Racing News: New Class Records Broken at Global Time Attack Road Atlanta

Compiled by SEMA Editors

New Class Records Broken at Global Time Attack Road Atlanta

Fleming Racing’s Eric Fleming in his Chevrolet Corvette Z06 set a new class record in Limited with a time of 01:25.868 and PhD Racing’s Jackie Ding in his Toyota Supra #TA90 set a new class record in Street with a time of 01:27.923 at Road Atlanta, July 3–4. For complete results, visit the Global Time Attack website.

Rain Postpones Final Rounds of Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals at Indianapolis

The final rounds of the Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals at Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Raceway have been delayed due to inclement weather. After a lengthy rain delay before the finals in Top Fuel and Funny Car, NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series officials announced the fourth race of the 2020 season will be completed during the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA U.S. Nationals, which takes place September 3–6, at Lucas Oil Raceway.

In Top Fuel, a first-time winner will be crowned as T.J. Zizzo and rookie Justin Ashley both advanced to the final round for the first time in their careers. Funny Car points leader Jack Beckman will meet Don Schumacher Racing teammate Matt Hagan in the final round. The final round of the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will also be completed at the U.S. Nationals and will award a first-time winner in the class. Jason Scruggs and Chad Green both advanced to the final round of the first race of the 2020 season in the class, with Scruggs securing his first final round in NHRA Pro Mod competition. The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues August 6–9, with the NHRA Indy Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.

Paul Lee

WebMD Feature on NHRA Funny Car Driver Paul Lee with “The Green Light: A Race Car Driver’s Journey Back From Heart Attack"

The WebMD Corp. follows Paul Lee’s journey back to 330-mph Nitro Funny Cars after he suffered a widow-maker heart attack in 2016. “The Green Light” showcases the trials of Lee’s rehabilitation back to a healthy lifestyle both on and off the track. WebMD accompanied Paul Lee at the 2019 AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals where they captured a perspective of Lee as the race car driver, but also has a heart attack survivor. The video features the inspiration and the realization of life that Lee went through after surviving a widow maker heart attack. Watch the video.

Denver, Brainerd NHRA Events Postponed, Third Indianapolis Date Added

NHRA has announced that the Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals Presented By Pennzoil at Bandimere Speedway in Denver, August 7–9, and the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota, August 14–16, have been postponed until further notice, for pandemic-related reasons. NHRA also announced the new NHRA Indy Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, August 6–9. Qualifying for the new Indy event will air on FS1 and final eliminations will air on the FOX Broadcast Network. The NHRA Indy Nationals will feature an extravaganza of professional and sportsman racing over four days, with limited spectators per Indiana guidelines. The remainder of NHRA’s 2020 schedule remains the same, but is subject to change based on state and local guidelines. For more information about the NHRA schedule and the COVID-19 protocols, visit www.nhra.com.

In the Pro Mod SxS class, bLU cRU racer CJ Greaves finished the weekend on the podium.

Yamaha bLU cRU Racers Top Podiums and Classes as Racing Continues

Yamaha Motor Corp. USA bLU cRU racers, including Walker Fowler, Becca Sheets, Chad Wienen and CJ Greaves, continue to win and lead in their respective ATV, Side-by-Side (SxS) and Motorcycle national off-road classes as racing restarts across the country.
 In the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series, reigning five-time champion Fowler captured his 60th all-time win on his Mark Notman-prepared WFR/GBC/Fly Racing YFZ450R in the XC1 Pro ATV class, and his sixth win of the season, on July 11, at the Lily Family Farm in Maidsville, West Virginia. Fellow YFZ450R bLU cRU racers Brycen Neal and Cole Richardson rounded out the podium that round and currently sit second and third, respectively, in the XC1 Pro ATV standings behind Fowler. The following day, AmPro Yamaha race team’s Rachael Archer captured her first WXC Bike win on her YZ250FX. Archer is third overall in the class with Yamaha bLU cRU and BABS Racing’s Becca Sheets holding on to the overall lead by 44 points after six class wins and two second-place finishes so far.

Registration is currently open for the Yamaha GNCC University at Snowshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia, September 23–25, before the 10th round of the series. The Championship Off-Road Tour kicked off its inaugural weekend July 10–11, at ERX Motor Park in Elk River, Minnesota. In the Pro Mod SxS class, bLU cRU racers Greaves and Rodney VanEperen finished the weekend on the podium in each of their YXZ1000R Side-by-Sides. Greaves established an early lead, earning first place in both rounds, while VanEperen holds third overall. Greaves also took the first Pro Stock SxS win and currently holds second place overall. In addition to the next ATV MX and Championship Off-Road Tour rounds, the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series will kick off its first two national races of the season this weekend at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California.

SCORE Sets Four Races in Baja California

Mexico’s Baja California peninsula will host the official four-race schedule for the 2021 SCORE World Desert Championship released this week by SCORE. Featuring all four races in Baja California, Mexico, for the sixth time in the history of the desert racing series, the events will all be taped to air domestically and syndicated internationally. The 2021 season-opener will be held in San Felipe. Two others will be held exclusively in Baja California and the season-finale will start in Baja California and finish in La Paz, Baja California Sur. SCORE anticipates the announcement of the start and finish locations of two of the races and the start for the season-finale to be announced within the next few weeks. After being postponed because of the Coronavirus this year, the second SCORE Baja 400, the newest event on the SCORE World Desert Championship schedule, will be held September 21–26, 2021, in Baja California. The BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts, will be held April 14–18, 2021, in Baja California, and the season-ending BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4Wheel Parts, will be held November 20–December 4, 2021. The 2021 SCORE World Desert Championship season-opener for the ninth straight season will be the 34th SCORE San Felipe 250, to be held February 9–14, on the Sea of Cortez side of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. For more information regarding SCORE, visit www.SCOREInternational.com.

Dodge, Pennzoil to Sponsor NHRA Indy Nationals

NHRA has announced that Dodge will be the title rights sponsor of the Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals presented by Pennzoil, August 6–9, at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. The Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals will be the fifth race of the 2020 season and the third race of NHRA’s return to action after the four-month hiatus due to COVID-19. The Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals will feature racing action in all four Mello Yello Drag Racing Series categories including the 11,000-hp Top Fuel and Funny Car classes, Pro Stock division and Pro Stock Motorcycle class. Also in competition will be the E3 Spark Plugs Pro Mod Drag Racing Series Presented by J&A Service as well as the North Central Division NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series sportsman classes and the exhibition Mountain Motor Pro Stock class. Indiana state and health guidelines allows a limited number of fans to attend the Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals. Tickets are now on sale and may be purchased by visiting www.NHRA.com/tickets or calling 800-884-NHRA.

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