In this week’s Motion Motorsport Report for InsideTrackNews.com, Dave Mathers offers his thoughts on some recent news items from the world of racing as well as summaries and comments about the racing action this past weekend.
Oh baby!! The “new and improved” IHRA just pulled the gun all the way out of the holster. The purses they have announced for their next race are astronomical. How about $150,000 to win Top Fuel, $150,000 to win Funny Car, $100,000 for Pro Mod, $50,000 for Mountain Motor Pro Stock and $20,000 to win Pro Stock (aka Factory Stock!!) – AWESOME news.
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Those purses will be offered at their next event at Maple Grove (the race was moved to The Grove after an unrelated shooting near their Montgomery, Alabama track) on Saturday, May 9.
In one of those “hmmm” moments, NASCAR has announced that Jim France is retiring as CEO but will remain Chairman of the Board – understandable since he owns 54 percent while his niece, Lesa France Kennedy, owns the other 46 percent. Steve O’Donnell takes over as CEO, while Lesa’s son Ben becomes COO. This marks the first time in history that the CEO is not a France family member.
Mother Nature has not been playing nicely this spring, with several tracks delaying their openers. I think Spring was on Tuesday this year. My wife Linda opines that “Mother Nature is going through menopause.” I tend to agree.
The Supers are coming, the Supers are coming!! Yeah. The ISMA Super Modifieds, always a crowd favourite in Canada, will be racing twice this year on this side of the border. Their season starts at Flamboro Speedway on Saturday, May 16, and then they return to Delaware Speedway on Friday, June 12. Canada is well represented, with Mark Sammut and Mike Lichty consistently running in the top ten in points. I predict BIG crowds at both races.
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NASCAR Cup
I am going to need somebody to explain how the starting lineup is established when qualifying is rained out. Ryan Blaney sits third in points but started 12th. Bubba Wallace is eighth in points but started fourth. I thought it was based on points – NOT some unknown method.
As a result, Tyler Reddick, winner of five of the first nine races, got the pole for Sunday’s Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway after qualifying was rained out. Kyle Larson (Chev) started second, with Denny Hamlin (Toyota) third. All 40 entries qualified – including 20 Chevs (half the field), 11 Fords and nine Toyotas. The stands appeared to be full and the weather was perfect. Good stuff.
NASCAR changed the stage ends, resulting in the first stage going 98 of 188 laps. Fuel strategy went out the window. Good call. At the halfway mark it was Ryan Preece ahead of Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski. Preece took the Stage 1 win.
The red flag came out on lap 115 when Bubba Wallace, while leading, got spun by Ross Chastain, who had been getting bump‑drafted by Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano. Almost the whole field got wrecked. Wow. Red flag!! And, surprisingly, a very calm and sensible interview with Wallace.
On the restart, guess who is on the front row? Chastain!! On lap 124 Ty Gibbs spanked the wall HARD after his right‑front tire blew. Yellow. Chastain won Stage 2. Tyler Reddick had a right‑front tire fail on lap 162 – yellow again. Wow. On lap 181 Eric Jones got side‑bumped and then spun down and off the track, but the green stayed out. Jones got stuck in the grass – yellow.
Coming to the flag they wrecked again, but Carson Hocevar got his very first win ahead of Buescher and Alex Bowman. Interestingly, the top‑finishing Toyota was Reddick in 14th. And I guess getting summoned to the NASCAR trailer got the Live Timing AI Timeline guy to smarten up – he was MUCH better at Dega!! LOL
In the points, Reddick still leads, holding 110 points over Hamlin and 140 over Blaney.
Next race – Texas, Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on TSN 3.
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NASCAR O’Reilly Series
Jesse Love picked up the pole for Saturday’s race over Sam Mayer and Corey Day (all, surprisingly, in Chevs) at Talladega Superspeedway. Thirty‑eight cars entered – 31 Chevs, six Toyotas and one Ford.
First caution? First lap. William Sawalich turned Patrick Staropoli – who started right in front of Sawalich – hard into the outside wall on the back straight. A couple of other cars appeared to get some damage. Carson Kvapil won Stage 1 by about one centimetre!! Stage 2 ran smoothly, with Justin Allgaier taking the stage win.
On a pit stop, Sawalich came in at full song and bounced off another car. With about 35 laps to go there were some scary moments when cars exiting the pits didn’t stay on the bottom but went to the top groove. Some great driving avoided “the big one” – but it appears they were saving that for the last lap.
Leader Sam Mayer tried to move up to block a lap‑down Sawalich and got spun. More wrecks followed, but the win went to Corey Day – his first – over Sheldon Creed and Brent Crews. A race at Dega with only ONE competition caution? Who knew?
In the points, Allgaier leads Creed by 105 and Love by 141.
Next race – Texas, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on USA and CW.
NASCAR Craftsman Trucks
Next race – Texas, Friday at 8 p.m. on Fox Sports Racing.
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Formula One
Next race – Miami, Saturday at 3:55 p.m. on TSN 5.
IndyCar
Next race – Indy Road Course, Saturday, May 9.
IMSA
Next race – Laguna Seca, Sunday at 4 p.m. on REV TV.
24 Hours of Le Mans
Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15.
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NHRA
The tour dropped into the beautiful facility at Charlotte, North Carolina, for the 4‑Wide Nationals. I don’t get a vote, but I would suggest they should be running ALL the Sportsman classes as “4‑wides” and not just the Pro categories. It would speed up the show and add much more excitement.
Top Fuel
Clay Millican won the Top Fuel Challenge with a 3.832 at 325.14 to top Billy Torrence. Shawn Langdon ran a 3.674 at 339.19 to top the 19 cars qualifying for the 16‑car field. Quebec racer Dan Mercier qualified 16th. Doug Kalitta beat Langdon, Leah Pruett and Tony Stewart in the final with a 3.692 at 342.98!!! Five “upsets” and two “smokers.”
Funny Car
Ron Capps put down a 3.883 at 333.91 for the top spot in the 16‑car field. Jordan Vandergriff won the Funny Car Challenge with a 3.933 at 325.85 over Capps. Stratford’s Spencer Hyde timed in ninth. Canadian Jeff Arend was also back in action. Capps won the final, running a 3.905 at 334.90 to take out Jack Beckman, Matt Hagan and J.R. Todd. Two “upsets” and seven “smokers.”
Pro Mod
B.C.’s Jason Bond (’68 Camaro) was quickest of the 23 cars fighting for 16 spots, laying down a 5.661 at 254.84. In the final – which NHRA left to the very end – Mike Stavrinos took the win over Bond, Jason Collins and Stan Shelton with a 5.669 at 253.56. Five “upsets” and one “smoker.”
Outlaw Street
Nine cars timed for the eight‑car ladder, with Kyle Canion (’68 Camaro) topping the list at 3.667 and 218.58. Ryan Martin beat Scott Taylor in the final when Taylor bulbed. No time for Martin. Four “upsets.”
Pro Stock
Greg Anderson topped the 21 cars with a 6.498 at 211.46. Canadians Matt and Eric Latino timed in third and eighth. Anderson won the Pro Stock Challenge with a 6.549 at 207.11 over Aaron Stanfield. Matt Hartford took out Cody Coughlin, Anderson and Matt Latino in the final with a 6.526 at 210.05. Four “upsets” and two “smokers.”
Pro Stock Bike
Matt Smith was fast qualifier of the 16 entries with a 6.739 at 203.09. Gaige Herrera took the Pro Stock Bike Challenge with a 6.759 at 199.20 over Smith, then won the final with a 6.758 at 199.88 to beat Richard Gadson, Clayton Howey and Chase Van Sant. Five “upsets.”
Factory Stock (aka IHRA Pro Stock)
Jonathan Allegrucci topped the 17 entries with a 7.716 at 178.68 and then marched through the field, turning a 7.716 at 178.42 to defeat Jason Dietsch, Raymond Nash and Taylor Dietsch in the final. Eight “upsets.”
Next race – South Georgia, Sunday at 7 p.m. on Fox Sports Racing.
IHRA – Next race: Maple Grove, Saturday, May 9
NASCAR Canada Series – Next race: Mosport, Sunday, May 17
APC Series – Next race: Delaware, Saturday, May 9
Ontario Sportsman Series – Next race: Delaware, May 15
Delaware Speedway – Next race: May 8
Ohsweken Speedway – Next race: Friday, May 15
Flamboro Speedway – Next race: Saturday, May 2
Buxton Speedway – Next race: Saturday, May 2
Full Throttle Motor Speedway – Next race: Saturday, May 9
Grand Bend Speedway – Next race: Saturday, June 6
Grand Bend Dragway – Next race: Saturday and Sunday, May 30 – 31
St. Thomas Dragway – Next race: Saturday, May 9
Toronto Motorsport Park – Next race: Saturday and Sunday
Can Am Stock / Super Stock – Next race: Cayuga, May 17
John Scotti NHRA Canadian Championship Series – Next race: Cayuga, May 17
Shannonville Drags – Next race: June 8
Any comments can be sent to Dave Mathers via email at motionman@rogers.com or by Facebook Messenger.