track each weekend. We look forward to another exciting season in 2016 with Jones and Menard behind the wheel again.”

Menard will drive the No. 2 Richmond/Menards Chevrolet Camaro for select events in 2016, while maintaining a full-time schedule in the No. 27 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry for RCR. The Eau Claire, Wis.-native is a three-time XFINITY Series race winner with five pole awards, 34 top-five and 87 top-10 finishes. Menard will kick off the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway, making his 200th XFINITY Series start.

Danny Stockman will return as crew chief of the No. 2 Richmond/Menards Chevrolet team with Menard. The duo captured the win at Road America, earning Menard a victory in his home state of Wisconsin in 2015.

As previously announced, Jones, an 18-year-old driver hailing from Atlanta, Ga., will compete on a full-time basis in the XFINITY Series in 2016. Jones made his XFINITY Series debut with RCR at Iowa Speedway in 2015. The rookie driver earned one top-five and two top-10 finishes with a total of 16 laps led in five starts last season.

Mike Hillman Jr. has been named crew chief for Jones and the No. 33 team. Hillman Jr.’s 12 years of experience will help guide the young driver in his rookie season in the series. The veteran crew chief joined RCR in 2015 and recorded 18 top-five starting positions, resulting in six top-five and 18 top-10 finishes throughout the 2015 season. Menards will be Jones’ primary sponsor at the season opener at Daytona International Speedway on February 20th.

“Menards’ continued support this season with Paul Menard and Brandon Jones in the XFINITY Series is a true testament to their commitment to RCR and this sport,” said Richard Childress, CEO and Chairman of Richard Childress Racing. “The Menards racing team found success last season with Paul winning in his home state of Wisconsin and Brandon’s solid finishes on track. We hope to build on that success this year and provide Menards an opportunity to be a winning company both on and off the race track.”

Menards has a long, successful history as a racing sponsor dating back to the 1970’s which includes one of NASCAR’s crown jewels, the 2011 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with driver Paul Menard. A family-owned company started in 1960 and headquartered in Eau Claire, Wis., Menards has 297retail store locations throughout the Midwest.

Four Drivers to Test at Daytona International Speedway

for Cunningham Motorsports

Cunningham Motorsports has announced that four drivers will test with the organization this weekend during the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards open test at Daytona International Speedway.

As previously announced, Chase Briscoe and Kevin Thomas, Jr. will test the Cunningham Dodges on the first day of the test, Friday, before flying back to Tulsa, OK , to complete their Chili Bowl experience on Saturday.  At the Chili Bowl, Briscoe is piloting a Cole Custer machine, while KTJ is wheeling previous Chili Bowl champ, Kevin Swindell’s Midget.

On Saturday in Daytona, Matt Wallace and Brady Boswell will take the reins of the two cars, in order to gain valuable speedway experience and approval to compete in future events, by the ARCA Series officials.  Continuing the test on Saturday, after their full time drivers have flown out of Daytona, will give the teams more insight into needed adjustments, as they prepare for the first race of the 2016 season.

Wallace has made two ARCA Series start in 2015, with a best finish of 10^th at Toledo in a Kimmel Racing Ford.  He began racing at eight, with his resume including Bandoleros, Legend cars and Pro Latemodels.  Boswell began racing at nine years old, making his way from Bandoleros, Prochallenge cars and Latemodels to the X-1R Pro Cup Series, where he earned the Rookie of the Year award in 2013.

The Lucas Oil 200 on February 13 is the preliminary race for the NASCAR Sprint Unlimited, beginning the ARCA Series 2016 season, as well as Speed Weeks.  Briscoe and KTJ will take back the steering wheel on the 2.5-mile speedway on Thursday, February 11 with practice from 4:00-6:00pm EST.  Final practice is scheduled on Friday from 9:30-10:30, with group qualifying at 3:30 that afternoon.  The 200 lap race, which is covered live on FS1 will start at 4:30.  All on track events will also be available by following Cunningham Motorsports on twitter @cunningham_race.

Cunningham Motorsports

VIROC VIII Field Set For Tuesday Night’s Chili Bowl Opener

“This is a great opportunity for all of these drivers to gain on-track experience at Daytona as well as gaining valuable experience in the draft,” Mason Mitchell Owner of MMM stated.

MMM has enjoyed success at the 2.5-mile track earning two top-10 finishes in three starts, with a best effort of sixth last February.

16-year-old Zane Smith enjoyed a breakout season in 2015 winning super late model races with the PASS Series, CARS Tour and finishing runner-up in his first attempt in the Snowball Derby.

I think it’s going to be really fun feeling the difference in air and to see what a superspeedway feels like behind the wheel” Zane Smith described.

Las Vegas, Nevada native Noah Gragson made his ARCA debut with MMM at Kentucky in September finishing 13^th. Gragson captured the K&N Pro Series West Rookie of The Year award while finishing runner-up in points. Gragson earned two victories in his rookie campaign at Tuscan Speedway and at Meridian Speedway.

The opportunity to make laps around Daytona is a dream to me,” Noah Gragson stated.

“As a kid who started racing four years ago, I would have never imagined I would have the opportunity to drive at the historic track.”

“My main focus is to learn as much as possible. I know the guys at MMM will help me throughout the journey. Since I am 17, I can’t race at Daytona in the car. I need to keep reminding myself it’s all about learning.”

Spencer Boyd, started racing when he was just six years old. Boyd earned 12 World Karting Association (WKA) championships during his tenure in Karts. The North Carolina native earned the 2014 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Trucks Championship at Hickory Speedway.  In 2015, Spencer raced 7 times in the NASCAR late model series and won 4 while driving the #48 Hendrick Dodge of Concord and #1 Hendrick City Chevrolet late models.

“There is nothing that compares to Daytona International Speedway, it is the mecca of auto racing and few have conquered it,” Boyd stated.  “I have always dreamt of driving Daytona and now that it is my turn I am excited and have been counting down the days to go ever since partnering with MMM.”

2014 ARCA championship team Mason Mitchell Motorsports (MMM) has opportunities available for the upcoming ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season opener at Daytona International Speedway on February 13th, as well as seats available throughout the 2016 season.

MMM has the ability to field up to three cars for the 200 mile event. The team fielded three entries in the 2015 ARCA season finale at Kansas Speedway. The race was a success for the organization, as all three automobiles finished inside the top-12. Two of the cars finished inside the top-five, including capturing the team’s third win of the season.

In its two years of operation, MMM has earned four wins, 22 top-fives, 35 top-ten runs, seven Menards pole awards, along with capturing the 2014 ARCA championship.

Next up for MMM is the annual test at Daytona from Jan. 15 – 16, 2016 in preparation for the running of the Daytona ARCA 200 on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. MMM still has opportunities available for the race.

Mason Mtichell Motorsports

Eligible Drivers and Format Announced for 2016 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona

Click Here for Details

Lucas Oil TV is Here

NASCAR Announces 2016 K&N Pro Series Schedules

Click Here for Details

All Star Circuit of Champions Welcomes Arctic Cat® as Title Sponsor in 2016

Arctic Cat, a world leader in designing, engineering and manufacturing all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles and side-by-sides, will be the title sponsor of the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series in 2016. The All Star Circuit of Champions is one of the oldest traveling sprint car organizations and is a staple of grassroots, open-wheel racing.

Arctic Cat’s involvement in the series will play a significant role on and off the racetrack, increasing awareness of the All Star Circuit of Champions, owned by NASCAR premier series champion Tony Stewart. The newly named Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions will make its 2016 debut Feb. 5 at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Florida.

“All of us at Arctic Cat are thrilled to be the title sponsor of the All Star Circuit of Champions in 2016,” said Greg Williamson, chief marketing officer, Arctic Cat. “Tony Stewart has long been a member of the Arctic Cat family and the association on the grassroots level is a great fit for our brand. Expect to see many of our products on display at a large number of All Star events in 2016.”

The Wildcat, Arctic Cat’s high-performance, high-powered side-by-side, will be showcased at numerous All Star events. Riders will participate in Wildcat exhibitions, racing head-to-head on the same racing surface as the All Star Circuit of Champions. Arctic Cat representatives will be in attendance regularly over the course of the season, displaying current and new models, as well as conducting ride-and-drive events for race fans.

“We cannot thank Arctic Cat, Greg Williamson, Mark Miller and their entire team enough for their support of the All Stars,” Stewart said. “We look forward to growing the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions and promoting the Arctic Cat brand throughout the year. I might even participate in a few ride-and-drive events with the fans.”

In addition, Arctic Cat will award all-terrain vehicles to the top-three drivers in the final 2016 All Star Circuit of Champions standings. The 2016 All Star champion will receive a 150cc Alterra ATV, with second and third place each receiving a 90cc Alterra ATV. A random drawing will be conducted during the championship banquet, awarding another 90cc Alterra ATV to a full-time All Star competitor. Arctic Cat will also provide products to be used by All Star officials and technicians on race day, including Alterra ATVs and a Prowler.

Stewart-Haas Racing