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EDDIE TAFOYA JR. SCORES ANOTHER TOP-10 FINISH AT BAKERSFIELD

Chino, CA – June 12, 2025 — Eddie Tafoya Jr. turned in another solid performance last Saturday night, recording a top-10 finish in his first Ultimate Sprint Car Series start of 2025 in the Salute to Bob Vermeer and Narcie Ferriera on the Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway.

The Chino Hills, California driver, who placed third in the USCS championship standings in 2024, steered his eye-catching #51T sprint car to a hard-earned ninth-place finish in the talent-packed 30-lap main event. It was the second straight ninth-place finish dating back to the Salute to Indy at Perris Auto Speedway on Memorial Day weekend.

A strong field of 33 competitors signed in for the event on the recently revamped clay oval. In qualifying, Tafoya stopped the clock at 16.888 seconds, placing him third in his group and 12th overall on the night.

Lining up on the inside of row two for his eight-lap heat race, the 27-year-old racer quickly moved into second place on lap one and held the position to the checkered flag, securing a direct transfer to the A-Main.

Starting ninth in the 24-car feature, Tafoya charged as high as sixth during a chaotic early stretch as drivers fiercely battled for position. Throughout the race—interrupted by four caution periods—he stayed inside the top 10 and ultimately finished ninth. The performance marked his fourth top-10 result in the past seven races.

Tafoya will take this weekend off but is set to return to action on Saturday, June 21st, when the USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series visits his home track, Perris Auto Speedway

Fans can follow Tafoya on Instagram eddietafoya51.

Tafoya and the #51T team would like to thank Specialty Fasteners, BR Motorsports, King Racing Products, Gasper Transportation, CMI Precision Machining, Owen’s Insurance Services, Keen Concrete, DRC Chassis, and Rider Racing Engines for supporting their 2025 racing endeavors.

“Shugah” Shane Sexton Gets First Win of the Season at Barona

Warner Springs, CA — Popular racer “Shugah” Shane Sexton landed on the winner’s side of the ledger Saturday night, leading all 20 laps to score the SoCal Lightning Sprint Car Series main event win at Barona Speedway. The race marked his first start in a lightning sprint car since last October.

Sexton, wheeling arguably the best-looking car on the track, kicked off his night in the second heat race on the longtime San Diego County quarter-mile oval. Starting fifth and debuting a newly installed 2020 GSXR 1000 engine, he had a few initial concerns. However, those were quickly laid to rest when he drove to a solid third-place finish in the eight-lap contest.

“If we can get our heat races in order, I definitely think the rest of the competition is in trouble. “I started fifth and the first four laps; to be honest with you, I had no idea what I was doing. I was all over the place. After the fourth or fifth lap I figured it out and passed two cars. I was catching second but just ran out of laps.”

Starting on the outside of the front row for the main, Sexton took the lead at the drop of the green flag. By lap six, he had stretched his advantage to nearly half straightaway and was already slicing through lapped traffic by the eighth circuit.

What looked like a Sunday drive for the Warner Springs native suddenly became more complicated at the halfway mark, when another car dropped parts and oil on the track, bringing out a caution. Sexton’s commanding lead evaporated in an instant.

On the restart, Sexton was greeted by a new challenge—pressure from a fast-closing competitor. Though he initially pulled away again, the gap narrowed by lap 12. Over the next several laps, veteran racer Sexton was reeled in multiple times, only to respond each time by stretching his advantage. With steady, smooth driving, he ultimately pulled away for good and sealed his first win of the 2025 season in his beautiful #74 machine.

“The power steering felt like it was going out,” Sexton laughed when recalling the race. “It wasn’t. I guess I was just falling out of the seat a little bit. My arms were getting numb. My adrenaline calmed down and I was able to pull through it, get all of the laps in and come out on top.”

“We were worried the car would not handle with the new power,” he went on. “When we had the old motor in it, I don’t know if it was a lack of power or what, but it would not get sideways. It was just like driving a pavement car. I never had to lift at any point of the night. We were worried with the new power, it would not drive as well, and it actually drove better.”

With he and his father Stan purchasing the lightning sprint late last year, the Sextons now have the flexibility to choose where and when they want to race. In their 410 sprint car, they can compete in either the USAC/CRA or the Ultimate Sprint Car Series (USCS). With the lightning sprint, they have additional options, including the local SoCal Lightning Sprint Series, the California Lightning Sprint Car Series and Northern California’s Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA).

“I think we are going to do the CLS race at Ventura on the 21st,” Sexton stated when thinking about his upcoming schedule. “We are going to see how the car competes against those guys. All those guys in the CLS are really fast. Just branch out a bit. Would like to get those guys to come down to the two-day show at Barona in August.”

Sexton and the #74 team would like to thank their 2025 season partners: Gas Chassis, Mike Pridgeon Race Engines, Savage Racing, and Elite Powder Coating. Businesses interested in joining this exciting and growing team for the 2025 season are encouraged to reach out to Shane Sexton at ShaneSexton7@gmail.com or call (619) 362-5921.

Hagar Wins USCS Series Speedweek Finale and Championship Before Charging for Top 10 During ASCS National Tour Race

Inside Line Promotions - TEXARKANA, Ark. (June 10, 2025) - Derek Hagar has enjoyed a successful last couple of weeks that showcased another USCS Series Speedweek win and championship.

Hagar and car owner A.G. Rains dominated the USCS Series Speedweek finale on May 31 at Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, Miss. After advancing from fifth to second place in a heat race and from fifth to fourth place in the dash, Hagar charged from fourth to capture the main event - lapping up to third place.

"We had really good speed at Whynot," he said. "We had a lot of speed in the feature and I was able to take the lead early. I think we lapped almost the whole field. I could go where I wanted to and carry momentum. It felt good to have a dominating performance."

Hagar won the Speedweek opener and finale with the five races in between all being rained out.

Rain continued to hamper the region last weekend when Hagar and Rains tackled an ASCS National Tour event at Texarkana 67 Speedway on Saturday.

"That was a last-minute deal," Hagar said. "We didn't decide until 9:30 that morning whether we were going. The weather was iffy so we decided to give it a shot. We barely beat the weather. It was pouring on us when we got about 15 minutes down the road at the end of the night."

Hagar qualified sixth quickest in his group to open the program.

"We had the car way too tight," he said. "I think it was misjudged on my part. It was too buried in the race track and we didn't put a good lap down for qualifying. We were able to pick up a spot in the heat race and go sixth to fifth to lock into the feature. We made some changes from there. It was better and we were able to get up to sixth in the feature."

Hagar advanced from 13 th to sixth in the main event for the third-most positions gained.

Hagar and Rains plan to compete this Saturday at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., during the 7 th annual Greg Hodnett Memorial.

"It's a special event," Hagar said. "It pays really good money and is close to home. We won it in 2022 and picked up a good payday. We have a good car and are steadily learning each time we hit the track. I don't see any reason why we can't be a contender."

QUICK RESULTS -

May 31 - Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, Miss. - Heat race: 2 (5); Dash: 4 (5); Feature: 1 (4).

June 7 - Texarkana 67 Speedway in Texarkana, Ark. - Qualifying: 6; Heat race: 5 (6); Feature: 6 (13).

SEASON STATS -

10 races, 3 wins, 6 top fives, 8 top 10s, 8 top 15s, 8 top 20s

UP NEXT -

Saturday at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., for the 7 th annual Greg Hodnett Memorial

MEDIA LINKS -

Website: http://www.DerekHagarRacing.com

X: http://www.twitter.com/dhrracing

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Nutrien Ag Solutions

Nutrien Ag Solutions® is the retail division of Nutrien® Ltd., the world's largest crop inputs company. We provide full-acre solutions through a network of trusted crop consultants at more than 1,700 global locations. We help growers achieve the highest yields with the most sustainable solutions possible, offering a wide selection of products, including our proprietary brands: Loveland Products, Inc.®, Proven® Seed and Dyna-Gro® Seed. For more information, visit http://www.NutrienAgSolutions.com .

"Nutrien Ag Solutions is big into racing and a big sponsor for Jonathan Davenport," Hagar said. "It really came about through our powder coating business and it's turned into a good relationship. I always thought it'd be cool to have Nutrien Ag Solutions as a sponsor being here in Arkansas. I feel fortunate to be picked to carry their name on our race car."

Hagar would like to thank Nutrien Ag Solutions, Sonic of Dyersburg, Keith Jones Promotions, Boat Warehouse, West Tennessee Expediting, Inc., AmeriPanel, J&J Auto Racing, B & D Towing and Recovery, FK Rod Ends, Dynotech Performance Race Engines, A.M.P., Fragola Performance Systems, Administrative Consulting Services, Killer Coatings, Beazt Composites, Xtreme Race Graphics, Southern Collision Centre, AR Dyno Specialty, Jeff's Heating and Cooling, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Weld Wheels, DHR Suspension, Hinchman Racewear, Wix Filters, Valvoline, Ti64, High Performance Lubricants, CP-Carillo and Builtwiser Wings for their continued support.

Mallett Secures Eighth-Place Result at Texarkana 67 Speedway

Inside Line Promotions - TEXARKANA, Ark. (June 10, 2025) - Jordon Mallett produced his fourth top-10 finish of the season with the ASCS National Tour last Saturday at Texarkana 67 Speedway.

"The night started out really strong," he said. "We were really good early on. We qualified well and the heat race went well. We made a change and the car seemed to like it. We were patient and picked our way to the front."

Mallett set quick time during qualifying before he advanced from fourth to win a heat race. That earned a spot into the dash and Mallett finished where he started - fifth.

"We wanted to try a couple of things for the dash and we were a little off-balance," he said. "I didn't feel bad, but didn't feel good. The feature came along and I felt we'd be okay. I made a couple of changes back from the dash and really I went the wrong way. It was disappointing that we weren't better in the feature. We didn't have the balance and the track had progressed and was racy. Our stuff is normally good in those scenarios with it being slick. I just felt I was sitting on top of the track the whole feature."

Mallett salvaged an eighth-place result. His four top 10s with the series is tied for the third most this season. Mallett now ranks sixth in the ASCS National Tour championship standings - only three points out of fifth place.

Two ASCS National Tour races in Oklahoma are on tap this weekend with shows on Friday at Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa and Saturday at Tri-State Speedway in Pocola.

"After Saturday night I'm ready to be back in the seat," Mallett said. "Creek is always a wild card. I usually seem to fair okay there. I've seen that track have every range of track conditions it could so I'm comfortable going there. And our first time running in Pocola was last year and we ran well."

QUICK RESULTS -

June 7 - Texarkana 67 Speedway in Texarkana, Ark. - Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (4); Dash: 5 (5); Feature: 8 (5).

SEASON STATS -

7 races, 1 win, 2 top fives, 6 top 10s, 7 top 15s, 7 top 20s

UP NEXT -

Friday at Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, Okla., for the Don Swope Classic and Saturday at Tri-State Speedway in Pocola, Okla., with the ASCS National Tour

MEDIA LINKS -

Website: http://jordonmallett.myracepass.com

X: https://twitter.com/jmmotorsports14

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jordonmallettmotorsports

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Red River Rack Co.

Red River Rack Company, which is based in Gainesville, Texas, provides storage solutions to large and small tire dealers alike, providing single tier storage to rack supported catwalk systems nationwide and fabricating of the highest quality IBC compliant staircase and many other system components.

"We partnered with Red River Rack Company a few years ago," Mallett said. "They've been family friends for years so we're pleased to have them on board."

Mallett would like to thank Awakening Events, Awakening Foundation, Water for Christ, Porter Commercial Refrigeration, Red River Rack Co., D&K Farms, DHR Suspension, Racing Optics, Triple X Race Co., T&A, KSE Racing Products, FK Rod Ends, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Sinco, Inc., Autometer, Callies Performance Products, ISC Racers Tape, Lone Star Super Gas (Sunoco), KR Performance Fuels, HRP Wings, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Race Products, Smiley's Racing Products, MotorState Distributing, DMI, Superior Bearing and Supply, Moss Racing Engines, Twin S Tool Corp., JET Graphics and AR Dyno Specialty for their continued support.

Big Game Motorsports and Gravel Set New Track Record and Earn Podium Result at Jackson Motorplex

Inside Line Promotions - BEAVER DAM, Wis. (June 10, 2025) - Big Game Motorsports highlighted last week with a podium performance at Jackson Motorplex.

David Gravel established a new track record to open the FENDT Showdown at the dirt oval in Jackson, Minn., before he won a heat race and placed fourth in the dash. Gravel gained a position in the feature for his 18 th podium outing of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season.

"It was definitely tiring," he said in a post-race interview on DIRTVision. "That was a very physical track, got some arm pump there. I felt like we were just as good as those guys. We just needed a little track position. Every time I got a run on Kerry (Madsen) I just didn't quite get enough on him to fill the gap and force him out of there. The guys gave me a good car. Cody (Jacobs), Zach (Patterson) and Pete (Stephens) continue to just give me good cars every night."

The team ventured to Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis., on Friday for the opening round of the Badger State Triple. Gravel was seventh quickest in qualifying and he finished fourth in a heat race to line up 14 th in the feature. Unfortunately, shortly after driving into the top 10, a mechanical problem ended the night early for the team's first DNF of the season.

Beaver Dam Raceway hosted the Jim "JB" Boyd Memorial on Saturday. Gravel again set quick time during qualifying - for the 133 rd time in his career. He then won a heat race before gaining a position to finish fifth in the dash and fourth in the feature. It marked his 25 th top five of the season during World of Outlaws competition.

Sunday's show at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis., rained out.

The next World of Outlaws races are this Friday and Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, during the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash. Gravel owns a dozen feature victories at the track, which is tied for 29 th on the career wins list. The team placed sixth at the track in April during their lone visit this season.

Gravel enters this weekend's event with a 152-point lead in the World of Outlaws championship standings.

QUICK RESULTS -

June 4 - Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, Minn. - Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 4 (3); Feature: 3 (4).

June 6 - Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, Wis. - Qualifying: 7; Heat race: 4 (4); Feature: 22 (14).

June 7 - Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis. - Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 5 (6); Feature: 4 (5).

SEASON STATS -

31 races, 8 wins, 26 top fives, 30 top 10s, 30 top 15s, 30 top 20s

UP NEXT -

Friday and Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, for the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series

BIG GAME MOTORSPORTS MEDIA LINKS -

X: https://x.com/BigGameMotorspt

DAVID GRAVEL MEDIA LINKS -

X: https://x.com/DavidGravel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidGravelRacing

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/DavidGravel2

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@DavidGravel

Website: http://www.shopDGR.com

Kaleb Johnson Produces Podium at Huset's Speedway

Inside Line Promotions - BRANDON, S.D. (June 9, 2025) - Kaleb Johnson capped a busy week with his fourth podium performance of the season on Sunday at Huset's Speedway.

Johnson was quickest both overall and in his group during qualifying before he advanced from fourth to second place during a heat race. That earned the Team DGRD driver a spot into the feature redraw.

"We laid down a really good qualifying lap," he said. "Once again, I felt I was in one of the tougher heat races, which is good. We were able to advance a couple of spots. It set us up for a decent spot in the feature.

"To be honest, I didn't get a very good start. I think I fell back to seventh or eighth at one point. As the race went on the car got better and we were able to pick off people. I feel with maybe eight to 10 laps to go I got to the third-place car. I should have slid him a lap or two sooner. I waited too long and ended up getting passed. I got back to fourth and then to third, but by that time the white flag was coming out."

Johnson's third-place result marked his fifth top five at Huset's Speedway this season, increasing his lead in the championship standings to 35 points. He is the only driver with a top-five outing during all five races the track has hosted this season.

Johnson also competed on Wednesday at Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, Minn., with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. He timed in 11 th quickest in his group before a crash in a heat race ended his night early.

"I got into a car barely going into turn one on the first lap," he said. "It bent the drag link. After that the car was tough to drive. I kept getting super tight in turns (turns) three and four. With two or three laps to go I got super tight and before you knew it I was in the fence."

This week showcases five races in six days for Johnson, who will compete on Tuesday at Eagle Raceway in Eagle, Neb., with Kubota High Limit Racing. He will then venture to 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, on Thursday to race with the POWRi 410 Outlaw Sprint Series. World of Outlaws races on Friday and Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, follow with the weekend concluding on Sunday at Huset's Speedway.

"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I'm really looking forward to getting out and racing more. Getting more laps and racing at different places is what I'm most excited for."

QUICK RESULTS -

June 4 - Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, Minn. - Qualifying: 11; Heat race: DNF (6); C Main: DNS (1).

June 8 - Huset's Speedway in Brandon, S.D. - Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 2 (4); Feature: 3 (5).

SEASON STATS -

17 races, 3 wins, 6 top fives, 10 top 10s, 11 top 15s, 13 top 20s

UP NEXT -

Tuesday at Eagle Raceway in Eagle, Neb., with Kubota High Limit Racing; Thursday at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, with the POWRi 410 Outlaw Sprint Series; Friday and Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, for the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series; and Sunday at Huset's Speedway in Brandon, S.D.

MEDIA LINKS -

Website: http://www.kalebjohnsonracing.com/

X: https://twitter.com/Kaleb___Johnson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KalebJohnsonRacing22

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Heartland Properties

"Rob has been a supporter of racing for many, many years now and it's very much appreciated that he wants to spend some of his hard-earned money on our race team," Johnson said.

Johnson would like to thank Hefty Seed Company, Oddson Underground, Inc., Blondie Motorsports, Innovative Design/Sletten Properties, Construction Products & Consultants, GRP Motorsports, Folkens Brothers Trucking, DKW Transport, Merle Johnson Farm Toys, Epoxy Co., State Bank of Fairmont, Specialized Caulking Sealants, AB Custom Construction, the Ron Weber Team, Mike Brudigan Home Loans, Heartland Properties, Clarks Custom Coatings, New Era Plumbing, ICE Contractors, Speedquip Motorsports, Norwalk Small Engine Repair, Janssen Fabrication, MPD, Ti22, Smith Ti, Hellraizer Jacks, DMI, 8740 Suspension, Maxim, HRP Wings, Hepfner Racing Products, Keizer Wheels, Hoosier Racing Tire, Howe Motorsports, FID Media and Parker Engines for their continued support.

Dover Continues Charging at Huset's Speedway for Fifth Top-10 Finish of Season

Inside Line Promotions - BRANDON, S.D. (June 9, 2025) - Jack Dover has made it a habit recently to march from the back half of the pack to a top-10 result at Huset's Speedway.

The Tim Estenson Motorsports driver rallied on Sunday from 16 th to a ninth-place result, which marked his fourth top 10 of the season in five races at the high-banked oval. The seven positions gained were the second-most cars passed in the 25-lap feature.

"It's the same thing the last couple of weeks," he said. "We can't seem to hit on something at the beginning of the night, which is very frustrating. Yet we've been good late. We've proven we have speed and can pass cars because we've done that every weekend."

Dover qualified fifth quickest in his group, missing the heat race inversion by 0.021 of a second. That is the difference of starting a heat race on the pole position rather from the third row.

"It's literally a twitch of the steering wheel," he said. "It's very, very, very little. If I can get the car better setup-wise we can be three tenths better. It's a work in progress. I've been on the phone trying to figure out how to do better."

Last week, Dover was only one thousandth of a second out of the heat race inversion. The previous week the difference was 0.047 of a second.

"I'd say anybody who runs 410s would say you'd rather be better at the beginning of the night than the end because qualifying is everything," he said. "Once we can qualify well we will be on to it. We've proven we can be strong at the end of the night, but just need that little more at the beginning of the night."

Dover's run from 16 th to ninth on Sunday came on the heels of earning Hard Charger Awards for rallying from 21 st to eighth on May 25 and from 24 th to 10 th on June 1. His 34 positions gained the last three weeks is the most of any driver at the track.

Dover ranks fourth in the championship standings - 50 points out of the lead.

This week is a busy one with five races in a six-day period. Dover will compete on Tuesday at Eagle Raceway in Eagle, Neb., with Kubota High Limit Racing before tackling POWRi 410 Outlaw Sprint Series races on Thursday at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa; on Friday at Callaway Raceway in Fulton, Mo.; and on Saturday at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo. The weekend concludes on Sunday at Huset's Speedway.

"Every track we're going to I've won at in 360s," he said. "Obviously 410s are different, but at least racing well there in 360s allows us to know the tracks and characteristics. The main thing is getting to race five times in a week. That's how we will get better."

QUICK RESULTS -

June 8 - Huset's Speedway in Brandon, S.D. - Qualifying: 5; Heat race: 4 (5); Feature: 9 (16).

SEASON STATS -

9 races, 0 wins, 2 top fives, 5 top 10s, 7 top 15s, 8 top 20s

UP NEXT -

Tuesday at Eagle Raceway in Eagle, Neb., with Kubota High Limit Racing; Thursday at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa; Friday at Callaway Raceway in Fulton, Mo.; and Saturday at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo., with the POWRi 410 Outlaw Sprint Series; and Sunday at Huset's Speedway in Brandon, S.D.

MEDIA LINKS -

Website: http://www.JackDoverRacing.com

X: https://twitter.com/JackDoverRacing

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackdoverracing?fref=ts

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Carpet Land

Carpet Land has been family-owned and operated for more than 25 years and has two convenient locations in Lincoln, Neb., and Omaha, Neb. Carpet Land's goal is to provide the largest selection of in-stock flooring at discounted prices for its customers. Along with Nebraska's largest in-stock carpet inventory, the company also carries large amounts of vinyl, tile, wood, laminate, luxury vinyl tiles and planks, area rugs and room size remnants. For more information, visit http://www.CarpetLandonline.com .

"We are really excited to have Carpet Land back as part of our team," Dover said. "They've been a great supporter of racing in Nebraska and I can't wait to see them to Victory Lane a lot this year."

Dover would like to thank Certified Transmission, Carpet Land, Truline Logistics, Backlund Plumbing, Estenson Racing, Langfeldt Overhead Doors, True Trucking, Husker Diesel, Thorpe's Body Shop, Phil Durst, Speedway Engines, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Schoenfeld Headers, Smith Titanium, K&N Filters, FK Rod Ends, DMI, Vortex Wings, Speedway Motors, Mecum Auctions, Industrial Plating and Arai Helmets for their continued support.

Starks Repeats Late-Race Heroics for Another Win at Skagit Speedway

Inside Line Promotions - ALGER, Wash. (June 9, 2025) - Trey Starks executed a late-race pass to score a victory at Skagit Speedway last Saturday for the second straight weekend.

A week after a last-lap pass, Starks led the final two laps for his fifth triumph of the season.

"I was moving around a bunch," he said. "I knew every spot of the track, what was working and what wasn't. Pretty much everybody was on the top in turns one and two. In turns three and four, Robbie (Price) was working the bottom. Colton (Heath) was hammering the top. For at least half the race I was running through the middle in turns three and four. All three lanes were dead equal. I knew if I got into second I could pretty much go where the leader wasn't.

"I passed Colton running through the middle. I got to Robbie and was hanging with him, but I could tell I was wearing my own groove out. I saw he was getting into traffic so I started hammering the top. I thought if he got slowed up in traffic at all I had clear track. I got a big run coming off turn four with three laps to go. He went to the top in turns one and two and I was able to slide him and pick it up off the exit."

The win was Starks' third straight in the 360ci winged sprint car division this season and increased his lead in the championship standings to 53 points.

"It was a really good race track," he said. "I had the benefit of being second or third for most of that race. It was the key to winning because I was able to move around a lot. The car was really good so we could move around, too."

Starks opened the night by setting quick time during qualifying before he advanced from fourth to third place in a heat race.

"We qualified well," he said. "We went out fairly early, which helped. We put down a good lap. That sets you up for the rest of the night. I had decent speed in the heat race and went fourth to third. Then we drew the No. 4 to start the feature fourth. It was a really good night from start to finish."

Starks will return to Skagit Speedway this Saturday before he heads to Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., on Sunday for the Timber Cup with the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series. He's earned a podium during the Timber Cup each of the last three years, including a win in 2022.

QUICK RESULTS -

June 7 - Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash. - Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 3 (4); Feature: 1 (4).

SEASON STATS -

10 races, 5 wins, 9 top fives, 9 top 10s, 9 top 15s, 10 top 20s

UP NEXT -

Saturday at Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash., and Sunday at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., with the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series

MEDIA LINKS -

Website: http://www.StarksRacing.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Starks55Trey

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TreyStarksRacing?fref=ts

Ward, Morad and the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 Team Secure a Season-Best Second-Place Finish Sunday in the Four-Hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing team Winward Racing, and co-drivers Bryce Ward and Daniel Morad, recovered from an opening-hour miscue for a comeback second-place IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) class finish in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 4 Hours of Mid-Ohio at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Sunday. Ward, Morad and the entire No. 57 Winward Racing team fought back from a momentary off-course excursion when Ward ran into trouble with lapped traffic just under 40 minutes into the race to secure the team’s best finish of the season with the runner-up showing.

Taking evasive action to avoid contact with the back marker, starting driver Ward made light contact with a tire barrier while running seventh and in the lead pack of contenders. The No. 57 was two laps down and last in the GS field when it returned to the race with over three hours remaining, but the team and drivers quickly went to work on climbing back into contention.

Pit strategy and top pace on the track put the No. 57 back on the lead lap before the halfway mark, and from there, Morad went to work on racing back into the top-10.

Benefitting from a timely caution with 50 minutes remaining, Morad took the restart ninth in a tight train of race leaders and immediately went on a charge. He was up to sixth just three minutes later and cracked the top five for the first time in the race with 35 minutes to go.

Morad continued the run after the seventh and final in-race caution of the day with 17 minutes remaining, and victory was starting to look like a possibility for the Winward team and drivers. Morad quickly moved to third, advanced to second with six-minutes and 30-seconds to go and kept the pressure on the leader to the finish.

Ultimately, Morad ran out of time before he had a chance to make a move for the win, but he fought to the finish and crossed the finish line a scant .751 of a second shy of the victory.

The P2 podium result made up in part for a string of three frustrating races Winward endured to start the season. With six of the season’s 10 scheduled races yet to be run, the No. 57 team and drivers have moved into the GS season-championship top-10. Ward, Morad and the No. 57 team are ninth in points with 850 but only 130 points from the third-place team and drivers.

Next up for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams in IMSA competition is the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International, June 19 – 22.

Bryce Ward, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “Honestly, the car and the team were actually fantastic. I had a really good run going at the beginning up until I didn't, but I just need to work on having a little more finesse when trying to pass back markers. Fortunately, the team truly pulled us out of the jam we were in, and Daniel had an incredible run. We had said that we really need to go on a run to actually try and catch up in the championship, and this is a great start. We have six races left and look forward to finishing right up at the top in those races. Just really, really happy with the result today.”

Daniel Morad, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “I really wanted to win that thing. That was the one goal in mind, first and foremost. We fought back after Bryce did everything that he could to avoid the unpredictable traffic in front of him. Luckily, we were even in a spot to fight for a podium at the end. A good job by Bryce and by the team for getting the car back together and giving us a shot. Fighting through all those passes was a lot of fun. It is stuff like that we practice constantly on the simulator, messing around with your buddies to see what works and what doesn't. I mean, it's hard to pass around here. We finally managed to get on the podium, so the season really starts now. We had such a good Mercedes-AMG GT4 today, so all we had to do was minimize the mistakes after we got back in the race. Our crew guys absolutely nailed it all day. Every single stop was flawless and just gave us a shot to jump guys in the pits. It made my job a little bit easier, as I had to overtake a few less cars, but definitely some highlight-reel passes out there. That was fun.”

Stewart Extends Top Fuel Points Lead at Bristol with Semifinals Run in

TSR Dodge//SRT Dragster, Hagan Falls in Another Close One in Funny Car

Hall of Famer Tony Stewart extended his NHRA Top Fuel points lead Sunday at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in his Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Dodge//SRT dragster

Stewart, coming into the Bristol event with five consecutive final round appearances, missed a sixth straight final by less than a foot with a semifinals loss to Steve Torrence

Stewart, scoring his first No. 1 qualifying spot, defeated Cameron Ferre and had a bye run before a classic race with Torrence with an incredible 0.0025 margin at the finish

Stewart’s close loss by less than a foot made for his second straight defeat by inches as he was defeated by Brittany Force last week in the Epping, N.H., final by six inches

In the semifinal, Stewart jumped to a starting advantage over Torrence and clocked a 3.861 to the Texas driver’s 3.857 and Torrence went on to beat Justin Ashley in the final

Stewart’s semifinals run extended his margin in the NHRA Mission Top final points by 76 with 700 markers to Shawn Langdon’s 624 entering the Richmond event on June 21-22

Stewart also captured the prestigious Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday with 3.803 over former World Champion Doug Kalitta, whose dragster smoked the tires

Stewart’s TSR Dodge//SRT teammate, four-time World Funny Car champion Matt Hagan, suffered a close defeat in the first round to Ron Capps with a 4.068 to Capps’ 4.050

In tough right lane track conditions, Hagan still took the starting advantage over Capps, the three-time World Champion, but lost by just 0.010 seconds at the finish line

Hagan currently ranks fifth in the NHRA Mission Funny Car points standings

Former FIA Top Fuel champion Ida Zetterström of Sweden, who qualified a career best eighth, lost in the first round to Epping winner Brittany Force in her JCM Dodge//SRT car

Defending Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown World Champion Mark Pawuk won his first 2025 race at Bristol in the Empaco Dodge Challenger Mopar® DragPak over James Betz

Follow Dodge in NHRA action at DodgeGarage.com

June 9, 2025, Auburn Hills, Mich. – For the second consecutive week in NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series Top Fuel action, Hall of Famer Tony Stewart lost by inches in his Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge//SRT dragster, but managed to extend his Top Fuel points lead with a semifinals finish, while Dodge//SRT racer Matt Hagan suffered another close defeat in the Funny Car division at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

Stewart, the Top Fuel champion at Las Vegas and Chicago this year, was seeking a sixth straight 2025 NHRA Top Fuel final round appearance at the legendary Bristol, Tenn., dragstrip after recording his first No. 1 qualifying position on Saturday with a 3.755. In addition, “Smoke” defeated former World Champion Doug Kalitta in the special Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Saturday for his first Mission trophy.

Entering the Thunder Valley Dragway event, Stewart held the top spot in the NHRA Mission Top Fuel points standings and extend his advantage to 76 points after just missing by inches moving on to his sixth straight final round. In the semifinal, he took on former World Champion Steve Torrence with Stewart taking the starting line margin. However, Torrence nipped Stewart by 0.0025 seconds, less than a foot, with a 3.861 to Torrence’s 3.857 despite a cut left front tire. Torrence went on to win the Bristol event over Justin Ashley.

Stewart and his Dodge//SRT Top Fuel team, led by crew chiefs Neal Strausbaugh and Mike Domagala, now take their 12,000-horsepower nitro-burning dragster to Richmond on June 21-22 for the annual NHRA Virginia Nationals, a special two-day event.

“It was a great weekend overall,” said Stewart after the race. “We didn’t realize what a problem the right lane was going to be for everyone all weekend. We had lane choice for the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and took the left lane because it was the better lane. That gave us the number one qualifying spot. We had a great day on Saturday getting number one qualifier and winning our first #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. That set us up to have a great day today.

“The highlight of the weekend for me was the semifinals. We made it down the track and we had also cut down the left front tire, but I was able to keep it on the track and almost win. I’m really proud of that. We gained five points from the last event. We aren’t continuing our final round streak, but we are continuing our round one streak (only Top Fuel team to advance past round one in every event this season). I’m really proud of this team and the crew chiefs are doing a phenomenal job. They’re getting this car dialed in, so that it’s consistent in all conditions.”

The four-time NHRA World Champion, Hagan, had a tough time in qualifying with a 14th starting spot in the 16-car field, and he had to go up against three-time World Champion Ron Capps in the opening round of eliminations. Hagan again gained the starting line jump on Capps in the tough right lane, but Capps edged the Virginia racer by just 0.010 seconds at the finish.

Hagan’s 4.608 in the tough right lane wasn’t enough to better Capps’ 4.050. Despite the first-round defeat, Hagan ranks fifth in the NHRA Mission Funny Car points after eight events, as the national tour heads to Virginia Motorsports Park on June 21-22 for the NHRA Virginia Nationals.

“Obviously, it was a very tough race,” said Hagan. “We’ve had three or four in a row that we’ve just been on the back side of a good drag race and that’s tough. Those are hard to swallow, but at the end of the day, you have to just keep cheering and know things are going to flip the other way. We’ve been in a lot worse shape. I hate it for our guys because they work hard all week, and first round losses are always tough. I believe in our program, and I believe in our guys.

“Mike Knudsen (crew chief) is doing a great job. Unfortunately, we didn't have the lane choice, and we knew we had to back it down to get down that right lane. We’re still staying very positive. We have Richmond next weekend. It's going to be a two-day show with qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday. I'm excited that the season still has a long way to go.”

Also in the Top Fuel category, Ida Zetterström, the former FIA European Top Fuel champion from Sweden, enjoyed her best NHRA qualifying performance on Saturday with an eighth starting position in the JCM Dodge//SRT dragster. However, she took on Epping winner Brittany Force in the first round of eliminations and the Swede’s nitro-burning dragster smoked the tires.

“It's been a tricky weekend,” Zetterström said. “It was a big change from what we had in Epping, as the track conditions were completely different. We went into Sunday No. 8, but we had race Brittany who was No. 7 in qualifying. And we were the first pair out on Sunday, and we did not get lane choice. That proved to be crucial in the first round of eliminations here. But, like others, we didn’t make it down in the right lane.”

Defending Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown (FSS) World Champion Mark Pawuk of Akron, Ohio, scored his first 2025 NHRA victory in the No. 1 Empaco Equipment Dodge Challenger Mopar® DragPak machine with a 7.880 over James Betz in the final round. The victory vaulted Pawuk into the FFS points lead with 341 over 300 for Jason Dietsch.

The NHRA Virginia Nationals will have a special two-day event for the nitro cars with qualifying rounds set for 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, June 21, with final eliminations starting Sunday, June 22, at 12 p.m. EDT. Fox television coverage of the finals will begin at 4 p.m. EDT on Fox Sports 1.

Direct Connection
The Direct Connection portfolio, available online and through the Dodge Power Brokers dealer network, includes modern performance, crate engine, race and vintage muscle high-performance products for Dodge performance vehicles, offering factory street, strip and track performance parts developed by SRT engineers and backed by a Mopar warranty for peace of mind.

Performance enthusiasts and racers can access the Direct Connection hotline at (800) 998-1110 for technical and race support. More information on Direct Connection and Dodge Power Brokers is available at DCPerformance.com.

@DodgeMoparMotorsports on Instagram
The @DodgeMoparMotorsports Instagram channel continues to share content capturing Dodge//SRT Mopar drivers on the track. Fans can see action from the NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series and NHRA Sportsman grassroots racers, competing in classes such as Factory Stock Showdown, Stock and Super Stock, as well as additional motorsports series.

Dodge//SRT
For 110 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge, America’s performance brand, shifts into high gear with a lineup that delivers unrivaled performance in each of the segments in which the brand competes while moving forward to a future that includes electrified muscle in the form of the next-generation, all-new Dodge Charger.

The next-generation Dodge Charger electrifies a legend, with the Charger retaining its title as the world’s quickest and most powerful muscle car led by the all-new, all-electric 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack. The all-new Dodge Charger will also offer performance choices via multi-energy powertrain options, including the 550-horsepower Dodge Charger SIXPACK H.O., powered by the 3.0L Twin Turbo Hurricane High Output engine.

Dodge also keeps its foot on the gas as a pure performance brand with the 710-horsepower Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, the most powerful gas engine SUV ever, and best-in-class standard performance in the compact-utility vehicle segment with the Dodge Hornet.

Fans can follow all the NHRA action this season at DodgeGarage, the one-stop portal for Dodge//SRT and Mopar drag-racing news, including daily updates and access to an online racing HQ, news, events, galleries, available downloads and merchandise.

Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis (NYSE: STLA).

Mopar
Mopar is the global name for Stellantis genuine parts and authentic accessories.

A simple combination of the words MOtor and PARts, Mopar offers exceptional service, parts and customer-care. Born in 1937 as the name of a line of antifreeze products, Mopar has evolved over more than 85 years to represent both complete vehicle care and authentic performance for owners and enthusiasts worldwide.

Mopar made its mark in the 1960s during the muscle-car era with performance parts to enhance speed and handling for both on-road and racing use. Later, Mopar expanded to include technical service and customer support, and today integrates service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance customer and dealer support worldwide.

Complete information on Mopar is available at www.mopar.com and the newly redesigned Mopar blog at blog.mopar.com.

Follow Dodge, Mopar and Stellantis news and video on:

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