Racing News (11503)
Racing News from around the World
The VIROC Gets Revamped For 2020 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Presented by General Tire
04 Dec 2019 Written by Speedway Digest StaffLooking to shake things up with the Vacuworx Invitational Race of Champions (VIROC), the 2020 edition will get a new format and eligibility requirements.
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- Drivers finishing in the Top 3 of Saturday night's A-Feature during the previous five Chili Bowls will be eligible.
- Drivers finishing in the Top 2 of the past five VIROC events will be eligible.
- Preliminary Night Winners from the most recent Chili Bowl will be eligible.
- Series Champions from the most recent calendar year in the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, American Sprint Car Series National Tour, All-Star Circuit of Champions, USAC National Midgets, USAC National Sprint Cars, and POWRi National Midget League will be invited to compete.
- No Driver substitutions or alternates from a sanctioning body will be allowed.
- Starting Lineup for the VIROC will be set by Group Qualifying. Drivers will draw for their qualifying position, then qualify in groups of three to four. Drivers will get two warmup laps, then three green flap laps to set their time. The Top 8 fastest will be inverted with ninth fastest on back lined up straight up by their time.
- VIROC Feature will be 25 Laps.
Daryn Pittman - Runner-up, 2017 Chili Bowl Nationals
Spencer Bayston - Third Place, 2018 Chili Bowl Nationals
Damion Gardner - Third Place, 2015 Chili Bowl Nationals
Zach Daum - Third Place, 2016 Chili Bowl Nationals
Kyle Larson - Tuesday Night Winner
Rico Abreu - Wednesday Night Winner
Justin Grant - Friday Night Winner
Chad Boat - 2018 VIROC Winner
Sammy Swindell - 2015 VIROC Winner
Sam Hafertepe, Jr. - 2019 Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour Champion
Aaron Reutzel - 2019 Ollie's Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions
Jesse Colwell - POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League Champion
Tyler Courtney - USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Champion
C.J. Leary - USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Champion
Five-Day (Tuesday-Saturday) is $282*.
Six-Day (Monday-Saturday) is $337*
When: January 13-18, 2020
Where: River Spirit Expo Center - Tulsa Expo Raceway 4145 E 21st St, Tulsa, OK 74114
1:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. - Interviews, Autographs, and more.
5:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. - Blake Turner Band in concert
Late Entry ($200): December 14, 2019 - January 17, 2020
Entry Form is online at https://www.chilibowl.com/
Fax: (918) 836-5517
Mail: 1141 S. 83rd East Ave. Tulsa, OK 74112
Saturday: $60
General Admission/Pit Passes are sold at the event and never sell out
Facebook: http://www.facebook.
Twitter: (@cbnationals)
Official Hashtag: #ChiliBowl2020
Instagram: cbnationals
Snap Chat: TheChiliBowl
2018 - Christopher Bell (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian, 71W)
2017 - Christopher Bell (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian, 71W)
2016 - Rico Abreu (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian, 97)
2015 - Rico Abreu (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian, 97)
2014 - Bryan Clauson (Joe Dooling/Rusty Kunz/Curb Records, 63)
2013 - Kevin Swindell (Swindell Motorsports/Curb Records, 39)
2012 - Kevin Swindell (Swindell Motorsports/Curb Records, 39)
2011 - Kevin Swindell (Swindell Motorsports/Curb Records, 39)
2010 - Kevin Swindell (Swindell Motorsports/Curb Records, 39)
2009 - Sammy Swindell (Swindell Motorsports/Curb Records, 1)
2008 - Damion Gardner (Jason Leffler, 71)
2007 - Tony Stewart (Tony Stewart Motorsports, 20)
2006 - Tim McCreadie (Steve Smith, 1AU)
2005 - Tracy Hines (Wilke-Pak, 11)
2004 - Cory Kruseman (Andy Bondio, 47)
2003 - Dan Boorse (Dan Boorse, 88)
2002 - Tony Stewart (Keith Kunz, 67)
2001 - Jay Drake (Keith Kunz, 67)
2000 - Cory Kruseman (Andy Bondio, 47)
1999 - Dan Boorse (Dan Boorse, 88)
1998 - Sammy Swindell (Pete Willoughby, 1)
1997 - Billy Boat (John Lawson, 15)
1996 - Sammy Swindell (Rusty Kunz / Jay McKinnie, 1ST)
1995 - Donnie Beechler (Zarounian Motorsports, 67)
1994 - Andy Hillenburg (Keith Kuntz / Rusty Kunz, 1K)
1993 - Dave Blaney (Ralph Potter, 6)
1992 - Sammy Swindell (Dave Ellis, 71)
1991 - Lealand McSpadden (Andy Bondio, 47)
1990 - John Heydenreich (Tony Finley, 77)
1989 - Sammy Swindell (Jack Runyon, 7R)
1988 - Scott Hatton (Jerry Hatton, 7)
1987 - Rich Vogler (Bob Lowe, 74)
Get ready to start the new year in high gear when Lucas Oil’s Chili Bowl Nationals Presented by General Tires comes to Lucas Oil Racing TV (LORTV) in January! Yearly LORTV subscribers will enjoy a LIVE broadcast of the Chili Bowl Nationals on January 18th at 8:30 p.m. ET. Recognized as the Super Bowl of racing, Lucas’ annual Chili Bowl Nationals brings 55 laps of can’t-miss adrenaline-packed racing straight to your television. Give yourself or a loved one the gift of automobile racing this holiday season with a yearly subscription to LORTV and watch all the Chili Bowl action go down LIVE this January.
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Loris Hezemans takes the best out of a tough NASCAR Peak Mexico Series Final
04 Dec 2019 Written by Speedway Digest StaffLoris Hezemans didn’t have the easiest weekend in his NASCAR Peak Mexico debut in Mexico City, but the 2019 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series champion definitely enjoyed an event marked by great fan participation, an outstanding team effort and a combative race.
After posting promising times in his first laps around the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, a severe crash in Practice 2 put the Dutchman’s Saturday to a stop and prevented him from taking part in Qualifying. An exceptional overnight effort from the Escuderia Telmex crew brought the #05 Ford Mustang back to like in time for the race.
“It was an incredible rebuild. When I saw the car initially I thought ‘that’s it, we’re done’, but thankfully it turned out to be more cosmetic and the chassis was all straight. But the next day when I arrived at the track I thought I was dreaming as I saw a car identical to the day before with the same paint & even stickers like nothing had happened. I am really thankful to the whole team for the great job they did. We didn’t get the results we hoped for, but they were phenomenal,” said the 22-year-old Amsterdam native.
Starting the race from the 26th place on the grid with the freshly rebuilt #05 Mustang, Hezemans swiftly entered the top-20 in the first third of the race and was battling for a place in the top-15 mid way through the 120 laps of the Gran Premio FedEx when an issue to the car forced him to stop. Despite the disappointment, Hezemans showed a promising pace.
“It’s a shame that I went off in practice and it’s still bugging me since the driver behind me in the charts on old tires went to P2 once he put stickers on,” continued Hezemans. “I was motivated to fight back in the race but from lap 3 I completely lost my front brakes and I tried everything from running in clean air to pumping the brakes and adjusting the balance but they did not come back to life. Then the engine shut off and we had to retire. But in the end I can only be thankful that I still got to take the start after what happened the day before.”
The weekend, highlighted by the Mexican fans’ enthusiasm, left Hezemans with the desire to come back and fulfill the potential he showed.
“The atmosphere was fantastic, we had a big crowd and the fans are absolutely crazy about NASCAR! It’s great to see so many people with a passion for it and all the opportunities they have to access drivers and teams,” concluded the youngest ever NWES champion. “I would love to come back and give the Nascar Peak Mexico Series another try! The drivers, the team and the fans were some of the most friendly people I met. I want to thank Jimmy Morales and his team for treating me like family and for their incredible hard work, Jerome & Anne Galpin, the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series and NASCAR for making this opportunity possible, as well as Joe Balash and Victor Pineda and the whole Nascar Peak Mexico Series crew for the great time.”
Hezemans’ presence in the NASCAR Peak Mexico Series also represented the second leg of an international exchange between NWES and NPMS that brought Ruben Garcia Jr. on the grid of the Euro NASCAR season opener in Valencia in April. Garcia closed the Mexico City race in sixth place and earned his third career Mexican title, while the event was won by Salvador de Alba Jr.
With the 2019 season officially closed, the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will return to action on April 25-26, 2020 with the traditional season opener in Valencia, Spain. Tickets links are available on EuroNASCAR.com
NWES PR
Formula E to become ABB FIA Formula E World Championship from start of 2020/21 season
03 Dec 2019 Written by Adam SinclairRed Line Synthetic Oil Named Presenting Sponsor for United Championship Racing Alliance Series
03 Dec 2019 Written by Speedway Digest StaffRed Line Synthetic Oil, a leader in the performance lubricants industry, today announced a new partnership with the United Championship Racing Alliance Series(UCRA). With this new collaboration, Red Line Synthetic Oil will be on location at all upcoming UCRA racing events, providing attendees with firsthand product information, as well as samples.
“At Red Line Synthetic Oil we’re truly looking forward to joining the United Championship Racing Alliance family,” said Kit Szwarcburg, Marketing Director of Red Line Synthetic Oil. “Throughout our company history we’ve supported grassroots racing and we’re proud to be a part of local racing communities like the UCRA. Supporting the future of motorsports is extremely important to us as a company, it’s in our DNA.”
The UCRA was founded in 2014 by a group of like-minded track promoters in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee who sought to form a series that allowed racers to unite and compete in an economical touring series. GM 604 and Promax Ford 351 crate motors were selected and a points structure was devised for the tracks within a 300-mile radius. The series supports local racers as they participate in an exciting program and hone their skills.
“As we continue to bring the standards and practices of the United Championship Racing Alliance to new heights, welcoming Red Line Synthetic Oil as our partner was the perfect choice,” said Marvin Ford of UCRA. “Red Line uses their extensive knowledge of racing to create high performance products for everything from the racetrack to common street vehicles. We’re excited to make them a prominent part of our upcoming events as they support our racers with the best fluids available.”
When Red Line was founded in 1979 their focus was to provide racers and enthusiasts with the highest quality lubricants available. While the technology has advanced, the company’s philosophy has remained unchanged. That’s why Red Line creates its synthetic oils and advanced additives using the world’s finest base stocks and additives so racers, enthusiasts and DIYers can rest assured their vehicles are receiving only the highest quality fluids.
For more information on Red Line Synthetic Oil, please visit www.redlineoil.com or follow Red Line Synthetic Oil on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.
For a list of upcoming UCRA events, please visit https://ucraracing.com/events.html.
Red Line Oil PR
Belfor Property Restoration sponsors 2020 Indoor Auto Racing Series
03 Dec 2019 Written by Speedway Digest StaffBELFOR Property Restoration Services, provider of professional 24/7 residential and commercial restoration services has signed on as a sponsor of the ‘Concrete Series’ events of the 2020 Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Race Fuels.
BELFOR, a single-source solution for all residential and commercial property restoration needs, will be the presenting sponsor of events held in three different states. The series opens at the PPL Center in downtown Allentown, Pa. on Friday and Saturday, January 3rd and 4th, 2020. The series then moves to Atlantic City, N.J. on January 31st and February 1st followed the series finale in Syracuse, N.Y. on March 13th and 14th.
A fourth event, a special non-point event for 600 wingless Sprints will be held on a banked clay oval built inside Trenton, N.J.’s CURE Insurance Arena on February 21st and 22nd.
Tickets, which make great Christmas gifts, can be obtained now through information available on the series web-site: www.indoorautoracing.com
The Concrete Series opener at the PPL Center in Allentown the first weekend of 2020 will once again feature two complete racing programs including qualifying and main events on back-to-back nights headlined by the TQ Midgets. They will be joined by Champ Karts on Friday night’s card and Slingshots on Saturday.
Matt Janisch of Nazareth, Pa. became the first Lehigh Valley resident to win a TQ Midget race in Allentown last January during the Friday night program. Ryan Flores of Mooresville, N.C., the 2017 series champion, won Saturday’s main event.
Doors open at 6:00PM with racing getting underway at 7:30 PM on Friday. On Saturday, doors open at 5:00PM with racing beginning at 7:00PM sharp. An on-track Fan Fest is available at no extra charge to ticket holders who chose the option when making their purchase.
Racing then moves to Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on Friday and Saturday January 31st and February 1st for the 18th annual NAPA Know How Classic. Andy Jankowiak of Buffalo, N.Y. won the 2019 event for the first time.
The third annual East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals will return to CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, N.J. with a new date. This event, held the last two years in December, has been moved to Friday and Saturday nights February 21st and 22nd featuring nearly 100 wingless 600cc Sprints kicking up the clay.
The “Concrete Series” season finale follows on Friday and Saturday March 13th and 14th in a second year return to the brand new Expo Center located on the grounds of the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. N.Y.
Erick Rudolph of Ransomville, N.Y., one of the winningest dirt Modified drivers during the 2019 outdoor season, is the defending Indoor Series champion. Rudolph clinched the title by winning the 2019 series finale in Syracuse, N.Y. after 2018 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore won the first ever event in the building on Friday night.
BELFOR, which offers professional property restoration services in the Lehigh Valley, PA area including Scranton, Wilkes Barre, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Bucks County and Berks County was a presenting sponsor of the Allentown event for the first time last year. They’ve now joined the entire series.
A new sponsor for the Allentown event will be Aqua-Duck Water Transport “I Got Hosed” award. The company, owned by Modified driver Todd Baer, will present $150 to the Hard Luck driver each night of the event.
Other corporate sponsorship packages which include signage and a promotional table at an event are set to fit every budget is available by email or calling the series office at Danny Sammons at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 609-888-3618.
Information on sponsorship, host hotels, group sales and entries are now available for all events at www.indoorautoracing.com.
AARN PR
COMP Cams Short Track Nationals Returning To ASCS National Lineup In 2020
02 Dec 2019 Written by Speedway Digest StaffDirt Late Model Racers Prepping for Sunshine Nationals at Volusia
02 Dec 2019 Written by Speedway Digest StaffDirt Late Model racers have circled Jan. 16-18, 2020, on their calendars for the inaugural DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park.
Three complete nights of action featuring DIRTcar Pro Late Models, Florida Late Models and 602 Late Models are nearing as DIRTcar officials posted the complete competitor guide and Entry Form this week at DIRTcar.com.
Fans have been filling grandstands across the Southeast to watch Dirt Late Model racing, and now they have the unique opportunity to see this special event in January at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile dirt track, just outside of Daytona Beach, FL.
A practice night on Wednesday, Jan. 15, will precede the Sunshine Nationals, giving all competitors a chance to dial in their cars before the action counts. Points will be tracked throughout the event and a champion of each division will be crowned at the conclusion of Saturday night’s races, including the $10,000-to-win DIRTcar Pro Late Model Feature.
Reserved camping is available by calling 844-DIRT-TIX, all tickets and pit passes will be available at the gate.
Stay tuned to DIRTcar.com as well as DIRTcar Racing on Facebook and Twitter for late-breaking news and updates.
DIRTcar Series PR
McCallister Precision Marketing is proud to announce the signing of 17-year-old dirt racer Devon Morgan.
“Well, in our first Snowflake, we had a solid qualifying run and started 11th," Griffin added. "Unfortunately, our day was cut short because we got caught up in a wreck there was no way to avoid. We're using that as motivation to bring home a strong finish this time around.”