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 Team Nitto drivers Josh Blyler, Erik Miller and Marcos Gomez swept the podium at the 2020 Nitto King of the Hammers race in Johnson Valley, California. |
Team Nitto Tire Sweeps Podium at 2020 King of the Hammers
Nitto Tire U.S.A. has announced that Team Nitto drivers Josh Blyler, Erik Miller and Marcos Gomez have swept the podium at the 2020 Nitto King of the Hammers race in Johnson Valley, California. The King of the Hammers race marks the beginning of the 2020 Ultra4 Racing series. In the race’s unlimited 4400 class, drivers pilot custom race buggies through a course that includes both high-speed desert running and technical rock crawling. This year marks both Blyler’s first win at King of the Hammers and the second time that Nitto Tire has swept the podium, with the last sweep taking place in 2017. Taking second place was longtime Team Nitto driver and two-time King of the Hammers winner Miller with Nitto driver Gomez securing the podium sweep with a third-place finish.
2020 Contingency Program from Champion Racing Oil
Champion Racing Oil is promoting its 2020 Racing Contingency Program—a marketing tool designed to link regional and national racers in most sanctioned racing events in North America. The program includes series like the All-Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC), American Sprint Car Series (ASCS), World of Outlaws (WoO), United States Auto Club (USAC) and the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA), among others. Champion provides contingency cash pay-outs for first-place wins, and will help to boost awareness with racer results through media channels and by creating testimonials with Champion products. Racers can apply for the Champion Racing Oil Contingency Program now through June 30.
 Jesse Haines won the 4600 class at the 2020 King of the Hammers’ Every Man Challenge in his Mahindra ROXOR. |
Jesse Haines Wins at King of the Hammers With His ROXOR
Off-road racer and fabricator Jesse Haines won the 4600 class at the 2020 King of the Hammers’ Every Man Challenge in his Mahindra ROXOR. This year, only 38 of the 122 vehicles that took the green flag would reach the finish line. Haines started 110th in the field, but was able to move up and finish 19th overall and first in class. The 4600 class has the most restrictive rules at King of the Hammers, requiring the factory engine, stock frame, full body, single shock, and 35-in.-tall DOT-approved tires.
 For the third straight time, Doug Kalitta took home a national event win at the 60th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals. |
Kalitta, Beckman and Coughlin Start the Season With Wins at 60th Annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals
For the third straight time, Doug Kalitta took home a national event win at the 60th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com. Last Sunday’s win marks Kalitta’s 48th career win, placing him fifth in wins on the all-time Top Fuel list. Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) also took home event wins in their respective categories, marking the first time in NHRA history that the winners from the Auto Club Finals also took home wins at the Winternationals. Top Fuel veteran Kalitta went 3.698 seconds at 330.23 mph in his Mac Tools dragster to defeat JFR’s Austin Prock in the final round at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
In Funny Car, Beckman picked up the win in the finals over John Force after going 3.837 seconds at 333.33 in his Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. Coughlin took home the event win over Jason Line with a 6.522-second pass at 210.80. The Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues on February 21–23, at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass.