NASCAR was in action at Bristol. In this week’s Motion Motorsport Report for InsideTrackNews.com, Dave Mathers spotlights all the action from Tennessee, as well as the NHRA and IHRA during a busy weekend of drag racing.
More NASCAR ‘excitement’ as Cleetus McFarland is denied an entry for the O’Reilly race at Dega. This, of course, fully lit up ALL the message boards. My opinion? I agree with NASCAR. Have him run a couple of 1½‑mile tracks, then a couple of two‑milers. Then, and only then, let him run on the big tracks. I know, I know, he has already run Daytona, but that was in an ARCA race. Have him serve his apprenticeship and then have at it.
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It was interesting and a bit frustrating to see NHRA and IHRA run against each other on the weekend. I believe the sport will grow exponentially if the two series next year run on alternating weekends. Last weekend IHRA was competing against NHRA in Pomona, as well as a (cancelled due to the weather) PDRA event in Rockingham, as well as an NHRA Division Two event at the awesome South Georgia Motorsports Park. Tough competition.
However, the BIG guy (NHRA) must be looking over his shoulder. In the overlapping classes – T/F, F/C. P/S, T/S, T/D, S/S and Stock – NHRA has the edge once again in car count – 187 to 155. But, and this is a BIG but, IHRA had 21 Pro Mods and 14 Outlaw Pro Mods. But they didn’t count, as NHRA, shockingly, did not run Pro Mods at Pomona. Play nicely, children, and don’t make me come down there!!
I find it really hard to believe that NHRA is messing with the rules in Pro Mod (new body component requirements!!). This after 64 cars showed up at Bradenton to qualify for a 32‑spot field and were separated by only 0.05 seconds. Think about that. If that doesn’t make for full support of the existing rules, what does? AND Pro Mod is NOT a class of Camaros only. The class has old Mercs, Camaros, Mopars, Vettes, etc. And the other Pro drivers (T/F and F/C) all come out to watch the Pro Mods. Just what Wally envisioned so many years ago (well, at the least the ’49 Mercs!!).
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NASCAR Cup Series – Ryan Blaney (Ford) – who looks like he is auditioning for a part in a Spaghetti Western – picked up the pole at Bristol Motor Speedway over runaway points leader Tyler Reddick (insert your own conspiracy theory here!!) and Chase Briscoe (both in Toyotas – add more conspiracy theories here). 37 cars all qualified including 17 Chevs, 11 Fords and 9 Toyotas.
Things went ‘swimmingly’ until lap 62 when Brad Keselowski got tapped by Ricky Stenhouse and spun but missed hitting the wall. Larson won Stage 1. On lap 144 Christopher Bell hit the wall between 1 & 2 for another caution.
On lap 160 Shane Van Gisbergen, Alex Bowman, John Hunter Nemechek and Todd Gilliland, all back markers, got together on corner 4 exit for a yellow after SVG got loose in front of the other three. Larson also won Stage 2. At the halfway mark ir was Larson over Blaney and Denny Hamlin. On lap 313 Riley Herbst appeared to get into Kyle Busch on corner 4 exit. Busch spun and Michael McDowell, Bell and Erik Jones got collected. Race caution number 4. The yellow came back out on lap 380 when Connor Zilisch got up into the wall and spun down the track.
On lap 477 Chase Elliott had a solo spin in 2. Yellow. Similar to Saturday’s O’Reilly race the last ten laps were awesome. Ty Gibbs, Larson and Blaney swapped things back and forth. And, of course, the yellow came out with three laps to go. Riley Herbst spanked the wall hard in 1 after a ‘little’ help from Busch. Payback from the lap 313 incident? Green/white/checker!!! Ty Gibbs gets the win, his first, over Blaney and Larson. In the points Reddick still leads by 62 on Blaney and by 86 on Hamlin.
Next race – Kansas, Sunday at 2 P.M. on TSN 3. (Fox lists TBA from 11 A.M. to 7 P.M.!!!! – more Bass Masters?)
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NASCAR O’Reilly Series – recent winner William Sawalich (Toyota) took the pole for Saturday night’s race at the bad fast Bristol Motor Speedway over Sheldon Creed and Kyle Larson (both in Chevs). Thirty‑eight cars, including 30 Chevs, 7 Toyotas and one Ford (driven by JJ Yeley!!!).
Well THAT didn’t take long! On the first lap, Mason Maggio got behind in his steering and spun but missed hitting the wall. Yellow. The second yellow came at lap 63 when Austin Green suffered a flat tire on the back straight and slowed on track. Larson won Stage 1. At lap 102 the yellow came back out when Logan Bearden spun with Garrett Smithley on corner 4 exit. Larson also won, nay, dominated Stage 2. On lap 195 Maggio ‘blew up real good’!! Yellow. And the place was full of smoke!! And then the car was REALLY on fire in the pits. Red flag. On lap 271 Jesse Love put the bumper to Gray Gaulding on corner 4 exit, spinning out Gaulding. Caution. On lap 283 the yellow came back out when Anthony Alfredo came down on Love on corner 4 exit and spun. The last ten laps were worth the price of admission. Three cars swapping the lead – Larson, Brent Crews and Connor Zilisch!! Wow.
At the flag it was Zilisch over Larson and Crews.
In the standings, Justin Allgaier has a commanding 130-point lead over second-place Sheldon Creed.
Next race – Kansas, Saturday at 7 P.M. on USA.
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NASCAR Craftsman Trucks – Thirty‑six trucks took timed runs in qualifying for the race last Friday night at Bristol Motor Speedway. Kaden Honeycutt (Toyota) won the pole over Christian Eckes (Chev) and Layne Riggs (Ford). Canadians Stewart Friesen (Toyota) and Cole Butcher (Ford) qualified 13th and 17th. Fourteen Chevs, 9 Fords, 8 Toyotas and 5 RAMs.
On lap 16 Andres De Lara spun down off 4 for the first caution. Eckes picked up the Stage 1 win. At lap 117 Tyler Reif got together in 3 with Frankie ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ Muniz and both cars spanked the wall. Ben Rhodes won Stage 2. On lap 155 Butcher got loose on corner 2 exit and connected with Ricky Stenhouse. (Timeline’s AI Guy states that the ‘caution flag waves at North Wilkesboro as we’ve reached lap 162 of 250’. I guess it is a ‘work in progress’?).
And, of course, cautions breed cautions, as on lap 169 Luke Baldwin gets turned by Corey LaJoie, who has had an ‘interesting’ night!! On lap 180 Eckes put the boots to Corey Heim in 1 as they were fighting for the lead, sending Heim backwards into the wall. A couple of other cars got involved as well. Yellow, then red, for track cleanup. Typical Bristol? LaJoie continued his forgettable night by spinning off of 4, resulting in the seventh race caution of the night.
At the checker it was Christopher Bell over Chandler Smith and Gio Ruggiero. Friesen finished 16th with Butcher 28th.
In the points Chandler Smith leads Honeycutt by only one point and Corey Heim by four. Heim has had only four starts in the first six races, three of them wins!!
Next race – Texas, Friday, May 1.
Formula One – next race – Miami, May 3. (Bahrain and Saudi Arabia ‘delayed’ due to Iran war).
IndyCar – next race – Long Beach, Sunday, April 19.
IMSA – next race – Long Beach, April 18.
24 Hours of LeMans – Sat, Jun 14 & Sun, Jun 15.
NHRA – Pomona
Top Fuel – Doug Kalitta won the Top Fuel Challenge, defeating crowd favourite Maddi Gordon with a 3.747 at 333.66. In qualifying Leah Pruett topped the 15 cars with a 3.724 at 329.75.
Funny Car – Matt Hagan took the win in the Funny Car Challenge over Paul Lee with a 3.940 at 329.58. J.R. Todd topped the 18 cars in qualifying with a 3.896 at 335.32. Canadian Spencer Hyde timed in at 13th.
Pro Stock – Dallas Glenn won the Pro Stock Challenge, putting down a 6.525 at 208.55 to beat Aaron Stanfield. Greg Anderson was quickest of the 19 cars, running a 6.516 at 209.69. Canadians Eric and Matt Latino qualified 7th and 9th.
Next race – Charlotte, Sunday, April 26.
IHRA – Virginia Motorsports Park
Top Fuel – Gary Pritchett topped the 8‑car field, running a 3.033 at 287.78. Canadian Dan Mercier qualified 8th.
Funny Car – Del Worsham was quickest of the 10 cars vying for the eight spots, with a 3.228 at 281.01.
Pro Mod – Randy Weatherford ran a 3.560 at 211.30 to top the all‑run 21‑car field.
Outlaw Pro Mod – Mike Decker, Jr. laid down a 3.525 at 214.31 to top the 14 entries. Alberta’s Chevy Reeves timed in at 12th.
Mountain Motor Pro Stock – Matt Giangrande was quickest of the 24 cars vying for the 16‑car field, running a 4.019 at 180.02. Canadian Tony Pontieri just missed the cut‑off mark.
Pro Stock (aka Factory Stock) – Tony Scott led the 8 cars with a 4.878 at 145.70.
Next race – Montgomery, AL, 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 Motorplex – next race – Saturday and Sunday, May 30 & 31.
St. Thomas Dragway – next race – Saturday, May 9.
Toronto Motorsports Park – next race – Saturday, April 18.
Can‑Am Stock / Super Stock – next race – Cayuga, May 17.
John Scotti NHRA Canadian Championship Series – next race – Cayuga, May 17.
Quick 32 Sportsman Series, Pro Bike & Sled Series (PBSS) and 5.50 Super Series – next race – schedule not released yet.
Shannonville Drags – next race – June 8.
Any comments can be sent to Dave Mathers via email at motionman@rogers.com or by Facebook Messenger.