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Updated Motocross Schedule

Several Adjustments to 2021 Schedule
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MILAN, Italy/ ELLENTON, Fla.,  – Milestone, one of the leading racing game developers in the world, and Feld Entertainment, Inc., the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment and motorsports events, are pleased to announce Monster Energy Supercross - The Official Videogame 4.
 
The most beloved and realistic Supercross videogame, globally available on March 11th on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Windows PC®/STEAM and Google Stadia, will feature a faithful representation of the 2020 Monster Energy Supercross season, with all 11 stadiums and 17 tracks, including the 7 Salt Lake City variants.

A brand-new Career Mode structure will allow players, for the first time, to start their journey in Supercross Futures and advance towards the 250SX and 450SX Classes, where they will need to then challenge the largest number of Pro riders ever in the franchise history. In the new Career Mode, performance of each rider is affected by their skills, that can be upgraded and managed thanks to a new skill tree system. Skill points are gained by racing, joining special events, completing trainings and fulfilling the Journal: a series of special objectives to show who’s the best.

Inspired by the beautiful landscapes of Maine Islands, the new Compound is a place to roam free in Solo and Co-Op game modes or race against friends on the many tracks available. On this gorgeous island, there will be a lot of challenges and collectibles to discover!
 
A beloved community feature, the Track Editor, is back with more customization modules, directly created from 2020 Official Tracks. New cosmetic customization options to express creativity and boost realism include Tuff Blox, Starting Gate structures, Finish Line structures and Leader Pillars.

As always in the franchise, players will be able to customize their riders with tons of content, thanks to more than 110 official brands for cosmetic and performance customizations for both rider and bike. Also, the Online Mode guarantees a lag-free and engaging Multiplayer experience thanks to Dedicated Servers and Race Director Mode.
 
Monster Energy Supercross - The Official Videogame 4 will be available worldwide starting March 11th on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Windows PC®/STEAM and Google Stadia.
​

NASCAR Erik Jones meets the media on his switch to Petty

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WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Elusive Ironman Title On The Line At I-55

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By Nick Graziano | August 4, 2020 at 2:34 pmThe stamina and strength of the greatest Sprint Car drivers in the world will be put to the test this weekend at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 for the prestigious Ironman 55.
Drivers will compete in a doubleheader event at the fast 1/3-mile track, running 35 laps on Fri., Aug. 7 and then 55 laps on Sat., Aug. 8 – the longest World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series event of the year.
With $28,000 on the line to win between the two nights and a special dumbbell trophy presented to the winner Saturday night, drivers will be pushing their cars and their bodies to the edge to claim the Ironman title.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can still watch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
Here are the top storylines to follow this weekend:

Sheldon Haudenschild / Trent Gower photoHISTORIC HAUD: Sheldon Haudenschild, of Wooster, OH, enters the Ironman 55 weekend looking to hold on to the title he claimed with a historic win last year. He won his first Ironman by more than 10 seconds over 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz, lapped up to the top-five and led 45 of the 55 laps in the caution free event.
He was on track to pull off a similar feat at the 1/3-mile track in May by taking the lead early and running away with it, but a mistake in Turn 1 resulted in him flipping over the cushion. He and his Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing team are poised to put their NOS Energy Drink #17 back in Victory Lane with their recent run of 18 top-10 finishes in a row in the last 19 events – including their win at Lincoln Speedway.
TOP CAT: Reigning champion Brad Sweet, of Grass Valley, CA, is the winningest driver on 1/3-mile tracks, so far, this year. He won at I-55 in May and swept the weekend at Beaver Dam Raceway. His brother-in-law Kyle Larson has the second most, having won at I-55 in May and his last race with the Series at Attica Raceway Park.
Both drivers were the only two to finish on the podium during the spring doubleheader event at I-55, as well.

Brad Sweet (left), Donny Schatz (center) and Kyle Larson (right) battle for the lead / Trent Gower photoSweet reclaimed the points after the last race at Williams Grove Speedway, after a wild two weeks of rare issues for both he and Donny Schatz. He’s currently 18 points ahead of Schuchart and 26 points ahead of Schatz. So, while he and his NAPA Auto Parts Kasey Kahne Racing team hunt for their first Ironman title together, they’ll also be looking for two good points nights.
DETERMINED SCHATZ: After claiming the points lead for a week, 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz fell back to third in points when a mechanical issue took him out of the race during the Summer Nationals at Williams Grove. He and his Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing team will be digging to rebound during the Ironman weekend.
Prior to the issue, they hadn’t finished worse than second in five of their last seven races – including getting their third win of the year at Lernerville Speedway.
Of all the accolades Schatz was acquired, the Ironman is one he’s still chasing after. He has two wins at the 1/3-mile track, though – the most recent coming in 2015. He finished seventh and eighth, respectively, at the speedway in May.

Ford Motor's Mark Rushbrook on the Ford motor showcase weekend

IndyCar drivers ranking

Using INDYCAR’s advanced statistics and data, we’ve developed a weighted formula to rate the NTT IndyCar Series drivers after each race this season. Welcome to the Power Rankings – but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Will Power is always included. 
How does it work? We look beyond the results of the event, also factoring in qualifying results, on-track passes, on-track position passes and average running position throughout the race to come up with each driver’s unique rating.
The rankings are based on the four most recent races. The most recent race (Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio) is weighted the most in the rating and the oldest race (REV Group Grand Prix presented by AMR) the least.
So, following Mid-Ohio and heading to Pocono on Aug. 18, here’s a look at the top NTT IndyCar Series drivers:
Who’s No. 1:
Simon Pagenaud – Sometimes consistency is key and consistent is what Simon Pagenaud has been over the last month. The Team Penske driver won a pair of poles, the Toronto race and finished just off the podium at Mid-Ohio. That moves him to No. 1 this week.
On the Rise
Chip Ganassi Racing – Scott Dixon has finished in the top five in the past four races and other than an Iowa he’d like to forget, series rookie Felix Rosenqvist has been on his tail during that stretch. At Mid-Ohio, the Ganassi duo scored the team’s first 1-2 finish in nearly four seasons. Rosenqvist was the highest-rated driver at Mid-Ohio and returns to the poll in fifth.
Looking to Bounce Back
James Hinchcliffe – The Mayor’s race at Mid-Ohio lasted less than a lap. Contact from teammate Marcus Ericsson (who had been hit by Takuma Sato) damaged Hinchcliffe’s car, and he never had a chance to show the pace he had all weekend.
The Top 10
  1. Pagenaud (Last Rating: 2) – See above.
  2. Dixon (Last Rating: 5) – See above
  3. Alexander Rossi (Last Rating: 3) – Finishing fifth at Mid-Ohio helps him stay third in the ranking but the bigger gift was from title rival Josef Newgarden on the final lap. With his future settled for now, Rossi can focus on the championship pursuit.
  4. Josef Newgarden (Last Rating: 1) – Sitting fourth with a less than a lap to go at Mid-Ohio, Newgarden saw a gap that could lead to another podium, and he went for it. Ryan Hunter-Reay was already there and Newgarden spun off course. A costly mistake for the championship leader.
  5. Rosenqvist (Last Rating: Unranked) – See above.
  6. Will Power (Last Rating: 10): A pole at Mid-Ohio and heading to Pocono where he has won two of the past three races. Maybe Power is finally turning his year around.
  7. Spencer Pigot (Last Rating: 9) – Back-to-back top 10 finishes for Ed Carpenter Racing’s young driver could signal he is finally ready to break out of the series’ midfield.
  8. Sebastien Bourdais (Last Rating: 8) – Qualified fifth at Mid-Ohio but wasn’t able to match that level in the race.
  9. Graham Rahal (Last Rating: 6) – Rahal finishes in the top 10 again at his home race at Mid-Ohio. It keeps him in the top 10.
  10. Hinchcliffe (Last Rating: 4) – See above
Dropped out: Santino Ferrucci (7) 

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Video interview: 2019 Indy winner talks to Roy J. Akers on his win and driving for the Captain

Juan Pablo Montoya has a home in a new racing series

World of Outlaws

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 June 5-
     James McFadden? Brad Sweet? Kyle Larson? Your mind spun with the question of who will win, unable to find a clear answer as the three drivers dueled with the intensity of gladiators fighting to be the last man standing.
Then the dust settled. A moment of quiet ease spread around the quarter-mile Fairbury Speedway arena. Climbing atop the wing of his No. 57 machine to thunderous applause and an explosion of confetti was Larson – claiming his eighth World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series win Tuesday night.
The win gives him back-to-back World of Outlaws victories, after winning his last Series race at Lawrenceburg Speedway on Memorial Day.
“Cool to get a win back-to-back with the Outlaws, I’ve never done that before,” Larson said.
The last time he won more than one World of Outlaws race in a season was back in 2013 – a year before he went full-time NASCAR Cup Series racing.
Larson had to duel with fellow NASCAR competitor Christopher Bell and 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz to claim the win at Lawrenceburg. This time around, he had to face the dominate Kasey Kahne Racing duo of McFadden and Sweet.
The KKR teammates started the FVP Platinum Battery Showdown event going first and second in practice with Sweet pacing the field. The NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 car then backed up its speed in Qualifying by setting Quick Time. McFadden was third. Larson seventh.
Sweet then won his Drydene Heat race with ease. Larson and McFadden dueled for the win in the third Drydene Heat race of the night with Larson dominating the field.
McFadden came back with force, charging to the win in the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash. Sweet finished third, and Larson sixth – setting their starting position for the 40-lap Feature.
McFadden wrestled with his 900hp machine, taming it like a wild stallion at the start of the Feature to take the early lead. His run was cut short by a red flag on the first lap for Dylan Tuxhorn rolling over in turn one.
When the Feature went back green, heart rates amplified. Breaths were held. McFadden led, but Sweet was charging for a fight.
The two teammates traded lanes lap after lap, corner after corner. Sweet could power his way to either the inside or outside of the Wicked Energy Gum No. 9 car into the turn, but McFadden could launch off the exit with the power of the gods.

     While they dueled, Larson slayed the competition between him and the leaders with ease. By Lap 13, he gave the KKR duo something else to fear. Going into turn three he forced his car under Sweet, making it a three-wide battle through the corner – a common theme throughout the next several laps.
Sweet built up a strong enough run to steal the lead from McFadden on Lap 17. He couldn’t shake him, though. McFadden and Larson stayed on his bumper and the next time around they both snuck by him. McFadden threw his car low in turn three, while Larson squeezed his car between the outside of Sweet and the wall.
McFadden reclaimed the lead and now had a fierce Larson to contend with. The next lap, back in turns three and four, McFadden, again, went low and Larson high. The god-like launches McFadden could get exiting a corner were no match for the resilient throttle hungry Larson.
The two traded the lead for the next couple of laps with Larson eventually prevailing. McFadden still had fight left in him, though. And not far behind was Sweet, lurking. Waiting for another opportunity to strike.
In the closing laps, with the leaders having to navigate lap traffic, Larson couldn’t lose McFadden. The Australian was building momentum lap after lap, inching closer and closer to Larson. But then, with eight laps to go, McFadden’s battle came to an end.
While stuck behind a lap car through turns one and two, McFadden hit the corner tire and spun to a stop.
“Really fun race track,” said McFadden, still with a smile, after the Feature. “It was awesome racing with Brad and Kyle. They’re obviously a couple of the best guys in the country. I don’t know if I just misjudged the lap car. He got the tractor tire I think and slowed him a bunch. I just got into the back of him and when I did that, the tractor tire came out, after he hit it, and I got it and that was that. At the end of the day, it was a positive step for the team.”
In the remaining eight laps, Larson now had to contest with a hard charging Sweet.
Larson stuck to the bottom of the track – the least likely place for him to make a mistake, he said. Sweet took advantage of that, soaring around the outside of the speedway to find as much grip as he could to catch the Chevrolet Accessories No. 57 Silva Motorsports car.
Coming to the checkered flag, Larson faltered. He slid off turn four, scrubbing speed and allowing Sweet the opportunity to strike one final time.
The distance between the leaders was still too much for Sweet, though. Like a warrior on a steed signifying his victory, Larson sprinted to the checkered flag with his front two wheels off the ground.
“That was just an exciting race from start to finish for me,” Larson said. “Shoot, 40 laps around this place was crazy. It felt like we swapped the lead a lot. Just an awesome race track. Short tracks are always a blast.”

Big Wheels Photo Album at ABC Harley

Aric Almirola on NASCAR
teamwork, the Dover Dip and Diversity

NASCAR HOF gains 5

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Chase Elliott wins first NASCAR Championship

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Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Chase Elliott, NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver, now has a Cup title to bolster his resume.
As Jimmie Johnson bid farewell at Phoenix Raceway, the sport celebrated a changing of the guard.
After his best season to date, the 24-year-old second-generation racer is now a second-generation champion joining Lee and Richard Petty and Ned and Dale Jarrett as the only father and son combinations to pull off the feat.
And on Sunday, Elliott accomplished the task in dramatic fashion, coming from the rear of the field to holding off former champions Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski over the final 43 laps.
“Man, I'm at a loss for words,” Elliott said. “This is unbelievable. Oh, my gosh. We did it.  I mean, we did it. That's all I've got to tell you. Unreal.
“Championship crew chief, Alan Gustafson, is now a NASCAR Cup Series champion, and very deserving. I just can't say enough about our group. I felt like we took some really big strides this year, and last week was a huge one. To come out of that with a win and a shot to come here and have a chance to race is unbelievable. This is unreal.”
Keselowski finished 2.740-seconds behind Elliott followed by title contenders Logano and Denny Hamlin. Seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, making his final start in the No. 48 Chevy, finished fifth before pulling up to the No. 9 Chevy to congratulate his Elliott. Johnson then rolled off for a Polish victory lap to thank the fans as Elliott started his celebratory burnouts.
Elliott started Season Finale 500 35th after the No. 9 Hendrick team failed pre-race inspection twice but soldiered up to 10th-place in the first 26 laps. Logano dominated the first stage and held serve on pit road to retain the lead to start the second segment. Elliott exited behind Hamlin and restarted third for the Lap 84 restart. Twenty laps later, Elliott started flexing his muscled and passed Hamlin for second-place.
Logano led a career-high 117 laps before developing a vibration. Elliott caught the No. 22 Ford in Turn 2 and executed a bump and run before making a pass for the lead on Lap 120. Over the last nine laps, the Championship 4 pitted.
Despite relinquishing the lead on Lap 139, Elliott quickly cycled back to the point on Lap 151. Eleven laps later, James Davison triggered the third caution. Following pit stops, Elliott came out second behind Kurt Busch, who opted for two tires.
Elliott easily took the lead from Busch on the Lap 168 restart with Keselowski, Logano, Hamlin and Johnson in tow. Elliott appeared to be in command of the stage before Keselowski drove low and inside of the No. 9 Chevy for the lead and the stage win with two circuits remaining.
A slow stop for Keselowski mired the No. 2 Ford in sixth for the Lap 201 restart. Hamlin developed a tight condition in the final stage and never factored into the end game. Keselowski passed Hamlin for third on Lap 224 but Elliott had checked out. By the time the final round of green-flag pit stops began on Lap 256, Hamlin was 4.7-seconds behind Elliott.
Of the Championship 4 contenders, Logano and Hamlin pitted first on Lap 259. Elliott and Keselowski came in for service two laps later—and once again, the No. 2 Penske team lacked execution.
Logano cycled back to the lead on Lap 262 but couldn’t maintain his advantage over Elliott for long. Logano developed another tire vibration and was passed by Elliott on Lap 270.
“Yeah, just waiting on the caution, as always,” Elliott said. “You know, I saw Joey was pretty loose there and felt like I needed to get to him while I could. I knew I'd been kind of tight on a longer run and he was probably going to get a little better. Just unbelievable.
“I mean, I just never would have thought that this year would have gone like it has.  I mean, NASCAR Cup Series champion; are you kidding me? Unreal.”
Keselowski maneuvered by Logano on Lap 280 but couldn't catch Elliott. Without a caution, it was smooth sailing for Elliott over the final green-flag run en route to his and crew chief Alan Gustafson’s first Cup title and the 13th for Hendrick Motorsports.
“Oh, it's unbelievable,” Elliott added. “All you can dream for is an opportunity, and I've been very fortunate to have that over the years. You know, and that's all thanks to some great people. You know, my parents obviously have played a huge role. 
“The past year has been tough. I lost my best friend about a year ago tonight. Lost my grandmother last year. And all those things bring families closer, so I really can't thank them enough.
“Mr. Hendrick, for taking a chance on me and believing in me when a lot of people didn't. I think it really says a lot about him. And then to have a championship sponsor like NAPA, all of our partners, and Chevrolet, huge thanks to Team Hendrick and everybody at our shop that peaked at the right time. That's all we can ask for.”
Elliott’s Phoenix win was his fifth of the season—including three in the post-season. He scored 15 top fives and 22 top 10s. Elliott is the 34th different driver to win a Cup title and the sixth different champion under NASCAR’s elimination-style Playoffs, which debuted in 2014.

Kyle Larson reinstated by NASCAR in 2021

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By Staff Report NASCAR officials reinstated Kyle Larson on Monday, more than six months after his suspension for his use of a racial slur during an iRacing event.
Chip Ganassi Racing fired Larson on April 14, one day after NASCAR barred him indefinitely as part of a behavioral penalty. Larson was mandated to complete sensitivity training at NASCAR’s direction as a condition for reinstatement, but will also have continued requirements to fulfill in order to keep his NASCAR membership current.
“NASCAR continues to prioritize diversity and inclusion across our sport,” the sanctioning body said in an official statement. “Kyle Larson has fulfilled the requirements set by NASCAR, and has taken several voluntary measures, to better educate himself so that he can use his platform to help bridge the divide in our country. Larson’s indefinite suspension has been lifted. Under the terms of his reinstatement, he will be cleared to return to all NASCAR racing activities effective January 1, 2021.”
Those terms for reinstatement include several speaking engagements, each spaced out through 2023, where Larson will share his experiences with NASCAR’s weekly series, e-sports and dirt-racing communities. He will also be required to take further training and engagement classes through 2023, plus continue his work with the Urban Youth Racing School (UYRS) and Rev Racing, providing coaching and mentorship for those initiatives.
​Larson’s suspension came after an April 12 invitational iRacing event. He said he had keyed his microphone to send a private message, but his use of a racial slur was instead broadcast to all participants in the race and to viewers on public live streams.
Larson was penalized for violating Sections 12.1 (General Procedures) and 12.8 (NASCAR Member Conduct Guidelines) of the NASCAR Rule Book. He later apologized for his actions through his social media channels. Competition officials confirmed Oct. 16 that Larson had applied for reinstatement.
After his dismissal, Larson told the Associated Press in an Aug. 19 article: “I was just ignorant. And immature. I didn’t understand the negativity and hurt that comes with that word.”
He also explained the measures that he had quietly undertaken since the incident to learn more about civil-rights issues, making some of his first in-depth comments about the matter in a personal essay published Oct. 4 on his website.
In his essay, Larson took accountability for his actions and said he had connected with former athletes Tony Sanneh and Jackie Joyner-Kersee to work with their foundations and to see the impact of racial injustice first-hand in Minneapolis. He also said he had hired a diversity coach, Doug Harris of The Kaleidoscope Group, and had conversations with Black racers Bubba Wallace, J.R. Todd and Willy T. Ribbs to learn about their experiences.
“I want them to know that words do matter,” Larson wrote in his essay, referencing that he would have to answer to his family as he takes responsibility for his actions moving forward. “Apologizing for your mistakes matters. Accountability matters. Forgiveness matters. Treating others with respect matters. I will not stop listening and learning, but for me now, it’s about action — doing the right things, being a part of the solution and writing a new chapter that my children will be proud to read.”
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Standings

3.8.2020
​450SX Class Results

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki
2. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda
3. Cooper Webb, Clermont, Fla., KTM
4. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna
5. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Yamaha
6. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha
7. Dean Wilson, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna
8. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda
9. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Honda
10. Justin Brayton, Charlotte, N.C., Honda
 
450SX Class Championship Standings
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (226)
2. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda (223)
3. Cooper Webb, Clermont, Fla., KTM (197)
4. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Yamaha (195)
5. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.M., Husqvarna (170)
6. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Honda (152)
7. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Honda (141)
8. Justin Brayton, Charlotte, N.C., Honda (129)
9. Dean Wilson, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna (129)
10. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (128)
 ​

ROCKET MAN RETURNS: RICHARDS COLLECTS 77TH OUTLAWS WIN AT DUCK RIVER

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byJordan DeLucia
 
WHEEL, TN – As the field crossed Duck River Raceway Park’s start/finish line with only five laps remaining on Friday night, leader Josh Richards could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Waiting for him on the other side was his 77th career World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series Feature win and his first in 1,225 days.
There was just one problem – Dennis Erb Jr. was reeling him in fast. Richards was ripping the middle-top side of the high-banked bullring as Erb was smooth sailing down low, until Richards looked outside the fence and saw his crew guys signaling him to move down. Richards followed the advice to make the line switch and made it through the final five laps untouched to collect his first World of Outlaws win in 134 tour races.
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Midwest Sports Scene NASCAR Special

Who do NASCAR fans love and hate?

Corey LaJoie on working his way up to elite NASCAR equipment

   ​INVINCIBLE IRONMAN: SHELDON HAUDENSCHILD BLOWS AWAY COMPETITION AT IRONMAN 55
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byNick Graziano  August 4, 2019


Ironman; a title earned, not given. Earned with the display of great strength. Earned with the display of great endurance. And earned with the display of great will power. 
​Sheldon Haudenschild displayed all three traits during Saturday’s World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Ironman 55 event at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55.
On the 70-degree night with 90% humidity, Haudenschild led 45 of the 55 laps in the caution free Feature, sprinted to the finish with an unprecedented 10.3 second lead over runner-up Donny Schatz and lapped up to fifth-place – including Series points leader and Friday night’s winner at the raceway Brad Sweet.
“That right there was just a great car, me feeling comfortable and having a lot of fun,” Haudenschild said.
Finish Line Productions photo
The fun started for the Wooster, Ohio-native and his Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing team Friday night with a runner-up finish to Sweet in the Night Before the Ironman 35-lap event. Haudenschild then backed up his performance with a second-place finish in his Drydene Heat race, coming to the finish side-by-side with Daryn Pittman. He then charged from fifth to the win in the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash – a victory he initially didn’t want.
“I wanted to win the Heat race to get a better draw,” Haudenschild said. “Once I didn’t win the Heat my mindset kind of changed starting in the back of that Dash. I really didn’t want to win the Dash. I was thinking a third-place start would be good to see what they (the leaders) were doing.
“But after the track prep, I think winning the Dash was a good move.”
The entire 1/3-mile track was worked on before the 55-lap Feature, creating a new tacky racing surface.
When the 55-lap Feature went green, Schatz rocketed around the outside of Haudenschild on the exit of the first corner to take the lead. Tim Shaffer did the same the next corner, moving Haudenschild to third.
Five laps into the race – which saw lap times in the low 11 second bracket for the majority of it – Schatz caught lap traffic. At the same time, Haudenschild found his rhythm and charged his way back by Shaffer for second.
Then, in the time it takes to snap your fingers, the NOS Energy Drink No. 17 was on Schatz’s bumper. No matter where Haudenschild placed his car on the track he found grip. The 10-time Series champion was prey with no protection.
On Lap 10, Schatz covered the high side into turn one, while Haudenschild launched his car to the middle lane. Haudenschild’s tires held the better relationship with the clay surface and powered him by the Toco Warranty No. 15 car.
“I was really worried once [Shaffer] and Donny got by me,” Haudenschild said. “I didn’t quite know what to do. Once we got into traffic, I had the mindset I was going to get around them and run consistent laps.”
From there, Haudenschild showed his strength. Showed his endurance. And showed his will power. He was the man without fear. His charge through lapped cars looked more like a game than a challenge. Whether it was a slide job to drive by several cars at a time or going three-wide between two lapped cars, Haudenschild didn’t hesitate to make the move.
Once he lapped his way to the top-10, Sweet gave him his biggest challenge of the night. The two dueled for laps, with Sweet aggressively charging his way back by Haudenschild several times to remain on the lead lap. However, no one could match the No. 17 car.
Haudenschild eventually slid his way by Sweet with 17 laps to go and continued his hunt through the field. Schatz and Pittman’s battle for second-place was quickly going from being a battle behind Haudenschild, to one in front of him.
The two series champions dueled for the position throughout the race, but Schatz prevailed with Pittman never finding a strong enough run to get by the reigning champion. However, with Haudenschild out of sight, they thought they were potentially battling for the win.
“I thought I actually won; I couldn’t see him,” Schatz said. “I thought maybe he had run out of fuel or pulled off or something. I can’t believe it went green to checkered.”
He added all he could do was commend Haudenschild on his performance and applaud him.
“That was a whoopin’ right there,” said Schatz, who is now two points behind Sweet in the Series point standings.
Pittman also stated he thought he was battling Schatz for the win at the end. He was happy with the result, though, after a few weeks of undesired finishes.
Nothing surprised Haudenschild. The heat didn’t get to him. The long duration of the race didn’t get to him, and he knew he had a good car underneath him.
“Really, it wasn’t that physical at all,” Haudenschild said. “Keeping your mind right, making smart moves. I looked up at the board on Lap 51 and I probably shouldn’t have, ‘cause I think I did make one mistake after that. When the board is right in front of your face it’s hard not to. Especially in this long of a race. I was trying to play it cool and wanted to get it over with. Fifty-five laps is a long race.”
At the end of those 55 laps, though, celebration. After climbing to the top wing of his Sprint Car, spewing NOS Energy Drink all around Victory Lane, Haudenschild was greeted with congratulatory remarks and a hug from his hero – his dad.
Finish Line Productions photo
“It was pretty awesome,” Jac Haudenschild said about his son’s win. “He lapped me a couple of times, so I know he must have been going pretty good.”
Haudenschild’s victory earned him a $20,000 payday and his second win of the season – seventh career World of Outlaws win overall. After some struggles in the first half of the season – missing five Features – he and his team have been building momentum in the summer months.
“It’s huge,” Haudenschild said about the win. “Just to get it for our guys. Build a little bit of confidence. Put another win on the calendar and just keep working on it. I feel like we still have work to do on different kinds of tracks. Definitely this track is kind of my style.
“It’s been a little bit of a struggle the beginning of the year. We’re not quite where we want to be win wise, but we’re working at it and I feel like we’re doing it at the right time.”
He’s leaving Missouri not only with the confidence of another win, but the prestige of a new title.
He earned it by showing his strength. Earned it by showing his endurance. And earned it by proving his will power

The Detroit Grand Prix 2019 show has interviews and stories​

Rising teen NASCAR star Hailie Deegan is brushing off criticism after she bumped her teammate Derek Krause in the last turn of the K&N Pro Series West Race in Colorado on Saturday to take her second win of the season.

DEEGAN, who led 66 of 155 laps, had just moved into second place and was going for the inside line when Kraus had the same idea and the two came in contact, which caused Kraus’ car to spin.

What everyone is talking about today:

“I went into that corner, went in hard and was already kind of on the edge. I was not expecting my teammate, with a broke sway bar to take a swing at me like that. I thought he was going to play cautious,” Deegan said.
Race stewards reviewed the incident and declared Deegan the winner.
Kraus, who is also 17, Tweeted out a video of the finish with the caption “Mama always told me if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all!”

Deegan became the first female to win a race in the series last year when she made a similar move on her former teammate Cole Rouse in Idaho.
Deegan added  "I don’t regret it. I am sorry that he [Kraus] spun out. Bt this thing's been blowing up and people are turning on me. And I get that not everyone’s going to like me. I get that. That’s life,” 
​
“I’m sorry to Derek. These next couple races are going to be tough ones. People are going to be taking swings at me. I’m ok with that. Take all the swings you want. But, just know that I’m going to swing back. It’s going to make it hard to win a championship. But, I think we’re just going for race wins.”
After five races, Kraus leads the series with 216 points ahead of Deegan in second place with 204.
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Ricky Weiss Returning to World of Outlaws Late Model Series in 2021 with Championship Desire

World of Outlaws 2021 Schedule

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CANADIAN SENSATION BRINGS BACK DRYDENE AS SPONSOR, BUILDING HIS OWN CARS
By Brian Walker | December 4, 2020 at 5:48 pmIf statistical trends mean anything, 2021 will be the year of Ricky Weiss.
Today, the Headingly, Manitoba, Canada native confirmed that he’ll return to the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series in 2021 with his sights set on the $100,000 championship. After earning Racing Electronics Rookie of the Year honors with a third-place finish in 2019, then a runner-up result in 2020, all that remains for The Manitoba Missile is the prestigious title.
Continuing his relationship with Drydene Performance Products, Weiss is proudly bringing them back as the primary sponsor on his No. 7 for the second year now. He’ll keep Vic Hill power under the hood, but is making some changes elsewhere in his program.
Building his own chassis, Weiss has split with his Team Zero Race Cars over the off-season to build his own machines in 2021; a new adventure that he hopes will instill some new life in his budding operation.
“I feel more confident than ever going into this next year with our whole team,” Weiss said. “If you look back at where we started with the Outlaws in 2019 to where we are now, we’ve grown leaps and bounds. We were the top rookie, then we won some races, now I really want to go contend for a title with Brandon [Sheppard]. I’m proud to have Drydene back on board with us and ready to get the season rolling next month.”
With more than 55+ races on a massive 2021 slate spanning from January to November and Florida to North Dakota, a championship against The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet will be no easy task. To earn the crown and write his name into the record books, Weiss will have to dethrone the modern-day king of the Outlaws: Brandon Sheppard, who enters a new year fresh off his third World of Outlaws title with Rocket1 Racing.
Tough? Sure. Possible? Absolutely.
Since joining the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series on a full-time basis in 2019, Weiss has certainly ascended up the ladder in his tenure. Why not climb just one position more?
Weiss finished 3rd in 2019, 2nd in 2020, now eyes 1st in 2021. [Jacy Norgaard Photo]

He went winless in year one, but came close to victory on countless occasions. Leading 82 laps across several different races, Weiss was slowly grooming himself into the title contender he would soon become. Backed by the consistency of 17 top five finishes and 30 top ten efforts in 41 shows, a third-place championship result gave him Rookie of the Year honors over Cade Dillard and propelled him into an even more successful sophomore season.

Led by his first career victories at Vado (N.M.) Speedway Park in January and Jackson (Minn.) Motorplex in May, Weiss recorded a career year in 2020 which saw him place second in the point standings. He set career highs in every statistical category with 150 laps led, 19 top five finishes and 31 top ten results. Solidifying that he was not only here to stay, but here to become a championship contender.
“Switching to our own cars is going to be a new challenge, but it’s something we’re ready for,” noted Weiss on the change. “To have our own resources and be able to make all of the adjustments that we can think of or desire will be good for us. We’ve been tinkering with a lot of things in the shop this off-season and doing a lot of fine tuning on this deal. I’m excited to get to Volusia next month and really start working on this thing at the track.”
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PAYING UP: World of Outlaws Increase Sprint Car Purses, Points Fund For 2021

By Nick Graziano-     Drivers competing with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series in 2021 will have to make more room in their wallets.
The Series is increasing its single-day and two-day event purses for 2021, as well as the overall points funds. Every race will now pay a minimum $10,000-to-win and the points fund at the end of the season will payout more than $730,000 – about a $90,000 increase from 2020.
And for the event purses, it’s not just the winner’s share that’s increasing. There are increases throughout the entire field.
Single-day events will payout more than $55,800 in total and will pay $1,000-to-start. Two-day events will payout more than $108,000 in total with the first night paying $5,500 to second-place, $1,850 to 10th and $900-to-start, and the second night paying $6,000 to second, $2,000 to 10th and $1,000-to-start.
“We’re excited to provide drivers and teams with an increased purse for the 2021 season, especially after the burdens COVID-19 placed on them in 2020,” World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Director Carlton Reimers said. “The increase is a representation of the Series’ exciting continued growth, our commitment to our competitors and the growing support from the fans.”
The significance of the increase is not lost on the drivers either.
“Obviously, as a race car driver, trying to make a living racing, you want to race for the highest purses you can,” Two-time and defending World of Outlaws champion Brad Sweet said. “I’m very happy that the World of Outlaws has taken the step to increase the purses. Definitely a step in the right direction.”
The championship will again payout $150,000 between the winning driver and team in 2021, but second-place and down will see significant increases. Among the increases include, second-place paying $100,000, third paying $60,000, fifth paying $50,000 and 15th paying $13,000.
Along with the purse increase, the 2021 season will see the return of several big paying events, including the Aug. 11-14 60th NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway, which will pay a potential $200,000 to the winner.
A five-race “Showdown” event between the two-day (June 21-22) Huset’s 50 at Huset’s Speedway and the three-day (June 24-26) Jackson Nationals at Jackson Motorplex will offer an extra $100,000 if a driver can win the finale of both World of Outlaws events.
The 2021 season will kick off Feb. 5-7 at Volusia Speedway Park for the 50th DIRTcar Nationals in Barberville, FL. For tickets, click here. The entire 2021 schedule will be released soon.

Brad Keselowski presser talking about his new deal and Covid-19 racing MIS Doubleheader

From New Hampshire: Brad Keselowski Post Race interview and career hilights

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BRAD KESELOWSKI GIVES MUSTANG 11TH WIN OF 2020 CUP SEASON·         Brad Keselowski won his third race of the season today.
·         The win is the 33rd of his Cup Series career and 24th with Ford.
·         Those 24 wins make him the all-time Team Penske leader for Cup wins with Ford, passing Rusty Wallace (23) and teammate Joey Logano (23).
·         The win is Mustang’s 11th of the season, bettering its win total from last season.
·         Today’s win is Ford’s 697th all-time in NASCAR Cup Series competition.
·         Of Team Penske’s 77 MENCS wins with Ford, 50 have come since rejoining Ford in 2013.
WHAT KIND OF STATEMENT WAS THAT TODAY?  “We’ve had a lot of great races this year with the 2 car, but we just haven’t really went out and kind of dominated a race.  Talking to Jeremy Bullins and like, ‘Man, what do we need to get to that next level?  We’re right there.  We need to go out and just dominate a race,’ and that’s what today was for us with the Western Star/Alliance Parts Ford Mustang.  I’m really proud of my team and the effort that they gave today.  A great race car and to all of Team Penske, thank you.  Its so great to be racing back in front of fans again.  It feels like forever, so welcome back, guys.”
​WHY HAS IT WORKED SO WELL WITH JEREMY BULLINS THIS YEAR?  “It’s been good.  I’ve had a good career and I thought we needed a kick in the ass and Jeremy and this whole team has been a kick in the butt for me to make me a little bit better and push me to find another level and we’re doing that so far.  I’m just really thankful.  I’m in a great spot here and hungry for more wins.  I think this is my fifth straight year with three wins, but I don’t want to stop here.  I want us to keep going and I know this team can do it.  I’m driven.  I’ve just got to say there’s so much going on in the world right now.  I’m glad to be able to be a race car driver and get to be here and do these things.  I’ve got two special decals on my car with Maurice Petty and Mr. Bob Bahre, who passed away this week.  I’m just thankful to those who made the sport possible, and to my friend Dave who lost his father this week to the coronavirus.  We’re thinking about you, bud.  There’s so much going on in the world.  We’re just glad to be here and glad that maybe we can take a few peoples’ minds off of all the craziness.  I hope you enjoyed the race.”
WHAT KIND OF STATEMENT WAS THIS TODAY?  “This is the same tire and similar track to Phoenix and we know that’s what you’ve got to do to win this championship.  You have to go win Phoenix and we put on a great showing today.  I’m pumped, I really am.  The playoffs are a long ways away and they’re gonna be tough, but this is certainly a good sign.”
MICHIGAN NEXT WEEK.  THAT WOULD BE SWEET AS WELL.  “It would.  I’ve been so close to winning there and hopefully this is good mojo.”
HOW ABOUT THESE FANS?  “We’re just so glad to have them all back.  It feels so weird to be racing without fans, but we’re glad you’re here.  I hope you stay safe and thank you for being here.”

Denny Hamlin denies Harvick, caps Pocono doubleheader in Victory LaneReid Spencer

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By Roy J. Akers 
-Joey Logano is the obvious choice. He won for the second time this season and sliced bread led only the 4th most laps, but he was superb down the stretch.

-Kevin Harvick finished second on Sunday after leading 67 laps early. What a great job he did down the stretch with a rocket ride. He is the NASCAR points leader after four races.
-Aric Almirola is like a fine wine. He just gets better every season in NASCAR. His 9th place finish gives him two top tens on the season.
Lugnuts
-Brad Keselowski finished 11th on Sunday and is 10th in the NASCAR points total. The impending free agent is taking other teams calls but he should not worry about getting a ride. With Jimmie Johnson retiring after 2020, many think he is headed to Hendrick Motorsports.
-Erik Jones struck the wall at the midway point on Sunday in Phoenix and his 28th place finish was a disappointment. It comes on the heels of his 21st ranking in the NASCAR standings. Jones’ contract expires at the end of the 2020 season and he needs to step up his game going forward.  

NASCAR stars give us honest answers to our questions 

Featuring Austin Dillon, Denny Hamlin, The Wood Bros. Kyle Larson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Chase Elliott

Erik Jones Day rallies Byron, Mi. around their NASCAR hero

Story
Interview with Erik Jones

Jimmie Johnson talks about his career and NASCAR's attendance rebound at MIS

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DGPrix: Detroit Police Cadets learn leadership and meet an Indy Legend

Will Power meets Detroit Police Cadets and they have a question

AJ Foyt racing picking up the pace and Matheus Leist is a rookie with speed

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Matheus Leist is a rookie with the AJ Foyt Racing Team

When it comes to professional auto racing- its all in the data

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Richard Childress talks about grandson Austin Dillon and Dale Earnhardt 

Erik Jones of Linden, Mi. is truly
​one in a million

Jimmie Johnson talks final year at Lowe's-           Mark Martin on Jack Roush                                  Roush and Kenseth reunite


Arie Luyendyk on the Detroit Grand Prix-Story

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 Story-what do Drivers and Pit Crews do in practice time to adjust for the races? 

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