Adam Sinclair

Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway more than 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of traveling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week.

Adam spent several years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.

Be sure to tune in for his sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place (almost) every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.

Contact Adam: Email

DiMeo, Wolfe, Palmer Score Round 9 Mid-Ohio Wins in Mixed Conditions

Friday, Aug 01

Michael DiMeo, of Toronto, Jason Wolfe, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and Tyler Palmer, of San Diego, Calif., took wins in Round 9 of the Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car, Touring Car A and Touring Car B-Spec seasons, the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge Presented by StopTech.

What started off as a challenging race, weather-wise, the 26-car starting field survived a light to moderate drizzle when the 40-minute timed race began but then all drove cleanly through the remainder of the race as the track dried out and the sun rose once more.

With wet conditions, Race Control made the decision to switch the start from a standing to a double-file rolling start, with several laps run under yellow flag conditions before the field got the green flag. Once the green flew, the action was able to begin as the majority of the field ran on the Pirelli P-Zero slicks on a wet track. With track conditions the way they were, green flag racing was preserved with some clean, safe driving throughout the field.

DiMeo, in the No. 71 Grand Alarms Honda Civic Si held the overall lead but the man on the charge was Wolfe, in the No. 36 Wolfe Trucking Kia Forte Koup, from 14th overall on the starting grid (fourth in TCA).

Wolfe, a TCA driver, weaved through the entirety of the TC field except for race leader DiMeo all the way up to second place overall. The Ohio native serves as a track instructor at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and additionally had three races under his belt in a USF2000 open-wheel car at this race last year, so his experience paid major dividends.

The other star of the early stages was Steven Doherty, of Plainfield, Ill., in the No. 94 Nissan/GT Academy/Skullcandy Nissan Altima Coupe. Doherty slipped, slid and nearly lost the rear of his car at least three different times in the opening laps but on each occasion managed to save the car from a full spin.

As the race track dried out, DiMeo maintained control and improved his times, while Doherty made it up to second overall. DiMeo won the race by 14.102 seconds at an average speed of 68.574 mph; he also captured the StopTech Brake Late, Finish First Award for his efforts.

Wolfe finished third overall to win TCA; meanwhile Doherty's teammate, Bryan Heitkotter, of Fresno, Calif., finished third in TC and fourth overall in the No. 93 Nissan/GT Academy/Skullcandy Nissan Altima Coupe.

DiMeo recapped his drive from the overall pole to his seventh win of the Touring Car season. "We started on dries as just before the race it was only light spitting rain, but then as soon as we took to the track it started to come down heavier, and the spray from the safety car was even bad," DiMeo said. "That was a wild first couple laps. Then a dry line started to form. Through mid-race, we ran the dry line again. I think that was the best call," he added, referring to the call to switch to a rolling start. "With a standing start it would have been a lot of wheel spin and no one going anywhere. But everyone made it through Turn 1 safe behind me in my mirrors. It was a smart call."

Doherty expanded on his early race slip-and-slide and how he was able to hang on. "That all goes back to my circle track experience getting punted every week," Doherty said. "I have plenty of experience in a front-wheel drive car going sideways, so that definitely saved me on that one. It was super impressive driving by everyone. Three classes, 30-odd cars and no full-course yellows is a testament to the drivers in this series."

Wolfe took home three awards following his fourth win of the season. His rocket start of 11 positions gained netted him the Optima Batteries Best Start of the race. Wolfe's sequence of moves – all on dries – took home the Cadillac CTS-V Move of the Race. And, unsurprisingly, with a gain of 11 positions from 14th overall to third overall by the checkered flag, Wolfe was the Sunoco Hard Charger as well.

"I don't really remember a whole lot to be honest ... it was just adrenaline going through me," Wolfe said. "We got up to P2 overall and then I wondered if we could get the win overall. As an instructor I have a lot of track experience here, so I know the line pretty well. It's hard to say what a standing start would have produced."

Meanwhile behind him, there was an intense three-way battle for second in class. Ultimately, Ernie Francis Jr., of Dania, Fla., prevailed with second in the No. 98 Breathless Performance Mazda MX-5.

The Shea Racing teammates, Jason Cherry, of Gambrills, Md., in the No. 13 Autism Society of America/Avpro/Purposeful Architecture Mazda MX-5 and Shea Holbrook, of Groveland, Fla., in the No. 67 TRUECar/Lucas Oil/Radium Honda Civic Si, each ran second at times but suffered occasional traffic mishaps, then had slight contact on the final lap.

Francis Jr. described his view of the proceedings. "We were fighting for second and no one wanted to give it up," Francis Jr. said. "On a drying track, any mistake would send you off from the wet line. The two in front of us took themselves out, which brought us into a second place finish. It had been really clean racing between the three of us until the last lap."

Cherry offered a take on his battle with Francis Jr. and Holbrook. "It was sketchy trying to drive on dries with a rear-wheel drive car," Cherry said. "Then a spin on the first lap made it difficult. Once I worked back through the B-spec (cars), we had a great battle. On the last lap I went for a pass on Shea Holbrook and we made some contact. That sent her back and Ernie Francis Jr. drove around us."

In TCB, another big mover on the day was Palmer, in the No. 37 MINI USA/Mobil 1/Flying L Racing/ThePainter'sFriend.com/Discount Tire Mini Cooper, who started only eighth in class but carved his way through to the win. Palmer's pass of Glenn Nixon, of Mission, B.C., for the TCB lead on Lap 7 netted him the Invisible Glass Clean Pass of the Race award. The win is Palmer's second this season and continues his run of podium finishes in all but two of his career starts.

"So I started eighth; the car was fine but the time wasn't there," Palmer said. "It started sprinkling but I felt comfortable in the rain. As the race went on, everyone was on slicks, so I did what I could. Once I got out front halfway, I just did the best I could to keep it up front. It wasn't wet enough for rains."

Second, after inheriting the pole position due to a technical infraction found post-qualifying for another car, was John Heinricy, of Clarkston, Mich., in the No. 35 Matick Chevrolet Chevrolet Sonic. Heinricy suffered contact on the first lap to drop to the rear of the TCB class field, but recovered with a methodical drive back through.

"Once I got out of the Keyhole on the first lap, I got hit on every side of the car I think, and ended up last," Heinricy said. "I have a lot of experience in the wet. So I put my head down for 40 minutes, said be smooth even though it was still really treacherous. We got the car here, and showed what it could do. Successful day." The race marked the first of the year for both Heinricy and the Chevrolet Sonic in Pirelli World Challenge.

Third, after starting fifth, was Nixon, in the No. 58 Racing.ca/LaptopScreen.com/Nixon Prosports Mini Cooper. Nixon has his third podium finish in as many Pirelli World Challenge starts this season.

Palmer should close substantially in the points standings as each of the top three drivers struggled in Round 9.

Brian Price, of Middletown, Va., in the No. 51 Unlimited Racing/RP Performance Honda Fit, Nathan Stacy, of Owasso, Okla. in the No. 14 MDG/Ford Racing Ford Fiesta, and Paul Holton, of Tallahassee, Fla., in the No. 65 Radium/TRUECar/Lucas Oil Honda Fit finished ninth, 10th and 12th. That trio occupied the top three in points entering the weekend.

Also of note, Leo Parente, of New York, NY, made up six positions overall early in the No. 00 FIAT USA/Pirelli Tire/SRT Motorsports FIAT 500 but had a slight off early at Turn 6. Parente is one of two drivers racing for charity this weekend in the No. 00 car, which is raising money for the Maxton's Fight Foundation. Parente ended 11th in TCB after starting 12th in class.

Results and points are provisional until posted as final. DiMeo and Wolfe should expand their points leads in TC and TCA after Round 9; Palmer is projected to move into third in TCB behind Price and Stacy.

Round 10 of the season will be Saturday at 4:35 p.m. ET; live streaming on world-challengetv.com will begin at 4:15 p.m. ET.

LEXINGTON, Ohio - Results from Friday's 20-lap 45.16 mile Pirelli World Challenge TC/TCA/TCB Round 9 race, part of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with finishing position, class, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out (if any).

1. TC, (1), Michael DiMeo(R), Toronto, Ontario, Honda Civic Si, 20.
2. TC, (3), Steven Doherty, Plainfield, Ill., Nissan Altima Coupe, 20, -14.102.
3. TC, (4), Bryan Heitkotter, Fresno, Calif., Nissan Altima Coupe, 20, -1:05.735.
4. TC, (7), Tony Rivera, Lake Jackson, Texas, Scion FRS Coupe, 20, -1:12.949.
5. TC, (2), Adam Poland(R), Mt. Vernon, Texas, Mazda MX-5, 20, -1:19.353.
6. TC, (8), Ron Yarab(R), Youngstown, Ohio, Honda Civic Si, 20, -1:26.507.
7. TC, (10), Branden Peterson, Breckenridge, Colo., Honda Civic SI, 19, -1 lap.
8. TC, (5), Emilee Tominovich(R), Laurel, Md., Volkswagen Jetta GLI, 19, -1 lap.
9. TC, (6), Kevin Anderson(R), Huntington Station, N.Y., Mazda RX8, 0, Mech.

10. TC, (9), Fred Emich, Denver, Col., Volkswagen Jetta GTI, DNS.

1. TCA, (4), Jason Wolfe(R), Mt. Vernon, Ohio, Kia Forte Koup, 20.
2. TCA, (2), Ernie Francis_Jr, Dania, Fla., MAZDA MX-5, 19, -1 lap.
3. TCA, (3), Jason Cherry(R), Gambrills, Md., Mazda MX-5, 19, -1 lap.
4. TCA, (1), Shea Holbrook, Groveland, Fla., Honda Civic Si, 19, -1 lap.

1. TCB, (8), Tyler Palmer, San Diego, Calif., MINI Cooper, 19.
2. TCB, (1), John Heinricy, Clarkston, Mich., Chevrolet Sonic, 19, -10.419.
3. TCB, (5), Glenn Nixon(R), Mission, British Columbia, MINI Cooper, 19, -14.480.
4. TCB, (4), PJ Groenke, Toronto, Canada, Honda Fit, 19, -27.486.
5. TCB, (13), Chase Pelletier, Brampton, Ontario, Honda Fit, 19, -38.133.
6. TCB, (10), Austin Snader(R), Fulshear, Texas, FIAT 500, 19, -43.891.
7. TCB, (9), Jason Fichter(R), Jupiter, Fla., MINI Cooper, 18, -1 lap.
8. TCB, (11), Tom Noble(R), St. Louis Park, Minn., MINI Cooper, 18, -1 lap.
9. TCB, (2), Brian Price(R), Middletown, Va., Honda Fit, 18, -1 lap.
10. TCB, (7), Nathan Stacy(R), Owassa, Okla., Ford Fiesta, 18, -1 lap.
11. TCB, (12), Leo Parente, New York, N.Y., Fiat 500, 18, -1 lap.
12. TCB, (6), Paul Holton(R), Tallahassee, Fla., Honda Fit, 17, -2 lap.
13. TCB, (3), Andrei Kisel(R), N. Vancouver, British Columbia, MINI Cooper, 17, -2 lap.

Time of race: 39 minutes, 30.803 seconds.
Average speed: 68.574 mph

Margin of victory: 14.102 Seconds (TC); 1 Lap + Greater Than 1 Lap (TCA); 10.419 Seconds (TCB)

Lap leaders: Laps 1-20, #71 Michael DiMeo(R) (TC); Laps 1-2, #67 Shea Holbrook, Laps 3-20, #36 Jason Wolfe(R) (TCA); Laps 1-2, #35 John Heinricy, Laps 3-5, #58 Glenn Nixon(R), Laps 6-19 #37 Tyler Palmer (TCB)

Fastest race lap: #94 Steven Doherty, 1:37.850 (83.074 mph) (TC); #67 Shea Holbrook, 1:41.380 (80.181 mph) (TCA); #12 Chase Pelletier, 1:49.352 (74.336 mph) (TCB)

Fastest qualifier: #71 Michael DiMeo(R), 1:34.810 (85.737 mph) (TC); #67 Shea Holbrook, 1:38.093 (82.868 mph) (TCA); #35 John Heinricy, 1:48.028 (75.247 mph) (TCB)

(Pirelli World Challenge PR)

Bonhams to Preview Ultra-Rare Ferrari 250 GTO at Monterey Pre-Reunion

Friday, Aug 01

An example of arguably the most famous and sought-after classic race car ever – the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO – will be previewed by Bonhams at the Monterey Pre-Reunion August 9 and 10. The classic race car, of which only 39 were constructed, will be shown in the Bonhams hospitality area at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca where the historic car racing is taking place.

The Ferrari, chassis number 3851GT, is from the Maranello Rosso Collection and has been in one family’s care for the past 49 years. Bonhams will sell the car and nine other Ferraris from the collection at its Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction August 14.

“Collectors around the world are eagerly awaiting auction day to see what the market will command for such a historically significant and rarely available automobile,” said Mark Osborne, head of motoring for Bonhams in the U.S. “There is no reserve on this car, meaning that it will be sold to the highest bidder regardless of what that bid is. And what better way to showcase it than in front of racers and collectors who are at the Monterey Pre-Reunion.”

This car was the 19th Ferrari GTO to be completed. Since two of the preceding examples had been 330 GTOs with 4-litre engines instead of the GT-homologated 3-litre '250' units it may be regarded as the 17th 250 GTO. It was collected by its first owner, the experienced and rugged 34-year-old French privateer Jo Schlesser, who immediately entered it in the 1962 Tour de France Automobile, with co-driver French skiing champion Henri Oreiller. The duo covered 3,418 miles and finished second overall.

The Monterey Pre-Reunion kicks off the Monterey Classic Car Week of activities including the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (August 14-17), Quail Motorsports Gathering (August 15) and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (August 17).

Bonhams returns to the Monterey Pre-Reunion for the fifth consecutive year showcasing auction cars at its Turn 4 chalet in the race paddock. Several other cars will join the Ferrari 250 GTO for visitors to inspect before they go on final display prior to the auction beginning.

“We are thrilled Bonhams has selected the Monterey Pre-Reunion to preview this superb race car to our guests,” said Gill Campbell, CEO and general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “It is a privilege to be working with Bonhams on enhancing the experience for our drivers and wish them great success in the auction of these very important cars.”

Admission to the Monterey Pre-Reunion August 9 and 10 is just $20 at the paddock entrance of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Advance purchase tickets for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion August 14-17, featuring 550 historic race cars and the centennial of Maserati, are still available online at www.MazdaRaceway.com or by calling 800-327-7322.

74th Daytona 200 Set for Saturday, March 14

Friday, Aug 01

The 74th DAYTONA 200, which will showcase the return of the AMA Pro SuperBike class to America's most historic motorcycle race, will be held on Saturday, March 14. Tickets go on sale Monday, Aug. 4 at 9 a.m.

Earlier this year, AMA Pro Racing announced that its premier AMA Pro SuperBike class will return to the DAYTONA 200 in 2015. The season-opening event will be a 69-lap race contested on Daytona International Speedway's 2.91-mile short course. Since 2005, the smaller-displacement motorcycles of Formula Xtreme and GoPro Daytona SportBike have been showcased in the prestigious event. With the 2015 return of the AMA Pro SuperBikes, the top teams and riders will again headline the historic event.

"The DAYTONA 200 has a long and storied history on both the sands of Daytona Beach and on the high banks of the Speedway," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. "We're looking forward to witnessing a new chapter in the event's history as the powerful SuperBikes from AMA's premier class return to compete in motorcycle's most historic and demanding race."

In addition to the Daytona 200, the Speedway will host a full complement of AMA Pro Road Racing classes March 12-14 with the GoPro Daytona SportBike and the Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series. The AMA Pro Flat Track doubleheader is scheduled for March 12-13.

The roots of the DAYTONA 200 can be traced back to the sands of Daytona Beach with Ed Kretz Sr. winning the inaugural event back in 1937 aboard an Indian. The DAYTONA 200 moved to Daytona International Speedway in 1961 and is the only endurance race on the AMA Pro schedule.

Triumph rider Danny Eslick dominated the 2014 edition of the DAYTONA 200. Eslick became the first rider to win the DAYTONA 200 aboard a Triumph since the late Gary Nixon in 1967 and joined a long list of motorcycle legends that have conquered the grueling race including Scott Russell, Miguel Duhamel, Mat Mladin, Kenny Roberts and Dick Klamforth.

Kicking off DAYTONA 200 Week on Saturday night, March 7 will be the prestigious Daytona Supercross- the only AMA Supercross event in Florida in 2015. The tough and challenging course will once again be designed by Supercross legend Ricky Carmichael.

Following the Daytona Supercross will be the sixth annual Ricky Carmichael Amateur Supercross on Sunday, March 8 and Monday, March 9 where amateur Supercross racers will have an opportunity to test their skills on the same course used in the Daytona Supercross.

Tickets for all motorcycle racing events are available by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram andPinterest for the latest news all season long. Fans can follow the latest on DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch renovation at the "World Center of Racing" by using #DAYTONARising on Twitter or visiting www.daytonarising.com.

Larsen Jet Girls make FireBall for Charity

Friday, Aug 01

Jet dragster drivers Elaine Larsen and Marisha Falk, from Daytona Florida based Larsen Motorsports, will make a new kind of Fire Ball for them this year without their jet dragsters.

The dynamic duo has been selected to participate in this year’s Fireball Run Adventure-Rally where America is literally the game board. The event will take them across North America on an eight day adventure through America's frontier covering thousands of miles. An actual trivial pursuit challenge, where America is the game board.

Providing support for Elaine and Marisha are multi-year sponsors of the Larsen Motorsports Jet Racing Teams, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Miller Welding, Simpson Race Products and Carlisle Events.

The core purpose of the event is to help find lost or missing children. Covering over 2000 miles, the teams will spread awareness and hand out flyers of missing children across America. Specifically, Elaine and Marisha will be racing to help bring home 17 year old Gloria Alvarado, missing from Sanford Florida who was last seen July 30, 2012.

Information about Gloria or any other missing children can be reported to any law enforcement agency or to the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children.

You can follow the teams on Fireballrun.com as well as on Elaine and Marisha’s Facebook where you can help the girls solve the clues and be a part of their adventure.

Championships At Stake This Weekend At IHRA Pittsburgh Nationals

Friday, Aug 01

With only three races remaining in the 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series season, championship points are at a premium.

And that couldn't be any more true than at this weekend's pivotal stop at Pittsburgh Raceway Park as the stars of the IHRA return to the Steel City for the fourth annual IHRA Nitro Jam Pittsburgh Nationals presented by Good Vibrations Motorsports this Friday and Saturday.

Jason Rupert can clinch the IHRA Funny Car championship this weekend

Following a compelling race at Cordova Dragway Park two weeks ago that saw first-time winners in every professional category except one, fans and drivers are buzzing as the IHRA returns to the track this weekend with only three events remaining.

"We saw an exceptional race at Cordova earlier this month and that has created a lot of attention on the IHRA and the Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series. After what we saw in Illinois, I would expect similar results this weekend in Pittsburgh with another superior lineup heading to Pennsylvania," said Scott Gardner, President of IHRA Motorsports. "I expect, with only a few races left, the competition and intensity will be at an all-time high which should make for an extremely compelling race this weekend."

Adding to the racing excitement itself, two unique variables will play a key role at this weekend's event at Pittsburgh Raceway Park - track length and the crunch being placed on IHRA's Nitro Funny Car teams.

First up, Pittsburgh Raceway Park will host IHRA's only event not contested on the quarter-mile this season. For safety reasons, the IHRA Pittsburgh Nationals will be shortened to 1,000 feet for all nitro classes creating an extra challenge for IHRA teams. While 320 less feet doesn't sound like a lot, it could play a major role in the final outcomes with some teams better suited to shorter attacks.

The second variable is the Nitro Funny Car schedule. With one less event on the schedule than all of the other pro classes, the IHRA Pittsburgh Nationals will serve as the next-to-last race of the season for Nitro Funny Car competitors, meaning championships can be clinched this weekend.

One of the closest battles this season has taken place in Nitro Harley

Breakout star Jason Rupert in the Bays and Rupert "Black Plague" '69 Camaro can clinch his first IHRA Nitro Funny Car championship this weekend with a strong performance at the Pittsburgh Nationals as he holds a commanding 177-point lead over second place Mark Sanders. With four national event victories and a trip to the final round at every national event entered except one, Rupert can seal his first IHRA title and fourth career Nitro Funny Car championship in Pittsburgh.

But it won't be an easy task. Fellow 2014 national event winners John Hale in the "Mike Burkhart" tribute Camaro and Mike McIntire in the "McAttack" Camaro will join IHRA record holder and multi-time Pittsburgh winner Peter Gallen in trying add another Ironman to their collection. They will be joined in Pittsburgh by Sanders, Tim Boychuk, Bruce Litton, Mike Smith, Ronny Young, Greg Jacobsmeyer, Gary Kraus, John Crimmins and more.

The remaining professional classes still face three races, giving them extra time to lock up their respective championships.

One of the closest battles of 2014 is in Nitro Harley as Canadian Mike Scott sits just 15 points ahead of Louisiana native Randal Andras and a little over 100 points clear of fourth place Mark Cox. Multi-time IHRA champion Jay Turner sits in the middle in third. Scott leads the quartet with three wins this season, though he hasn't hoisted an Ironman trophy since early June. Cox has two wins, while Andras has one.

In Pro Stock, Oklahoma's Cary Goforth leads the championship standings by 32 points over John DeFlorian. Goforth and DeFlorian began the season as the class of the field, but have not visited the winner's circle since early April. They will look to regain momentum this weekend.

Black Diamond Motorsports and Goforth Racing will continue their battle in Pittsburgh this weekend with both teams gunning for the title

Goforth teammate Todd Hoerner sits third in the championship standings, followed by Kevin Bealko and Pete Berner. Dean Goforth is the most recent winner in the class, winning the Summer Nationals at Cordova earlier this month.

Rounding out the pro classes are Nitro Altered and Jet Dragster as Ron Maroney brings a healthy lead in the AA/FA category in the "Blind Faith" machine over Don Blackshear in "Bullet Bob." In Jet Dragster, Elaine Larsen leads the all-female lineup, just ahead of Dawn Perdue. 20-year-old Kat Moller, fourth in points, won her first career race last weekend in Cordova giving all four girls at the top of the standings a win this season.

The 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Pittsburgh Nationals presented by Good Vibrations Motorsports will take place this Friday and Saturday at Pittsburgh Raceway Park. Tickets can be purchased online at www.nitrojam.com or at the gate on the day of the show. For more information, visit www.nitrojam.com or call Pittsburgh Raceway Park at (724) 668-7600.

(IHRA PR)

Brayton and Pourcel Make it a Clean Sweep of the MotoSport.com Holeshot Awards for Yamaha at Washougal

Friday, Aug 01

The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, returned to the west coast this past weekend for its annual visit to the Pacific Northwest and the picturesque Washougal MX Park. The Motosport.com Washougal National served as the ninth stop of the season and featured a day of dominance for the Red Bull KTM squad, in which both Ryan Dungey and Marvin Musquin swept the days motos in the 450 Class and 250 Class, respectively, en route to victory. KTM also had success in qualifying, while Yamaha showcased its power out of the gate all afternoon long.

Ryan Dungey topped the charts all around in the 450 Class

Photo: Matt Rice / Alli Sports

Through partnerships with series sponsors, the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will recognize the riders who achieve the series' specialty awards all summer long. Each week, MX Sports Pro Racing will recognize the riders who are able to lay claim to the Oakley Bomb Fastest Lap Program, the MotoSport.com Holeshot Award in each moto, and the Ricky Carmichael Hard Charger Award throughout the 2014 season.

The Oakley Bomb Fastest Lap Program is designed to present a unique challenge for the 2014 season, providing a different twist by recognizing the rider who sets the fastest lap of practice in both the 250 and 450 Classes. Each rider will receive special Oakley Bomb trophy, specially designed by the brand.As the season wears on, the total number of Oakley Bomb awards a rider receives will be tallied into a final season total. The competitor with the most awards at season's end will be presented with an Elite Oakley Time Bomb II Swiss Automatic Watch.

For just the second time in 2014, Dungey posted the fastest lap of practice in the premier class, beating out Team Honda Muscle Milk's Trey Canard by over half a second to earn the Oakley Bomb Award. In fact, Dungey's lap of 2:13.401 made him the only rider to break the 2:14.00 barrier. The last time the two-time series champion topped the charts was at the opening round from Glen Helen, and on that afternoon Dungey also walked away with the victory. At Washougal, he carried that impressive into the motos and was simply on another level from his competitors.

It was a good day at Washougal for Marvin Musquin, pictured with

his first Oakley Bomb Award of the Season

Photo: Matt Rice / Alli Sports

One week after Valli Motorsports Yamaha's Christophe Pourcel clinched the Oakley Bomb Fastest Lap Program title and the prized watch that comes with it, another Frenchman added his name to the list of Oakley Bomb Award recipients in 2014. Musquin made it clear early that he would be the rider to beat at Washougal after posting the fastest lap of any rider in either class at the conclusion of the first session. He maintained his spot on top in the final session, bettering his time to a 2:14.082 and finding a full second-and-a-half advantage over the rest of the field. After a pair of good starts in the motos, it looked easy for Musquin to make his way to the front and control the race.

The Motosport.com Holeshot Award is brand new to Lucas Oil Pro Motocross this season and it awards $500 to the rider who gets the holeshot of each moto - in both the 450 Class and 250 Class - at every round of the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. A total of $2,000 will be up for grabs at each event between the two classes, thanks to Motosport.com.

Justin Brayton carried great momentum out of the gate in both motos of the day

Photo: Simon Cudby / Racer X

In the 450 Class, the Toyota/Yamaha/JGRMX effort is known for its impressive speed off the start. After his teammate Josh Grant was forced to miss the action following a crash in practice, Justin Brayton rose to the occasion for his team in each moto. The veteran made a clean sweep of the Motosport.com Holeshot Awards in the premier class, pocketing $1,000 for his efforts and bringing some positive results to the JGRMX squad on an otherwise tough day. Brayton parlayed those starts into a solid top-10 effort, finishing ninth overall after 8-8 moto scores.

In the 250 Class, Pourcel shifted his affinity for posting a fast qualifying lap to impeccable launches out of the gate. Just one week after he swept the Motosport.com Holeshot Awards and Spring Creek, the Frenchman duplicated that effort at Washougal, giving him another $1,000 bonus and $2,000 in holeshot money the last two weeks. His current streak of four straight holeshots complements his streak of three-in-a-row earlier this season and brings his class-leading total to seven. There simply hasn't been a rider in the entire championship to collect as many specialty awards this season as the "Crafty Frenchman."

Christophe Pourcel traded in his usual Oakley Bomb Fastest Lap for two holeshots at Washougal

Photo: Simon Cudby / Racer X

The RC Hard Charger Award is entering its sixth season in 2014. Named after Ricky Carmichael, the most winning motocross rider of all time, the award recognizes the one competitor at each of the 12 rounds of the championship who overtakes the highest number of his fellow racers in any of the four championship motos between the 250 and 450 Classes.The award is a testament to "The Greatest of All Time" or "The GOAT" and his never-give-up attitude over the span of a career that warranted 10 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross titles and 102 wins - two feats that will likely never be duplicated. All recipients of the RC Hard Charger Award are given a custom-designed trophy.

On an afternoon in which the top privateer was honored for his efforts in both the 450 Class and 250 Class, it was fitting that another privateer with Pacific Northwest roots ultimately earned the RC Hard Charger Award at Washougal with a resilient ride. Seattle-area native Tevin Tapia found himself in dead last to start the final 450 Class moto, crossing the line in 38^th, but the Team 3BR Suzuki rider refused to let adversity get to him at his home race and put on a charge. After a grueling final moto on an extremely rough and challenging track, Tapia fought his way into a points-paying position in 20^th, passing a total of 18 riders to salvage what could have been a forgettable outing.

2014 Specialty Award Winners

Oakley Fastest Lap Program

450 Class

Glen Helen - Ryan Dungey

Hangtown - Ken Roczen

Thunder Valley - Trey Canard

High Point - Ken Roczen

Muddy Creek - Eli Tomac

Red Bud - Ken Roczen

Budds Creek - James Stewart

Spring Creek - Ken Roczen

Washougal - Ryan Dungey

250 Class

Glen Helen - Christophe Pourcel

Hangtown - Christophe Pourcel

Thunder Valley - Christophe Pourcel

High Point - Jeremy Martin

Muddy Creek - Christophe Pourcel

Red Bud - Christophe Pourcel

Budds Creek - Christophe Pourcel

Spring Creek - Christophe Pourcel

Washougal - Marvin Musquin

Motosport.com Holeshot Award

450 Class

Glen Helen

Moto 1 - Josh Grant

Moto 2 - Ken Roczen

Hangtown

Moto 1 - Ryan Dungey

Moto 2 - Jake Weimer

Thunder Valley

Moto 1 - Josh Grant

Moto 2 - Trey Canard

High Point

Moto 1 - Chad Reed

Moto 2 - Chad Reed

Muddy Creek

Moto 1 - Eli Tomac

Moto 2 - Ryan Dungey

Red Bud

Moto 1 - Ryan Dungey

Moto 2 - Ken Roczen

Budds Creek

Moto 1 - Justin Brayton

Moto 2 - Ryan Dungey

Spring Creek

Moto 1 - Ryan Dungey

Moto 2 - Eli Tomac

Washougal

Moto 1 - Justin Brayton

Moto 2 - Justin Brayton

250 Class

Glen Helen

Moto 1 - Jeremy Martin

Moto 2 - Jeremy Martin

Hangtown

Moto 1 - Zach Bell

Moto 2 - Jeremy Martin

Thunder Valley

Moto 1 - Jessy Nelson

Moto 2 - Zach Bell

High Point

Moto 1 - Christophe Pourcel

Moto 2 - Christophe Pourcel

Muddy Creek

Moto 1 - Christophe Pourcel

Moto 2 - Justin Bogle

Red Bud

Moto 1 - Matt Biscegila

Moto 2 - Joey Savatgy

Budds Creek

Moto 1 - Justin Bogle

Moto 2 - Jeremy Martin

Spring Creek

Moto 1 - Christophe Pourcel

Moto 2 - Christophe Pourcel

Washougal

Moto 1 - Christophe Pourcel

Moto 2 - Christophe Pourcel

RC Hard Charger Award

Glen Helen - Josh Grant (+22)

Hangtown - Andrew Short (+24)

Thunder Valley - Fredrik Noren (+21)

High Point - Shane Sewell & Zack Williams (+14)

Muddy Creek - Josh Grant (+29)

Red Bud - Fredrick Noren & Joey Savatgy (+21)

Budds Creek - Dean Wilson (+21)

Spring Creek - Jason Anderson (+25)

Washougal - Tevin Tapia (+18)

Round 10 of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship heads to New Berlin, New York, for the Red Bull Unadilla National on Saturday, August 9.

MX Sports Pro Racing

MX Sports Pro Racing manages and produces the world's most prestigious professional motocross series - the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. The industry leader in off road power sport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators. Visitwww.mxsportsproracing.com.

Alli Sports

Alli Sports is a media, event and branded content company that specializes in action, adventure, and adrenaline based sports. Alli Properties include the Dew Tour, Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, the Red Bull Signature Series and World of Adventure Sports presented by Go Pro. Alli Sports is a division of the NBC Sports Group. More information can be found at www.Allisports.com.

AMA Pro Racing

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

Lucas Oil Products

Based in Corona, Calif., Lucas Oil Products, Inc is the world leader of High Performance Lubricants and Problem Solving Additives and produces and markets 272 unique formulations in thirty four countries around the globe and is growing country by country, market by market every year. Through innovative product research and development, along with progressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil Products has established itself as the top-selling additive line in the American truck-stop industry. Lucas Oil is involved in an array of motorsports sponsorships, including the "Official Motor Oil of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship." Visit: www.lucasoil.com.

MAVTV

MAVTV is a television network with its roots deep in the automotive world. With an unparalleled line-up of motorsports events and exclusive automotive reality shows, MAVTV is the answer for motor-heads from all walks of life. But MAVTV is much more than a motorsports destination, with original action/adventure programming, live MMA and an unbelievable library of blockbuster movies - MAVTV is a network the whole family can enjoy. A network by the people and for the people, made in America and American Real. Visit: www.mavtv.com.

(Lucas Oil Pro Motocross PR)

Hampshire, Harrison and Marchbanks Dominate Opening Day of 2014 Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National

Friday, Aug 01

The 2014 Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship presented by AMSOIL kicked off its racing schedule on Tuesday from the historic Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee for the 33rd running of the world's largest and most prestigious amateur motocross championship. Seventeen different riders emerged victorious through the first 20 gate drops and while there's still plenty of racing left to go, several of this year's key players were established in the opening set of motos.

RJ Hampshire is the man to beat in the A classes after the first set of motos

Photo: Ken Hill / MX Sports

Some of the most highly anticipated competition of the week comes from the Open Pro Sport and 250 A divisions who are usually packed full of riders that will soon makea jump into the professional ranks. So far, in his final bid as an amateur racer this week, AMSOIL Factory Connection Honda's RJ Hampshire has laid the foundation as the rider to beat in the premier class. Hampshire began the day with a big win in the Open Pro Sport class, fending off Yamalube/Star Racing/Yamaha's Aaron Plessinger in the opening moto.

Garrett Marchbanks established himself early in the minicycle ranks

Photo: Ken Hill / MX Sports

The Hampshire/Plessinger battle carried over into the opening moto of the 250 A division as the duo hooked up just behind KTM-mounted Daniel Baker, who captured the $100 Bell Helmet Holeshot Award and the early lead. Hampshire and Plessinger eventually moved into the lead and it was a head-to-head battle for the win. That is, until Plessinger abruptly went down in what would ultimately result in a DNF for the rising motocross star, who also plans to move into the pro ranks this season. Despite the chaos, Hampshire remained solid to capture his second moto win of the day in Pro Sport, where he now heads into the second set of motos with first gate pick and a slight advantage on his competition. Monster Energy Team Green Kawasaki's Chris Alldredge capitalized on the opportunity to take second, while Club MX's Marshal Weltin took third.

At the intermediate level, it was Monster Energy Kawasaki's Mitchell Harrison who emerged with a pair of wins through the first set of motos, one in Schoolboy 2 (13-16) B/C and another in 250 B. Although he swept both motos of the day, Harrison was challenged from all angles by riders such as Tristan Charboneau and Lorenzo Locurcio in 250 B, and Jon Ames and Mark Worth in the Schoolboy class. KTM Orange Brigade's Alexander Frye proved to be a big contender early on in 250 B until a big crash set him back quite a few positions near the end.

Mitchell Harrison heads into moto two with a nice gate pick

Photo: Ken Hill / MX Sports

The Monster Energy Team Green Kawasaki squad carried its dominance into the Youth divisions as Garrett Marchbanks swept both of the Mini Sr classes for the day. While Marchbanks experienced plenty of competition from riders like Yamaha bLUcRU's Chase Sexton, who finished a close second in moto one, the Utah native held strong to put forth the only 1-1 performance in the minicycle divisions thus far.

Ricky Renner captured the Junior 25+ win

Photo: Ken Hill / MX Sports

The age classes typically bring about some of the most intense battles of the week and Tuesday's racing was no different as many of the sport's most accomplished racers made their return to the Amateur National Championship. The Junior 25+ class showcased a host of talent once again with familiar names such as Robbie Reynard, James Povolny and Andrew Matusek, but this year it was all about Ricky Renner, who took the moto one win in a dominant fashion over a tough set of competition.

Mackenzie Tricker began her title defense in a favorable way

Photo: Ken Hill / MX Sports

Yamaha bLU cRU/Rock River supported Mackenzie Tricker returned this year to defend her Women (14+) National Championship and so far so good for the Australian native as she captured the win in moto one. It wasn't an easy feat for Tricker, though, as her Rock River Yamaha-backed teammate Kaitlyn Morrow laid on the pressure near the end to finish less than one second behind the defending champ for the number two spot in moto one.

Hannah Hodges captured two podium finishes in the first set of motos

Photo: Ken Hill / MX Sports

Hannah Hodges jumped into the Women (14+) ranks this season, finishing an impressive third place in moto one. Hodges continued her streak in the Girls (12-16) class with a dominant performance to capture the moto one win, while North Carolina's Jordan Jarvis took the Girls (9-13) class win.

Tuesday showcased 20 different gate drops to complete half of the first moto order

Photo: Ken Hill / MX Sports

Day two of racing will resume on Wednesday, July 30 with the remaining number of opening motos, as well as the beginning of the second set of motos. Live streaming coverage begins Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. CT / 11:30 a.m. ET on RacerTV.com. For more information on the viewing times for the rest of the week, please click HERE.

Tuesday's archived coverage is now available on RacerTV.com, to view the racing action from day one please click HERE.

Complete results from the 2014 National Championship can be found HERE and Live Timing & Scoring can be accessed HERE.

The 2014 Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship presented by AMSOIL will take place July 27 - Aug. 2 at Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. For more information, visit the series website atwww.mxsports.com.

About the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship

The Rocky Mountain ATV/MCAMA Amateur National Motocross Championship is the world's largest and most prestigious amateur motocross racing program. The national qualifying program consists of 52 Area Qualifiers (February through May) and 12 Regional Championships (June), hosted at select motocross facilities across the country. The qualifying system culminates in the National Final (first week of August) hosted annually since 1982 at the home of country music star Loretta Lynn in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Nearly 20,000 racers attempt to qualify in 36 classes for the 1,446 available positions at the National. Christened "The World's Greatest Motocross Vacation", the National event serves as a launch pad for some of the biggest names in professional motocross and supercross, including Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart, Ryan Villopoto, and Ryan Dungey. The national program is produced by MX Sports, Inc., a West Virginia-based race production.

( Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship presented by AMSOIL PR)

GALLERY OF SPEED, THE NEW AMERICAN CAR CULTURE EXPERIENCE OPENS AT THE WALLY PARKS NHRA MOTORSPORTS MUSEUM

Friday, Aug 01

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum presented by Automobile Club of Southern California announced today the opening of its new interactive exhibit hall Gallery of Speed, which vividly recreates historical moments in American motorsports and car culture.

The Gallery of Speed brings to life the humble beginnings of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and how motorsports have impacted the world through innovation, engineering and design.

“The new Gallery of Speed is not just an exhibit but an entirely new learning experience with a unique look into the fascinating world of hot rodding and motorsports,” the NHRA Museum’s Executive Director Larry Fisher said. “Here we will begin to tell the stories of the great American hot rod and, those who built and raced them, in a new light. We will not only celebrate the cars but the people, the engineering, the science, and the sheer audacity of those who pushed the limits in their pursuit of speed.”

The Gallery of Speed features five new focal areas: the origins of hot rodding, land speed racing, the early days of the NHRA and the influence of custom car design. The eye-opening exhibit offers a unique collection of historical vehicles, artifacts, interactive touchscreens, images, oral histories, life-sized sculptures designed by Weldon Exhibits and other memorabilia.

The Gallery of Speed will spark the visitor’s quest for knowledge. The exhibit is designed to be a fun learning experience sprinkled with hands-on activities and touchscreens focused on S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, arts and math). Visitors can customize their own hot rod, learn the ‘language of hot rodding,’ and listen to candid stories from NHRA Founder Wally Parks and other motorsports legends.

“We wanted to develop a new approach to learning about the history of hot rodding, motorsports and the individuals who influenced American car culture,” said Greg Sharp, curator of the NHRA Motorsports Museum. “I believe that the new Gallery of Speed will capture the visitor’s imagination and inspire all ages for years to come. It’s an exhibit our Founder Wally Parks would be very proud of.”

Visitors will also want to browse an assortment of gifts and keepsakes in the museum’s newly renovated and expanded retail store. Take home a distinctive reminder of your visit to NHRA Motorsports Museum. Also, learn about upcoming events and sign up to become an exclusive museum member. Many museum gifts are available to purchase online at www.nhramuseum.org.

Plan your visit with us! The NHRA Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Become a member and enjoy free NHRA Museum admission year round.

General admission tickets are $10 adults, $8 seniors (60 and up), $8 youth (6-15) and free for children ages 5 and under. AAA discount is available. For more information, call (909) 622-2133 or visit www.NHRAmuseum.org. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to NHRA Museum on YouTube.

The NHRA Motorsports Museum is located at 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona, Calif. on the Fairplex grounds. From the 10 West, exit Fairplex Drive.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum presented by Automobile Club of Southern California is an independent California non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to celebrating the impact of motorsports on American culture. Neighboring the historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the Museum collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets the vehicles, stories and artifacts that represent America’s affection for, and the influence of, automotive speed and style in all its forms. For more information, visit our website: www.nhramuseum.org.

(NHRA Communications Department)

RoadRace Factory - Special Announcement - MCE Insurance British Superbike Series

Friday, Aug 01

If you've been listening to the radio chatter lately, you may have picked up on some interesting information provided by our very own Danny Walker. Last week on Barry Boone's "Talking Motorcycle with Barry Boone" internet radio show, Danny let slip something we've been working on for quite a while but have been keeping under wraps until all the pieces were in place.

Well, the last few pieces fell into place last week and we are very excited to announce that The RoadRace Factory will be invading the MCE Insurance - British Superbike Series. That's right!! We're going to be bringing the party to the British Superbike Series and provide our riders with a little international exposure. It's going to take a lot to make our venture overseas a success and we're thrilled that our sponsors support this effort to bring attention to the talent of American riders in the AMA.

Following the final round of AMA Pro Road Racing competition at New Jersey Motorsports Park, Sept 12th-14th, the team will be packing up their kit and heading over to England. There, they will be utilizing temporary quarters to set-up their race efforts. The team will compete in the final two rounds of the series, Round 11 from Silverstone and Round 12 from Brands Hatch.

Danny Walker stated, "This is going to be an incredible undertaking for us but its something that we've actually wanted to do since season one. Our mission at The RoadRace Factory has always been to develop riders that can compete with the best in the world regardless of the series. We're going over there to show what our riders are capable of and what our program can produce. We're also going to explore more opportunities to grow our program and investigate the viability of possibly competing in a full season overseas. The bottom line is that we seek to promote American riders and provide them with a path toward an international series. It's been our vision all along and we're excited that it has finally been given the green light."

Jake Gagne added, "I'm excited for the whole experience. New tracks, new series, new class, I just can't wait to get racing over there. It's awesome to see all the hard work the team and especially Danny Walker has put into this effort and we'll work hard to make America proud."

Tomas Puerta says, "First I want to thank the whole RoadRace Factory / Red Bull Team for all the hard work during these three years in AMA and help me reach my best results in my career and my first professional championship.

This is an awesome opportunity for me as a rider to go race in the BSB Championship, learn new tracks and get international exposure. It's also a really competitive championship. There's a lot of awesome fans at the races and I get to work with a team that feels like a Family..

Can't wait for it !!!

Also I want to thank all the sponsors that make this possible. Red Bull RoadRace Factory, Dainese, Bell Helmets, Addict by Bosi, Indeportes Antioquia, AKT"

Sponsorship opportunities exist for this adventure. If you'd like to inquire as to how you can help, please contact Danny Walker atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Be sure to follow us for all the BSB action:

Facebook - www.facebook.com/roadracefactory

Twitter - @roadracefactory

Instagram - @roadracefactory

YouTube - www.youtube.com/roadracefactory

(RoadRace Factory PR)

Deep Field, Deep Storylines as Pirelli World Challenge Heads for Mid-Ohio All Class Doubleheader

Friday, Aug 01

The biggest field of the season heads to the classic Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course as the Pirelli World Challenge continues its 25th Anniversary season. A pair of 50-minute sprints are on tap for GT, GT-A and GTS, Rounds 11 and 12 of the year, with Touring Car, Touring Car A and Touring Car B-Spec racing a pair of 40-minute events for Rounds 9 and 10.

In total, 78 cars are entered among the six categories of competition. That includes season-tying or new highs in GT/GT-A (23 total), GTS (28) and TC (9).

With championship battles occurring across the board and a pair of races on tap at the 2.258-mile circuit located in Lexington, Ohio, this will prove a pivotal weekend in the 2014 season.

Pirelli World Challenge GT: All-star GT field set for Mid-Ohio shootout
Cadillac continues to lead both the driver's and manufacturer's championships leaving the streets of Toronto, but they will likely have a fight on their hands this weekend back on the road course at Mid-Ohio. Neither Johnny O'Connell, of Flowery Branch, Ga., in the No. 3 Cadillac Racing Cadillac CTS-V.R nor Andy Pilgrim, of Boca Raton, Fla., in the sister No. 8 Cadillac Racing Cadillac CTS-V.R has a road course win this year. Still, O'Connell has managed three podiums (two at Barber, one at Road America) and Pilgrim one (Road America Round 8) on the tracks that generally don't suit the Cadillac as well as the point-and-shoot street courses.

K-PAX Racing returns to Mid-Ohio seeking an encore of its near perfect 2013, when Alex Figge, of Denver, Col., won both races from pole and the team finished 1-2 in race two. Figge's luck has been miserable thus far in 2014, and he's due for it to come around this weekend in his brand new No. 9 K-PAX Racing McLaren 12C GT3, built up following his Road America accident. Teammate Robert Thorne, of Littleton, Col., has steadily improved all season in the No. 6 K-PAX Racing McLaren 12C GT3.

Audi remains well represented in GT with three cars. Mike Skeen, of Charlotte, N.C., is a two-time winner in 2014 in CRP Racing's No. 2 Hawk Performance Audi R8 Ultra and ranks second in place heading into the weekend. James Sofronas, of Villa Park, Calif., in the No. 14 Spyder/The Thermal Club Audi R8 Ultra and Andrew Palmer, of Chicago, in the No. 21 GMG Racing Audi R8 Ultra add another strong two-car effort.

R. Ferri Motorsports seeks to return to their early season success on the road courses. Round 3 winner Anthony Lazzaro, of Atlanta, Ga., in the No. 61 R. Ferri Motorsports Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 continues while regular teammate Nick Mancuso, of Chicago, is out this week following a pair of unlucky accidents north of the border in Toronto.

Dyson Racing Team Bentley has impressed in its first two Pirelli World Challenge weekends, and Butch Leitzinger, of State College, Pa. in the No. 08 Bentley/Breitling/Mobil 1 Bentley Continental GT3 looks for his first podium result on the flowing road course.

A big name returns to the series this weekend. Returning for the first time since the 2013 season opener in St. Petersburg is Glasgow, Scotland's Ryan Dalziel, now of Windermere, Fla., in the No. 31 EFFORT Racing Porsche GT3 R. Porsche factory ace Nick Tandy won Round 9 at Toronto in this car, and Dalziel will no doubt be one to watch in the No. 31 this weekend.

Rounding out the GT class field is another big name, former IndyCar series rookie-of-the-year Alex Lloyd, originally from Manchester, England but now living in Indianapolis. Lloyd will be in a second CRP Racing entry, the No. 12 Hawk Performance Chevrolet Corvette. The lead writer for Yahoo Autos has two prior Mid-Ohio starts, in 2007 in Indy Lights and 2010 in IndyCar.

Pirelli World Challenge GT-A: More action in 11-car class
On the strength of consistency, DragonSpeed's Henrik Hedman, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in the No. 10 DragonSpeed Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 has moved into the GT-A classification points lead thanks to five podium finishes in class. The Swede looks to check his first win off this weekend at Mid-Ohio.

Just 42 points separate the next four in GT-A, who are 24 or more points behind Hedman. Dan Knox, of Pilot Point, Texas, ranks second in the No. 80 ACS Manufacturing, Inc./Performance SpeedTech Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R with Michael Mills, of Angleton, Texas, third in the No. 41 EFFORT Racing Porsche GT3 R and former Mid-Ohio class winner Tim Pappas, of Boston, Mass., will be in the No. 54 Black River Caviar Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 fourth. All three have a win in GT-A this season.

GMG Racing's Bill Ziegler, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., in the No. 95 Swisher Racing/GMG Audi R8 Ultra, has a best class finish of second this season and ranks fifth in GT-A. He's joined by teammates Bret Curtis, of Austin, Texas, in the No. 32 Valspar Paint/Spectra Resources/United Steel Supply Audi R8 Ultra and Alex Welch, of Englewood, Col., No. 76 GMG Racing/Prestige Imports/Morgan Adams Foundation Audi R8 Ultra. Welch makes his first series start since Mid-Ohio 2013.

Four-time GT-A winner Marcelo Hahn, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, leads the pair of Reiter Engineering entries. He'll be in the No. 0 Reiter Engineering Lamborghini Gallardo FL2 and teammate Albert von Thurn und Taxis, of Regensburg, Germany, will be in the No. 24 Reiter Engineering Lamborghini Gallardo FL2.

Jeff Courtney, of Milwaukee, Wis., returns in the No. 99 Kenda/RecStuff.com Audi R8 Ultra after missing Toronto. Also back for the first time since St. Petersburg is Jim Taggart, of Cary, N.C., in the No. 7 Absolut/Porsche Porsche GT3 R.

Pirelli World Challenge GTS: Largest field of the year sees Kias up front
GTS should see its biggest field of the season with 28 cars at Mid-Ohio. There were 28 entered at Barber, but only 26 ultimately started the pair of races.

The pair of Kinetic Motorsports Kias has been tough to beat this year, with three road course victories on their scorecard. Nic Jonsson, of Buford, Ga., in the No. 36 DonorsChoose.org Kia Optima swept Road America while Mark Wilkins, of Toronto, in the No. 38 PutOnTheBrakes.org Kia Optima is fresh off a win in his home race and also won at Mid-Ohio last year. Wilkins (first) and Jonsson (third) are in driver's title contention and have currently propelled Kia to the lead of the manufacturer's championship.

Seeking to upend the Kias are Wilkins' two 2013 championship rivals, defending class champion Lawson Aschenbach, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., in the No. 1 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro and Jack Baldwin, of Marietta, Ga., in the No. 73 RESET-MD Porsche Cayman S. Aschenbach won the other Mid-Ohio race and Baldwin has been a consistent threat on road courses this year; he won Round 4 at Barber. Providing support as always are teammates Tony Gaples, of Libertyville, Ill., in the No. 11 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro and Buz McCall, of Boca Raton, Fla., in the No. 72 RESET-MD Porsche Cayman S.

BestIT Racing's pair also look to spoil the party. Andy Lee, of Colorado Springs, Col., in the No. 20 Crown Seven/BestIT Chevrolet Camaro has several podiums in 2014 and still seeks his first win of the year; rookie teammate Geoff Reeves, of Cleveland, Ohio in the No. 40 Shadow Works/BestIT Chevrolet Camaro continues to develop and gain experience.

Ford has the heaviest presence at Mid-Ohio with eight Mustangs entered this weekend. Leading the charge are Dean Martin, of Westland, Mich., currently second in points in the No. 50 Picture Cars East/Rehagen Racing Ford Mustang Boss 302S and Jack Roush Jr., of Livonia, Mich., in the No. 60 ROUSH Road Racing Ford Mustang Boss 302R, who ranks fifth and still seeks his first win of the year.

Motorsports Development Group has its usual pair of entries with Alec Udell, of The Woodlands, Texas in the No. 17 Watson Racing/MDG Ford Mustang Boss 302S and Mitch Landry, of Lake Charles, La., in the No. 97 VersaCrane/DeepSouth Ford Mustang Boss 302S. Udell is coming off a near miss in Toronto, when Wilkins beat him by just 0.039 of a second in Round 10; meanwhile Landry posted his two best results of the year in Toronto, sixth and seventh.

Capaldi Racing has a quartet of Fords with full-season entries Brad Adams, of New Orleans, La., in the No. 96 Voodoo/Dat Dog/Yo MTV Raps Ford Mustang Boss 302S and Craig Capaldi, of Richmond Township, Mich. in the No. 68 Wolverine Bronze/Capital R Ford Mustang Boss 302S. Joey Atterbury, of Rochester, NY, takes over the No. 33 Capaldi Racing/Ford Racing Ford Mustang Boss 302S driven earlier this year by Tony Buffomante, of Naperville, Ill.

Adding to Capaldi's stable is the charity entry driven by Pirelli World Challenge President/CEO Scott Bove, of Conifer, Col., and rising open-wheel star Austin Cindric, of Mooresville, N.C., who will each race once in the No. 55 Special Operations Warriors Foundation Ford Mustang Boss 302S. Bove makes his first start since Austin 2013 in race one while Cindric, 15, will make his series debut and fourth overall race start of the weekend (three USF2000 races) in Sunday's race two. The No. 55 Mustang, fielded by Capaldi Racing, is a charity entry designed for both fundraising and raising awareness for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. The foundation ensures full financial assistance for a post-secondary degree from an accredited two or four-year college, university, technical, or trade school; as well as educational and family counseling to the surviving children of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps special operations personnel who lose their lives in the line of duty. For more information visit http://www.world-challenge.com/donate/

Aston Martin's trio of entries from TRG-AMR North America continues to improve. While veterans Nick Esayian, of San Diego, Calif. in the No. 34 Natural Cures Aston Martin GT4 and Drew Regitz, of Denver, Col. in the No. 02 TRG-AMR North America Aston Martin GT4 have track experience, rookie Jorge de la Torre, of McAllen, Texas in the No. 04 TRG-AMR North America Aston Martin GT4 will make his first Mid-Ohio start. An additional Aston, Automatic Racing's No. 62 Invisible Glass Aston Martin GT4 driven by Mark Klenin, of Denver, Col., is also entered.

Nissan will have extra cars at Mid-Ohio for the second year in a row. Ric Bushey, of Virginia Beach, Va. in the No. 51 Nissan/Motul/SPL/OSGiken/Sparco/Sunoco Nissan 370Z and Brian Kleeman, of Baltimore, Md. in the No. 07 Nissan/DXD Clutches/Aeromotions Nissan 370Z continue their seasons. Meanwhile BJ Zacharias of Milford, Ohio in the No. 74 Nissan Nismo Nissan 370Z and Vesko Kozarov, of Salt Lake City, Utah, in the No. 90 Nissan/Skullcandy/Stance Nissan 370Z make their respective first starts of the season.

Manufacturer diversity in class continues with entries from BMW, Subaru and Scion joining those from Chevrolet, Ford, Kia, Porsche, Aston Martin, and Nissan. The remainder of the field includes Larry Funk, of Oberlin, Ohio, in the No. 22 Northshore Group BMW M3, Ray Mason, of Columbus, Ohio, in the No. 70 Children's Tumor Foundation/Touge Tuning/Racing4Research.org Subaru WRX-STi, Jay Matus, of Houston, Texas in the No. 71 VP Fuels Porsche 996, and Robert Stout, of Brownsburg, Ind., in the No. 86 Scion/Lucas Oil/TRD Scion FR-S.

Funk and Mason have their home races this weekend; Matus makes his series debut and Stout returns to Pirelli World Challenge action for the first time since Barber in April following further development on the Ken Stout Racing, Inc. Scion.

Pirelli World Challenge TC: DiMeo Seeks Return to Top at Mid-Ohio
Last time out at Road America, Michael DiMeo, of Toronto, had his two worst finishes of the Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car season – second in both races. The driver of Compass360 Racing's No. 71 Grand Alarms Honda Civic Si still holds a sizeable lead in the driver's championship over teammate and C360 team principal Karl Thomson, of Toronto. Thomson drives the team's sister No. 72 Children's Tumor Foundation/HPD/Racing4Research.org Honda Civic Si.

Adam Poland, of Mt. Vernon, Texas in the No. 11 Texas Track Works/Eastex Motorsports Mazda MX-5 got on the scoreboard in Round 8 at Road America, and the young driver looks to add to win that total this weekend.

The pair of Skullcandy Team Nissan entries are back for a second straight race, after scoring a win and pole apiece at Road America. Round 7 winner Steven Doherty, of Plainfield, Ill., will be in the No. 94 Nissan/GT Academy/Skullcandy Nissan Altima Coupe, with Round 7 polesitter Bryan Heitkotter, of Fresno, Calif. in the similar No. 93 Nissan/GT Academy/Skullcandy Nissan Altima Coupe. Doherty competed in a GTS class Nissan 370Z at Mid-Ohio last year, when he made his series debut.

Also with two entries for the first time in 2014 is Emich Racing, with a pair of Volkswagen Jettas. Fred Emich, of Denver, Col., will be in the No. 30 Emich Racing Volkswagen Jetta GTI, while teammate Emilee Tominovich, of Laurel, Md. returns for the first time since New Jersey in the No. 19 Chesapeake Electrical Systems, Inc./Charter Financial Group Volkswagen Jetta GLI. Both drivers have a best finish of fourth in 2014, and each look for their first season podium at a track where Tristan Herbert scored two podiums for Volkswagen in the 2013 TC races.

Kevin Anderson, of Huntington Station, N.Y., also returns to the series for the first time since New Jersey in the No. 23 Tech Sport Racing Mazda RX-8. Anderson finished second at both New Jersey races and looks for his first win this weekend. Meanwhile back for the first time since this race last year is the Branden Peterson Racing entry, with Branden Peterson of Breckenridge, Col. and Bob Roth of La Crosse, Wis. set to drive one race apiece in the No. 64 Fortune Auto/Hybrid Racing/Supper Tech/Competition Clutch Honda Civic Si.

Pirelli World Challenge TCA: Tight points battle between Holbrook, Wolfe heading into Mid-Ohio
After splitting wins at the pair of Road America, Jason Wolfe now leads Shea Holbrook by just nine points in the Touring Car A category with six races remaining. It's the closest points battle within the TC categories.

Wolfe, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio seeks his fourth win of 2014 in the No. 36 Wolfe Trucking Kia Forte Koup on a track where he raced in USF2000 a year ago. Holbrook, of Groveland, Fla. in the No. 67 TRUECar/Lucas Oil/Radium Honda Civic Si, has a class-high four wins this year; a fifth would move her into the championship lead.

Wolfe has a ringer in a teammate this weekend, with legendary Irishman Tommy Byrne, now of Ormond Beach, Fla., set to drive the No. 38 Kinetic Motorsports Kia Forte Koup. Byrne, an ex-Formula One driver from the 1980s, currently serves as a driving instructor at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and is renowned in racing circles for his 2008 book Crashed and Byrned.

The pair of Mazdas entered could play spoiler. Ernie Francis Jr., of Dania, Fla., in the No. 98 Breathless Performance Mazda MX-5 competed in TCB at Mid-Ohio last year and looks for his second win of the year. Rookie Jason Cherry, of Gambrills, Md., in the No. 13 Autism Society of America/Avpro/Purposeful Architecture Mazda MX-5, has had great pace this year but not the luck yet to earn his first series win – it could well come this weekend.

Pirelli World Challenge TCB: Parity reigns as class heads back to Mid-Ohio
Brian Price, of Middletown, Va., in the No. 51 Unlimited Racing/RP Performance Honda Fit dominated the early portion of the 2014 Touring Car B-Spec season, but a pre-race accident that took him out of the two Road America races has left him vulnerable in the championship chase. Price still leads the standings by 55 points heading into Mid-Ohio. Price won the opening three races, but the competition has closed up as the class has seen five different winners in the last five TCB races.

Those closest on his heels are a pair of teenagers. Both 14-year-old Nathan Stacy, of Owasso, Okla., in the No. 14 MDG/Ford Racing Ford Fiesta and 17-year-old Paul Holton, of Tallahassee, Fla., in the No. 65 Radium/TRUECar/Lucas Oil Honda Fit, have a win apiece this year and are both within 119 points of Price. All three drivers make their first Pirelli World Challenge TCB starts at Mid-Ohio this weekend.

Despite missing Rounds 3 and 4, Tyler Palmer, of San Diego, Calif., in the No. 37 MINI USA/Mobil 1/Flying L Racing/ThePainter'sFriend.com/Discount Tire Mini Cooper also is still in title contention. Palmer sits fourth in points, 187 behind Price, on the strength of one win and five podiums in six 2014 starts. Palmer scored a pair of podiums at Mid-Ohio last year and will be a force to be reckoned with once again.

Besides these four, the other winner in the last five races is Glenn Nixon, of Mission, B.C., who won in his second series race at Road America in the No. 58 Racing.ca/LaptopScreen.com/Nixon Prosports Mini Cooper. Both Nixon and teammate Andrei Kisel, of North Vancouver, B.C. in the No. 57 Racing.ca/LaptopScreen.com Mini Cooper add to the field's depth this weekend.

PJ Groenke, of Toronto, in the No. 66 Verax.ca/Tundra Tech/Mulligan Gold Honda Fit and Chris Capaldi, of Imlay City, Mich., in the No. 31 Wolverine Bronze Co./Capaldi Racing/Ford Racing Ford Fiesta return to Mid-Ohio after racing in TCB here last year.

John Heinricy, of Clarkston, Mich., makes both his and Chevrolet's first TCB start of the year in the No. 35 Matick Chevrolet Chevrolet Sonic. Heinricy, a track veteran, could well be a spoiler this weekend.

The Garrett Racing/Drive4Diabetes entry is one of two in the field featuring two drivers. While Johan Schwartz, of Denmark, returns for his third weekend of 2014 in the No. 12 ADA/Promatex/American Honda Honda Fit, second driver Chase Pelletier, of Brampton, Ontario will make his first 2014 start in the No. 12 ADA/Lilly Diabetes/American Honda Honda Fit. The car has two podium finishes this year, one by Schwartz in Round 1 and a second by NASCAR's Ryan Reed in Round 8.

The second two-driver car is the charity entry from 4R Motorsports, the No. 00 FIAT USA/Pirelli Tire/SRT Motorsports FIAT 500. Making a return to competition after a several-year hiatus is Leo Parente, of New York, N.Y., who has carved a successful second career as a racing insider and online commentator. Sharing the seat is Dan Goodman, of Erie, Col., a veteran BMW racer who like Parente will make his series debut. Parente and Goodman will be driving in support of Maxton's Fight, formed in support of children battling disease, including three-year-old Maxton Prill, son of SCCA vice president Eric Prill and former Pirelli World Challenge staff member Robin Prill. For more information visit http://www.world-challenge.com/donatetc/

Three additional rookies round out the field of 13. Jason Fichter, of Jupiter, Fla., will be in the No. 7 Surf Fire & Security Mini Cooper, with Tom Noble, of St. Louis Park, Minn. in the No. 24 4R Motorsports/West Real Estate/Hawk Brakes Mini Cooper and Austin Snader, of Fulshear, Texas, in the No. 99 Evert Fresh Corp./SR Enterprises FIAT 500.

Event/Circuit:
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

13-turn, 2.258-mile permanent road circuit

Qualifying:
Friday, August 1, 11:00 A.M. EDT (TC/TCA/TCB)
Saturday, August 2, 8:00 A.M. EDT (GT/GT-A/GTS)

Green Flag:
Friday, August 1, 5:10 P.M. EDT (TC/TCA/TCB Race 1)
Saturday, August 2, 11:55 A.M. EDT (GT/GT-A/GTS Race 1)
Saturday, August 2, 4:35 P.M. EDT (TC/TCA/TCB Race 2)
Sunday, August 3, 1:40 P.M. EDT (GT/GT-A/GTS Race 2)

Race Lengths:
50 minutes (GT/GT-A/GTS), 40 minutes (TC/TCA/TCB)

Television (on NBC Sports Network): Saturday, August 10 – 1:30 PM (EDT)

Live Internet Telecast (on www.world-challengeTV.com):
Friday, August 1, 5:05 P.M. EDT (TC/TCA/TCB Race 1)
Saturday, August 2, 11:45 A.M. EDT (GT/GT-A/GTS Race 1)
Saturday, August 2, 4:15 P.M. EDT (TC/TCA/TCB Race 2)
Sunday, August 3, 1:15 P.M. EDT (GT/GT-A/GTS Race 2)

(Pirelli World Challenge PR)

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Adam Sinclair

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