Latest news with #Gatornationals
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Pro Stock King Greg Anderson Red Lights — and Wins — at NHRA Arizona Nationals
It was as though neither Pro Stock driver wanted to win the final round that was a rematch of the season-opening Gatornationals. And even when Anderson was declared the winner, he said he had no idea what he had done or why he won or what Glenn—who beat him at Gainesville two weeks ago—had done. Anderson is 64 years old and constantly wisecracks about being a greybeard. Glenn, too, fondly gets in his digs to his mentor. But Anderson was not going crazy Sunday. The final round was the weirdest even the experts have seen in the sport's history. You see, drag racing has no start-finish line. It has a starting line, and it has a finish line. For the Pro Stock class, those two lines are a quarter-mile apart. But with a weird technical twist, Sunday's starting line was the finish line. Both Anderson and Glenn committed foul starts, and both cars lost power immediately. Anderson saw his win light come on, and he said later that he didn't know how he could red-light—and have his car quit on him, to boot—and still win. He said he knew he had red-lit at the Christmas Tree—jumped the gun—but didn't have any idea what Glenn, his KB Titan Racing teammate, was doing. So he figured he needed to try to get his Chevy Camaro to hook up again and was supremely frustrated he couldn't do that. 'I had no chance of winning that race,' he said, but little did he know he already had won it. Glenn, too, was frustrated for his own reasons. In a situation like that, the driver who red-lights second is declared the winner. 'We both blew it,' Anderson declared. 'We wanted to put on a good show, and that wasn't much of a show. They say there's no such thing as an ugly win. Well, that was an ugly win. But a win is a win is a win. We'll forget about the details of it. The Great Lord shined on me today.' The win was No. 107 in Anderson's career. Final finish order (1-16) at the 40th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park. The race is the second of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. TOP FUEL: 1. Shawn Langdon; 2. Doug Kalitta; 3. Jasmine Salinas; 4. Brittany Force; 5. Antron Brown; 6. Justin Ashley; 7. Tony Stewart; 8. Josh Hart; 9. Clay Millican; 10. Ida Zetterstrom; 11. Travis Shumake; 12. Scott Palmer; 13. Steven Chrisman; 14. Shawn Reed. FUNNY CAR: 1. Paul Lee; 2. Austin Prock; 3. Jack Beckman; 4. Bob Tasca III; 5. Matt Hagan; 6. Blake Alexander; 7. J.R. Todd; 8. Cruz Pedregon; 9. Ron Capps; 10. Jon Capps; 11. Daniel Wilkerson; 12. Alexis DeJoria; 13. Bobby Bode; 14. Chad Green; 15. Dave Richards; 16. Buddy Hull. PRO STOCK: 1. Greg Anderson; 2. Dallas Glenn; 3. Matt Hartford; 4. Aaron Stanfield; 5. Eric Latino; 6. Cory Reed; 7. Mason McGaha; 8. Greg Stanfield; 9. Cristian Cuadra; 10. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 11. David Cuadra; 12. Brandon Foster; 13. Erica Enders; 14. Jeg Coughlin; 15. Deric Kramer; 16. Fernando Cuadra Jr.. Sunday's final results from the 40th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park. The race is the second of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series: Top Fuel -- Shawn Langdon, 3.724 seconds, 330.39 mph def. Doug Kalitta, 3.770 seconds, 325.53 mph. Funny Car -- Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 4.030, 313.22 def. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 4.507, 240.68. Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, Broke def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, Foul - Red Light. Competition Eliminator -- Jeff Taylor, Spitzer, 6.912, 159.83 def. Paul Mitsos, Chevy Camaro, 21.356, 35.22. Super Stock -- Ryan McClanahan, Chevy Cobalt, 8.284, 161.32 def. Leo Glasbrenner, Chevy Camaro, 9.413, 142.49. Stock Eliminator -- Justin Lamb, Chevy Camaro, 9.618, 135.21 def. Jody Lang, Chevy Malibu Wgn, 12.019, 107.05. Super Comp -- Chad Webber, Dragster, 8.944, 180.91 def. Steve Williams, Dragster, 8.927, 182.62. Super Gas -- Roger Kato, Chevy Camaro, 9.932, 171.60 def. Jerry Denton, Chevy Corvette, 9.826, 157.85. Top Dragster -- Mike Fuqua, Dragster, 7.237, 184.77 def. Mallory Reis, Dragster, 6.495, 203.95. Pro Modified -- Mike Stavrinos, Chevy Camaro, 5.725, 248.43 def. Rickie Smith, Ford Mustang, 5.787, 250.09. Legends Nitro Funny Car presented by Extreme Steel -- Ryan Horan, Chevy Camaro, 4.706, 240.55 def. Bobby Cottrell, Camaro, 4.826, 235.39. Final round-by-round results from the 40th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park, the second of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series: TOP FUEL: ROUND ONE -- Tony Stewart, 4.940, 189.84 def. Shawn Reed, 7.961, 64.16; Justin Ashley, 3.805, 327.19 def. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.818, 324.51; Brittany Force, 3.779, 320.89 def. Steven Chrisman, 4.089, 254.90; Doug Kalitta, 3.762, 325.92 def. Travis Shumake, 3.829, 330.88; Shawn Langdon, 3.783, 323.66 def. Scott Palmer, 3.918, 296.57; Antron Brown, 3.770, 329.34 def. Josh Hart, 3.810, 322.27; Jasmine Salinas, 3.779, 328.70 def. Clay Millican, 3.815, 319.98; QUARTERFINALS -- Langdon, 3.841, 311.49 def. Ashley, 4.124, 246.08; Force, 3.793, 328.38 def. Stewart, 5.328, 135.00; Salinas, 3.821, 322.88 def. Brown, 3.870, 314.24; Kalitta, 3.821, 322.27 was unopposed; SEMIFINALS -- Kalitta, 3.767, 317.94 def. Salinas, 3.809, 320.66; Langdon, 3.833, 325.37 def. Force, Broke; FINAL -- Langdon, 3.724, 330.39 def. Kalitta, 3.770, 325.53. FUNNY CAR: ROUND ONE -- Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.949, 326.16 def. Jon Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.570, 221.96; Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 3.910, 327.66 def. Dave Richards, Mustang, 7.303, 94.31; Austin Prock, Camaro, 3.936, 324.75 def. Buddy Hull, Charger, 14.943, 58.78; Blake Alexander, Charger, 4.003, 306.67 def. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 4.165, 230.61; Paul Lee, Charger, 4.445, 196.22 def. Chad Green, Mustang, 7.219, 92.78; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.977, 322.34 def. Alexis DeJoria, Charger, Foul - Red Light; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.987, 324.44 def. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 4.768, 190.62; J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 7.556, 87.55 def. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, Foul - Red Light; QUARTERFINALS -- Prock, 4.010, 311.92 def. Hagan, 4.005, 316.38; Beckman, 3.973, 319.14 def. Pedregon, 10.113, 80.73; Tasca III, 3.979, 325.22 def. Todd, 5.294, 161.63; Lee, 3.964, 319.82 def. Alexander, 4.151, 276.58; SEMIFINALS -- Lee, 4.411, 207.62 def. Tasca III, 5.219, 156.41; Prock, 3.966, 321.19 def. Beckman, 3.979, 321.42; FINAL -- Lee, 4.030, 313.22 def. Prock, 4.507, 240.68. PRO STOCK: ROUND ONE -- Mason McGaha, Chevy Camaro, 6.907, 207.69 def. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 9.620, 109.58; Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.598, 209.20 def. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.824, 209.39; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.596, 209.33 def. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, Foul - Red Light; Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.546, 209.62 def. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 7.075, 205.60; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.560, 208.71 def. Brandon Foster, Camaro, 6.619, 207.50; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.555, 209.49 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 10.798, 85.46; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.560, 210.57 def. David Cuadra, Camaro, 6.602, 208.71; Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.582, 208.75 def. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.587, 209.79; QUARTERFINALS -- Hartford, 6.588, 208.46 def. M. McGaha, 6.837, 204.48; Glenn, 6.590, 209.95 def. G. Stanfield, 18.127, 58.53; Anderson, 6.616, 209.17 def. E. Latino, 6.594, 209.17; A. Stanfield, 6.589, 208.49 def. Reed, 6.603, 209.10; SEMIFINALS -- Anderson, 6.586, 209.79 def. A. Stanfield, 16.603, 50.14; Glenn, 6.591, 209.79 def. Hartford, 6.586, 208.49; FINAL -- Anderson, Broke def. Glenn, Foul - Red Light. Point standings (top 10) following the 40th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park, the second of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series - Top Fuel 1. Shawn Langdon, 219; 2. Antron Brown, 179; 3. Doug Kalitta, 161; 4. Jasmine Salinas, 145; 5. Brittany Force, 118; 6. Tony Stewart, 107; 7. Clay Millican, 89; 8. Justin Ashley, 85; 9. Steve Torrence, 75; 10. Shawn Reed, 66. Funny Car 1. Paul Lee, 151; 2. Jack Beckman, 149; 3. Bob Tasca III, 143; 4. Chad Green, 139; 5. Ron Capps, 132; 6. Austin Prock, 127; 7. Matt Hagan, 124; 8. Alexis DeJoria, 107; 9. (tie) Bobby Bode, 87; Cruz Pedregon, 87. Pro Stock 1. Greg Anderson, 228; 2. Dallas Glenn, 221; 3. Cory Reed, 129; 4. Matt Hartford, 117; 5. Eric Latino, 109; 6. Mason McGaha, 105; 7. Aaron Stanfield, 104; 8. Jeg Coughlin, 103; 9. Troy Coughlin Jr., 89; 10. Greg Stanfield, 86.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Entrepreneur Paul Lee Gets First NHRA Funny Car Victory After Long Time Trying
Paul Lee has a lot of achievements in life. Lee owns successful automotive aftermarket companies. He is an expert poker player. He has earned a law degree—three college degrees, to be exact. He won several alcohol Funny Car races. He even survived a widow-maker heart attack several years ago. But he never won an NHRA Funny Car Wally trophy—until Sunday at the Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler. The 67-year-old Lee, who earned his nitro license and made his Funny Car debut in 2005 after starting in Top Alcohol cars in 1988, joined Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel) on the winners podium. Lee's first triumph, at reigning class champion Austin Prock's expense, was a tremendously sentimental one, for it came 18 years to the day after Eric Medlen's passing. Eric Medlen's father, John Medlen, is Lee's co-crew chief along with tuner/builder/racer Jonnie Lindberg. 'I had a feeling about today,' Lee said as he received his trophy. 'We prayed about it today, and there was just a calm in our pit. We're blessed. Today was surreal. This trophy is going straight o John Medlen. He's the strongest man I know. He's a blessed man, and he has blessed us with his presence on our team.' Moments after watching Lee clinch the victory, John Medlen said of his son, 'I think he pushed that car right into the winners circle.' Lee also credited Lindberg, a Top Alcohol Funny Car champion turned Funny Car racer turned crew chief. Lee likened him to drag-racing legend Don Garlits. Curiously, Lee's only three final rounds in Funny Car competition have come in the past eight months, including at Seattle last July and at Las Vegas in November 2024. And in all three Lee has had to face Prock. Prock, representing John Force Racing, had a lot of emotion attached to this final round, as well. Prock grew up around the beloved Eric Medlen when Medlen competed at JFR with John Medlen tuning the car. The win also gave Lee the Funny Car points lead. It was as though neither Pro Stock driver wanted to win the final round that was a rematch of the season-opening Gatornationals. And even when Anderson was declared the winner, he said he had no idea what he had done or why he won or what Glenn—who beat him at Gainesville two weeks ago—had done. Anderson is 64 years old and constantly wisecracks about being a greybeard. Glenn, too, fondly gets in his digs to his mentor. But Anderson was not going crazy Sunday. The final round was the weirdest even the experts have seen in the sport's history. You see, drag racing has no start-finish line. It has a starting line, and it has a finish line. For the Pro Stock class, those two lines are a quarter-mile apart. But with a weird technical twist, Sunday's starting line was the finish line. Both Anderson and Glenn committed foul starts, and both cars lost power immediately. Anderson saw his win light come on, and he said later that he didn't know how he could red-light—and have his car quit on him, to boot—and still win. He said he knew he had red-lit at the Christmas Tree—jumped the gun—but didn't have any idea what Glenn, his KB Titan Racing teammate, was doing. So he figured he needed to try to get his Chevy Camaro to hook up again and was supremely frustrated he couldn't do that. 'I had no chance of winning that race,' he said, but little did he know he already had won it. Glenn, too, was frustrated for his own reasons. 'We both blew it,' Anderson declared. 'We wanted to put on a good show, and that wasn't much of a show. They say there's no such thing as an ugly win. Well, that was an ugly win. But a win is a win is a win. We'll forget about the details of it. The Great Lord shined on me today.' Final finish order (1-16) at the 40th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park. The race is the second of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. TOP FUEL: 1. Shawn Langdon; 2. Doug Kalitta; 3. Jasmine Salinas; 4. Brittany Force; 5. Antron Brown; 6. Justin Ashley; 7. Tony Stewart; 8. Josh Hart; 9. Clay Millican; 10. Ida Zetterstrom; 11. Travis Shumake; 12. Scott Palmer; 13. Steven Chrisman; 14. Shawn Reed. FUNNY CAR: 1. Paul Lee; 2. Austin Prock; 3. Jack Beckman; 4. Bob Tasca III; 5. Matt Hagan; 6. Blake Alexander; 7. J.R. Todd; 8. Cruz Pedregon; 9. Ron Capps; 10. Jon Capps; 11. Daniel Wilkerson; 12. Alexis DeJoria; 13. Bobby Bode; 14. Chad Green; 15. Dave Richards; 16. Buddy Hull. PRO STOCK: 1. Greg Anderson; 2. Dallas Glenn; 3. Matt Hartford; 4. Aaron Stanfield; 5. Eric Latino; 6. Cory Reed; 7. Mason McGaha; 8. Greg Stanfield; 9. Cristian Cuadra; 10. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 11. David Cuadra; 12. Brandon Foster; 13. Erica Enders; 14. Jeg Coughlin; 15. Deric Kramer; 16. Fernando Cuadra Jr.. Sunday's final results from the 40th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park. The race is the second of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series: Top Fuel -- Shawn Langdon, 3.724 seconds, 330.39 mph def. Doug Kalitta, 3.770 seconds, 325.53 mph. Funny Car -- Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 4.030, 313.22 def. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 4.507, 240.68. Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, Broke def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, Foul - Red Light. Competition Eliminator -- Jeff Taylor, Spitzer, 6.912, 159.83 def. Paul Mitsos, Chevy Camaro, 21.356, 35.22. Super Stock -- Ryan McClanahan, Chevy Cobalt, 8.284, 161.32 def. Leo Glasbrenner, Chevy Camaro, 9.413, 142.49. Stock Eliminator -- Justin Lamb, Chevy Camaro, 9.618, 135.21 def. Jody Lang, Chevy Malibu Wgn, 12.019, 107.05. Super Comp -- Chad Webber, Dragster, 8.944, 180.91 def. Steve Williams, Dragster, 8.927, 182.62. Super Gas -- Roger Kato, Chevy Camaro, 9.932, 171.60 def. Jerry Denton, Chevy Corvette, 9.826, 157.85. Top Dragster -- Mike Fuqua, Dragster, 7.237, 184.77 def. Mallory Reis, Dragster, 6.495, 203.95. Pro Modified -- Mike Stavrinos, Chevy Camaro, 5.725, 248.43 def. Rickie Smith, Ford Mustang, 5.787, 250.09. Legends Nitro Funny Car presented by Extreme Steel -- Ryan Horan, Chevy Camaro, 4.706, 240.55 def. Bobby Cottrell, Camaro, 4.826, 235.39. Final round-by-round results from the 40th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park, the second of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series: TOP FUEL: ROUND ONE -- Tony Stewart, 4.940, 189.84 def. Shawn Reed, 7.961, 64.16; Justin Ashley, 3.805, 327.19 def. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.818, 324.51; Brittany Force, 3.779, 320.89 def. Steven Chrisman, 4.089, 254.90; Doug Kalitta, 3.762, 325.92 def. Travis Shumake, 3.829, 330.88; Shawn Langdon, 3.783, 323.66 def. Scott Palmer, 3.918, 296.57; Antron Brown, 3.770, 329.34 def. Josh Hart, 3.810, 322.27; Jasmine Salinas, 3.779, 328.70 def. Clay Millican, 3.815, 319.98; QUARTERFINALS -- Langdon, 3.841, 311.49 def. Ashley, 4.124, 246.08; Force, 3.793, 328.38 def. Stewart, 5.328, 135.00; Salinas, 3.821, 322.88 def. Brown, 3.870, 314.24; Kalitta, 3.821, 322.27 was unopposed; SEMIFINALS -- Kalitta, 3.767, 317.94 def. Salinas, 3.809, 320.66; Langdon, 3.833, 325.37 def. Force, Broke; FINAL -- Langdon, 3.724, 330.39 def. Kalitta, 3.770, 325.53. FUNNY CAR: ROUND ONE -- Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.949, 326.16 def. Jon Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.570, 221.96; Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 3.910, 327.66 def. Dave Richards, Mustang, 7.303, 94.31; Austin Prock, Camaro, 3.936, 324.75 def. Buddy Hull, Charger, 14.943, 58.78; Blake Alexander, Charger, 4.003, 306.67 def. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 4.165, 230.61; Paul Lee, Charger, 4.445, 196.22 def. Chad Green, Mustang, 7.219, 92.78; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.977, 322.34 def. Alexis DeJoria, Charger, Foul - Red Light; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.987, 324.44 def. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 4.768, 190.62; J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 7.556, 87.55 def. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, Foul - Red Light; QUARTERFINALS -- Prock, 4.010, 311.92 def. Hagan, 4.005, 316.38; Beckman, 3.973, 319.14 def. Pedregon, 10.113, 80.73; Tasca III, 3.979, 325.22 def. Todd, 5.294, 161.63; Lee, 3.964, 319.82 def. Alexander, 4.151, 276.58; SEMIFINALS -- Lee, 4.411, 207.62 def. Tasca III, 5.219, 156.41; Prock, 3.966, 321.19 def. Beckman, 3.979, 321.42; FINAL -- Lee, 4.030, 313.22 def. Prock, 4.507, 240.68. PRO STOCK: ROUND ONE -- Mason McGaha, Chevy Camaro, 6.907, 207.69 def. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 9.620, 109.58; Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.598, 209.20 def. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.824, 209.39; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.596, 209.33 def. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, Foul - Red Light; Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.546, 209.62 def. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 7.075, 205.60; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.560, 208.71 def. Brandon Foster, Camaro, 6.619, 207.50; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.555, 209.49 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 10.798, 85.46; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.560, 210.57 def. David Cuadra, Camaro, 6.602, 208.71; Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.582, 208.75 def. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.587, 209.79; QUARTERFINALS -- Hartford, 6.588, 208.46 def. M. McGaha, 6.837, 204.48; Glenn, 6.590, 209.95 def. G. Stanfield, 18.127, 58.53; Anderson, 6.616, 209.17 def. E. Latino, 6.594, 209.17; A. Stanfield, 6.589, 208.49 def. Reed, 6.603, 209.10; SEMIFINALS -- Anderson, 6.586, 209.79 def. A. Stanfield, 16.603, 50.14; Glenn, 6.591, 209.79 def. Hartford, 6.586, 208.49; FINAL -- Anderson, Broke def. Glenn, Foul - Red Light. Point standings (top 10) following the 40th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park, the second of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series - Top Fuel 1. Shawn Langdon, 219; 2. Antron Brown, 179; 3. Doug Kalitta, 161; 4. Jasmine Salinas, 145; 5. Brittany Force, 118; 6. Tony Stewart, 107; 7. Clay Millican, 89; 8. Justin Ashley, 85; 9. Steve Torrence, 75; 10. Shawn Reed, 66. Funny Car 1. Paul Lee, 151; 2. Jack Beckman, 149; 3. Bob Tasca III, 143; 4. Chad Green, 139; 5. Ron Capps, 132; 6. Austin Prock, 127; 7. Matt Hagan, 124; 8. Alexis DeJoria, 107; 9. (tie) Bobby Bode, 87; Cruz Pedregon, 87. Pro Stock 1. Greg Anderson, 228; 2. Dallas Glenn, 221; 3. Cory Reed, 129; 4. Matt Hartford, 117; 5. Eric Latino, 109; 6. Mason McGaha, 105; 7. Aaron Stanfield, 104; 8. Jeg Coughlin, 103; 9. Troy Coughlin Jr., 89; 10. Greg Stanfield, 86.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NHRA Funny Car Pilot Bob Tasca's Shot at FOX Sports Still Ringing Loud and Clear
Tasca wasn't being funny during eliminations at the NHRA season-opening Gatornationals two weeks ago. That was when he took issue with FOX Sports's IndyCar-promo tagline 'Fastest Racing on Earth.' Tasca's rant had drivers, fans and media buzzing. Was NHRA Funny Car team owner-driver Bob Tasca III acting like the toddler who was jealous of the new baby? IndyCar is FOX Sports' new baby, celebrated, welcomed to the broadcast family, lavished with oohs and aahs—and showcased with some genuinely clever, humorous, and engaging 30-second ads that debuted during the NFL playoffs and the Super wasn't being funny during eliminations at the NHRA season-opening Gatornationals two weeks ago when he took issue with FOX's IndyCar-promo tagline 'Fastest Racing on Earth.' At first it sounded tongue-in-cheek when Tasca said on the telecast from Gainesville, Fla.: 'I want to say it to the fans: I'm very disappointed with FOX Sports. All winter I got to hear, "The fastest motorsports in the world." And I looked up and I didn't see the PPG Mustang. And I didn't see [Austin] Prock's car [which made the quickest run in the sport's history at 341.68 mph last November at Pomona, Calif.]. I saw an IndyCar. And the fact is that we are the fastest motorsport.' Then Tasca spun it angry: 'And I think it's an insult to the drivers and the fans. And truthfully, I didn't think Fox was the Fake News Network." Later, on social media, he refused to water down his remarks, asserting, 'I said what I said.' He's a drag racing and Ford Motor Company evangelist who is certified in four NHRA classes, has earned a commercial pilot's license, owns car dealerships, auto-service centers, and other businesses across the country, and has a seat on at least one Ford steering committee - clearly a driven and intelligent gentleman. And he understandably and nobly was standing up for his sport, his passion, his territory. • Tasca was correct—FOX's ads are incorrect. But they're so appealing! For the sake of accurate reporting, though, FOX could try another tagline, something like 'Fastest Traffic [Or Rush Hour] On Earth.' • To be technical, it's the elapsed time (from the starting line to the finish line) that counts in drag racing, not speed. (And where were NHRA officials in all this? Could it not have found a humorous way to assert itself?) • NHRA should have thought of the idea long before FOX agreed to a deal with IndyCar. This is kind of public relations message the NHRA needs to be promoting, because drag racing is a sensory-overload sport that extreme-loving America should embrace. The NHRA can start taking baby steps. Perhaps had Tasca been in the media center two days before his incendiary comments, he might have seen a different perspective. That's when and where Top Fuel team owner and driver Tony Stewart—whose remarks were taken out of context in media reports days after Tasca's statements—calmly addressed the 'Fastest Racing on Earth' claim.'I love FOX,' Stewart said. But he pointed out that 'they're doing some false advertising. They keep saying that IndyCar's got the fastest cars. I don't know what the hell they're watching. They're missing the mark by a hundred miles an hour. So they're the fastest ones that turn during their lap. But I'm excited for IndyCar. I'm excited for FOX.' IndyCar driver Graham Rahal, husband of former Funny Car racer Courtney Force, was at Gainesville to support father-in-law John Force's team. And he said, 'I thought it was an interesting tagline, but I think what FOX is doing for both sports is great. I think FOX is really going to push these two sports in a big way, particularly with the change in NASCAR.'Furthermore, Stewart said, 'FOX has been a great partner to NHRA, and to see them branch out to a different form of motorsport and get in the IndyCar side is huge. And I think for us, we kind of got our feelings hurt a little bit because there was such a big push for it, but it's because it's so new at the same time... and making sure that the fans know where to see IndyCar racing. 'They've done a great job taking care of the NHRA side. Now that the season started, they'll continue to push for us as well. And they're great partners,' he said. 'I talked to a lot of the FOX people because I did the broadcast stuff, and they do care about NHRA, so it's not like we got pushed to the side for IndyCar, by any means. They definitely care about this sport.'Alexis DeJoria took Tasca's side on social media, saying, 'I stand with [Tasca] in emphasizing the unparalleled speeds and thrills that NHRA drag racing offers. Our machines surpass 340 mph, showcasing the true essence of 'the fastest racing on earth.'' Then she doubled down on Tasca's call-out: 'It's crucial for media outlets to recognize and accurately represent the unique attributes of each motorsport discipline, ensuring that fans receive a genuine portrayal of what we bring to the track. In the spirit of journalistic integrity, we respectfully request that FOX Sports issue a retraction of this categorically false statement.' Easy now. If drag racers stopped to think about it, land speed racers go faster. Yes, the argument is that land speed racers don't line up side-by-side against anyone, and they have a running start. Airplane racers might chime in, too, but while they're faster than both an IndyCar or nitro-powered Top Fuel dragster or Funny Car, they technically are not on Earth Penske's Scott McLaughlin tossed in his own retort: 'Well at least the commercials are reaching far and wide. Hope you tune in Bob on March 23 at 3 pm on FOX!!' If McLaughlin, whose NTT IndyCar Series is racing that day at The Thermal Club in Southern California, did a bit of research, he would know Tasca is racing that same day just to the east, at Phoenix's Firebird Motorsports Park in the Arizona Nationals. Honestly, what might have stirred more interest in both sports would have been an invitation from Tasca to McLaughlin or any other adventurous IndyCar driver to come to the drag strip and blast down the 1,000-foot course next to his Funny moment is stuff is on the record. Editor's Note: What do you think? Are you in Tasca's corner on this one? Is the NHRA getting short-changed by FOX? Start the discussion in the comments section below.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Drama In Racing: Bob Tasca Bristles At IndyCar Fastest Motorsport Claim
Read the full story on Backfire News NHRA drag racing star Bob Tasca III went off in a recent interview during Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida about Fox Sports promoting IndyCar as 'the fastest racing on Earth.' Even better, he did this during an interview with a Fox Sports reporter, calling the marketing campaign during the winter 'an insult' to NHRA drivers and fans. This touched off a bit of a war of words in the knife a little bit, a clearly upset Tasca ended his comments with, 'I didn't think it was fake news network on Fox.' Then he walked off, ending the interview. He wasn't having any of it. .@Tasca3 making noise in Gainesville. #NHRASpeedCheck Watch on FS1 at 7p ET. — NHRA (@NHRA) March 9, 2025 On the Tasca Racing website, Bob Tasca III's profile refers to him as 'the fastest Ford man on the planet.' After all, the guy set a new drag racing world record when he hit 341.68 mph at Pro Superstar Shootout 2024 over a year ago. Tasca's comments on camera touched off a bit of a debate after the video hit social media, with some siding with the driver and others jeering him for only driving in a straight line. More importantly, Scott McLaughlin, an IndyCar driver with Team Penske, weighed in on the matter using a bit of humor. Taking to X, McLaughlin quipped, 'Well at least the commercials are reaching far and wide. Hope you tune in Bob on March 23 at 3 pm on FOX!!' Well at least the commercials are reaching far and wide. Hope you tune in Bob on March 23 at 3pm on FOX !! — Scott McLaughlin (@smclaughlin93) March 10, 2025 Fellow NHRA driver Tony Stewart, who has competed in IndyCar as well, was asked by a reporter what he thought of Tasca's comments. He replied that Fox News is engaging in 'false advertising' claiming IndyCar is the fastest motorsport, making reporters laugh by saying 'they're the fastest ones that turn during a lap.' Well, since @TonyStewart has driven both @IndyCar and @NHRA, hear what he has to say about the great speed debate 😁 At the end of the day, we love both. #TSRnitro | #NHRA | #IndyCar | #NHRASpeedCheck | #Dodge — Tony Stewart Racing Nitro (@TSRnitro) March 14, 2025 However, Stewart said he's 'excited' about how Fox News is promoting IndyCar as well as NHRA now, saying the move is 'huge.' He went on to praise the network and its support for NHRA. Asked by a reporter at Gatornationals what he thought of the Fox Sports marketing, IndyCar veteran and husband of a former NHRA Funny Car driver, Graham Rahal said the marketing campaign is 'interesting' but ultimately, he believes Fox Sports is helping out both motorsports. Image via tasca3/Instagram
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NHRA Season Gets Off to Rough Start at Gainesville
This weekend's NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season started as a dumpster fire. The NHRA completed just six first-round Top Fuel matches of Sunday's season-opening Amalie Oil Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway before the Florida skies opened again in a rain shower like the one that shut down Saturday's racing altogether. But the early action was filled with ugly drama that began with four straight pedalfests – tire-smoking passes that cause drivers to get on and off the throttle to try to regain some traction. Each successive pair of cars tore up more and more of the prepared racing surface. Finally, Brian Corradi, Antron Brown's crew chief, spoke up. Taking aim at the NHRA, which owns Gainesville Raceway and controls every national event regardless of who owns the facility, a perturbed Corradi said, 'This is my personal thought on this whole thing: This could have been avoided by starting on this thing and dragging it earlier and putting down some rubber, because they know how to do it. I don't know what you want to call it, but I have a name for it.' The NHRA faced a dilemma. And it chose to move up the starting time an hour and half to avoid predicted early-afternoon storms. In doing so, it risked the inability to present the ideal racing surface. Doug Kalitta and Ida Zetterström faced off in the fifth pair, and Zetterström spun the tires right after the launch, so the problem persisted. And then in another such match, Dan Mercier pulled away from 2023 Gatornationals winner Tripp Tatum before Tatum crashed behind him. Tatum's dragster hit the left wall, ruining his left rear tire, then shot across the track and smashed into the opposite wall nose-first. It spun laterally back across the lanes, flames leaping from the engine, before coming to rest with the motor finally shutting off. It was a costly blow to Tatum's part-time operation. Ironically, Mercier had thought Friday evening that he likely would miss the race following an incident of his own that shredded his left rear tire and damaged the frame and body of his dragster without hitting the wall. His crew from Quebec worked through Saturday and Saturday night with the NHRA Technical Committee and volunteers from other teams to repair the car, and he was able to use his No. 15 qualifying position to upset No. 2 starter Tatum. Mercier, like Tatum, runs a limited schedule but proved, especially last season, that he can topple the sport's elite. It's unclear how much the racing surface condition contributed to Tatum's accident, but NHRA officials tried to improve the situation. While they were doing that, the rain blew in and interrupted the racing for nearly four hours. Just when the track drying was nearly complete and drivers had returned to the staging lanes, the power went out throughout the facility as another storm cell moved closer. Photographers were stranded in the tower elevator. The crowd, unaware of the power outage and with the public-address system inoperable, began to scream and demand answers for why no activity was happening. To top it all, the FOX TV drone crashed into the top of the tower, smashed to the ground three stories below, and shattered. Friday qualifying wasn't always pretty, either. Besides Mercier's mess, reigning Funny Car champion Austin Prock got a rude welcome back to the dragstrip. The rear-end gear on the John Force Racing driver's Cornwell Tools Chevy Camaro broke and dumped fluid on the track, resulting in a long clean-up delay. Also in the Funny Car class, Bobby Bode lost his brakes at the end of his run. And because Paul Lee's car and parachutes had moved into Bode's lane to make the turn-out off the track and because the NHRA flagger also was standing in Bode's lane, Bode drove to Lee's inside. The drivers worked out the small flap, but the incident sparked some controversy and excitement. By Sunday, the Top Fuel class' Right Trailers All-Star Callout bonus race already had been rescheduled to run during the March 27-30 Winternationals at Pomona, Calif. The NHRA announced the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series eliminations have been moved to the national event May 15-18 at Joliet, Ill. The NHRA brought in generators, and normalcy seemed to be restored finally. And Steve Torrence gave the sizeable and steadfast crowd a splendid performance with a winning 335.15-mph pass against Doug Foley. And Jasmine Salinas upset quicker-qualified Shawn Reed. So after a 9:30 a.m. start, the first round of Top Fuel eliminations only wrapped up just after 2 p.m.
