Latest news with #PRIShow
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Friday NHRA Qualifying at Pomona: Ron Capps Scores Stunning Comeback
Ron Capps made a stunning comeback Friday from his NHRA Arizona Nationals crash last Sunday that shook him up, destroyed a brand-new Funny Car, and put his crew into overdrive for the past five days. He zoomed to the top of the early qualifying session order at the Lucas Oil Winternationals at Pomona, Calif., with his 3.852-second elapsed time at 330.47 mph in a back-up that was his 2022 championship car. Then he improved that in the evening run with a 3.830 at 328.94 mph to secure the provisional No. 1 slot in the order on the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip 1,000-foot course. Brittany Force (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also were atop the leaderboard Friday. Two more qualifying sessions Saturday will set the field for Sunday's eliminations. He conceded Friday that last weekend at Phoenix, after his shocking first-round wreck that 'mentally I was not good... a lot of emotions.' He immediately gave credit to his crew, saying they 'have worked tirelessly. They built two cars in two days... like it was no big deal,' to 'take that pressure off me.' But perhaps the most significant part of Ron Capps' 2025 journey was an offseason mandatory Zoom-call meeting the NHRA called for team owners, drivers, and crew chiefs. 'They talked about some of the safety things that they learned from John Force's accident (last June 23 at Virginia Motorsports Park, near Richmond) and some ideas of how maybe our teams could be proactive a little more in certain spots," Capps said. "We were already [were upgraded, and many teams out here are already were at that point.' Trevor Ashline, owner of Mooresville, N.C.-headquartered Engineered Safety Systems and a leader in racing safety who Capps has trusted for many years, took the lead in the Zoom call and, 'Capps remembered, 'talked quite a bit about the safety and his knowledge.' 'Guido [crew chief Dean Antonelli] went to work and went above and beyond on the head padding more than we had before. Had he not, it would be a different story with me right now,' Capps said. 'I was worried about my head touching the padding during runs. They really brought the head padding in and different padding and more of it. And Trevor had told me I needed to really shorten up my head and neck device tethers more than I even thought I had them shortened up.' The team took care of that at Bradenton, Fla., in the preseason trip there that ended with Capps earning the Funny Car victory. 'And so those things that we learned from John Force's accident and the NHRA being proactive and having Trevor get up and talk sent my guys right to work,' Capps said. 'When I flew out [last December to Indianapolis from his Carlsbad, Calif., home] for the PRI Show, I sat in the car, they poured me a new seat with more advancements on lower-back [protection] and some other things.' He said all that is why 'I'm walking around and I'm fine. And I don't think I would've been, had we not made those changes.' With major-league sports being extra-diligent about concussion prevention and treatment, elevating awareness of long-term effects of concussions, is Capps worried that down the road he'll feel those after-effects of wall-bangers and engine blowups that have dotted his career. 'Yeah,' Capps said with a 'well, yes, and no' kind of tone. 'Yeah, but this is my 31st year driving professionally, so it's pretty crazy,' he said. 'If you think about it. I've got Don Prudhomme calling me all the time[and]Richard Tharp [and Kenny] Bernstein, guys like that that you've watched for years. "I've been blessed to be around really good crew chiefs to take care of more than being a crew chief: the safety side of things. You go down and look at the guys I've driven for: Roland Leong and Don Prudhomme and Don Schumacher. But the crew chiefs that have always looked at the cockpit as much as they do their tune-up, if not more—Ed McCulloch, Rahn Tobler, who was very much into safety. 'So huge, huge thank-you to Guido and those guys. I've said it over and over to 'em. So all that together. My point is who knows? I started driving before there were head and neck devices, so I've got neck issues, but it's from [years of racing].' Friday's results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 65th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, third of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations. Top Fuel -- 1. Brittany Force, 3.646 seconds, 334.82 mph; 2. Doug Kalitta, 3.657, 335.15; 3. Josh Hart, 3.675, 332.34; 4. Steve Torrence, 3.690, 336.91; 5. Antron Brown, 3.695, 336.65; 6. Tony Stewart, 3.695, 329.75; 7. Justin Ashley, 3.695, 333.66; 8. Shawn Reed, 3.698, 331.36; 9. Jasmine Salinas, 3.700, 322.65; 10. Clay Millican, 3.733, 327.59; 11. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.741, 334.24; 12. Scott Palmer, 3.836, 313.80; 13. Shawn Langdon, 4.839, 149.75. Funny Car -- 1. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.830, 330.47; 2. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.837, 333.25; 3. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.855, 326.48; 4. Cruz Pedregon, Dodge Charger, 3.888, 325.30; 5. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.889, 329.18; 6. Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 3.930, 320.97; 7. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.932, 328.78; 8. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.950, 322.42; 9. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 3.963, 296.70; 10. Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 3.971, 271.08; 11. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.010, 290.57; 12. Bobby Bode, GR Supra, 4.026, 310.34; 13. Jason Rupert, Mustang, 4.104, 253.80; 14. Steven Densham, Mustang, 4.125, 284.15; 15. Alexis DeJoria, Charger, 4.277, 215.44; 16. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.685, 180.65. Not Qualified: 17. Blake Alexander, 4.969, 162.39; 18. Bob Tasca III, 7.572, 82.79; 19. Daniel Wilkerson, 7.993, 85.04. Pro Stock -- 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.495, 210.01; 2. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.510, 210.05; 3. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.515, 210.80; 4. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.516, 210.93; 5. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.517, 210.41; 6. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.517, 209.82; 7. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.519, 211.03; 8. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.541, 210.18; 9. Cody Coughlin, Camaro, 6.546, 210.34; 10. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.553, 210.57; 11. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.555, 210.97; 12. Brandon Foster, Camaro, 6.555, 209.82; 13. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.556, 209.79; 14. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.558, 210.11; 15. Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.563, 209.88; 16. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.586, 208.75. Not Qualified: 17. Stephen Bell, 6.595, 208.94; 18. Kenny Delco, 6.605, 208.68; 19. Joey Grose, 6.652, 207.11.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
RACER's The Creative Drive podcast: Jim Liaw
We sit down with Jim Liaw, General Manager of Performance Racing Industry (PRI) and co-founder of Formula Drift. In this interview, Jim shares insights into his journey from establishing Formula Drift to leading PRI, discussing the marketing, evolution of motorsports and the industry's future. Don't miss this engaging conversation with a key figure in the racing world which took place at the PRI Show in Indianapolis in December of 2024. Story originally appeared on Racer
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Women in Motorsports North America Helps Women (and Men) Get on Career Fast Track
Women in Motorsports North America organizers announced fifth annual summit will be held Dec. 9-10, 2025 at the PRI Show in Indianapolis. If this year's event is anything like the previous four, it's going to be big—much like the group's mission. Men are welcome to be a part of the WINMA experience. Racer Lyn St. James has spent a lifetime of breaking down barriers, combatting stereotypes, bringing the positive energy and giving guidance to just about anyone looking to move up a few rungs on the racing ladder. These days, St. James is helping champion what has to be one of the fastest-growing organizations in motorsports. Women in Motorsports North America organizers announced this past weekend at Daytona International Speedway that its Women with Drive V fifth annual summit will be held Dec. 9-10, 2025 at the PRI Show in Indianapolis. And if this year's event is anything like the previous four, it's going to be big—much like the group's mission. "WIMNA is a group of men and women in the industry who are trying to help grow the industry," said St. James, who drove in seven Indianapolis 500s between 1992 and 2000. "It's not just about women. We do title it 'Women in Motorsports North America', but I want to make it really clear that it's about men and women coming together to help grow the industry. "We do this because we want to advance opportunities for the women in the industry as well as bringing new women into the industry through our educational activities. We connect through connections from all forms of motorsports. "And we enable. We enable more people to realize this is really a career. If you are studying engineering, business, finance, whatever, there's careers in this industry and we need to help it grow. "We're here to stay. We're here to help the industry grow because we love it." St. James is a co-founder of the high-energy group that is currently headed by executive director Cindy Sisson. Sisson has seen WIMNA grow from an initial Women with Drive summit four years ago at what she says was 'a honky tonk bar' that drew 110 people to where it has blossomed to bring in 340 people the second year, 450 in year three. This past December, the fourth annual event drew 620 at PRI. "We've moving," Sisson says. "This year, we had 70-plus speakers and panelists, 60 partners, 40 female drivers, representatives from 38 states and eight countries and 25 universities with 52 college-age students. "We are a community of professionals. A lot of people think were just about drivers, but we are about PR and marketing, communications, engineering, technical, racetracks, drivers, corporate management, media, human resources, education, hospitality, governing bodies, race series, suppliers, OEMs, medical, health, artists, and our favorite, the volunteers." Men are welcome to be a part of the WINMA experience. "We are not about displacing men," St. James adds. "We are about growing the industry. It's happening organically at many race teams. When women come into the teams, into the game, into the business, it brings different perspective. It really does grow the success of the team, of an organization. "I hope the mindset that you all have in our messaging is not about displacing anybody. It is about growing this industry and bringing in more people and different perspectives. The industry is changing rapidly with technology and with the whole issue of what motorsports all about. It represents everything in life because of the competition, because of the technology, because of the human dynamics. "We can demonstrate to the world that men and women can work together and win."
