Austin Dillon wins the July 22 "Lucas Deep Clean 200" NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race

(Austin Dillon won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway. It is his third career series victory and he has won all three from the pole position. Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR) 

After pulling away with 23 laps to go, Austin Dillon did not look back and won Friday night’s Lucas Deep Clean 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway for his first trip to Victory Lane this season.

Dillon, who won two races in 2010, picked up his third career win by a sizeable margin and his first since September 2010 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Starting the race from the pole position, Dillon made a gutsy call with 46 laps to go, when on a yellow flag pit stop he opted to take two tires while much of the field changed all four, and pulled into the lead on the restart.

Three laps later he was overtaken by Johnny Sauter, the second-place finisher on the evening, but pulled ahead again on Lap 128 and gained a wide margin of space to comfortably win the race. He then attempted a celebratory slide through the grass to a loud and approving grandstand crowd at Nashville Superspeedway.

Dillon and crew chief Danny Stockman agreed on the two-tire pit stop, saying tires weren’t an issue during the race but track position was.

“It was all about sticking with [Sauter] as long as I could, keep the pressure on,” Dillon said. “I knew he was getting looser and looser and I finally had to get up in there with him and loosen him up a little more, and when it happened we just went on.”

“I looked at all the tire wears all day and the tires weren’t wearing, and I knew if we had track position and clean air, we were gonna go,” Stockman said. “And we didn’t even have clean air and we still win. Tires weren’t an issue tonight.”

Sauter, the points leader over Dillon by 18 points in the standings, was looking for his second win of the season but said at the end of the day the victor’s truck was just better.

“He obviously knew that he had a fast truck, because before that pit stop he was dogging me lap after lap,” Sauter said. “I knew it was just going to be a matter of time before he got around me.”

With the win, Dillon claimed one of the most coveted trophies in the sport – a Sam Bass custom-painted Gibson Les Paul guitar.

“I’ve been talking about it all week,” he said. “They said in the driver’s meeting today that it was voted one of the 10 coolest trophies by ‘Sports Illustrated.’ It’s just a beautiful trophy.”

Dillon also said the win boosted his confidence moving forward.

“It’s just so great to have a win,” he said. “When you get a win, everything just seems to be a lot easier.

Trailing Dillon and Sauter across the finish line were Timothy Peters in third, Nelson Piquet Jr. in fourth and Parker Kligerman in fifth.

NHRA Preview: Allen Johnson Has Found the Formula for Success at Bandimere

(Allen Johnson, seen here qualifying for the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Series event at the now-defunct Memphis Motorsports Park, is the defending Pro Stock winner at Bandimere. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

Allen Johnson’s streak on Thunder Mountain is at four and counting.

That’s four consecutive final rounds, for those who are keeping score.

Bandimere Speedway has long been a perplexing puzzle for NHRA’s greatest Pro Stock teams. The high altitude and warm summertime conditions typically combine to make even the sharpest crew chiefs do plenty of second guessing when it comes to tuning the naturally-aspirated engines that power the fan-favorite factory hot rods.

But Johnson, who drives the event sponsor’s flagship Team Mopar/J&J Racing Dodge Avenger, has his machine dialed in for the one race each season where Pro Stock teams need to break out an entirely different book of tuning notes.

He’s won three of the last four final rounds at the scenic dragstrip located just west of downtown Denver, including the last two.

The Tennesse native will try to make it three wins in a row at the 32nd annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, July 22-24. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also are defending winners of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.

Johnson says his edge at the kick-off for the NHRA’s grueling Western Swing all comes down to docking plenty of track time.

“For years we have tested and tested there with our Mopar Dodge, and we seem to have developed a combination that is superior,” Johnson said. “I feel like all that testing has led to our success at Mopar’s big race. And also, when you’ve done well at a track, you go back there with confidence, and we’ve definitely excelled at Thunder Mountain.”

Johnson comes into this year’s event riding high from a victory at Englishtown, N.J. and a No. 1 qualifying performance at his home track in Bristol, Tenn., along with a semifinal appearance. He’s ready to get back on the winning track after early round exits at the last two races in Norwalk and Chicago.

He says heading to Bandimere Speedway is a great way for his team to get back in the winning groove.

“I feel good about the Mopar/J&J Racing team’s chances of winning again at Bandimere Speedway,” Johnson said. “We have a really good race car, and our Mopar HEMI engines are performing at a high level. I really believe our success should continue.”

He’s currently sitting in eighth place in the Pro Stock point standings and knows that he’ll need a strong performance if he’s going to stabilize his top 10 points position and qualify for the Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship playoffs. The competition has been strong this year with series leader Jason Line scoring three victories and defending world champ Greg Anderson, ’09 champ Mike Edwards and rookie Vincent Nobile taking two wins apiece.

“I feel good about the Countdown as it draws near,” Johnson said. “I think we had a little more momentum prior to the last two races, but we’ve still got some of our mojo left after our New Jersey win, and we’re heading to our favorite track on the circuit. We’ve got five races before the Countdown, and we’re going to go all-in starting at the Mopar Mile-High Nationals.”

In Top Fuel, longtime Funny Car ace Del Worsham switched categories this season and is leading the point standings behind the wheel of the Al-Anabi Racing dragster. He’s raced to five victories and seems poised to maintain his top spot for the Countdown playoffs. His teammate, defending world champ Larry Dixon, is holding firm in third place with one victory, while Spencer Massey has scored two victories in his FRAM/Prestone dragster and sits second in the standings. Although he hasn’t won a race this season, seven-time world champ Tony Schumacher is a two-time winner at Bandimere and is hungry to win some races in his U.S. Army dragster before the regular season ends.

Mike Neff has been pulling double-duty as both driver and crew chief for his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang in Funny Car and the combination has been working as he has raced to four victories in seven final rounds and holds a commanding series lead over his rivals. Neff’s top challengers this season are Jack Beckman, defending event winner Hight, Cruz Pedregon, Matt Hagan, Jeff Arend and Ron Capps. Defending world champ John Force, who has yet to win a race this season and sits eighth in points, is a five-time winner at Denver and can never be counted out.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, past world champ Eddie Krawiec holds the series lead on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson with two victories this season. Defending world champ LE Tonglet has posted two victories on his Nitro Fish Suzuki and 2008 world champ Matt Smith has emerged as a serious contender for the title this season on his Buell. Others to watch in the two-wheel category include the Lucas Oil Buell duo of Hector Arana Sr. and Hector Arana Jr., Jim Underdahl, Michael Phillips, Steve Johnson, Jerry Savoie and defending event winner Hines.

* * *

WESTERN SWING PIVOTAL FOR DRIVERS SEEKING SPOTS IN FULL THROTTLE SERIES COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

MORRISON, Colo. – With only five races remaining in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series regular season, it’s now crunch time for teams in each of the four categories. It’s time for many of the teams on the bubble to take a quick inventory of their status to determine the best route for gaining entry into the Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoffs.

Teams won’t have much time to gather their bearings, because the first three of those final five regular season races will provide a mini gut-check.

With this weekend’s Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, July 22-24 at scenic Bandimere Speedway near Denver, NHRA Full Throttle Series teams will embark on a three week challenge that will test their tune-ups, the quality of their high performance machines under very different atmospheric conditions, and most importantly, their patience.

Following the race in Denver, teams will head to Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. and then forge on to Pacific Raceways near Seattle to complete the brutal three week stretch that has become known as the Western Swing.

For those drivers who are on the bubble in the point standings, a hot streak during the Western Swing may just provide the boost needed to secure a playoff spot. On the other hand, should a team get in a slump, points positions can slip away at a rapid pace.

For Top Fuel driver David Grubnic, who posted a runner-up finish at Route 66 Raceway two weeks ago, he’s eager to hold on to his 10th place position, or if possible keep the momentum going and move higher in the standings.

“Moving into the top ten in points was a huge accomplishment for us (at Chicago),” Grubnic said. “Hopefully now we can start getting more and more round wins and climb even further up in the points.”

The two Top Fuel drivers on the outside looking in are Terry McMillen, who has held the 10th spot for most of the season, and Bob Vandergriff, who is less than two rounds out of 10th after posting a runner-up finish at Topeka in his C&J Energy Services dragster.

A cluster of veteran drivers are hungry to make the top 10 in Funny Car. Two-time world champ Tony Pedregon and veteran racers Tim Wilkerson and Jim Head are sitting 11th-13th and desperately want to take the 10th spot that Service Central Dodge Charger driver Johnny Gray currently holds. Gray knows the next five races are going to provide a great challenge to make the playoffs.

“This is a very competitive, superb Funny Car group,” Gray said. “You can’t take anything for granted and the results from one race can mean jumping or falling multiple places in the standings – and now is not the time for falling.”

In Pro Stock, four drivers will jockey for the final two spots. Shane Gray and Ron Krisher are holding down the final two positions after the Chicago race, but Ronnie Humphrey and veteran driver Larry Morgan, who posted a runner-up finish in Norwalk in his Lucas Oil Ford Mustang, are gaining ground.

“For us to make the Countdown just a year and a half into this program with Ford would surprise some people, I promise you,” Morgan said. “It was the impossible dream, but we’re only a few rounds out now. We’re going to do what we can to make it happen.”

There are only four races remaining in the regular season for the Pro Stock Motorcycle teams and as many as seven riders will be competing for the final two spots in the top 10. While rookie Hector Arana Jr. seems to be making strides toward keeping one of the spots with back-to-back No. 1 qualifying efforts in the last two races, Michael Phillips’ untimely DNQ in Chicago has opened the door for Chicago runner-up Chip Ellis, who is sitting 11th, and Chicago quarterfinalist David Hope, who is 12th, to crash the party in the final hour. Veteran rider Steve Johnson, Angie Smith and Shawn Gann are also still mathematically eligible.

* SCHEDULE: Full Throttle Drag Racing Series qualifying sessions are scheduled for 4:45 and 7:15 p.m. on Friday, July 22 and at 1:45 and 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 23.  Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 24.

* TICKETS: Tickets are available for the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals. Please call Bandimere Speedway at (800) 664-UWIN or visit www.ticketreturn.com.

* ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 7 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, July 23. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage beginning at 7 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, July 24.

* LUCAS OIL SERIES: The Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals also will feature competition in five categories in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series, where the future stars of the NHRA Full Throttle Series are born. Lucas Oil Series qualifying begins at noon on July 22. Lucas Oil Series eliminations begin at 10 a.m. on July 23 and continue through July 24.

* ON THE WEB: Get live timing, scoring, multimedia and the latest news updates from every NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event on the Internet at www.nhra.com. Visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

* * *

MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS FACT SHEET

WHAT:  32nd annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, the 12th of 22 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Drivers in four categories - Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle - earn points leading to 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series world championships. NHRA is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2011 and will pay tribute to the evolution of the hot rod and honor its legendary racers as well as the sport’s current stars.

WHERE:  Bandimere Speedway, Morrison, Colo. The track is 10 miles west of Denver, just north of the historic town of Morrison. From Denver, take Interstate 70 west to C-470 and travel south to the Morrison Road exit. Take Morrison Road west to Rooney Road and go north to the track.

WHEN:  Friday through Sunday, July 22-24.

SCHEDULE:        

FRIDAY, July 22 - LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying at noon

FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 4:45 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

SATURDAY, July 23 - LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations begin at 10 a.m.

FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 1:45 p.m. and 4:15 p.m.

SUNDAY, July 24 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.

FULL THROTTLE SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:      

Saturday, July 23, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 7 p.m. (ET).

Sunday, July 24, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage starting at 7 p.m. (ET).         

2010 EVENT WINNERS:  Doug Kalitta, Top Fuel; Robert Hight, Funny Car; Allen Johnson, Pro Stock; Andrew Hines, Pro Stock Motorcycle.

MOST VICTORIES:  Bob Glidden, 7, PS; Joe Amato, 6, TF; John Force, 5, FC; Warren Johnson, 5, PS.

TRACK RECORDS:            

Top Fuel – 3.862 seconds by Antron Brown, July ’09; 318.39 mph by Brown, July ’09.

Funny Car – 4.121 seconds by Ron Capps, July ’09; 303.37 mph by Jack Beckman, July ’09.

Pro Stock – 6.957 seconds by Mike Edwards, July ’09; 198.64 mph by Allen Johnson, July ’10.

PS Motorcycle – 7.238 seconds by Michael Phillips, July ’10; 186.54 mph by Ryan Schnitz, July ’05.

NATIONAL RECORDS:    

Top Fuel - 3.770 sec. by Larry Dixon, Feb. ’11, Pomona, Calif.; 327.03 mph by Tony Schumacher, Feb. ’11, Pomona, Calif.

Funny Car - 4.011 sec. by Matt Hagan, Oct. ’10, Reading, Pa.; 316.45 mph by Robert Hight, June ’11, Bristol, Tenn.

Pro Stock - 6.495 sec. by Rodger Brogdon, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.; 213.57 mph by Erica Enders, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.

PS Motorcycle – 6.777 sec. by Hector Arana, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.; 199.26 mph by Eddie Krawiec, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.

TICKETS: Order tickets by phone at (800) 664-UWIN. Tickets also are available online at www.ticketreturn.com.

RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $40-50; Junior (12 years and under), $18-24. Saturday: Adult, $40-50; Junior (12 years and younger), $18-24. Sunday: Adult, $48-58; Junior (12 years and under), $24-28.

* * *

NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES POINT STANDINGS

Point standings (top 10) for NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series categories following the 11th of 22 events.

Top Fuel:  1.  Del Worsham, 1,003; 2.  Spencer Massey, 872; 3.  Larry Dixon, 867; 4.  Antron Brown, 809; 5. Tony Schumacher, 764; 6.  Doug Kalitta, 589; 7.  Brandon Bernstein, 575; 8.  Morgan Lucas, 532; 9. Shawn Langdon, 523; 10.  David Grubnic, 429.

Funny Car:  1.  Mike Neff, 1,005; 2.  Jack Beckman, 833; 3.  Robert Hight, 786; 4.  Cruz Pedregon, 742; 5. Matt Hagan, 642; 6.  Jeff Arend, 612; 7.  Ron Capps, 599; 8.  John Force, 564; 9.  Bob Tasca III, 548; 10.  Johnny Gray, 451.

Pro Stock:  1.  Jason Line, 858; 2.  Greg Anderson, 804; 3.  Mike Edwards, 781; 4.  Vincent Nobile, 765; 5. Greg Stanfield, 721; 6.  Rodger Brogdon, 684; 7.  Erica Enders, 663; 8.  Allen Johnson, 643; 9. Shane Gray, 543; 10.  Ron Krisher, 501.

Pro Stock Motorcycle:  1.  Eddie Krawiec, 485; 2.  Karen Stoffer, 479; 3.  Matt Smith, 424; 4.  (tie) Andrew Hines, 401; LE Tonglet, 401; 6.  Hector Arana, 345; 7.  (tie) Jerry Savoie, 309; Jim Underdahl, 309; 9.  Hector Arana Jr, 257; 10.  Michael Phillips, 255.

Germain, Moss to Join Forces to Put Bodine in Truck in Iowa

(Two-time and defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Todd Bodine was running the risk of not competing at this weekend's race at Iowa Speedway. Photo by Bill Barrett)

Randy Moss Motorsports and Germain Racing today announced a collaborative effort that will have Todd Bodine as the driver of the No. 5 International Trucks/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra for this weekend’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Iowa Speedway. Bodine, the two-time and defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, will pilot the No. 5 International Trucks/Monaco RVs Tundra for this weekend’s Coca-Cola 200 presented by Hy-Vee with Germain Racing’s veteran crew chief Mike Hillman Jr., leading the collaborative effort between fellow Toyota teams.

“We were presented with the opportunity to have Todd Bodine drive the No. 5 International Trucks/Monaco RVs Tundra, and any time that you can put the reigning series champion behind the wheel, that’s going to be a positive,” stated Randy Moss Motorsports co-owner David Dollar. “This is a collaborative effort between Randy Moss Motorsports and Germain Racing and just the latest example of one Toyota team helping another. Todd’s been a longtime Toyota driver, bringing them their first championship in one of NASCAR’s three major touring series, and he’s a proven winner. We look forward to helping Todd add to that win total, when he gets behind the wheel of the International Trucks/Monaco RVs Tundra for this weekend’s race in Iowa.”

In 175 truck series races, Bodine has amassed 21 victories in addition to his two series championships in his nine seasons of competition.

“Teaming up with NFL superstar Randy Moss and International is the perfect opportunity for me and the Germain Racing crew to continue to compete at a championship level in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series,” said Bodine, who heads into this weekend’s race 11th in points following a fourth-place finish last week at Kentucky Speedway. “International Trucks and Monaco RVs have been big supporters of the Truck Series, and I couldn’t be more excited to go to Iowa after facing some uncertainty last week. Bob Germain, David Dollar and the folks at TRD (Toyota Racing Development) helped put this deal together in a matter of days, and I look forward to building on last week’s fourth-place finish in Kentucky and continuing to march up the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings.”

“Collaboration is, and always has been the cornerstone of Navistar’s success. We collaborate every day with our International and Monaco Dealers to put forth the best lineup of Commercial Vehicles and RVs for the markets we serve,” said Matt Smela, Global Marketing Director, Navistar. “We collaborate with our customers to help provide them with the best equipment and solutions that help their businesses grow. That’s exactly what this opportunity presents, two outstanding organizations in Germain Racing and Randy Moss Motorsports, together extending our product messages - both on and off the track - to our dealers, customers and prospects. And to do it with an aggressive reigning Champion like Todd Bodine, that’s an opportunity that doesn’t come along very often.”

“Germain Racing is excited about the prospects of teaming up with Randy Moss Motorsports and International trucks to see Todd Bodine race the No. 5 International Trucks/Monaco RVs Tundra at Iowa this weekend.” said Bob Germain Jr., president of Germain Racing. “Germain Racing and Todd represented Georgia Boot, ‘America’s Hardest Working Boot,’ last week at Kentucky and it just seems natural to help represent the tough trucks built by International. Looking to the future, we have quite a few details to work out but I think this could be a win-win for both teams...we hope to keep Todd Bodine in a Tundra every race and get International and our other sponsors, Tire Kingdom/Service Central, Valvoline and Big Red to victory lane."

Details of the driver lineup for the remainder of the season will be announced at a later date.

VIDEO: "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, Kenny Youngblood Sign TJ Zizzo's Car Before Launch

VIDEO: Matt Smith Finishes Day 1 at Joliet in Eighth

VIDEO: Angie Smith Finishes Day 1 at Joliet 12th

VIDEO: Zizzo Optimistic Despite Rough Day at Home Track

Misix Named Official Marketing Agency of Zizzo Racing

 

JOLIET, Ill. – Zizzo Racing is pleased to announce Chicago-based Misix, Inc. (pronounced MY-six) has entered into a partnership with the longtime NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel team to become its official marketing agency. Misix will work with driver TJ Zizzo and the PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner team to increase its visibility and search for additional marketing partners to give Zizzo the opportunity to race the full season and race for a championship.

“We have been involved in motorsports for the past four years and it has been our objective to get involved with NHRA Full Throttle Series drag racing,” said Misix, Inc., President Dan Martens. “Partnering with Zizzo Racing has accelerated our entry into the fastest sport in the world and we could not have chosen a better team to represent the MISIX brand.”

Misix Inc., is based in the Chicago area with an office in Milwaukee, Wis., as well and is a full service marketing company focused on helping businesses grow. They provide a full range of innovative services to help their clients succeed, including marketing and sales strategies, market research, economic analysis, event management and creative solutions.

“We are very excited about what Misix can do for Zizzo Racing,” Zizzo said. “Ever since Dan contacted us about working together, I’ve only seen positive things from him and Misix. We truly believe Misix is going to take this PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner team to the next level and for us, that’s forming new relationships in the business world that will enable us to race full time in the NHRA Full Throttle Series.”

For more information on Misix, visit them on the Web at MisixInc.com.

Fans of TJ Zizzo and Zizzo Racing can find updates and photos of the PEAK/Herculiner Top Fuel team by checking out ZizzoRacing.com, Twitter.com/ZizzoRacing, and Facebook.com/ZizzoRacing. Videos of TJ and Zizzo Racing can be found at YouTube.com/TJZizzo.

Zizzo will race his PEAK/Herculiner rail in the 14th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet. The stars of the NHRA will race under the stars this weekend, with the first round of qualifying starting Friday at 5 p.m. local time and the second scheduled to run at 8 with Saturday’s two rounds of nitro qualifying set to run at the same times. Eliminations start at 11 a.m. Sunday. For ticket information, call Route 66 Raceway at 888-629-RACE or visit them on the Web at Route66Raceway.com.

VIDEO: TJ Zizzo Throws Out the First Pitch with the Chicago White Sox

VIDEO: Angie Smith is Ready to Race at Route 66 Raceway

VIDEO: Matt Smith Talks About Joliet, Doing Double Duty in Indy, Charlotte

Kansas Speedway Announces Track Improvements

Immediately following the 2012 STP 400 at Kansas Speedway, the track will undergo a massive renovation project that includes repaving of the existing track surface, reconfiguration of the oval, and the addition of a new infield road course.

“These are significant projects for Kansas Speedway and our fans,” said Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren. “Given the harsh weather conditions in the Midwest, a repave of our existing racing surface was a must. Repaving a track is a huge undertaking so we decided it was the right time to make the other changes to our facility, which we believe will enhance our fans experience at Kansas Speedway.”

ISC Design and Development, International Speedway Corporation’s in-house design and construction group, will oversee the repave and road course projects. The group will utilize state of the art computer modeling to develop track geometry that features up to 20 degrees of variable banking in the turns; the current banking at Kansas Speedway is 15 degree uniform banking in the turns. To accomplish this reconfiguration, construction crews will remove the existing oval track asphalt pavement and re-grade the underlying soil to create the variable banking. In addition to the turns, the frontstretch, backstretch and pit road will all be reconstructed.

Kansas Speedway’s new road course will feature a layout that winds through the infield. Portions of the infield will be graded and paved as part of the road course development.

Race fans can follow the progress of both projects via www.kansasspeedway.com, www.facebook.com/kansasspeedway or www.twitter.com/kansasspeedway.

Kansas Speedway will host the Hollywood Casino 400 (fourth Race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup) on Oct. 9, 2011 and the Kansas Lottery 300 on Oct. 8, 2011. Tickets for all events are on sale now by calling 866.460.RACE (7223) or by logging onto www.kansasspeedway.com. Parking is always free at Kansas Speedway and fans can bring in one 14x14x14-inch soft-sided cooler with their favorite food and beverages.

VIDEO: TJ Zizzo Prepares for the First Pitch at the White Sox Game

Zizzo Racing’s Kenny Youngblood Paint Scheme to Honor Karamesines, Garlits

TJ Zizzo and his PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel Dragster team’s season-long tribute to legendary drag racing artist Kenny Youngblood will make this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway here the team’s third outing on its 2011 schedule. For this race, the Youngblood artwork on the rail will honor “Big Daddy” Don Garlits and Chicago native Chris “The Greek” Karamesines.

“Chicago is our home town, so we really want to make a statement this weekend, both with performance and appearance,” Zizzo said. “We qualified well at both Pomona and Houston, but just didn’t put it together in eliminations; we’re out to change that this weekend.”

“When you think about it, this makes TJ’s car the world’s only 300 mph art gallery!” said Youngblood, 65. “On top of which, both ‘The Greek’ and ‘The Old Man’ have agreed to autograph their respective vignettes -- Garlits’ ‘Nightwing II’ and ‘Greek Goes 204.’”

Fans are invited to stop by the Zizzo Racing Peak Motor Oil pit area to meet Zizzo and Youngblood and check out Blood’s artwork.

Fans of TJ Zizzo and Zizzo Racing can find updates and photos of the PEAK/Herculiner Top Fuel team by checking out ZizzoRacing.com, Twitter.com/ZizzoRacing, and Facebook.com/ZizzoRacing. Videos of TJ and Zizzo Racing can be found at YouTube.com/TJZizzo.

Zizzo will race his PEAK/Herculiner rail in the 14^th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet. The stars of the NHRA will race under the stars this weekend, with the first round of qualifying starting at 5 p.m. local time and the second scheduled to run at 8 with Saturday’s two rounds of nitro qualifying set to run at the same times. Eliminations start at 11 a.m. Sunday. For ticket information, call Route 66 Raceway at 888-629-RACE or visit them on the Web at Route66Raceway.com.

NASCAR Nationwide, Camping World Truck Series Won't Return to Lucas Oil Raceway on Traditional Weekend in 2012

(NASCAR, a staple at Lucas Oil Raceway for years, will not return to the popular short track on its traditional weekend in 2012. Photo by Josh Weinrich)

Since 1982 the NASCAR Nationwide Series and starting in 1995, the Camping World Truck Series have thrilled fans of short track racing at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. Tight finishes, bent fenders and hot tempers are to be expected when these two series take to the tight confines on the .686 mile oval on a sweltering summer night. Both of the series will once again return to the track on July 29th and 30th for two action packed days of racing at the historic facility.

Fans of both series should get their tickets now for the 2011 Kroger SpeedFest events at Lucas Oil Raceway as it was announced today that the Kroger 200 benefitting Riley Hospital for Children and the AAA Insurance 200 will not return to Lucas Oil Raceway during the traditional late July early August date the for the 2012 season.

“We are disappointed that the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series will not return to Lucas Oil Raceway on their customary race weekend. The Kroger 200 and the AAA Insurance 200 have long been one of the ‘can’t miss’ events for race fans in the Midwest,” said Wes Collier, general manager of Lucas Oil Raceway. “We want to use this coming Kroger SpeedFest weekend to celebrate the rich and dynamic history Lucas Oil Raceway has developed with both series and the past events by packing the stands with fans who crave thrilling race action.”

Tickets for all three nights of Kroger SpeedFest are now on sale and fans should go to www.NHRATix.com to purchase tickets for these can’t miss events at the facility. The Nationwide series made its debut at the facility on Aug. 13, 1982, and the Camping World Truck Series has raced at the facility since its inception. Both series have thrilled fans of NASCAR as the fan-friendly atmosphere at the track has made it one of the favorite stops on the NASCAR circuit.

The list of drivers who have raced at Lucas Oil Raceway in Nationwide Series events reads like a ‘who’s who’ of NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Bobby Allison, Mark Martin, Randy LaJoie, Dale Earnhardt. Jr., David Pearson and Carl Edwards have turned many laps during their impressive careers at the historic facility.

When the series was introduced at the track in 1982 by the late Bob Daniels and his wife Eileen, it was deemed a gamble by many in Indianapolis as NASCAR had yet to venture into the Midwest. With a handshake agreement, sponsorship was secured by the Kroger Corporation and for the past 30 years the grocery giant has been a proud partner of the event.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Lucas Oil Raceway features some of the best racing the series enjoys all year. This was no more evident than when two recent races were honored as top events in the sport.

The 2003 Kroger 200 was deemed the top Nationwide Series race of the past decade in a NASCAR release that stated “the list of races for the poll was compiled following discussions with the three series directors, other longtime observers in the industry and from direct input from NASCAR fans."

The race featured tight, intense racing between Shane Hmiel and Brian Vickers during the course of 40 contested laps. Vickers went on to win the race and after the event he said, “it was an awesome race, I had a lot of fun, and sitting here in victory lane ain't too bad.” Hmiel faded to fourth, but second place finisher Jason Keller said, “that was as good as it gets. If the fans don’t like that race, they don't enjoy short-track racing. It doesn't get much more exciting than that."

The 2009 Kroger 200 was named one of the best races of that season in a story published on NASCARmedia.com. That race showcased the incredible talents of Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch, who battled closely for the win. That story said, “The race was the highlight of a spectacular stand-alone season on short tracks for the series.”

The AAA Insurance 200 is always a highlight of the Camping World Truck Series as these drivers fight tooth and nail during the course of the hard fought night. Ron Hornaday Jr. has had tremendous success at the facility with four wins and eight top five finishes and has won the race the past two seasons.

This event has also seen Johnny Benson, Mike Skinner, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards make their way into victory lane during the previous 16 races. Only once has this event been led by one racer for all 200 laps and that was back in 1996 by Mike Skinner.

The 30th annual Kroger 200 benefitting Riley Hospital for Children will take to the track on July 30th with the green flag set to drop at 7:30 p.m. (ET). The AAA Insurance 200 Camping World Truck Series race will take place on Friday, July 29th at 7:30 p.m. (ET) and the race weekend kicks off on Thursday, July 28th with the Thursday Night Triple Header, USAC Silver Crown and Midget Series along with the ARCA Series. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased at NHRAtix.com or at the Lucas Oil Raceway ticket office.

One of five drag racing facilities owned and operated by the National Hot Rod Association, Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis was built in 1960 and has presented organized racing events since 1961. From March through October, the facility hosts more than 120 dates of racing on three tracks, a quarter-mile drag strip, a .686-mile paved oval and a 2.5-mile road course. Home to drag racing’s biggest event, the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil over Labor Day weekend, the drag strip runs more than 50 days of point-to-point action, from national events to street legal community programs. The oval track draws racing’s biggest events, including annual visits from the NASCAR Nationwide, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and annual USAC races. The road course provides a home for several racing sanctions, while providing an ideal resource for driving schools, corporate outings and open-road tests for professional drivers.

VIDEO: FOX Chicago Profiles Zizzo Racing

Sweet Home Chicago for Zizzo Racing, PEAK

There's something about a home game.

This weekend at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, TJ Zizzo and the PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel team will be front and center at their home track for the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Route 66 Nationals. The majority of the team, along with primary sponsor PEAK and newly-signed marketing partner INDAK, are natives of the area and looking forward to winning rounds in front of their friends and families.

"We're so stoked to be racing so close to home at Route 66 Raceway," Zizzo said. "They've been great to us and have really made the track feel like our house. With all the friends and family we're going to have there, it's going to be a party!"

Also supporting Zizzo Racing this weekend is legendary drag racing artist Kenny Youngblood, who designed the PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner paint scheme on TJ's rail this year. Each race, Youngblood features some of his legendary paintings that honor some of the biggest names in the history of drag racing. In Joliet, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits receives that privilege.

"Kenny knows a lot of people in Chicago and we're looking forward to entertaining him and his friends," Zizzo said. "Plus, he and 'Big Daddy' are going to sign the car before we launch. With that kind of help, how can we possibly lose?"

The team pulled out all the stops for the event with a recent test session at the track and was able to learn a ton of information about the car. "Thanks to our amazing crew chief, Mike Kern, we discovered some valuable facts about the car and what we need to do to get from Point A to Point B," Zizzo said. "We're going with a newer fuel system that should definitely improve our performance on the track.

"Considering almost all of our marketing partners are from the Chicagoland area, we want to make this proud this weekend."

TJ in the Media: TJ, along with 2007 NHRA Full Throttle Series Pro Stock Motorcycle champ Matt Smith, joined Greg Damon on KMOX in St. Louis Saturday afternoon. The audio from The Auto Show can be heard HERE. Zizzo and the PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner team was also featured on FOX Chicago Monday evening. For more information, visit MyFOXChicago.com.

Meet TJ: The pilot of the PEAK/Herculiner NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel dragster will be at the O'Reilly Auto Parts locations Wednesday at 2200 W. Jefferson St. from 11 a.m.-12:15 and 312 Collins St. from 1-2:15 p.m.

Fans of TJ Zizzo and Zizzo Racing can find updates and photos of the PEAK/Herculiner Top Fuel team by checking out ZizzoRacing.com, Twitter.com/ZizzoRacing, and Facebook.com/ZizzoRacing. Videos of TJ and Zizzo Racing can be found at YouTube.com/TJZizzo.

Zizzo will race his PEAK/Herculiner rail in the 14th Annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet. The stars of the NHRA will race under the stars this weekend, with the first round of qualifying starting at 5 p.m. local time and the second scheduled to run at 8 with Saturday's two rounds of nitro qualifying set to run at the same times. Eliminations start at 11 a.m. Sunday. For ticket information, call Route 66 Raceway at 888-629-RACE or visit them on the Web at Route66Raceway.com.

Zizzo Racing Fast Facts:

• Zizzo has piloted the PEAK/Herculiner Top Fuel dragster in the NHRA Full Throttle Series since 2003.
• Zizzo's career-best ET is 3.851 (1000 ft.) achieved in 2010 at the U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Clermont, Ind. His career-best speed is 314.24 mph (1000 ft.) which also came in last year's U.S. Nationals.
• The highest qualifying effort for TJ and Zizzo Racing was sixth, earned last season at the second race at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C.
• Zizzo attempted to make his NHRA Full Throttle Series debut at Route 66 Raceway in 2003, but DNQed. He was able to make his first career start the following year against fellow Chicago native Tony Schumacher after qualifying tenth.
• Route 66 Raceway has been a tricky track for Zizzo. He has attempted to make the show here eight times, DNQing four of those times. His best qualifying effort in Joliet was ninth, achieved last year (3.87 sec. ET/311 mph)
• Zizzo fell to Antron Brown in E1 of this event last year.