Compiled by SEMA Editors
 James Deane was named the 2018 Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro champion. |
James Deane Crowned 2018 Formula DRIFT Pro Champion in Season Finale
Formula DRIFT (FD) returned to Irwindale Speedway—the House of Drift for the season finale last weekend, where James Deane was named the 2018 Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro champion. The result represented a miniscule four-point lead over Fredric Aasbo in one of the closest finishes in series history. Deane became only the second FD driver to win consecutive titles since Tanner Foust in 2007 and 2008. However, Vaughn Gittin Jr. was crowned the Formula DRIFT Irwindale winner over Aasbo. The 2019 Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro Championship and the Formula DRIFT Link ECU Pro 2 Championship schedules are still being finalized. The series organizers will announce the new schedule at the 2018 SEMA Show and post it to www.formulad.com.
 Steve Torrence went 3.703 seconds at 329.67 mph in his Capco Contractors/Torrence Racing dragster to defeat defending world champion Brittany Force in the final round. |
Torrence, Capps, Line and M. Smith Victorious at NHRA Carolina Nationals
Steve Torrence remained perfect in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship and won his fourth straight race in Top Fuel last Sunday with his victory at the 11th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by WIX Filters at zMAX Dragway. Ron Capps (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also winners in their respective categories at the fourth of six playoff events during the 2018 Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship. Points leader Torrence went 3.703 seconds at 329.67 mph in his Capco Contractors/Torrence Racing dragster to defeat defending world champion Brittany Force in the final round. In sweeping both races at zMAX Dragway this season, Torrence, opened up a 169-point lead over Clay Millican with two races remaining in the 2018 season. In Funny Car, Capps went 3.890 at 331.20 in the final round in his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T to defeat J.R. Todd, who slowed to a 4.311 at 214.96 in his DHL Toyota Camry. Todd reached his third final round in the Countdown to the Championship, and now trails Robert Hight by 11 points heading into the penultimate race of the 2018 season. Line grabbed his first victory of the season after going 6.531 at 211.89 in the final round in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro to knock off points leader Tanner Gray. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Smith took over the points lead after a run of 6.830 at 196.64 on his Elite Motorsports Denso Auto Parts EBR against Chip Ellis. The Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues October 25–28 with the fifth race in the Countdown to the Championship—the NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
 Christian Sourapas was the big winner taking home wins in both Trick Truck races with a total elapsed time of 2:06:36, easily taking home the overall. |
Method Race Wheels Laughlin Desert Classic Presented by Polaris Results
Christian Sourapas was the big winner taking home wins in both Trick Truck races with a total elapsed time of 2:06:36, easily taking home the overall. Tracy Graf followed Sourapas in second in Trick Trucks with a combined two heat race time of 2:10:52 for second overall. Ryan Poelman rounded out the Trick Truck podium with a combined time of 2:15:25. Ryan Hancock was the Class 6100 winner with a total time of 2:13:20. He was followed by Andrew Whitehead in second place at 2:15:22. Joshua Cobb won Trophy Lites Class 6000 at 2:42:55, followed by Ryan Winner at 2:46:44. Other Class Winners include Brock Heger in Class 1000, Bill Wingerning in Class 1500 and Tim Marques in Class 6200. Robert Van Beekum took home the overall win in the UTV Production Class in the first heat of the UTV Night Race by Baja Designs with Garrick Lastra taking the UTV Sportsman Class win. Heat 2 and the UTV Turbo Production Class winner was Phil Burton followed by Brett Comiskey, who won the UTV Unlimited class. The Fabtech Laughlin Leap came down to a four-way battle between Sam Berri, Justin Lofton, Pat Dean and Brandon Arthur, with Berri taking the win and the $10,000 first-place prize money. The next round in the Best in the Desert Series is the final round of the yea—the Pahrump Nugget “250” presented by Polaris, November 29–December 2, in Pahrump, Nevada.
PEAK Coolant & Antifreeze, BlueDEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid Expand Partnership With Haas F1 Team for 2019
Old World Industries, the makers of PEAK Coolant & Antifreeze and BlueDEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid and Equipment, has expanded its partnership with Haas F1 Team beginning with the 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship. PEAK and BlueDEF will be more visible in 2019, moving to the rear-wing endplates of the racecars driven by Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen. Since July with the British Grand Prix, PEAK and BlueDEF have been featured on the nose of the Haas VF-18s. The brands will retain this position through the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix before moving to the more prominent rear-wing endplate positions in 2019 to coincide with Old World Industries’ increased investment with Haas F1 Team. Old World Industries will augment its partnership with Haas F1 Team by also joining Stewart-Haas Racing, the championship-winning NASCAR team co-owned by Gene Haas and three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart. PEAK Coolant & Antifreeze and BlueDEF Exhaust Fluid and Equipment will be the primary sponsor for driver Clint Bowyer and the No. 14 team for three Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races in 2019 with associate sponsorship on the No. 14 Ford Mustang at all other races.
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