This week, you get another ‘TwoFer,’ two weeks together! With the team at InsideTrackNews.com already working hard on Motorama 2025, it was decided to combine two weeks together.
Kudos to NHRA for providing a great track at Las Vegas. Only one tire smoker in Top Fuel, only 4 in Funny Car and one only in Pro Mod. As well, it appeared that both lanes were equal all weekend.
And that was the case on Monday as they were scraping the track Sunday night to get rid of all the oil from Kalitta’s rear-end failure. Usually, there is a ‘good lane’ that is taken by the quicker qualifier, but that was not the case at Vegas. We need more races like this!
It appears that NASCAR, unlike Formula One, is listening to the racers, the press and the fans. After Conner Jones, at Miami- Homestead two weeks ago, drop kicked Matt Mills off the track and into the wall sending him to the hospital, NASCAR has suspended Jones for one race. Good call. I figured the two-lap penalty was going to be the end of it. I was wrong.
George Russell feels it is time that the FIA has full-time, employed, professional race stewards to improve consistency and help drivers interpret the guidelines. I’ve been saying that for years. How do you run a billion-dollar operation with unpaid volunteers that change every race? So much for consistency AND credibility.
Max Verstappen played the ‘pity card’ after his penalties in Mexico. He claims he has the wrong passport, and he would be treated better by the media and fans if he had a passport from a different country.
He is still defending his actions against Lando Norris over the races at COTA and Mexico. His ‘elbows-out’ style makes him a target for criticism, although it seemed he had gotten the message in his win at Brazil.
About 25 years ago, a young man started running our Friday night Street Legal program at St. Thomas Dragway. I watched him get better and better on the tree and I finally convinced him to come and run our Street Eliminator program. He mastered Street and moved up to the bigger classes. And he won championships.
A weekend ago, this man, Drew Buchner, won the WDRA No Box World Championship at Montgomery (Alabama) International Dragway. VERY well done. Earlier this year, he won the division championship at US 131 – along with his son – who won the Junior Dragster Championship.
And he married into a drag racing family. His father-in-law, the late Wayne McIntyre (I sold Mackie a ‘67 4-speed 427 Biscayne at the Central Chev High Performance Center 55 years ago), owned one of the very first F.J. Smith front wheel drive conversion cars that Drew’s wife Vicki drove. As well, his mother-in-law, Sue, was a longtime gate attendant at the track. And if that’s not enough, he and Vicki are the promoters of the highly successful 660 Sportsman Nationals Series.
Speaking of the stewards, the Formula One race at COTA left a LOT of head scratching. Verstappen clearly pushed Norris wide at the first corner, allowing the Ferraris to dive underneath them. But no penalty was issued to Max.
Yet Russell was given a penalty for a similar ‘infraction’ and then Norris, to add insult to injury, was issued a five-second penalty for the same incident in Turn 12.
And all of these penalties came because of the lame brain ‘track limits’ insanity. The cherry on the cake came when ‘track officials’ were summoned to the stewards’ office to get berated and fined (500,000 pounds/dollars/Saudi riyals with 350,000 to be refunded for ‘good behaviour’ over the next two years) for allowing spectators on the racing surface too early. Huh? The race was over!
When will the FIA finally decide that their stewards program is a complete and utter mockery of the sport and replace them with full-time, properly trained and PAID race officials? AND to further show that lunacy that is the stewards program, McLaren had registered a petition/protest/complaint/appeal about the five second penalty issued to Norris during the race. And take a wild guess who heard their petition?
The same three clowns (stewards) from Austin who blew the call in the first place. How fair and equitable is that? NASCAR wisely has a separate group to handle appeals.
After 67 years, the legendary Humberstone Speedway in Port Colborne has reportedly closed for good. Apparently, the landowner has elected to not renew the lease. Sad.
This past weekend, a group of Canadians were in the stands for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Martinsville, Virginia to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earl Ross winning a race there, in the fall of 1974. The group included family members, crew members, friends and fans of the late, great Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame member.
Many of them went down on a tour bus that came and went from Ailsa Craig, ON and stopped at several racing-related locations along the way. And while the bus was in transit, one of Earl’s daughters phones rang. It was former NASCAR racer and current NASCAR Canada Series team owner Jim Bray, who just wanted to tell the girls that he had once purchased that winning car and ran it for a while before reselling it.
Prior to the start of the weekend, NASCAR published a great article of stories about Earl Ross, and some members of the group were recognized at the pre-race drivers’ meeting. It sounded like a great time and a fitting tribute to a great racer, his teammates and their special accomplishment!
ASA Stars: In qualifying for the All American 400 at Nashville Speedway, on Sunday, Kyle Steckly qualified 10th while Joshua Stade started 28th. Stade had finished 8th in the 100 lapper and was asked by series staff to run the 400.
In the 400 Jake Garcia took the win over Casey Roderick and Dawson Sutton. Steckly finished 12th and Stade was 17th (in car 17!!). And Kyle was named Rookie of the Year for 2024.
NASCAR Cup Series: Martin Truex (Toyota), in his penultimate race, grabbed the pole for the Xfinity 500 Sunday at Martinsville Speedway ahead of Chase Elliott and William Byron (both in Chevs). 37 cars. Things went, surprisingly, drama free until lap 76 when Christopher Bell got loose in 2 sliding up into Corey LaJoie for collateral damage. Elliott got the Stage 1 win nosing out Byron.
On lap 145 Austin Cindric got into the back of Daniel Hemric who then got into another Daniel – Suarez wrecking Suarez in Corner 2. On lap 157 Harrison Burton went into the spin cycle thanks to a ‘little’ help from Carson Hocevar for another yellow. On the restart Truex got the ‘Lucky Dog’ free pass.
On lap 184 Truex had a solo spin in 4 for a caution. Brad Keselowski won Stage 2. On lap 397 Hocevar spun with a little help from Alex Bowman for a caution. A right front wheel and tire came off Kyle Busch’s car causing the restart to be aborted. It was interesting to see the motorhomes parked along the back stretch were the train tracks used to be. It was always interesting to see and feel a train going by during the races. They wisely moved the tracks further away.
Oh baby, things got tense over the last 100 laps with a ‘win and you’re in’ mentality amongst the contenders. But, fortunately, no incidents or accidents happened and at the flag, punching his ticket to Phoenix, it was Ryan Blaney over Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson.
And Christopher Bell pulled a full ‘Ross Chastain’ running up against the wall coming out of 4 to get into the Final Four. Ah, the drama at the finish. Race control was studying to see if Bell’s move was legal!! I would not have to make that call!! Bell’s move was ruled illegal so Byron gets in. This decision will be the topic of watercooler meetings this week for sure.
In the points Blaney heads to the Final Four at Phoenix along with Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick and William Byron. One Chev, one Toyota and two Fords.
Their final race is Phoenix, Sunday at 3 P.M. on TSN 5.
NASCAR Cup Series (Miami… a week before): Tyler Reddick (Toyota) continued his strong season by picking up the pole over the 38 entrants for Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway over Kyle Larson (Chev) and Christopher Bell (Toyota).
Things ran smoothly during Stage 1 for less than one lap!! Justin Haley spun after appearing to come down on Ricky Stenhouse for a quick caution. He was able to continue. On lap 46 Kyle Larson got into the wall in 2 while running 2nd. Reports indicated a right rear tire failure.
At the flag to end Stage 1 it was Tyler Reddick for the win with his teammate Bubba Wallace 2nd. Two cars from one of the teams suing NASCAR. Hmmm! On lap 132 leader Chase Elliott pulled up track in front of a fast-closing Ryan Blaney but there was no contact. Footage coming from the spotters stand showed a bunch of bees causing concerns.
I guess that’s something that is not covered in the game plan!! Denny Hamlin wins Stage 2. A co-owner of one of the teams suing NASCAR. Hmmm!! On lap 186 Haley got tapped from behind by Ty Gibbs in 3 and spun down off track for a yellow.
On lap 255 Larson was battling with Blaney for the lead when they tried to get around the slower car of Austin Dillon. Larson got sideways but kept going but the yellow came out anyway. On the last lap Reddick got around Blaney for the win with Hamlin 3rd. Awkward – Reddick’s team and his co-owner Hamlin are suing NASCAR!!
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Parker Retzlaff picked up the pole for the 250 lapper at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday ahead of Anthony Alfredo (both in Chevs) and Chandler Smith (Toyota). 38 cars qualified for the race.
On lap 11 Cole Custer appeared to run A.J. Allmendinger high and on the next lap Dinger tried a bump and run on Custer that cut his right front tire sending him up into the wall. On lap 36 Ryan Sieg got into the left side of Myatt Snider’s car in 4 spinning him for a yellow.
On lap 47 Blaine Perkins tagged and spun Leland Honeyman in 2 for another caution. Aric Almirola got around Cole Custer to win Stage 1. On lap 102 Preston Pardus hit and spun Maggio in 2. Do you see a pattern here?
They interviewed one of the drivers who was out of the race and I swear that he was so young that he doesn’t even shave yet!! On lap 133 William Sawalich appeared to lock up his brakes on corner entry and Alfredo tapped him sending up into the wall.
On lap 174 Kyle Sieg body slammed Pardus on corner entry with Pardus hitting the wall for another yellow. On lap 219 two incidents brought out the laundry. Custer got bumped out of 2nd spot by Chandler Smith and further back in the pack Sheldon Creed spun Brandon Jones.
On the restart more carnage as the outside lap didn’t get going and they stacked up behind them. Eight laps later Sieg and Shane Van Gisbergen got together. Fair to say there were a LOT of upset drivers after the race and some pushing and shoving. The shortest track on the circuit definitely creates excitement!!
At the flag it was Almirola for the win over Smith and Smith – Sammy and Chandler.
In the points it is Justin Allgaier by 7 over Custer and by 35 on Chandler Smith.
With the points reset the four drivers eligible to win the championship at Phoenix are Custer, Allgaier, Allmendinger and Austin Hill.
Their next race is Phoenix, Saturday at 7.30 P.M. on CW & TSN 2.
NASCAR Xfinity Series (Miami, the week before) 38 cars qualified for the 300 lapper Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Chandler Smith got the pole ahead of Sheldon Creed and Aric Almirola (all in Toyotas). Similar to the Truck race the first stage went clean and green with Austin Hill getting the stage win.
On lap 86 Nick Leitz spun coming out of 2 for the first race caution. Hill also won Stage 2. On lap 122 Ryan Truex got spun by Josh Williams who appeared to have suffered a blown tire and had sparks and flames coming out from under his car.
On lap 152 it was interesting to see crews sweeping up water from a pit stall that had come from a couple of team coolers. At the flag it was Hill winning (all 3 stages) over perennial runner-up Cole Custer and Almirola.
NASCAR Craftsman Trucks: Christian Eckes (Chev) took the pole over the 36 entrants for the 200 lap race Friday night at Martinsville Speedway ahead of Ty Majeski (Ford) and Taylor Gray (Toyota). Chev/Ford/Toyota.
Canadian Stewart Friesen (Toyota) started 20th. Things ran smoothly until lap 35 when Matthew Gould slowed and stopped coming out of corner 2 onto the back stretch for a yellow. Eckes won Stage 1. With two laps to go in Stage 2 Dylan Lupton backed it hard into the wall in Corner 2 for another caution. Eckes also won Stage 2.
On lap 162 Kaden Honeycutt got into the wall in 2 apparently because of a flat tire. Three wide at Martinsville? Yup. On lap 181 Brett Moffatt and Corey Day got together for another yellow. It appeared that Tanner Gray got shoved into Moffatt by Dean Thompson. Right after the restart Chase Purdy hit Grant Enfinger who then collected Friesen sending Friesen well back in the pack.
There was a LOT of bumper car activity in the last ten laps but no wrecks. I expect to see Taylor Gray getting a fine after his post race actions, upset after getting bumped out of the lead in the closing laps. And the pit reporter should NOT have chased Gray down pit road. At the flag it was Eckes sweeps all three stages over Ben Rhodes and Purdy. Friesen ended up 10th.
With the points reset the four trucks eligible for the championship at Phoenix are Grant Enfinger, Christian Eckes, Ty Majeski and Corey Heim.
NASCAR Craftsman Trucks (a week ago) 34 trucks qualified for the Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway Saturday. Corey Heim (Toyota) won the pole over Taylor Gray (Toyota) and Rajah Caruth (Chev). Canadian Stewart Friesen (Toyota) qualified 12th. Stage 1 went smoothly with Heim getting the stage win. Stage 2 was the same as Stage 1 and Grant Enfinger got the win. Things went drama free until lap 76 when Matt Mills got nailed by Connor Jones and spun up hard into the wall. And then, stop the presses, NASCAR penalized Jones two laps!! A black flag!! Well done.
Things went green all the way to the flag with Enfinger getting the win over Ty Majeski and Connor Mosack. Friesen finished a stout 6th.
Formula One: The Brazil race included a Sprint Race something that I feel every race weekend should include. Lando Norris (McLaren) was quickest in the only Free Practice session while his teammate Oscar Piastri beat him for the Sprint race pole with Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 3rd. The Sprint Race ran smoothly until lap 22 when Piastri let Norris pass him (team orders) and then the rains came. At the flag it was Norris, Piastri and Leclerc.
Qualifying for Sunday’s race was rained, nay, flooded out and instead it was held on Sunday morning. Qualifying saw Lando Norris (McLaren) pick up the pole ahead of George Russell (Mercedes) and Yuki Tsunoda (RB).
On the formation lap Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) who had qualified 10th spun and ended up in the gravel trap effectively taking himself out of the race. This brought out more abject stupidity in their race direction as some cars stayed on the grid and other cars kept going. More utter and total confusion. Well done FIA!!!!!!!
AND to add fire to the flames Norris was being investigated by the race director for a ‘starting procedure infringement – noted’. Apparently, he left for the formation lap on yellow lights? Wow, the top racing series on the planet with the worst race direction. Make it stop!!!!
After a brief time period, the cars went out for the real formation lap. Wet track for the start. Russell outran Norris for the lead going into the first corner. On the first lap Sergio Perez looped it but kept going with no caution. Max Verstappen started 17th due to his prior penalties.
Lewis Hamilton got off track on lap 11 for a local yellow only and kept going. A virtual safety car flag came out on lap 28 for Nico Hulkenburg’s (Haas) off track excursion. Following a couple of laps on the very wet track Franco Colapinto (Williams) had a tank slapped and wrecked putting debris all over the track. Red flag. After a lengthy delay the race resumed. The yellow came back out on lap 40 when last weeks’ winner Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) spun and spanked the wall. Yellow flag.
At the flag it was Max Verstappen who had started almost from the parking lot for the win over the two Alpines, yup, Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. The odds makers must be making a killing!!!
In the Drivers’ Championship Max extends his lead over Norris to 62 and by 86 on Charles Leclerc.
In the Constructors’ Championship McLaren lost a bit of its lead and is 36 up on Ferrari and 49 up on Red Bull.
Formula One (Mexico, the week before): There was lots of excitement in Free Practice One at the Mexican Grand Prix on Friday. Alex Albon was at full song when he encountered a very slow rookie driver Ollie Bearman driving Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari. Both cars got damaged.
A sign fell off one of the bridges and damaged the floor of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. I’m sure track officials were ‘summoned’ to meet with the stewards!! Meanwhile George Russell had a major off in FP2 and did not get a time. The team had a major rebuild to get the car ready for Saturday’s action. This after he had set fast time in FP1. Carlos Sainz was quickest in FP2 with his Ferrari.
In qualifying on Saturday Red Bull driver Sergio Perez failed to get out of Q1 in front of his home crowd. Sadly, that does not help his precarious job situation. Lando Norris was quickest in Q1. I must say I really love the stadium portion of the circuit. What a great use of that facility.
Yuki Tsunoda brought out a red flag to end Q2 when he got hard into the tire barriers. The safety crew had a hard time extracting the car. This negated the last-minute attempts for the Aston Martins of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso. Norris was quickest again in Q2.
Carlos Sainz won the pole over Verstappen and Norris. For some reason, two of the back markers were very slow getting going for the formation lap. Unfair to the front starters as they would have to wait longer? I’m sure the stewards will address the issue! LOL
Ocon started from pit road due to a replacement car after his ‘off.’ Verstappen was up to his old tricks (think COTA) as he ran polesitter Sainz off the track in Corner 1. They didn’t get very far before Yuki Tsunoda tried a Hail Mary outside pass and went off track hitting Alex Albon and breaking Albon’s steering link. A yellow flag on the first lap? That’s two on the same day!!
Meanwhile Perez was ‘under review’ by the stewards for starting too far forward. And Perez was penalized. And in another repeat of COTA, Verstappen forced Norris off track. And that means Norris gets a second ‘track limits’ violation!!! But Max got a ten second penalty!! Good. At the halfway mark it was the two Ferraris of Sainz and Leclerc with Norris 3rd.
At the flag it was polesitter Sainz over Norris and Leclerc. The Mercedes duo of Hamilton and Russell finished 4th and 5th with Verstappen 6th. Stroll finished 11th.
Their next race is Las Vegas, Sunday, November 23.
NHRA: The best part of the Ford Performance Nationals at Las Vegas was the return of John Force to the track. That guy is tough for sure. And his team welcomed him in qualifying with the top spot in Top Fuel for Brittany Force and the top two in Funny Car with Austin Prock and Jack Beckman/John Force.
TILT – during the second semifinal pairing in Top Fuel between Doug Kalitta and his teammate Shawn Langdon the event was postponed until Monday. The reason – Kalitta blew his rear end out of the car oiling the track down from one end to the other with heavy gear lube. Langdon got a little sideways, crossed the centerline and blew the left rear slick and almost hit the wall. Kalitta won the round as Langdon had crossed the centerline.
And in a head scratcher, NHRA did not follow their tried and true traditional finish for the finals with PS/M, P/S, F/C and T/F but rather ran it in reverse order. I’m guessing it was because they did not complete Round 3 on Sunday with only Top Fuel running. This left Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Bike to run their third rounds on Monday. They would need the normal between rounds time to cool off and get ready for their finals. Interesting.
Top Fuel – Brittany Force nabbed the top spot with a 3.660 at 336.74. 19 entries. Force and Kalitta met in the finals and both cars have had less than stellar years. Force took the win at 3.703 with no true speed showing. There were 3 upsets (lower qualified car wins) and ONLY 1 smoker (one or both cars had traction problems). In the points Justin Ashley leads Antron Brown and Shawn Langdon.
Funny Car – No surprise as Austin Prock topped the 21 entries with a 3.817 at 333.33. Prock defeated Paul Lee in the final with a 3.830 at no true speed showing. 3 upsets and 4 smokers. In the points Prock leads Jack Beckman/John Force and Matt Hagan.
Pro Mod – New York racer Mike Janis who has raced in this area for years topped the charts with a 5.708 at 246.89. The two B.C. racers – Justin Bond and Jordan Lazic – qualified 3rd and 6th. 18 entries. GREAT NEWS – by winning his race with points leader Bond, Lazic became the 2024 NHRA Pro Mod Champion!! Well done. In the final, Lazic won with a 5.729 at 251.53 over a red-lighting Janis. 5 upsets and 1 smoker. Points not yet available. Oh, Canada!
Pro Stock – Veteran Greg Anderson was number 1 with a 6.596 at 207.02. Canadian Eric Latino was 14th. 19 entries. In the final Aaron Stanfield ran a 6.606 at 206.13 to top Anderson. 5 upsets and 2 smokers. Dallas Glenn leads Stanfield and Anderson in the points.
Pro Stock Bike – No surprise as Gaige Herrera was the best of the 16 entries with a 6.813 at 198.20. In the final Herrera ran a 6.798 at 197.16 to take out Angie Smith. 3 upsets. In the points Herrera leads Matt Smith and Richard Gadson.
Factory X – Aaron Stanfield (who was DQ’d in the first qualifying session along with his father Greg??) was the best of the 5 entries with a 6.995 at 194.27. I’m not sure what happened with the class. Both Drag Race Central and nhra.com only show one pair running – Greg Stanfield beating Chris Holbrook in the first round then crickets, nothing, zip, zero. What’s up with that? In the points Aaron Stanfield leads father Greg and Lenny Lottig.
Mountain Motor Pro Stock – Johnny Pluchino was the best of the 9 entries (for 8 spots) with a 6.315 at 220.40. Pluchino ran a 6.300 at 221.56 to top Randi Lyn Butner in the final. 2 upsets and 1 smoker. Pluchino leads the points over Bo Butner and John DeFlorian.
Legends Nitro Funny Car – In the final of the 8 car field Alberta’s Tim Boychuk who qualified 7th ran a 4.851 at 235.60 to defeat number 1 qualifier Shane Westerfield. Oh, Canada!!
Their next race is Pomona, Sunday, November 17 on Fox Sports Racing.
Any comments can be sent to Dave Mathers via email at motionman@rogers.com or by Facebook Messenger.
