This is an event that is gaining interest.
On July 26–28, one of the oldest organizations in vintage racing, and the only one with a national presence, the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) is coming to the New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J., with the New Jersey Lottery SpeedTour.
Formula Cars from Around the World to Compete Head-to-Head
In addition to an array of vintage cars, the event will feature racing from Formula Race Promotions, Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) and Formula Regional America Championship (FR Americas), which are both led by Race Director, Scott Goodyear—the former racecar driver and television personality—who will also be on site!
The New Jersey Lottery SpeedTour features F4 U.S. Championships and FR Americas wheel-to-wheel racing! The Formula Regional Americas Championship and Formula 4 United States Championship are the first two steps on the Road to F1. The two series will descend on New Jersey Motorsports Park’s 14-turn Thunderbolt Raceway for Rounds 10-12 of their 18-round Championship season. When the lights go out at NJMP, five countries and 14 states across the USA will be represented across the two championships.
This event is in partnership with the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA). SVRA is committed to presenting the best possible experience for competitors and fans. From 200 MPH Indy and Formula 1 cars to classic Jaguars and Porsches, SVRA events provide a rolling history of motorsport where the cars are the stars.
Car Shows and More Off-Track Fun!
Car enthusiasts will also enjoy the display of classic, vintage and exotic cars at the Hagerty Cars and Caffeine car show right in the Thunderbolt paddock. Spectators who are looking to get behind the wheel themselves are welcome to book an Arrive and Drive go-karting session at NJMP’s outdoor go-karting track! Compete with friends and family to see who can get in the most laps in NJMP’s Sodi gas-powered go-karts.
All guests are welcome to enjoy lunch and dinner at the full-service restaurant and pub, the Finish Line Pub, located right in the center of the facility. Here families can enjoy picnic games like cornhole, horseshoes, pickleball (bring your own paddle and ball), and disc golf (bring your own disc). And when it gets too hot, those with a ticket are eligible for a pool pass to NJMP’s outdoor pool!
According to journalist Matt Weaver we can go ahead and pencil in Martin Truex Jr. for the 2025 Daytona 500.
Despite his impending retirement from full-time NASCAR competition at the end of this season, Truex has said repeatedly that he still wants to race a little bit in 2025.
Immediately, Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin offered him a ride under the 23XI Racing stable and Coach Gibbs wants him in a handful of Xfinity Series races too.
Truex has 34 wins and the 2017 Cup Series championship but never won the Great American Race.
“It’s almost a guarantee that I feel like right now that I’ll probably run the Daytona 500, which not a done deal yet but I feel like it shouldn’t be too hard to finish that up,” Truex said while speaking to good friend Dale Earnhardt Jr. on his podcast this week.
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That’s not hard to believe given how much Truex covets the Harley J. Earl trophy but there has been a good amount of skepticism towards his stated Xfinity Series interest.
Most expect Truex to vanish from the sport and spend the rest of his days fishing and hunting.
Truex says he has some things he wants to accomplish, including helping younger brother Ryan solidify his career as well.
“I’ll definitely run a few Xfinity races,” Truex told Earnhardt. “I don’t know if that’s two or if that’s five or six, so we gotta look at the schedule and see where I would like to run. I feel like it would be cool to do a little bit more to get something going for Ryan. You know, if we could split a car for a certain amount of races, maybe even a few Truck races here and there if I could put something together.”
Ryan Truex has two Xfinity Series wins, the past two years at Dover, but has struggled to find funding to race a full season. Having Martin and Ryan share sponsorship is a potential pathway to securing more races for example.
NHRA officials announced today that Mark Dawson has been named Northeast Division Director (Division 1), overseeing NHRA member tracks in Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, as well as facilities in Canadian providences New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec.
Dawson, who has more than 30 years of drag racing operations experience, comes to Division 1 from Famoso Dragstrip where he served as the Director of Racing Operations. He also spent time at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, as well as Maple Grove Raceway, home of the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
In 60 days, four drivers in the NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series will celebrate one of the biggest wins in their careers when the 70th annual NHRA U.S. Nationals takes place on Aug. 28-Sept. 2.
The world’s biggest drag race takes place at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and celebrates its 70th anniversary during the 2024 season, offering something special for all fans and competitors. As the NHRA’s most iconic event commemorates seven decades of racing on the grandest stage, drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will look for a legacy-making win during the spectacular weekend.
The race features everything from the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge race of the season to the Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout on the pro side, as well as the special Sox & Martin Hemi Challenge presented by the McCandless Collection and racing action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown
There’s something for every drag racing fan to celebrate The Big Go turning 70, as well as a number of can’t-miss incentives, including:
A special 70th anniversary NHRA U.S. Nationals pennant for the first 8,000 fans in attendance for eliminations on Monday, Sept. 2.
Free parking for all fans in attendance for the entire weekend.
SealMaster Track Walk on Monday and winner’s circle celebration.
An unforgettable Top Eliminator Club experience, including NHRA driver appearances, food and drink, TEC gift bag, starting line seats and much more.
The biggest field in drag racing. Last year, more than 900 cars competed on the hallowed grounds of Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
A must-see Hot Rod Junction.
Children 12-and-under get in free to an event offering all-day entertainment.
There will be a host of special events announced in the coming weeks as well.
Simply put, a win at the world’s biggest drag race means more. Careers are defined by victories at the NHRA U.S. Nationals and all the greats have forged their legacies through their Indy success, including iconic drivers like Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, Kenny Bernstein, Ed McCulloch, Connie Kalitta, Shirley Muldowney, Joe Amato, Bob Glidden, Warren Johnson, Lee Shepherd, Dave Schultz and many more.
It’s a list that also includes current stars like Tony Schumacher, John Force, Antron Brown, Ron Capps, Greg Anderson, Jeg Coughlin Jr., Steve Torrence, Erica Enders, Matt Smith, Doug Kalitta, Matt Hagan, Cruz Pedregon, Shawn Langdon and J.R. Todd.
Top Fuel’s Schumacher has an amazing 10 victories at The Big Go, the most of any driver in NHRA history, while Force’s five Funny Car wins are tied with McCulloch for the most in class history. Anderson’s 100th career win in 2022 gave the five-time champ seven overall wins in Pro Stock at the world’s biggest drag race, while Brown has five career wins across two classes at the U.S. Nationals.
The NHRA U.S. Nationals has been synonymous with some of the biggest moments in NHRA history and more will be made in 2024. Last year, Brown (Top Fuel), Capps (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock), and Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won, with Brown, Capps and Smith winning at Indy for the second straight year. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FOX and FS1, including live eliminations on FOX on Monday, Sept. 2.
Doug Kalitta currently leads the Top Fuel ranks, while Austin Prock’s debut season in Funny Car has been a huge success as he leads the way. Dallas Glenn is the Pro Stock points leader, while Gaige Herrera remains undefeated in 2024 with five wins to his credit in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Other stars to watch include Top Fuel’s Brittany Force, Justin Ashley and racing legend Tony Stewart, who will make his Indy Top Fuel debut, Funny Car’s Bob Tasca III, Daniel Wilkerson and Alexis DeJoria, Pro Stock’s Aaron Stanfield and Troy Coughlin Jr. and Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Angie Smith, Hector Arana Jr. and Richard Gadson.
Starting next week, the NHRA will also explore each of the seven decades of The Big Go, starting with the 1960s when Garlits picked up a trio Top Fuel wins.
A NASCAR Cup Series race with dual tire compounds is coming to Richmond Raceway next month.
While the sanctioning body has yet to tell teams what the rules will be, orders have been placed for the option tires that will be run alongside the primary compound for the event at the Virginia short track on August 10-11.
The Federated Auto Parts 400 will feature the same combination used at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the All-Star Race, comprised of the primary left-side D-5208 and right-side D-5220 and the option left-side D-5224 and right-side D-5226.
The race would also have the wet weather package tires available, which were used at the start of the spring race in March to much fanfare.
Unlike freshly paved Wilkesboro, Richmond is the most abrasive short track on the schedule and it is likely to produce an interesting challenge for crew chiefs as the option tire should produce more speed but with greater degradation.
Rains in the morning and the expectation for more showers as the day wears on has prompted Williams Grove Speedway officials to cancel the July 12 racing program.
The weather cancellation is the first at the track since May 11.
The oval will enjoy a Summer Break next week, July 19 before returning for a two-day World of Outlaws stand on July 26 and 27.
On tap to end the month will be the C & D Rigging Summer Nationals on July 26 and 27 with action both nights getting underway at 7:30 pm.
The event will be the first contest of the season at Williams Grove pitting the outlaws and the Pennsylvania Posse against one another.
Fans will be treated to 25 laps of action on Friday and a 30-lap feature in the Summer Nationals Finale on July 27.
Ernie Saxton is an auto racing contributor for MediaNews Group. He co-founded the Eastern Motorsports Press Association, served as public relations director for Grandview Speedway for 47 years, and is in multiple halls of fame for his promotion and journalism related to the sport. He has announced races at more than 100 tracks, and he is the only person to have announced a race at Madison Square Garden. Email him at ESaxton144@aol.com.
Source: Berkshire mont