AVONDALE, AZ – RIS – In a wild final elimination race for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Kyle Busch won for the eighth time this season to tie Kevin Harvick for the most Cup victories and possibly set up a head-to-head battle for the championship. The road to get to the championship race was not easy for Busch or the other four who qualified.
TODD AND M. SMITH SECURE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES; TORRENCE, TODD, GRAY AND M. SMITH WINNERS AT SEASON ENDING AUTO CLUB NHRA FINALS
Todd secured his first Funny Car career world championship during the opening round of eliminations; M. Smith locked-in his third Pro Stock Motorcycle world championship and fourth event victory of the season; Torrence made history by sweeping the Top Fuel wins during the playoffs; Gray clinched his eighth Pro Stock win of the season
Lewis Hamilton takes the lead of the Brazilian Grand Prix as Max Verstappen spins off the course following his collision with Esteban Ocon. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images
INTERLAGOS, Brazil- R.I.S.—Taking advantage of Max Verstappen’s error on lap 44, Lewis Hamilton went on to win his 49th career victory in the turbo hybrid era, at the Brazilian Grand Prix Sunday afternoon with a 1.4 second victory over the Dutchman. Kimi Raikkonen finished in third.
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AVONDALE, AZ – RIS – Christopher Bell had to wait until the next-to-last race of the NASCAR Xfinity Series to punch his ticket to the playoffs. He did it with a dramatic win at Phoenix. Starting from 38th, Bell roared through the field to win the Whelen Trusted To Perform 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race and advance to the Nov. 17 season championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
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INTERLAGOS, Brazil—R.I.S.—With a fifth world championship in the bag, Lewis Hamilton continued to impress with his performances, by taking pole for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Brazil with a 1:07:281 fastest lap Saturday afternoon, just ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas.
Fernando Alonso and Jimmie Johnson at the 2018 Media Tour
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT - NOVEMBER 9, 2018
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE'S POWER OF PRIDE CAMARO ZL1,was joined by two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso via Skype from Sao Paulo, Brazil during his media availability to discuss their impending ride swap in Bahrain. Full Transcript:
AVONDALE, AZ – RIS – Kevin Harvick came to ISM Speedway this weekend without his championship-winning crew chief and car chief but shrugged it off and won the pole for Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix.
FORT WORTH, TX – RIS – Kevin Harvick maintained his domination at Texas Motor Speedway with a impressive victory in Sunday’s AAA 500. Harvick won both stages and a final pass of fellow Ford driver Ryan Blaney was a thing of beauty. After that, he just drove away and won his eighth race of the season (a career high) and became the second driver that will race for the 2018 championship at Miami Homestead Speedway.
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FORT WORTH, TX – RIS – Cole Custer passed Tyler Reddick in a three-lap shootout at Saturday’s O’Reilly 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race and went on to assure his place in the final championship four at Homestead in two weeks by winning going away.
World of Outlaws World Finals presented by Can-Am Lights Up Friday Night
World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Cars driver Tim Shaffer had a big night on Friday at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. Shaffer won his heat race and the dash prior to Saturday's World of Outlaws World Finals presented by Can-Am finale. (RIS-John Davison photos)
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FORT WORTH, TX - RIS - Ryan Blaney might be out of the final four playoff picture, but he's still fast. Friday's qualifying for the AAA 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway saw Blaney win the pole position with a blitering speed of 200.505 mph in his Team Penske Ford, one of only two drivers to run at 200 mph. The other was Clint Bowyer, who fell just short of his fellow Ford driver's fast speed.
Free Entry For Participating Car Owners
Southlake, TX (November 1, 2018) – The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) today announced it would present motorsports reunions to celebrate iconic marques throughout the 2019 season. The idea was tested with a Corvair reunion at the Virginia International Raceway (VIR) weekend in September with outstanding results. The VIR event saw the largest number of racing Corvairs ever appearing at a single venue, and attracted new car owners to SVRA. VIR drew a record number of ticket-purchasing fans and automobile enthusiasts for its SVRA event. While motorsports reunions have traditionally been annual gatherings at single venues, SVRA is breaking new ground by showcasing such celebrations from coast-to-coast through the national platform of its 2019 schedule.
“Our vision since my first year with SVRA in 2012 was to move our sport from its dependency on entry fees as our primary revenue stream to focus on ticket sales and sponsorships,” said Tony Parella, SVRA president and CEO. “We have not raised the price of entry fees since 2012 while steadily growing our sponsors and the front gate. SVRA is moving into the realm of mainstream motorsports and this new program is more evidence of that.”
NASCAR Star, Late Model Team Owner Previews World of Outlaws World Finals presented by Can-Am
NASCAR star Clint Bowyer gave iRacing sim-racing Dirt Late Model champion Zach Leonhardi a ride in his Clint Bowyer Racing World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model on Wednesday at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
Lewis Hamilton peforms a donut in from of the Mexican fans flowwing his fourth place finish, taking his fifth world title, tying him with Juan Manuel Fangio. Photo by Getty Images.
MEXICO CITY, Mexico—R.I.S.—Leading most of the race was no problem for Max Verstappen, who for the second year in a row, won the Mexican Grand Prix Sunday afternoon at the Hermanos Rodriguez Circuit, with a 17 second victory over Sebastian Vettel, with the German’s Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen in third. But the day belonged to Lewis Hamilton, who by finishing in fourth place, took his Fifth world championship, tying Juan Manuel Fangio of becoming the second all-time winning championship F1 driver, next to Michael Schumacher.
MARTINSVILLE, VA – RIS Joey Logano led the First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway four times for a total of 309 laps in his #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, including retaking the lead from Martin Truex Jr. exiting turn four of the final lap with side-by-side bashing, to grab his 20th victory in 360 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races and secure one of four spots to compete for the championship at Miami-Homestead. After being bumped by Logano as they approached the start-finish line, Truex Jr slammed the outside wall and then wagged back and forth to slide across the line to finish a disappointing third as Hamlin slipped past for a second-place finish.
Starting Line Up by Row Martinsville Speedway First Data 500
Daniel Ricciardo (left) with Red Bull Racing manager Christian Horner following Ricciardo's pole in Mexico Saturday.
Mark Thompson/Getty Images
MEXICO CITY, Mexico—R.I.S.—Daniel Ricciardo and his Red Bull Racing teammate Max Verstappen, had dominated the entire weekend leading up to Saturday’s qualifying at the Hermanos Rodriguez Circuit, and the latter had the chance to become the youngest pole sitter in history, but Ricciardo ruined that opportunity with a shocking last lap time of 1:14:759, to lead a Red Bull 1-2 in preparation for Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton improved his chances to clinch his fifth world title by finishing third.
AP Photo/Steve Helber
MARTINSVILLE, VA – RIS Rookie Todd Gilliland started from the pole position of the Texas Roadhouse 200 at Martinsville Speedway, but 40 year-old veteran Johnny Sauter led three times in the #21 GMS Racing / ISM Connect Chevrolet for a total of 148 of the 200 laps to take his fourth victory at the famous paper clip shaped half mile track in southern Virginia. Sauter finished first in all stages of this race on his road to domination over the field during a race that was completed in only 1 hour, 31 minutes and five seconds. Sauter has now won 23 times in 241 Camping World Truck Series races.
Texas Roadhouse 200 unofficial results
Points Report
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After spending the last three seasons having their own brand of sponsor, along with very small ones, the American Haas F1 Team announced this week that they will for the first time in the team’s history, incorporate a brand-new title sponsor in the form of the British energy company, Rich Energy, which will begin starting in 2019.
Studying Up: Drivers Shake Down 2019 NASCAR Rules Package in Goodyear Tire Test
-- For Immediate Release -- Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers Erik Jones, William Byron, Daniel Hemric and Aric Almirola tested Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 1.5-mile oval in a Goodyear tire test on Tuesday
WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA, LIME ROCK PARK
ADDED TO SVRA SCHEDULE IN 2019
Southlake, TX (October 23, 2018) – The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) today revealed its 2019 racing schedule which includes the additions of two of America’s most revered road courses, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and Lime Rock Park. America’s premier vintage racing series gets into full swing for its 41st year in February with the annual Sebring Vintage Classic weekend and closes with the seventh Golden Bell Helmet U.S. Vintage National Championships at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in October.
“The addition of these two iconic courses to our schedule is the culmination of years of building and then strengthening our national racing platform,” said Tony Parella, SVRA president and CEO. “These are venues where racers and race fans feel the heart and soul of American road racing. Lime Rock Park lives the history of our sport every day. As for WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, all of us at SVRA see that as the crown jewel of California road courses.”
Matt Sullivan/Getty Images
KANSAS CITY, KS - RIS - Chase Elliott won for the second time in three races and punch his ticket to the next round of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Elliott needed 98 career starts before he figured out how to close out a win. The breakthrough victory 11 events ago sparked his performance in NASCAR’s playoffs and Elliott bookended this second round with wins.
Nigel Kinrade
KANSAS CITY, KS – RIS – John Hunter Nemechek took the lead after a caution with eight laps to go and went on to get his first NASCAR Xfinity Series win in the Kansas Lottery 300 on Saturday. Nemechek took the checkered flag 5.200 seconds ahead of Daniel Hemric to win at Kansas Speedway, the venue where his father, Joe Nemechek, won his final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race in 2004.
Associated Press photo
AUSTIN, Texas—R.I.S.—It might have taken a little over eight years, but a veteran won Sunday at the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas as Kimi Raikkonen, taking advantage of a Lewis Hamilton error of pitting on the 11th lap of the race, went on to win , with a 1.2 second victory over Max Verstappen, who began the race in 18th place. Hamilton himself finished in third, but because his championship rival, Sebastian Vettel, took fourth at the last second by passing Valtteri Bottas laps from the end, the F1 title battle will move on to the next round in seven days at Mexico City.
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AUSTIN, Texas—R.I.S.—Lewis Hamilton came even closer to tying Juan Manuel Fangio’s record Saturday afternoon, with a productive 1:32:237 final qualifying time, ahead of both Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, in preparation for Sunday’s United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas.
Credit: OrlinWagner/AP Photo
KANSAS CITY, KS – RIS – Joey Logano won the pole for Sunday’s race as Kansas Speedway on Friday as he battles for a place in the next level of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup championship. Logano has won once this year but must guard against losing his position in the battle for the final eight places in the standings.
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TALLADEGA, AL – RIS – Stewart Haas’s four Fords dominated the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup 1000Bulbs 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, but only two finished the race because the other two ran out of fuel. Aric Almirola took the lead when a dominant Kurt Busch slowed because of fuel and held off Clint Bowyer for the win in overtime. The final two laps were exciting and determined several drivers’ fate for the championship.
(CONCORD, NC - OCT 14, 2018 - RIS) The final day of the NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by Wix Filters almost looked as if it would be continued through to Monday, but the cloudy skies never did more than a light early sprinkle that didn't affect the schedule or proceedings more than minimally. Final rounds were held under brightening skies and in almost perfect atmospheric conditions. Championship races came to Charlotte in the pro classes still in doubt and will head to the next event at The Strip at Las Vegas in two weeks before the finals at Pomona, California two more weeks down the road.
Class championships went to Steve Torrence, continuing his streak to four victories in Top Fuel, Ron Capps in Funny Car, Jason Line in Pro Stock and Matt Smith in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
-- For Immediate Release -- CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 13, 2018) – Brittany Force made it a clean sweep of No. 1 qualifier honors this year at zMAX Dragway on Saturday, after the defending NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Top Fuel champion roared to the top in qualifying for the NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by WIX Filters. Brittany Force moved to the top of the charts in Top Fuel qualifying for the NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by WIX Filters at zMAX Dragway; Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car), Drew Skillman (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also earned No. 1 qualifier honors after Saturday's final two rounds of qualifying
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TALLADEGA, AL - Stewart Haas Racing put its four cars in the first four positions on Saturday with Kurt Busch being the fastest of the fast, in qualifying for Sunday's 1000Bulbs.com 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race. SHR’s Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola qualified second through fourth, respectively.
Timothy Peters Celebrates
Photo Credit - Todd Warshaw Getty Imatges
TALLADEGA, AL – Timothy Peters turned leader Noah Gragson on the final lap and went on to win the Fr8Auctions 250 NASCAR Camping World truck race at Talladega Superspeedway. After the spin, Peters took the checkered flag under caution for his 11th career win and his third at Talladega. That’s the most wins at the 2.66-mile speedway by a truck series contestant.
(CONCORD, NC – OCT 12, 2018 – RIS) Steve Torrence held on to the top qualifying spot through two rounds of time trials for the NHRA Carolina Nationals. Ron Capps currently sits at the front of the Funny Car field, "We knew coming in that conditions were going to be better than great, and they quite possibly could be as good tomorrow during Q4, so by all means we're not sitting on this No. 1," said Capps, who is aiming for his first No. 1 qualifier of the season and second at zMAX Dragway.
'The Sarge' Speaks: Tony Schumacher Previews NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by WIX Filters
Tony Schumacher will chase his third victory in this weekend's NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by WIX Filters at zMAX Dragway
Eight-time NHRA champion Tony Schumacher will chase his third NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by WIX Filters victory this weekend at zMAX Dragway; Schumacher is in contention for the Top Fuel championship heading into the fourth of six Countdown races
Forecasts include clear weather, cool temperatures and plenty of sunshine for all three days of drag racing action; Single-day tickets start at just $25 with three-day passes (including parking) at just $99 while kids get in FREE; Tickets, camping and upgrades are available online or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267)
Chase Elliott celebrates with his entire team on Dover International Speedway front stretch. Dean Patton Photo
Dover, DE - RIS - Chase Elliott plays the odds at Dover and wins the 49th Annual Gander Outdoors “400”. Kevin Harvick drove the #4 Busch Outdoors Ford like a man on a mission and a simple lug nut situation took him out of the running. Then Aric Almirola in the #10 Smithfield Ford was really in the catbird seat and a Yellow brought out with 15 laps to go took out the spoilers run. A mishap coming out of turn two ended Almirola’s chances, leaving Chase to battle with Denny Hamlin on Green, White, Checker run to the finish.
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SUZUKA, Japan—R.I.S.- Lewis Hamilton edged ever so closer to equaling Juan Manuel Fangio’s five world championships as the Briton took the Japanese Grand Prix Sunday afternoon from start to finish at the Suzuka International Circuit, 12 seconds clear of teammate Valtteri Bottas and third place Max Verstappen.
Christopher Bell wins six times this season in NASCAR Xfinity Cup Series after taking the Bar Harbor 200 at Dover International Speedway. Dean Patton Photo.
Dover, DE - RIS - Rookie Christopher Bell wheeling the #20 Rheem Toyota makes it look easy, as he wins the 33rd Annual Bar Harbor 200. Christopher Bell takes his sixth Checkered Flag for the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie year. Now Christoper Bell rides a 43 point lead over Daniel Hemric for the 2018 series championship.
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SUZUKA, Japan—R.I. S.—Lewis Hamilton might have had another successful pole for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix at the legendary Suzuka circuit, but the late rains were good enough on Saturday to halt any challengers as the Briton recorded a 1:27:760 fastest time ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Sara Durant hails from Charolette, North Carolina, she is a "Jackman" and a darn good one. Dean Patton Photo
Dover, DE. - RIS - The term “Jackman” just does not fit. Covering the NASCAR K&N Series East I had the opportunity to watch this Lady work. No she is not doing what would some would consider Normal…. she is identified as a Tire Specialist on any internet home she may be found, but she is a “JACKMAN.” Yes, a Jackman, and darn good at it. This lady knows her way around race cars, and if you ever get a chance to watch this “Jackman” work take a few seconds, as that how fast she does her business…. seconds, and when seconds count I believe her driver can could on her.
