People Places & Racing News

Racing News: Brittany Force, Todd and Hartford Victorious at NHRA SpringNationals

Compiled by SEMA Editors

JR Todd
J.R. Todd captured his first career back-to-back Funny Car victory last Sunday afternoon at the 31st annual NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway.

Brittany Force, Todd and Hartford Victorious at NHRA SpringNationals

J.R. Todd captured his first career back-to-back Funny Car victory last Sunday afternoon at the 31st annual NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway. Brittany Force (Top Fuel) and Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) were also victorious in their respective categories at the fifth of 24 events on the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Todd powered his DHL Toyota Camry to a pass of 3.955 seconds at 313.29 mph to defeat defending world champion Robert Hight in the final round. This is his second win of the season and 13th of his career. Force, the defending Top Fuel world champion, piloted her Monster Energy dragster to a pass of 3.762 at 299.46 to defeat Terry McMillen in the final round. This is her first victory of the season and eighth of her career. In Pro Stock, Hartford drove to his first career winner’s circle after taking down the hometown hero Erica Enders. The Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues April 27–29 at the NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Ryan Beat
Ryan Beat 

Ryan Beat Wins Round One of Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Ryan Beat won round one of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, April 14, at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona. His BILSTEIN Pro Lite truck was in the top three every time he hit the track.

BILSTEIN Named Official Shock of NORRA for Three-Year Partnership

BILSTEIN has announced a three-year partnership with NORRA Mexican 1000 rally. The Mexican 1000 is a blend of high-performance driving, and world-class adventure in a tough, multi-stage race that honors the roots of Baja racing. Stage one heads east to the fishing village in San Felipe. After overnight stops in Guerrero Negro (bikes only), Bahia de Los Angeles, Loreto and La Paz, it reaches the final destination in San Jose del Cabo. Many of the vehicles that originally ran the length of the Baja Peninsula took full advantage of BILSTEIN’s construction and damping performance to accomplish the feat.

Royal Purple
Royal Purple Synthetic Oil—the official oil of the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires—will once again headline all six rounds of competition at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 11–12.

Royal Purple Synthetic Oil to Title All Mazda Road to Indy Rounds at Indianapolis

Royal Purple Synthetic Oil—the official oil of the Mazda Road to Indy, presented by Cooper Tires—will once again headline all six rounds of competition at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 11–12, as competitors on all three levels of the driver development ladder system gather in support of the INDYCAR Grand Prix. Royal Purple will “Pump Up the Purple” during May’s Lupus Awareness Month to help spread the word on this disease and raise funds for lupus research and education. All cars on the Mazda Road to Indy will display a special decal in support of the Lupus Foundation of America, and the hashtag #RaceToEndLupus will be utilized throughout the event. Fans, drivers and teams can show their support by donating via a special page on the national Lupus Foundation of America website. NBCSN will air the Indy Lights race May 22 at 6:00 p.m.

For more racing news, visit Performance Racing Industry’s (PRI) website.