Category: Crown Jewel

OFFICIAL: FMS GRANTS PARDON-VASQUEZ STAYS PUT FOR NOW

During a brief press conference held this morning in the Pocono Raceway Media room, Factory Motorsport Team Owner Stephen Menke delivered a concise statement regarding his driver Nic Vasquez, who is presently serving a suspension. Vasquez will not participate in this week’s Tickle Me Triangle 225 due to his involvement in an incident with race victor Thomas Wolfe during the Chicago Street Course Race.

Speculation within the garage last week suggested that Vasquez’s career might be over, with Menke growing weary of the negative attention drawn by Vasquez and the underwhelming involvement of #38 Zander Short. Known for his concise communication, Menke had the following to say.

“Nic Vasquez’s actions during the Grant Park 150 in Chicago do not represent the values and integrity of our team. We are hopeful Nic will learn and grow from this and become a better driver, teammate, and ambassador moving forward. The driver of the #22 FMS ford will be back next week at the Brickyard. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go find Zander and drag him back here to the track, and hopefully we make it back in time for the race.”

Stephen Menke, Owner Factory Motorsports

The Tickle Me Triangle 225 kicks off tonight at 8 p.m. EST and will be broadcasted live on the Crown Jewel Racing Network.

OFFICIAL: RAINOUT AT CHARLOTTE

Unfortunately, the Crown Jewel race has been rained out. The race officials tried to get it in, but it started to pour during the practice session. Race officials had to make a difficult decision, as they were up against a network scheduling deadline. Crown Jewel CEO Cory Mott ultimately decided to postpone the race until next Tuesday, July 23rd. Anyone who brings their ticket stub from tonight will get free admission.

POCONO: AVILA CONQUERS TRICKY TRIANGLE

The Sportsman Truck Series traveled to Long Pond, Pennsylvania, to tackle 175 miles at the “Tricky Triangle” of Pocono Raceway. In the end, 175 miles wasn’t enough as some late cautions brought an exciting green-white-checkered finish. Johnny Avila emerged victorious and secured his second win in a row.

Pete Morales had the fastest time during the practice session but couldn’t manage a clean lap in qualifying, forcing him to start from the back in 25th place. Cody Porter secured the pole position with a time of 54.339, while Johnny Avila joined him on the front row with a time of 54.357. Both Porter and Avila, racing out of the Outlier Speed Company Shop, had their trucks perfectly tuned for the start of the race.

Porter took the green flag, but Avila captured the first of five lead changes on lap one and maintained the lead throughout the first stage. The first stage ended on lap 13 due to a caution issued for a collision between #66 Bill Martin and #28 Jonathan Leger out of Turn 3. Martin slid and made a frightening contact with the pit road entry wall. Fortunately, Martin was cleared from the Infield Care Center with no injuries.

“I feel like I just got hit by Mike Tyson. Leger and I were just fighting over real estate and that set off the fireworks. Looking forward to getting back in the #66 Eddie Van Halen Truck next week at Indianapolis.”

Bill Martin #66 Chevrolet

Porter regained the lead off pit road and maintained it throughout Stage 2, which ended on lap 29 due to a caution caused by the #55 Cameron Romano colliding with the Turn 3 wall. This corner proved treacherous for many drivers, as several crashed into the wall while trying to accelerate too early. Romano’s truck was taken to the garage, and he finished in 25th place.

Stage 3 went green for just one lap before a major wreck on lap 34 brought out the caution. The crash involved Matthew Owens, Thomas Villano, Henry Kallhoff, Ray Gill, and Michael Deitch, all of whom had to head to pit road for repairs. This incident triggered a wave of pit stops, with several drivers pitting for fuel in hopes of making it to the end if the race continued under green.

Oskar Jensen took the lead from Porter following a green flag restart after a caution on lap 40 caused by Nishil Condoor spinning into the inside wall out of Turn 1. Porter regained control on lap 64, just before Nishil spun again out of Turn 2, leading to the fifth caution of the night and setting the stage for an exciting finish.

CAUTIONS BREED CAUTIONS

Most of the field pitted for tires and fuel, aiming for a natural green-white-checkered finish. However, some drivers who had pitted earlier around the Lap 34 caution stayed out. Tyler Krawczyk led the field on 36-lap-old tires, with Haden Higginbotham, Ryan Taft, and Jonathan Leger behind him on 25-30 lap-old tires. Garth Griswold restarted 5th on 9-lap-old tires, trying to fend off the pack of fresh tires behind him.

Krawczyk got a big jump on the green flag with Higginbotham trailing. They led the pack around the track out of Turn 3 when chaos broke out behind them before they could cross the line for the white flag. Leger took a push from Connor Wold coming out of the turn, causing Leger to go headfirst into the outside wall before going airborne. As everyone took evasive maneuvers, Pete Morales’s Space X Ford commenced takeoff after hitting the pit road wall entrance, ruining what he had hoped to be a successful day after having the fastest car in practice.

Krawczyk once again led the field to green on the first restart of overtime. Higginbotham took the outside, while Avila and Jensen stacked up behind them after navigating through the field and avoiding the chaos out of Turn 3. Avila and Krawczyk went side by side until Avila took the lead coming out of Turn 3 and grabbed the white flag. Krawczyk fell back to 6th before making contact with Zack Saunders, causing him to lose control and spin out coming out of Turn 2. Avila took the checkered flag to remain unbeaten in the Sportsman Series, with his teammate Oskar Jensen finishing second and Nishil Condoor securing third.

Rumors around the garage were that a big change is coming soon to the Sportsman Truck Series and should be announced before next week’s green flag drop at Indianapolis Raceway Park!

Click here to check out the Sportsman Truck Series playoff battles and standings here.

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DRIVER NEWS: VASQUEZ BREAKS SILENCE ON SUSPENSION

Suspended driver Nic Vasquez driver of the Factory Motorsport #22 Ford issued the following statement today regarding his actions during the Chicago Street race that led to him being suspended for this week’s race at Pocono.

“I am extremely disappointed in my actions, and I have let down not only my team but my sponsors and crew guys of the #22 FMS Ford. Moving forward I am trying to change my on-track actions and I will NOT give up on this team that I and so many others have worked so hard for. I have an obligation and a duty to go out there and put the #22 FMS Ford in contention to win races and I have that deep fire and drive to win. The road ahead will not be easy but it’s certainly do-able and something I will work very hard at. I am super grateful to have amazing guys at Factory Motorsports who believe in me and push me to be better. With that being said I am here to win and show that I belong.”

Nic Vasquez

Stephen Menke the owner of Factory Motorsports did not respond to questions directly related to Vasquez’s status as a member of the team. Menke stated that FMS will be holding a press conference tomorrow at 11am EST but did not disclose what the press conference is for.

OFFICIAL: Crown Jewel adds new rule to complete races under green

CROWN JEWEL HQ — After just one race having a yellow-flag finish, Crown Jewel officials have been pressured by drivers and fans alike to add a green-white-checkered format.

This change comes off a Cory Mott Richmond win with a race totaling 11 cautions and 1 race ending yellow included in that total. This change will be effective starting at Charlotte Motor Speedway tomorrow night for the running of the Coca-Cola 300.

Reasons for the rule change from officials seems to be persuaded by a last lap incident that involved drivers Bill Martin and Stewart Harding Walker which ended the Chevy American Revolution 200 last week at Richmond. Both drivers mentioned also were docked 100 points each due to reckless driving and violation of Section 4.2.1 of the CJR Sporting Code.

Nishil Condoor driver of the #42 who dominated most of last week’s race spoke about adding the procedure initially on the broadcast had this to say.

I know in real life in 2004 they (NASCAR) implemented green-white-checkered rule in mid-July – Hopefully Cory implements the green-white-checkered rule in mid-July which is now.

Nishil Condoor, #42 Type R Honda

This rule change will see drivers having 1 attempt at a green-white-checkered (better known in today’s racing as Overtime) finish. If a race sees a caution flag with less than 4 laps to go a green-white-checkered will decided the conclusion of the event. Drivers will see 2 laps once the green flag flies, followed by the white, then checkered on the subsequent laps.

At this point in time the vote to change is unanimously favorable by drivers and fans alike, no disposition has come from either side. We will have to see tomorrow if this rule will come into effect at the conclusion of this race, but for the time being green-white-checkered finishes are here to stay.

OFFICIAL: MAKING ARCA GREAT AGAIN

Crown Jewel Officials have announced changes to the Crown Jewel ARCA Series. After being sighted at multiple tracks across the country this weekend testing the Generation 6 (GEN 6) Cup Car. Crown Jewel Officials have announced that the ARCA series will move forward with the mid-season change over to the GEN 6 with a 90 KG weight addition and a 5% power reduction. Officials announced this change will take effect immediately causing car owners to scramble with paint scheme changes for next week’s race at Phoenix Raceway on July 21st.

“I have really been communicating with Crown Jewel Officials and pushing for them to make this change happen. I hope these changes will make a positive impact and keep the ARCA Series around for the foreseeable future.”

Thomas Villano #1 Chevrolet ARCA Series Driver

REPORT: HAS THE DRIVER CAROUSEL STARTED TO SPIN?

It’s that time of year when team owners grow tired of excuses, poor performance, and bad behavior. Their patience only lasts so long before they decide enough is enough and make changes to see who will finish out the remaining races of the season.

The rumor mill is in full swing, with grumblings heard across the league, and this week’s penalty report hasn’t helped slow it down. Factory Motorsports is at the top of the list, with their Public Relations team working hard to put out fires. Will Nic Vasquez return as the driver of the #22 Factory Motorsports Ford once his suspension is over, or will team owner Stephen Menke give a lesser-experienced driver the reins for the rest of the year?

The team is also dealing with Zander Short’s absence from the Cup League. Reports suggest he has been seen in numerous clubs in the early hours of the morning. Let’s hope Factory Motorsports isn’t facing a Johnny Manziel situation in the garage. Factory Motorsports said they will not be issuing any comments at this time.

Mike Burnett and Kris Burnham did not make it to Chicago for the street race. The Backroad Bandit’s Racing Teams social media page showcased the #39 Sears Chevrolet paint scheme earlier in the day, ready to go, but the hauler must have gotten stuck in traffic on the backroads of Chicago. A request for comment was not returned at the time this article was published.

Word on the street is that Moonshine Motorsports will be looking to add at least one more driver for next season. Potential drivers for that spot could be Paul Maziere, Jonathan Leger, or Thomas Villano, all of whom sit within the Top 25 of the seasons point standings and remain independent drivers in the league.

Connor Wold, the defending MCRL Cup Series Champion, has been unable to race since Phoenix this year due to scheduling conflicts with his employer. Will Top Tier keep his seat warm, waiting for his return, or will they kick him to the curb before next season to try to improve in the team point standings?

CHICAGO: Wolfe Triumphs Against All Odds to Secure Second Victory

CHICAGO- Thomas Wolfe arrived on the streets of Chicago with determination, following skepticism about his road course skills earlier in the week. As soon as he settled into the cockpit of his #94 RYCO Performance Chevrolet, he was resolute in his aim to dominate.

Despite only two of the four Backroad Bandit Racing Team drivers making it to Chicago, they managed to secure the front row for the 110 Mile race sponsored by the Bryan A. Leach Foundation. Wolfe demonstrated his speed and prowess by taking the pole position with a time of 1:28.116, and his teammate Zack Saunders followed closely, qualifying second with a time of 1:29.429.

Wolfe took the green flag and immediately pulled away, leaving the field trailing with a ten-second lead in just the first four laps. Race favorite Zack Saunders encountered trouble on lap four, failing to slow his car sufficiently before entering Turn 6 and colliding with the concrete barrier, resulting in significant damage to the right front. Saunders returned to the pits, falling several laps behind and dashing his hopes for consecutive victories on the road courses.

#91 Zack Saunders nails the concrete barrier on lap 4 essentially ruining his race.

By the 10th lap, Thomas Wolfe had increased his lead to 28 seconds. However, navigating through a field of lapped cars, many with front-end damage, posed a new challenge. On the 12th lap, Wolfe and Nic Vasquez were involved in multiple incidents, beginning in Turn 1 where Vasquez, braking too late, collided with Wolfe, sending him into the Turn 1 wall. Despite the damage, which resulted in a “meatball” black flag for Wolfe, he maintained pace and caught up to Vasquez in the chicane between turns 9 and 10. Attempting a pass, Vasquez made contact with Wolfe, causing Wolfe to spin. Penalties have been issued for this incident and you can view the penalty report here.

Cody Porter seized the lead while Wolfe was receiving repairs, ultimately securing the Stage 1 victory. Starting from the 20th position, Steven Carlile navigated through the chaos to finish 4th in Stage 1. During the stage caution, most of the field pitted, with Menke emerging in the lead off pit road to begin Stage 2. However, Menke’s advantage was brief as he and Oskar Jensen collided into the Turn 1 wall, prompting the first and only full course caution.

Cory Mott took the lead after the caution and maintained it to win Stage 2, marking his third stage victory of the year. However, he would not secure the overall race win, as he spun out after Turn 1 on the restart. Steven Carlile then took the lead, only to be overtaken by Cody Porter. Porter’s lead was brief, as Crown Jewel Officials penalized him with a drive-through for changing lanes on the restart before reaching the start/finish line.

“I am going to battle Steven (Carlile) hard for this win, but at the end of the day if I don’t win this, I am rooting for him to win.”

Cory Mott #1 Top Tier Chevrolet

Carlile has held a strong position in the season’s point standings, yet a victory remains elusive. Securing 2nd place in every road course race this year, Carlile was on the cusp of a win. As lap 40 began, Carlile had a 10-second lead, but Wolfe, now in 2nd place, was closing in fast, targeting Carlile and the lead. On Lap 41, Wolfe clocked his fastest lap at 1:28.181, nearly 4 seconds quicker than Carlile’s. With only five laps remaining, Carlile approached Turn 2 too quickly, hit the wall, and Wolfe seized the opportunity to take the lead, his first since Lap 12.

#94 Thomas Wolfe retakes the lead with 5 to go from #7 Steven Carlile.

Wolfe secured his second victory of the regular season at the Grant Park 110, affirming his status as one of the premier road course racers in the Crown Jewel Racing League. Carlile, once again, finished in second place, falling prey to Wolfe’s prowess. Following the race, Carlile made the following statement.

” I am not to torn up about it since Wolfe was the fastest driver out there and deserved to win but coming up 2nd again on a road course (for the 3rd time) is a bit frustrating. In the end the only thing we can do is to get ourselves in a position to have a chance each week, then avoid the mistakes.”

Steven Carlile #7 +MVT Racing Chevrolet

With 6 races to go, the playoff battle is really heating up for those final playoff spots. Check out the playoff standings to see which drivers are desperate for that first win next week in Long Pond, Pennsylvania for the HighPoint.com 225 at Pocono Raceway.

PENALTY REPORT UPDATE: VASQUEZ APPEAL DENIED

Following the issuance of the Penalty Report earlier today, Nic Vasquez lodged an appeal with Crown Jewel Racing, arguing that the penalty given (a one-race suspension, a deduction of 10 playoff points, and a six-race probation) was excessively harsh for the cited infractions. The appeal was entered into the Crown Jewel Racing judicial system, and three drivers from the series were randomly chosen using a number generator to serve as jurors. The selected jurors for this appeal were Caleb “The Uberman” Tipton, Jim “The Papa” Mott, and Joe “Donut Joe” Wright. Henry Kalhoff was initially picked but was excused due to a lack of response.

Both parties presented their arguments and the existing evidence. Vasquez suggested modifying the penalty to a one-race suspension and a 10-week probation. After reviewing the evidence, all jurors deliberated to reach a verdict.

By a vote of 2-1, the jurors upheld the original penalty of a one-race suspension, six-race probation, and the forfeiture of 10 playoff points. Consequently, the appeal was rejected, and the initial penalty remains in effect. This marks Vasquez’s second penalty of the season.

PENALTY REPORT: Chicago and Richmond

9/10/2024

Crown Jewel officials issued penalties Thursday for infractions in the Circuit Cup Series, Bob Henry’s 2004 Cup Series and the Sportsman Truck Series in last weekend’s events in Chicago and Virginia.

Sportsman Truck Series

Thomas Villano, independent driver of the  No. 78 Chevrolet Silverado, was assessed a loss of 25 driver points and a 6 week behavioral probation for violating Section 4.2.1 of the Crown Jewel Official Sporting Code during Monday’s Windy City 200. Villano’s No. 78 Chevy made reckless contact with multiple drivers during the race.

2004 Bob Henry’s Cup Series

Stewart Harding-Walker driver of the No. 39 car will be docked 100 championship points violating Section 4.2.1 of the CJR Sporting Code. Stewart made reckless contact with multiple drivers bringing out multiple cautions and intentionally wrecking the No. 29 of Billy Martin post-race. Harding-Walker will also serve a 2 week probation league wide. Any further incidents will upgrade this penalty to an L2 penalty.

Billy Martin, driver of the No. 29 car, will be docked 100 championship points for intentionally wrecking the No. 39 car of Stewart Harding-Walker in the closing laps of the race. 

Circuit Cup Series

Nic Vasquez, driver of the No. 22 Factory Ford Mustang, is suspended for the Pocono Cup race, placed on an 8 week behavioral probationary period and docked 10 playoff points for violating Sections 4.1.2; 4.2.7 of the CJR Official Sporting Code during Wednesday’s Grant Park 110 after intentionally wrecking Thomas Wolfe, driver of the No. 94 Backroad Bandit Chevy Camaro.

All penalties are available for appeal via the ticketing system for penalty adjustment via an independent panel of judges should the drivers want to proceed with the process.