John Force and Rick Hendrick: A Longstanding Friendship Initiated by a Movie and Later a Red Ball Cap

CONCORD, N.C. (April 26, 2024) – John Force is a man who wears many hats: multi-car NHRA team owner, businessman, and driver of the PEAK Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car.

 
He has become one of the most quotable athletes in sports, and one of the most successful and popular drivers in NHRA history. Force is also well known for his signature hat, having worn a bright white sponsor hat on race day for the last 40 years.

 
But this weekend in suburban Charlotte, while bidding to extend his own record to four career wins in the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, Force will also be carrying a red City Chevrolet hat that he received a number of years ago.

 
The hat serves as a reminder of Force’s admiration for his friend, NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick (who owns the original City Chevrolet), but also of the movie “Days of Thunder”, which premiered in 1990, the same year as Force’s first of what would eventually become a record 16 NHRA Funny Car championships.

 
This weekend, the Top Fuel dragster of two-time NHRA champion Brittany Force will carry primary sponsorship of HendrickCars.com, part of Hendrick Automotive Group. The Funny Cars of her father John, as well as teammate and current points leader Austin Prock, will also carry HendrickCars.com as associate sponsorship. The entire John Force Racing organization was invited to a private Hendrick Motorsports tour on Friday to celebrate.

 
The partnership between Hendrick Automotive Group and John Force Racing will also include three other races this season: Virginia Motorsports Park (June 21-23), a return visit to Charlotte (Sept. 20-22) and the Texas Motorplex (Oct. 10-13), the latter two being part of the NHRA’s “Countdown to the Championship.”

 
“I love drag racing. It’s where I found a love for motorsports, going to the local dragstrip with my dad and competing in my ’31 Chevy,” said Hendrick, chairman and CEO, Hendrick Automotive Group. “I have been a fan of John and his family for a long time, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to partner with Brittany and Chevrolet. I know they will be terrific representatives for the HendrickCars.com brand.”

 
Force, who turns 75 on May 4, is proud of the success he’s achieved in over 50 years of drag racing, with 16 NHRA Funny Car championships and 156 national event wins, with his most recent win coming just three weeks ago.

 
We sat down with John Force in the shadows of zMAX Dragway on Thursday afternoon and he spoke from the heart of his admiration for Hendrick, who is further expanding his motorsports reach into the NHRA world, first with 5-time Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson, and now with Force and his organization.

 
“Rick Hendrick has always been my hero,” John Force said. “He has excelled in everything that he has ever done in the automotive industry and motorsports. When I first saw Greg Anderson’s HendrickCars.com Pro Stock Camaro, I knew that Hendrick hit a home run and I hoped that someday I could be a part of it too.”

 
The colorful Force has long revered Hendrick’s success as a motorsports empresario. Known universally simply as “Mr. H.,” Hendrick has a NASCAR-record 14 Cup championships and 306 national event wins.

 
Force readily admits he’s tried to emulate much of the way Hendrick has built his organization into a NASCAR powerhouse, and Force has learned those lessons well, as his and his organization’s success attest to.

 
“With races becoming available in NHRA with my daughter Brittany, I thought there could be a chance to partner with them, so our president Robert Hight made the call to Rick Hendrick and the Hendrick Automotive Group. With my partnership with Chevrolet, it made a win-win situation for all involved.
“When I first received the paint renderings that Hendrick’s team had requested, I was excited that it was a duplication of not only Anderson’s Pro Stock car, but also other HendrickCars.com NASCAR paint schemes. It is very emotional for me to know Brittany will get to race a car that matches that of Rick’s son, Ricky. I still remember the first time I saw (Ricky’s) car and was reminded of those memories when I saw his cars in the Hendrick Motorsports museum. They were awesome.

 
“I have been in the sport longer than most realize and you all know I’m a movie buff. The first thought I have when I think of Rick Hendrick goes back to 1990, my first championship season and the premiere year for “Days of Thunder” (of which Randy Quaid’s character was believed patterned after Hendrick), when Tom Cruise drove a Chevy NASCAR stock car. I still have to this day, my red and white City Chevrolet hat that relates back to that movie.

 
“Austin Prock’s Cornwell Tools Chevrolet and my PEAK Chevrolet will also be flying the HendrickCars.com logos this weekend. This is more than a new partner. This is a friendship. If we are fast enough and lucky enough to win, we will be sure to wear our hats backwards in the winner’s circle.”

 
Media Contact: Jerry Bonkowski (708) 557-0471 Jerry@JohnForceRacing.com

Jim Dunn Racing and Buddy Hull to Rep USD at NHRA Arizona Nationals

LONG BEACH, CA (April 2, 2024) --- Continuing to highlight the diverse group of corporate supporters Jim Dunn Racing and Funny Car driver Buddy Hull will be racing a USD branded nitro Funny Car at this weekend’s NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park. With Hull behind the wheel as a rising star in the Funny Car ranks, the Jim Dunn entry will turn heads with the dynamic new-look design. Hull will be looking to make a move into the Funny Car Top Ten at the third race of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
“We have had a longstanding relationship with USD and this race is in their backyard,” said Jon Dunn, with Jim Dunn Racing. “We are thrilled NHRA is returning to Firebird Motorsports Park and having the support of USD on our Funny Car will make this a special weekend. Buddy has been doing a great job behind the wheel and the competition is very tough out here. We are looking forward to an exciting weekend.”
Hull, who will be making his third Funny Car start driving for legendary Jim Dunn Racing, knows the action off the track is almost as important as the results on the track. As a high-energy driver and ambassador for all the Jim Dunn Racing sponsors Hull loves the idea of representing new companies at every race.
“We have a very loyal group of sponsors that have supported Jim Dunn Racing for many years so as a new driver I want to make sure I am doing my job to talk about their goals and marketing objectives,” said Hull, who has also raced Top Fuel and Fuel Altereds. “Having USD on the side of this Funny Car with that eagle just swooping in is pretty cool and we want to keep moving this program in the right direction. I am getting more comfortable behind the wheel and the car is getting quicker. This will be an exciting weekend for the USD Funny Car for sure.”
USD has been servicing customers in the southwest for over 45 years. They are an authorized full line distributor of ACDelco (General Motors), Motorcraft (Ford) and Mopar (Chrysler) original equipment auto parts and accessories. They have four locations to efficiently service customers with inventories of more than 12 million dollars. The corporate headquarters and largest warehouse are in Phoenix, Arizona. There are branch warehouses in Albuquerque, Denver and El Paso service New Mexico, Colorado, and West Texas, as well as surrounding areas. The commitment to advanced technology and superior customer satisfaction has set them apart from the competition.
In addition to USD Jim Dunn Racing will also be partnering with local favorite Chompie’s to provide meals for the team and guests throughout the weekend. Recognized as Arizona’s New York Deli since 1979, Chompie’s has multiple locations in Phoenix, Chandler, Scottsdale, and Glendale.
“Chompie's is proudly continuing its sponsorship for the second consecutive year, supporting Funny Car driver Buddy Hull and his team with fresh made meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” said Frank Lara, Chompie’s Marketing Manager.
Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team will be making one qualifying run on Friday, April 5 and two qualifying runs on Saturday, April 6 at Firebird Motorsports Park. The top 16 quickest Funny Cars in the field will advance in competition to race day on Sunday, April 7. The first round of eliminations will begin on Sunday at 11 a.m. PST. Fans can watch the finals on FS1. For tickets or more information on the NHRA Arizona Nationals visit nhra.com.
Copyright © 2024 Werner Communications, All rights reserved.
Media Contact: Elon Werner 214-244-1184

Phoenix 2010 Throwback - NHRA 2010 Arizona Nationals Day 1 Round 2 Qualifying Antron Brown & Larry Dixon 2/19/10

Top Fuel Champion Doug Kalitta Will Fly Sealmaster Colors At Phoenix

YPSILANTI, Mich. (March 28, 2024) – NHRA Top Fuel champion Doug Kalitta has some good memories from the last time he raced in Phoenix. This year, he hopes to do even better with SealMaster livery on his car. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series resumes April 5-7, 2024 at Firebird Motorsports Park in Glendale, Ariz. SealMaster is a longtime Kalitta Motorsports corporate partner. In addition to the primary placement in Phoenix, SealMaster is a full-season associate partner on Kalitta’s dragster as well as J.R. Todd’s DHL GR Supra Funny Car. One year ago in Phoenix, Kalitta was the No. 1 qualifier and won the inaugural Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge; it was his first victory-lane celebration in four years. He would, of course, go on to win three races and the 2023 NHRA Top Fuel title, but that race in Phoenix was the start of a very special season. “We’re excited to see Doug pilot the SealMaster Top Fuel dragster,” SealMaster franchise representative Jason Hedlesky said. “We have the top fuel champion flying our colors at one of the NHRA’s greatest tracks. We see the Arizona Nationals as a celebration of that, along with the return of NHRA to Firebird. It’s going to be a very exciting event.” “We’re really happy to have SealMaster on our cars again this season, but it’s even better for them to have the whole car at Phoenix,” Kalitta said. “We really appreciate all they do for our team – SealMaster has been with us for quite a while– I had a good race in Phoenix last year, and I hope we can get them to the winner’s circle next week!” “Our friends at SealMaster are great partners, and we’re grateful for our relationship,” Team Kalitta General Manager Chad Head said. “SealMaster and Kalitta Motorsports have been together for years. SealMaster franchisees coast to coast mean a lot to us, and they’ve been enthusiastic in supporting us; we appreciate that very much and always look forward to seeing them at the race track. We all hope for a great weekend with SealMaster in Phoenix.” About SealMaster: SealMaster, the nation’s One-Stop Source for pavement maintenance and sport surfacing products and equipment, is the world’s leading manufacturer of pavement sealer with more than 100 locations in the United States, including Puerto Rico; licensed manufacturing in China and Mexico; and distribution in more than 50 countries. In addition to pavement sealer, the company distributes pavement crack sealants and repair materials, traffic paints, dust suppressants, tools, accessories and equipment to apply all the materials. The company maintains its industry leadership consistently introducing high-performance, innovative pavement sealer formulations and state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies. Pavement maintenance professionals, property managers and owners, municipalities and others charged with pavement maintenance use SealMaster products and equipment to protect, preserve and beautify asphalt and concrete pavement. For more information, visit www.sealmaster.net. About Kalitta Motorsports: Kalitta Motorsports is a three-car team competing in the 21-race NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Founded by team owner Conrad “Connie” Kalitta in 1959, Kalitta Motorsports fields two Top Fuel dragsters driven by 2023 NHRA Top Fuel champion Doug Kalitta and 2013 NHRA Top Fuel champion Shawn Langdon as well as a Funny Car driven by 2018 NHRA Funny Car champion J.R. Todd. Located in Ypsilanti, Mich., the team owns five World Championships and more than 100 national event wins through multiple sanctioning bodies. For additional information, please visit www.teamkalitta.com and follow the team on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @TeamKalitta. Contact: Rob Goodman, Kalitta Motorsports E-mail: rob@3-gsports.com

John Force To Take Part In Celebration Of Life For Friend, Sponsor And Racing Fan Frank Tiegs

KENNEWICK, Wash (March 29, 2024) – For nearly 50 years, John Force has taken great pride in the personal relationships he has built with sponsors who have supported himself or other drivers and cars within the John Force Racing organization. While Force is thankful to have a strong rapport with sponsors, the 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion and winner of 155 national events typically considers sponsors as friends first and business partners second. Such was the case with Frank Tiegs, the man Force and several thousand others will pay their respects to today in a Celebration of Life at 3 p.m. PT at Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Wash. Tiegs, of Pasco, Wash., sadly passed away February 8 at the age of 66. A successful entrepreneur who started his business empire with just one farm in Pasco, Tiegs went on to own more than a dozen businesses that included real estate, farming, processing, finance, development and marketing. Among his most successful businesses were Oregon Potato and Washington Potato, Flav-R-Pac, the Lewis and Clark Ranch, and Montana Brand Tools. “Frank Tiegs was one of the most incredible, inspiring and generous people I’ve ever met,” Force said. “He was so easy-going and easy to like and easy to talk to. He didn’t let anything stop him, even after being forced to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair after he was paralyzed in a car crash a decade ago.” Force first met Tiegs in 1990, shortly after the legendary drag racer earned his first NHRA Funny Car championship. They reunited more than 2 ½ decades later, and their renewed friendship began with a mutual love and appreciation of racing and muscle cars, and particularly their respective families. “There were a lot of similarities between Frank and myself,” Force said. “We’re both family men. We both have a love for our wives, our children, our grandchildren, even our own employees. He was just an unbelievable individual who loved racing, all kinds of auto sports, not just NHRA but also NASCAR, IndyCar, boat racing – he just liked it all.” For five years, Tiegs would go on to sponsor two-time Top Fuel champion and John Force’s daughter Brittany, and three-time Funny Car champion and John Force Racing president Robert Hight in a Flav-R-Pac branded dragster and Funny Car, respectively. Tiegs’ Montana Brand would also sponsor the Top Fuel dragster of up-and-coming racer Austin Prock. “When I was told of his loss, it was a very sad day for us and all of our employees and workers at John Force Racing,” Force said. “He was good to a lot of people. ‘You had to love his personality. I'd be in the middle of a conversation, where I'd be talking for 15 minutes, 20 minutes and forgetting that the guy's trying to enjoy the races. And then when I stopped, he'd make a statement like, stone serious: ‘Did your Mom drop you on your head when you were little?’ Then I’d realize I was talking too much, I’d apologize and I’d go away. And then he’d laugh and say, ‘Come here, give me a hug.’ That's just how he was. “You just had to grow to love the guy. And he did so much good for people. He never told me about the things that he did, but I heard it from family members and other people, things that he did to help people less fortunate.” The biggest highlight of the Force-Tiegs friendship came on August 4, 2019, in the Northwest NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash., when Force and Prock performed a drag racing rarity by winning both ends of the two NHRA Nitro classes.

JOHN FORCE HEADING TO NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS OPTIMISTIC AND ENCOURAGED BY HIS PEAK COOLANT AND MOTOR OIL TEAM

CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 20, 2018) — Following an eventful opening to the 2018 season, John Force is looking forward to racing as usual at the upcoming 34th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park outside of Phoenix, Ariz. Feb. 23-25.

“We had a rough weekend in Pomona. I am feeling fine from my deal on Friday and the bottom line is you can replace race cars but you can’t replace a serious injury or a teammate,” reflected Force. “I have to thank Simpson and the Safety Safari. That safety equipment did its job on me and Brittany. I am looking forward to getting back into my race car in Phoenix. I have won a lot of races there. The season is just getting started and there are a lot more races to win.”

In his 33 appearances at the Phoenix event the 16-time champion has never failed to qualify and has won the race eight times, nearly twice as many times as any other NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series competitor. After a first-round exit at the Winternationals, Force is hoping the information they learned will put an end to the rocky start.

“The teams are working hard right now. It is business as usual,” explained Force. “My car is struggling but we are working on a couple things and we found some things out in Pomona that were part of the problem. The guys I have working on my race car, (crew chiefs) Jon Schaffer and Jason McCulloch, are sharp guys plus we have Jimmy Prock (crew chief for Robert Hight and the Auto Club Funny Car) helping all the teams. That Auto Club Chevrolet was one of the best cars on race day with Robert Hight.”

Force will continue to run his PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaros SS Funny Car reminding fans that you’re just 18 degrees from a mechanical emergency but will add the Republic Services star to the rear window. Republic Services is the second largest waste disposal agency in the country and a proud partner of PEAK and Old World Industries. Incorporated in 1996, Republic Services is founded on five core values: to be Respectful, Responsible, Reliable, Resourceful and Relentless. The five R’s are joined together to create their logo. 

The 34th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, the second of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, begins with qualifying on Friday, Feb. 23 and Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2 and 4:30 p.m. MT. Sunday eliminations begin at 11 a.m. MT. Tune in to watch live qualifying Friday on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) at 5 p.m. MT.

PBR’S Top Bull Riders to Compete in Days of '47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo

SALT LAKE CITY (February 20, 2018) – The Komatsu Equipment Days of '47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo presented by Zions Bank in Salt Lake City will bring a higher level of competition, international flair, and greater fan access to the Utah event in July with the bull riding sanctioned by the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and covered live on RidePass, the new 24/7 western sports digital network.

A total of 256 competitors, including 32 bull riders, will have the opportunity, based on the Days of ’47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo qualifications, to compete for a share of the $1 million purse along with a gold medal. Sixteen of the bull riding competitors will be selected from the PBR 25th: Unleash the Beast and PBR Real Time Pain Relief Velocity tours.

“The PBR has set a standard in quality and success, and to partner with this premier brand will further extend the credibility, reach and success of the Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo,” said Tommy Joe Lucia, Days of ’47 General Manager. “This relationship ensures that the best bull riders in the world will compete this July in Salt Lake and will build on our mission of being the gold standard in rodeo and a destination event for western sports fans.”

With the PBR sanctioning, a total of 16 bull riders will qualify to compete in Salt Lake City one of four ways: the PBR World Standings (top 8 as of July 6, 2018); the Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour standings (standings leader as of July 6, 2018); the PBR 25th: Unleash the Beast Tour; and Real Time Pain Relief Victory Tour. The winners from the four Unleash the Beast Tour events– Albuquerque (March 16-18), Sioux Falls, S.D. (April 6-8), Billings, Mont. (April 20-22) and Columbus, Ohio (April 28-29) – will automatically qualify as will the winners from the three Real Time Velocity Tour events at Casper, Wyo. (April 7), Des Moines, Iowa (April 21) and Wichita, Kan. (April 28). The additional 16 will qualify through the Days of ’47 Trial Event and Trial Series standings.

“PBR is proud to collaborate with Days of ’47 in celebrating our western heritage at this prestigious rodeo giving our athletes an additional opportunity to compete for significant prize money during the elite series summer break,” said Sean Gleason, CEO, PBR. “With the world’s top bull riders at this historic event, we will assist in securing broader media coverage, including offering all the action to fans on RidePass, our new western sports digital network.”

Fans are encouraged to visit www.ridepass.com for access to the Days of ’47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo as well as more than 100 other PBR and rodeo events.

 The full field of 32 bull riders will be divided into four groups of eight each and will compete in one of the first four performances (July 19-21, 23). The top two from each performance, along with two via the Wild Card category will advance to the Gold Medal Round on July 24. The 10 bull riders in the Gold Medal Round will compete in a sudden-death format with the winner collecting a Gold Medal and $50,000 cash. All bull riders will be required to be a PBR member and they will accrue points from this event for their overall world standings.

The Komatsu Equipment Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo presented by Zions Bank, July 19-21 and 23-24, will take place at the $17.5 million state-of-the-art Days of ’47 Arena at the Utah State Fair Park, custom designed and built for rodeo. The venue—an outdoor arena located in the heart of Salt Lake City—features over 10,000 stadium-style seats.

For only the fourth time in the history of rodeo and first for the PBR, riders will have an opportunity to compete for Gold, Silver or Bronze Medals. The first two times were in conjunction with the Olympic Winter Games in Calgary (1988) and Salt Lake City (2002), when rodeo was part of the Cultural Olympiad and the third being the Days of ’47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo in 2017. The medals that will be awarded at the Days of '47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo will be produced by OC Tanner, the same company that made the Olympic medals for the champions of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

Tickets are currently on sale at smithstix.com. For more information on the event visit www.daysof47cowboygames.com.

Courtesy PBR Media

Team JEGS Prerace Notes NHRA Arizona Nationals

Jeg Coughlin Jr. will continue his pursuit of a sixth NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock title (and seventh national championship overall) at this weekend's 34th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Ariz. Jeg Jr. will once again be driving a Rick Jones Race Cars-built Chevy Camaro as a member of the Elite Motorsports team.

Last season, Jeg Jr. finished as the No. 7 ranked driver in the Pro Stock class. It was the 17th top-10 finish of his career, which began in 1997.

Jeg Jr. is once again racing as a teammate to two-time world champ Erica Enders. The Elite team also includes Pro Stock racers Vincent Nobile and Alex Laughlin. Jeg Jr.'s crew chief is multi-talented Rickie Jones, who has extensive experience as a driver, chassis builder and tuner. The Elite team also includes crew chiefs Rick Jones, Mark Ingersoll and Brian "Lump" Self, who regularly share data.

Jeg Jr. will be pulling double duty in Phoenix as he also is entered in the Top Sportsman class. Jeg Jr. will be driving a turbocharged 2018 Corvette for team owner and former JEGS Allstars champion Phil Unruh of McPherson, Kan. 

Jeg Jr. has never competed in the Top Sportsman class. Should he win the event, he will

become the first driver to win an NHRA national event in eight different classes. Jeg Jr. already is the only driver to win national event titles in seven different categories. He has won in Pro Stock, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Top Dragster.

At the season-opener in Pomona two weeks ago, Jeg Jr. dropped a close Round 1 battle against Enders. Jeg Jr. enters this week's event at the No. 10 ranked driver in the Pro Stock class.

During his career, Jeg Jr. has won the Pro Stock title twice in Phoenix. He claimed his first win in 2000 by beating Mark Pawuk in the final round and stopped Kurt Johnson to win his second title in 2009.

As a sportsman driver, Jeg Jr. also won the Super Stock title in 1995 in Phoenix. He returned in 1997 to claim the Comp title at the track's Division 7 Lucas Oil Series event.

In 17 previous appearances at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, Jeg Jr. has a win-loss record of 22-15 in Pro Stock competition.

In his 17 appearances in Phoenix, Jeg Jr. has qualified in the top half of the field 11 times, with a best of No. 3 in 2004.

Jeg Jr.'s best elapsed time in a Pro Stock car is 6.484 seconds and his best speed is 214.62 mph, both recorded in Gainesville in 2014.

Jeg Jr. is a five-time NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock champion. He earned season titles in 2000, 2002, 2007-2008 and 2013. As a sportsman driver, Jeg Jr. also claimed the NHRA Super Gas championship in 1992.

Including Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, Jeg Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event at 24 different facilities, making him the all-time leader in that category. The only current venues on the NHRA Mello Yello tour where he has not won are the tracks in Norwalk and Epping.

Last season, Jeg Jr. became just the 10th NHRA racer to win 600 elimination rounds when reached the semifinals in Topeka. He currently has 608 round wins. The other nine drivers with 600 wins are: John Force (1,286), Warren Johnson (874), Tony Schumacher (809), Greg Anderson (767), Kenny Bernstein (682), Larry Dixon (678), Ron Capps (680), Antron Brown (678), and Doug Kalitta (627).

Jeg Jr. is the only professional racer in history to win a national event title from all 16 starting spots. During his Indy win in 2000, Jeg qualified No. 16.

With 58 Pro Stock wins in his career, Jeg Jr. ranks fourth all-time among Pro Stock drivers. Only Warren Johnson (97), Greg Anderson (90), and the late Bob Glidden (85) and have more race titles.

In 406 career Pro Stock races, Jeg Jr. has reached the final round 102 times, recording 58 wins. Including his 18 sportsman victories, Jeg Jr. has won a total of 76 times, ranking him ninth on NHRA's all-time list. During his career, Jeg Jr. has appeared in 126 final rounds, 102 as a professional and 24 as a sportsman racer.

During his Pro Stock career, Jeg Jr. has competed in 406 events and has a round-win record of 608-332. He has red-lighted just 22 times and failed to qualify just 16 times.

The Coughlin family, including John, Troy, Mike, Jeg Jr. and Troy Jr. has combined for 116 NHRA national event victories since 1990. The Coughlin's have won in nine different eliminators including Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck, Pro Mod, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster. 

TEAM JEGS - By the Numbers  - NHRA Arizona Nationals Edition

3 Wins for Jeg Coughlin Jr. in Phoenix (two in Pro Stock, one in Super Stock)

7 Different classes where Jeg Coughlin Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event title (the only driver to do so)

10 Number of classes where the Coughlin family has earned an NHRA national event victory

100 Holeshot wins by Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the Pro Stock class (tops among NHRA pro drivers)

116 Combined NHRA national event victories for the Coughlin family

Courtesy Team JEGS Media

PBR and WCRA Join Forces to Produce Major Rodeos

PUEBLO, Colo. (February 13, 2018) – Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and World Champions Rodeo Alliance (WCRA) today announced a new collaboration to jointly produce, market and promote rodeo events.

PBR and WCRA have come together to expand television and digital coverage of professional rodeo, build the profiles of rodeo athletes, and grow the sport’s fan base. PBR will facilitate these objectives by using its expertise to manage the media rights to these joint events.

While PBR has a history of supporting rodeos, including the American, the Calgary Stampede, California Rodeo Salinas, Denver Stock Show, and Pendleton Round-up, this announcement marks the first time that the league – formed 25 years ago when 20 cowboys broke away from the rodeo – has formally joined forces with a professional rodeo organization to produce and promote rodeo events.

The first rodeo under the new alliance will be the WCRA Rodeo Showdown at Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas in conjunction with PBR’s Last Cowboy Standing. The joint event will offer two rodeo performances and two PBR performances on May 4-6.  PBR’s Last Cowboy Standing will take place on May 4-5, while the WCRA Rodeo Showdown will occur on May 5-6.  

The Showdown will include the seven standard disciplines of rodeo (Bareback Riding, Saddle Bronc Riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Tie-Down Roping, Barrel Racing, and Bull Riding) and will feature top athletes going head to head in the first ever match-play format consisting of eight competitors in each discipline. This exciting new format allows all athletes to be compensated, with the winner in each discipline earning $32,000 for a total of nearly $400,000.

“We are thrilled that PBR will join forces with WCRA and invest in professional rodeo to create new opportunities for the entire rodeo industry,” said Gary McKinney, CEO, WCRA. “WCRA is now aligned with PBR to promote events that will offer some of the largest prize purses in the industry, provide increased media coverage and modernize the presentation of our sport for fans. Just as PBR contemporized the rich tradition of bull riding, this collaboration will now do the same for rodeo. This endeavor with PBR is the first of many alliances we will initiate throughout the rodeo world.” 

“As PBR expands in western sports, we see opportunity to expand the market for rodeo events and coverage, which has not been commensurate to the growing popularity of the sport,” said Sean Gleason, CEO, PBR. “We’ll leverage our new RidePass digital network, broadcast relationships, and production expertise to develop exciting new marquee events complementary to the growing rodeo industry. Rodeo athletes will be able to earn additional money without having to choose between existing organizations.”   

About the WCRA

The World Champions Rodeo Alliance (WCRA) is a professional sport and entertainment entity, created to develop and advance the sport of rodeo by aligning all levels of competition. In association with Professional Bull Riders (PBR), WCRA produces major rodeo events, developing additional opportunities for rodeo industry competitors, stakeholders and fans. To learn more visit worldchampionsrodeoalliance.com. 

About the PBR 

The world’s premier bull riding organization began as a dream of 20 bull riders 25 years ago and now operates in five countries. On its elite tour, the organization features the top 35 bull riders in the world and the top bulls in the business. The televised 25th PBR: Unleash The Beast, along with the PBR Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour (RVT), the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD) and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico have paid nearly $184 million in earnings to its athletes. Thirty bull riders have earned more than $1 million, including two-time PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney who is the top-earning athlete in Western sports history with more than $7.2 million in career earnings. PBR is part of the Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG) network. For more information on the PBR, go to PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, Instagram at Instagram.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.

Hagan, Kalitta and Butner Emerge Victorious at Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals

POMONA, Calif. -- 

The season-opening event of the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series concluded Sunday at the 58th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Bo Butner (Pro Stock) were victorious in their respective categories at the first of 24 events during the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

Matt Hagan took home the Funny Car victory with a 3.823-second pass at 335.90 mph in his Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T to defeat defending world champion Robert Hight in the final round. Hagan defends his Winternationals crown after winning the season-opening event last season en route to a four-win campaign, as he now increases his career win total to 27.

"Keeping our team upbeat, confident and starting the year up on a positive note is good for

our team to set goals, no matter how hard they may be to obtain," Hagan said. "Everything was clicking this weekend and even more than the parts and pieces it's about having the right guys to use what we have. So far we've done it well."

After qualifying in the top position, Hagan took down Jim Campbell, Cruz Pedregon, and Ron Capps on the road to victory.

Hight qualified second and defeated Jeff Diehl, J.R. Todd and Jack Beckman as he recorded his 24th career runner-up finish.

Kalitta powered to the win with a run of 3.779 at 324.28 in his Mac Tools dragster to take down Tony Schumacher. After finishing as the runner-up at the 2017 Winternationals, Kalitta emerged victorious at the season-opening event for the second time in his career.

"I tip my hat to my guys because I couldn't do it without him and it's really special to get a win at a track with so much history," Kalitta said. "We feel like we have the team in place to have a successful season but I'm really proud of Jim Oberhofer (crew chief) and what he has done for all of our teams."

Kalitta qualified fifth and took down teammate Richie Crampton, Scott Palmer, and No. 1 qualifier Clay Millican en route to his 44th career win.

Tony Schumacher reached his first final round since Atlanta last season, after besting Terry McMillen, Terry Haddock, and Antron Brown.

In Pro Stock, Butner took home the victory after driving to a 6.549 at 209.62 run in his Jim Butner's Auto Chevy Camaro to take down teammate Jason Line in the final round. He locked in his sixth career victory as he attempts to defend his Pro Stock world championship this season.

"Both my crew and my car have been running smooth recently, and we are just trying to

keep riding that wave," Butner said. "I feel great in this car and I have all the confidence in the world in my crew."

Butner entered Sunday sixth in qualifying before taking down Tanner Gray, Greg Anderson, and Erica Enders as his 2018 title defense started in victorious fashion.

The 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season continues with the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park Feb. 23-25.

Sunday's final results from the 58th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. The race is the first of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series-

Top Fuel -- Doug Kalitta, 3.779 seconds, 324.28 mph def. Tony Schumacher, 4.715 seconds, 145.93 mph.

Funny Car -- Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.823, 335.90 def. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.866, 336.99.

Pro Stock -- Bo Butner, Chevy Camaro, 6.549, 209.62 def. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.568, 209.59.

Courtesy of NHRA Communications
Photo copyright 2018 NHRA/National Dragster

JOHN FORCE RACING CELEBRATES 2017 SEASON WITH CHAMPIONS KICK-OFF PARTY AT YORBA LINDA SHOP

YORBA LINDA, Calif. (February 8, 2018) – The newly crowned NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car world champions, who call Yorba Linda, Calif. their home base, opened their headquarters Thursday night as an estimated crowd of over 2,000 fans enjoyed an evening with the NHRA stars. Brittany Force, 2017 NHRA Top Fuel champion, and Robert Hight, 2017 NHRA Funny Car champion, were joined by 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion and team owner John Force along with 2012 Rookie of the Year and winningest female Funny Car driver Courtney Force at the free event.

The special occasion featured a car show, autograph session, Q&A with all four drivers, museum tours and also the debut of the new web series chronicling the 2017 season. Additionally, food trucks were on site during the event. Throughout the evening fans wandered through the shop and museum, snapping photos from the four decades of racing dominance.

The highlight of the night was the Q&A session led by Ashley Force Hood, president of John Force Entertainment, which included all four drivers and was quickly taken over by the gregarious team leader John Force. During the 30-minute session topics ranged from racing to raising kids to Force’s newly earned honorary doctorate from University of Northwestern Ohio.

“We wanted to celebrate the success of last season and also get excited for this upcoming season. My dad took over the question and answer session and it got a little crazy. We are excited to debut the web series and also spend some time with our fans,” said Ashley Force Hood, the unofficial hostess of the event and also a two-time US Nationals winner in Funny Car.

PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil provided free cupcakes to celebrate Force’s doctorate to all the fans. The team will head to Auto Club Raceway at Pomona for the historic Winternationals which begin tomorrow with two qualifying sessions.

Courtesy JFR Media

DENSO Sponsors Angie and Matt Smith for 2018 NHRA Season

LONG BEACH, Calif. - DENSO Products and Services Americas, Inc., an affiliate of leading global automotive supplier DENSO Corp., will serve as the primary sponsor for Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Angie Smith in the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. DENSO also will serve as an associate sponsor of racer Matt Smith, Angie's teammate and husband.

Only one of a handful of women to ever compete in the class, Angie Smith will continue to ride her Matt Smith Racing Buell V-Twin powered by DENSO Iridium spark plugs. "I've had a lot of success on this bike and I'm excited to have the support of DENSO to take it to the Winner's Circle this season," Angie Smith said.  

DENSO's 2018 endorsement builds on its support for Matt Smith Racing, which started in 2017 when DENSO was Angie Smith's lead sponsor for five weekend races. Riding on DENSO spark plugs, Angie and Matt Smith were both among the top 10 competitors in last year's NHRA Countdown finals.


"DENSO is an amazing partner," said Angie Smith. "Their high-performance spark plugs were a huge part of my success last year, and now they've become a vital member of the Matt Smith Racing team for the entire 2018 series."

"We're proud to increase our support for Angie, who is a true role model, and also sponsor Matt during the upcoming series," said Fran Labun, vice president, Aftermarket Sales at DENSO Products and Services Americas. "Both are tremendous competitors and great ambassadors for DENSO spark plugs, on and off the track."

As part of their ongoing partnership, Angie Smith will continue to support DENSO by making personal appearances at customer events, trade shows and associate gatherings.

Born and raised in Kernersville, N.C., Angie Smith started racing competitively in the Outlaw Pro Street class where she was known by her maiden name, Angie McBride. In 2004, she captured the Outlaw Pro Street championship. During those years, a fierce rivalry ensued with Matt Smith. A top-ranked Pro Stock Motorcycle racer with 18 career wins to date under his belt, he invited her to join Matt Smith Racing in 2008. The couple married in 2009 and are the only husband-and-wife teammates in the NHRA.

The 2018 Mello Yello series kicks off Feb. 8-11 at the Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif. In addition to backing Angie and Matt, DENSO returns for the third consecutive year as the title sponsor of the DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, April 6-8, in Las Vegas. DENSO also remains a supporting sponsor of all 24 races in the series that crisscrosses the nation through November.
DENSO also returns to Nitro Alley, the midway where fans can learn more about and purchase DENSO's full line of spark plugs. Likewise, DENSO's tradition of posting race and product updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube continues throughout the 2018 series.

Courtesy Geiger Media Global

TWO-TIME REIGNING FUNNY CAR WORLD CHAMPION ROBERT HIGHT AND AUTO CLUB CHEVROLET CAMARO READY FOR 2018 CHAMPIONSHIP DEFENSE

POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 7, 2018) — Robert Hight is more than ready to be getting back in the seat of his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona to start the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Season. And who can blame him? He ended the 2017 season at the famed track as the world champion, the second crown of his career.

“I can’t wait to get back there and get back with the fans. We got to meet some fans over the off-season at different functions but it is not the same as being at an NHRA national event,” said Hight who has three wins at the season-opening event.

After a successful test session at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park outside Phoenix, where Hight branded his car with the championship No. 1, the Auto Club team is confident in their car and ready to take on the rest of the Funny Car class with a strong showing at the Winternationals.

“It would be a pretty bold prediction to say we are going to win the championship again but I definitely want to be in the hunt. My goal is really to be good from start to finish,” explained Hight who in 2017 had four event wins in seven final round appearances with a season best eight No. 1 qualifiers. “We want to win a lot of races and we want to be able to say we would be the champion whether there was a playoff or not. I think that is possible. We have a good combination that we can start the year with and carry it on. We have tested some new things over the winter but seriously, I like our combination and we have a good handle on things. I can’t wait to get to Pomona and get this season started.”

Hight qualified fifth at the 2017 Winternationals and had an early exit in the first round on Sunday. The tough start precipitated a rocky beginning to his championship campaign that saw a turn around mid-way through the year, arguably when it mattered most. The veteran driver earned seven of his eight No. 1 qualifiers and all four of his event wins in the second half of the season.

“I was fighting the reigning champion Ron Capps, the guy was amazing winning eight races throughout the season. We had our hands full,” Hight said. “There was so much more pressure. We all got through it. We did what we had to when the chips were down. We came through when the pressure was the highest. That gives me a lot of confidence coming into this season. Winning two championships in a row will be tough but that would be the coolest things because no one has gone back to back since John Force.”

Courtesy: JFR Media