Indianapolis Raceway Park – Syndication Server

Majeski finally finds Truck Series victory lane again at IRP

Ty Majeski’s victory in Friday night’s TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park wasn’t the sort of dominating performance he enjoyed last year-until the final stage of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race. He overcame a restart violation …

Ty Majeski’s victory in Friday night’s TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park wasn’t the sort of dominating performance he enjoyed last year—until the final stage of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race.

He overcame a restart violation on lap 50 that sent him to the rear of the field but rallied to defend his 2023 victory at the 0.686-mile short track. The driver of the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford earned his first victory of the season and the fourth of his career.

Majeski, who swept the stages and led 179 laps in last year’s win, was penalized for jumping the restart after the first caution of the race for Ty Dillon’s spin in Turn 3 on lap 43. He scored no points in Stage 1, but by the time the second stage ended, Majeski had charged to third.

Sixteen laps after the restart for the final stage, Majeski took the lead for the first time, using the lapped truck of Thad Moffitt as a pick and charging past Eckes through Turns 1 and 2.

We are four wide and rubbing fenders early! 👀 pic.twitter.com/aqIOelHDCv

— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 20, 2024

The Seymour, Wisconsin, driver led the final 56 of 200 laps and took the checkered flag 4.129s ahead of Eckes.

“It’s huge,” Majeski said. “Obviously, I made a little bit of a mistake. It was probably a little bit of a close call on that restart. I had to pony up and get it back. Obviously, when you make a mistake as a driver, you drive a little bit harder to make up for it, but these guys had my back—awesome pit stops.

“It’s been an up-and-down year. We’ve had the speed to win. Just haven’t been able to put it together, had some bad luck along the way, some of it self-inflicted. But, man, so proud of this Road Ranger group.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1428]

Grant Enfinger finished third after leading 71 laps. Tyler Ankrum was fourth, followed by Layne Riggs, Sammy Smith, Luke Fenhaus, pole winner Rajah Caruth, Dean Thompson and Nick Sanchez.

Fenhaus’ seventh-place result was his best in three Truck Series starts.

By the time he took the checkered flag, Majeski already had clinched a Playoff spot on points, leaving three berths still available in the postseason, with the Aug. 10 race at Richmond left to decide the final Playoff grid.

With a 20th-place finish on Friday, Tanner Gray took over the 10th and final Playoff-eligible position from Daniel Dye, who came home 27th after an unscheduled pit stop on lap 81. Dye trails Gray by five points entering the last regular-season race.

Five-time race winner Corey Heim finished 17th, a lap down, after contact from Eckes’ No. 19 Chevrolet cut his left-front tire and forced him to the pits under caution on lap 88. Forced to use his last set of tires prematurely, Heim finished second in Stage 2 on the fresh rubber but faded in the final stage.

“I just misjudged the straightaway,” said Eckes, who led a race-high 73 laps. “He’s got every right to be mad.”

Eckes retained the series lead by 50 points over second-place Heim.

RESULTS

Locals Eves and DeFabis share Carb Night Classic USF wins at IRP

Braden Eves and Tanner DeFabis shared the honors Saturday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park after the traditional Carb Night Classic had been postponed from Friday night due to inclement weather. The USF Pro Championships Presented by …

Local resident Eves continued the astonishing form of his Exclusive Autosport team at the 0.686-mile oval with a record-breaking victory from the pole in USF Pro 2000. He was chased home in the Freedom 90 by Pabst Racing’s Jace Denmark, from nearby Brownsburg, Ind., while Australian rookie Lochie Hughes moved to within a point of the USF Pro 2000 championship lead after finishing a close behind in third for Turn 3 Motorsport.

In USF2000, DeFabis, from nearby Avon, Ind., rose quickly from third on the grid to dominate the Freedom 75 race for Jay Howard Driver Development. Last year’s USF Juniors champion Nicolas Giaffone, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, finished second for DEForce Racing ahead of Jay Howard Driver Development’s Evagoras Papasavvas, from Loveland, Ohio.

It was apparent from the very first USF Pro 2000 test session on Wednesday afternoon that 2013 champion Matt Brabham’s qualifying lap record was in serious jeopardy. Ultimately, the top seven on the grid eclipsed both his one- and two-lap standard, led by locally based series veteran Eves, who snagged his first Continental Tire Pole Award of the season during qualifying on Thursday afternoon with a new outright track lap record of 19.4602s and a two-lap average of 126.565mph.

The pole represented a long overdue return to form for Eves, the 2019 USF2000 champion, who had endured a disappointing start to the season with only a pair of top-five finishes from the opening eight races.

Eves took off at the start like a scalded cat. He established a new race lap record on only the second lap and had extended his advantage to over five seconds by the time the caution flags waved for the first and only time after 47 laps due to an incident between Turns 3 and 4 involving Ethan Ho (Turn 3 Motorsport), from Los Angeles, Calif., and championship leader Nikita Johnson (VRD Racing), from Gulfport, Fla. The pair had been disputing sixth place at the time. Both were unhurt.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1505]

The restart would be crucial. Denmark, who had started second and remained as Eves’ closest challenger, was eager to grasp his opportunity after a huge deficit suddenly had been reduced to just a car’s length.

Denmark briefly nosed alongside his rival several times following the resumption, with 24 laps remaining, but Eves kept his cool. And his lead.

Hughes fell back a little from the two leaders at the restart, but it wasn’t long before he was back on their tail. Hughes’ teammate, Danny Dyszelski, from Belmont, N.C., also ran close behind in fourth.

Tthere was no stopping Eves, who held on to score his Exclusive Autosport team’s fifth win at the track since 2018. He also took home team owner Michael Duncalfe’s first PFC Award of the season.

“Oh man, well honestly I have to start off with the most important part of this which was how fantastic my car was,” Eves said. “The Corpay Exclusive Autosport crew just gave me the best car. This is their third time in a row now, winning here, and this place is very, very car dependent. You can’t carry the car here. It’s really a team effort so big thanks to my engineer John Hayes, my team owner Michael Duncalfe, co-owner Josh Cooley and the whole team. It was a super tiring race. The new Continental tire was pulling 2.8-g consistently for 90 laps, so it’s not easy on the body, but I managed to hold on and take the win, so I’m really proud of that.”

Indy NXT regular Bryce Aron, from Winnetka, Ill., finished a strong sixth on his USF Pro 2000 debut for TJ Speed Motorsports after taking the opportunity to gain his first experience on an oval.

Colombian Nicolas Baptiste rose from 17th on the grid to seventh to claim the Tilton Hard Charger Award for BN Racing.

USF Pro 2000 RESULTS

Pages: 12

Torrence seeking two for three after Friday No. 1 at NHRA US Nationals

Four-time Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence made the quickest run on Friday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, racing to the Top Fuel provisional No. 1 position at the 69th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals. Bob Tasca III (Funny …

Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 15th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Torrence went 3.708s at 329.42mph in his Capco Contractors dragster, going to the top spot on the final run of the night. If that holds, Torrence would earn his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and 36th in his career. He is aiming for his second win in three years at the world’s biggest drag race and third overall at The Big Go.

“This is a huge confidence builder,” Torrence said. “You have to come to Indy and be ready to endure it, and today is the longest day. Everybody likes to see these things at night and fire coming out of them. It’s just exciting and it adds a different element to it. We all say we’re riding on fire-breathing dragons, but until the nighttime, you don’t get to see it.

“It gives us an opportunity to work on the tune-up, work on the race day setup, and adjust from there. When you go out on Q1 and make a good run, you’re comfortable. It gives us that luxury. And it is The Big Go. You want to be the quickest every time. You want to win the race, but there is some prestige to being No. 1, even if it is for the day.”

Defending world champion Brittany Force is currently second after going 3.709s at 333.25mph and Doug Kalitta took the third spot on Friday with a run of 3.717s at 328.54mph.

Tasca’s strong summer in Funny Car continued on Friday, powering to the top in the loaded category with a run of 3.864s at 324.90mph in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang. If that holds, Tasca would earn his fifth No. 1 qualifier in what has been a strong season for the veteran. Currently fourth in points, Tasca has a chance to move into third with a strong weekend that will also include a spot in Sunday’s Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Funny Car Callout.

“I give all the credit to the guys. We worked really hard on Monday at Brainerd testing some things we felt we needed to make a change, and you saw some of that tonight,” Tasca said. “It felt so good, it sounded good, it was smooth, and I came back to the guys and I said, ‘When you pull it up on the computer, you’re going to smile.’

“Sometimes you get all of it and it’s sketchy, but I felt it like it was planted all the way down the racetrack. Tomorrow is a new ballgame. I think you’re going to have to step up to hold onto it, but the good news is that we’ve got a package that we can definitely step up for tomorrow night.

Robert Hight is currently second with a 3.886s at 327.43mph and Alexis DeJoria’s 3.888s at 331.77mph puts her third.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1430]

Looking to regain momentum heading into the Countdown to the Championship, Pro Stock’s Matt Hartford made a strong first impression on Friday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park with a run of 6.569s at 209.23mph in his Total Seal Chevrolet Camaro. It puts Hartford in line for his fourth No. 1 qualifier this season as the veteran bids to win for the first time at the U.S. Nationals.

“It’s running pretty good right now,” Hartford said. “I’ve struggled the last few races driving, but we’re going to make up for it at Indy. It’s up to me to drive well because we know we’ve got power.”

Troy Coughlin Jr. is currently second with a run of 6.570s at 208.30mph and Aaron Stanfield currently has the third spot after going 6.586s at 208.39mph.

Back in action for the first time in a month, Pro Stock Motorcycle continued to belong to Gaige Herrera, as the points leader blistered the track record on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki with an impressive run of 6.746s at 198.96mph. The last time the class was in action, Herrera was sweeping the Western Swing and he didn’t let up on Friday. If that run holds, Herrera would pick up his eighth No. 1 qualifier in nine races, an incredible success rate in what has been a dominant season. The points leader knows the magnitude of The Big Go and an Indy win would add another spectacular moment in his 2023 campaign.

“I was definitely anxious to get back on the motorcycle, especially after three weeks in a row on the Western Swing and then basically having a month off,” Herrera said. “That 6.74s was a perfect run for us, for the team. The guys at the shop have put in countless hours, and that pass right there showed it.

“But I have all the confidence in the world, and I’m very comfortable on the bike and with the whole team. Everything has been going smooth as can be. We’re here at Indy, this is where I made my debut last year, so it’s kind of got a special feeling to me. It’s been good. It’s Indy, it’s Friday, and there’s a long weekend ahead.”

Herrera’s teammate, Eddie Krawiec, is currently second with a 6.807s at 198.79mph and Hector Arana Jr. is third after going 6.873s at 198.76mph.

Qualifying continues at 2:15 p.m. ET on Saturday at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Majeski dominates in Trucks at IRP

Winless this season before Friday night’s TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Majseki put an old-fashioned beating on the rest of the field in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoff opener. The driver of the No. 98 ThorSport Racing …

The driver of the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford cemented a spot in the Round of 8 in dominating fashion, leading 179 of 200 laps, sweeping the first two stages of the race and beating pole winner and runner-up Christian Eckes to the finish line by 3.422s.

That was the smallest margin Majeski held at the end of any stage. He held a 3.904-second advantage over eventual eighth-place finisher Corey Heim at the finish of Stage 1. He was up by six seconds over Heim before the second stage ended under caution for Chris Hacker’s spin on the backstretch.

Clearly, the short-track ace was in his element at the 0.686-mile speedway.

“I’m proud of the effort, but this is just the start of our playoff run,” said Majeski, who failed to win with the fastest truck two weekends ago at Richmond.

In that race, Majeski sped on pit road, and his team failed to cover a late green-flag pit stop by race winner Carson Hocevar. In contrast, the effort of the entire No. 98 team was impeccable on Friday night.

“Mistakes really cost us (at Richmond),” Majeski said. “We learned from those. Obviously, tonight we were in a really similar situation, and we were able to execute on all fronts. The pit crew was great, (crew chief) Joe (Shear Jr.) made great calls, and I felt like I executed pretty good on the restarts.

“We put it all together as a race team tonight, and I’m pretty proud of that.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1428]

Hocevar came home fourth behind non-playoff driver Layne Riggs. Reigning series champion Zane Smith was fifth after starting from the rear of the field because of unapproved adjustments to his No. 38 Ford.

William Sawalich was a career-best sixth in his fourth Truck Series start, followed by fellow non-playoff driver Rajah Caruth. Heim, in eighth, was penalized for too many men over the wall late in the race. Three-time series champion Matt Crafton and Matt DiBenedetto completed the top 10.

The race also was a triumph for another driver who never led a lap and finished 19th in the first car one lap down. Shane van Gisbergen, who took the NASCAR world by storm by winning the Chicago Street Race in his only Cup start, avoided all trouble and got plenty of seat time in his first trip around an oval.

“It was awesome,” said the New Zealander. “With 10 to go, I finally dropped off the lead lap. “I had a ball. It was awesome racing with people, a lot of fun… I’m living the dream, it was really cool, and everyone was respectful. It was awesome.”

Heim, the regular-season champion, retained the series lead by three points over Majeski.

After the next two races — at the Milwaukee Mile (Aug. 27) and Kansas Speedway (Sept. 8) — the playoff field will be cut from 10 drivers to eight. The two drivers currently below the cut line are Crafton and DiBenedetto, who trail eighth place Nick Sanchez by two points and three points respectively.

RESULTS