The auto racing season officially kicked off with the NASCAR Daytona 500 and the “Gen-6” Cup Series Stock Car. It has been 25 years since Dale Earnhardt, Sr. lost his life on the final lap of this event, as his team driver Michael Waltrip was crossing the finish line for his first career Daytona 500 victory. This year it was Tyler Reddick taking his first Daytona 500 win. Reddick captured the event win by taking the lead on the last lap during a large on track “multi-car crash”, proving the most important lap to lead is the last one. NASCAR will compete at the Sonoma Race Track for the SAVE Mart 350 on June 28.
In the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, the off-season was like musical chairs, with drivers, crews, crew chiefs moving around from team to team. Female drivers headlined things as Leah Pruett (Tony Stewart’s wife) returns after a two-year layoff to focus on family. Brittany Force (daughter of John Force), who owns the elapse times and speed records in drag racing (3.623 seconds and 343.51 mph), retired to begin a family. Force leaves, holding seven of the ten fastest speeds and the only driver in Top Fuel class to go 340 plus mph more than once. She is being replaced by Josh Hart, who sold his entire team to Elite Motorsports. Tony Stewart, with the return of his wife (Leah Pruett) will drive the R+L Carrier car. John Force Racing (JFR) had the biggest shake up. John and Brittany Force retire, the entire Prock Family (Jimmy, Austin, and Thomas Prock and most of the team) move to Tasca Racing (from a Chevy to a Ford). Bob (Robert) Tasca will not drive until he has funding for a second car. Alexis DeJoria joins JFR in Funny Car, Jordon Vandergriff takes over the Cornwell Tools Funny Car, Jack Beckman drives the Peak Funny Car (as John Force “officially retires”) and Josh Hart takes over the Top Fuel dragster (vacated by Brittany Force; now the Burnyzz Speed Shop/Speedmaster car). Maddie Gordon steps up from Alcohol Funny Car, to drive the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel Dragster addition to Ron Capp’s Napa Race Team (he will drive the NAPA Parts Funny Car). Jasmine Salinas, from San Jose, will return to run about half the events in her Scrappers Top Fuel Dragster. Ida Zetterstrom (former TF Champion from Sweeden) will split driving duties with Shawn Reed. Angelle Sampey (three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion) is closing in on running a 10-race schedule in Top Fuel Dragster, with association from Antron Brown. Rick Ware will, once again, lead a two car Top Fuel Team, consisting of Clay Millican and Tony Schumacher. The Oberhofer brothers (Jon and Jim) will reunite as crew chiefs on the Rick Ware team. Celebrating its 75th year, NHRA Drag Racing should provide a lot of excitement, this season.
The NHRA Heritage Series 68th annual Good Vibrations Motorsports March Meet in March 5 through 8. This event features drag racing with about 15 different classes of race cars. Final eliminations are run on Sunday, March 8. The event is run at the famed Famoso Dragstrip, just north of Bakersfield.
The NTT Indy Car series races in Monterey (at the Laguna Seca Raceway) on Sept. 6. But the two biggest events are the Indianapolis 500 on May 24 and the first ever Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington D.C.
