Ep. 67 - New National Speed Record in NHRA (South Georgia), NASCAR (Texas) Preview

About the Podcast: The Throttle to the Floor Podcast is a motorsports podcast where me (William Earnest) and Evan Sager co-host and sit down with guests each week to talk about what is happening in the world of NASCAR, IndyCar, and NHRA plus we take frequent looks at other racing under the motorsports umbrella.

About the Episode: On this episode of the Throttle to the Floor Podcast, me and my co-host Evan Sager preview NHRA's return of the Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park, where we've already seen Shawn Langdon set the new national speed record at 345 mph. We also preview some Texas-sized action, with NASCAR action from Texas Motor Speedway and Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing over on the Texas Dirt Track; listen, watch, and download episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:24

Hey y'all, welcome to today's episode of the Thor 4 Podcast. I'm your host, Will Ernest. Here today with my co-host Evan Sagrade.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Hello, y'all.

SPEAKER_00 0:31

Uh got a quick preview episode tonight, so let's get right into it. First, I want to touch on some sponsor news. Uh, RCA is coming back to NASCAR and will sponsor Michael McDowell in the All-Star race at Dover, the Bristol Night race, and at fall Talladega. Yeah, that's right. The uh the electronics company. The company that sponsored uh, what was it, John Andretti in the 97 Pepsi 400? Yeah, that is throwback. What a throwback. Um also O'Reilly Auto Parts will sponsor Sammy Smith at Pocono and Fall Las Vegas. That scheme, it's like it's like it's kind of blank, but like it works for some reason. It's just it could be better. It could be better. It could definitely be better, but it's just like for what little minimalist approach that they took, it like it it works. Yeah, it's passable, it's not terrible, it's not great, but it's it's passable. And Bubba Wallace, he will return to be uh Coca-Cola racing driver after previously being one from 2018 to 2020. This deal includes a Hardee's and Coca-Cola co-branded sponsorship at Watkins Glen next weekend. And speaking of Watkins Glen, uh, sorry for the mispronunciation, but Destiny Spurlock will make her truck series debut at Watkins Glen next weekend after her ARCA debut at Kansas two weeks ago. That seller finished 10th after just once again that incredible save where leader and eventual winner Gio Rogero dumped her with three laps ago and managed to save it. But uh she will become the first African American woman to uh run a top three series Nash NASCAR national series event ever. So good to see you there. And some late breaking news. AJ Almendanger will run the 25 free agent uh truck at Watkins Glen. Pretty obvious choice for me. AJ Almendanger at Watkins Glenn.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

I'm still surprised by J. McMurray running San Diego. Or no, that's not Jimmy Murray. Clint Boyer, Jesus.

SPEAKER_00 2:28

Yeah, Clint Boyer, Clint Boyer at Dover and Jamie McMurray at San Diego just I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

First time they've been in cup cars or not cup cars, but trucks in God ten plus years.

SPEAKER_00 2:39

Forever. I mean, Ram needs help. Yes. It it doesn't matter if they bring in old drivers, new drivers, have a reality TV show. Doesn't matter. Ram needs help. Yeah. Please send help to Ram. But now to some streaming news. Uh NASCAR O'Reilly series races and uh all CW sports starting this summer can be streamed on the ESPN app with an ESPN unlimited plan subscription. Of course. 30 bucks a month. But the races will still be broadcast over there on the CW as well, so thank goodness.

SPEAKER_01 3:12

Yeah, because that would suck if you could buy a paywall. That would suck. That would be tragic. That would be very tragic for the casual fans.

SPEAKER_00 3:19

Yeah, and then O'Reilly's just like, why are we under a million fans? Why do we have why do we have 200,000 fans watching? Well. You see. You see there. Um, and also uh I'm gonna try and go to this if it if it doesn't rain out, uh fingers crossed. But next Tuesday night, May 5th, at LaSalle Speedway in Illinois, Carson Hosebar, yes, Carson, Carson Hosabar, Hosabar, will bring his Dirt Late model and compete as part of Flow Racing Night in America of America. So great news there, especially for LaSalle Speedway, being that they were only able to recently reopen the track and have a full season last year, uh, after initially closing in 2019. Host of our is also scheduled to run next Wednesday the 6th at Spoon River Speedway next Thursday the 7th at Lincoln Speedway in Illinois. It's all part of Illinois Speedway. Please don't rain. It's scheduled to rain, especially on Tuesday. There's like an 80-something percent chance of rain. It's not looking good. I want to go. Please don't rain. But speaking of rain, I want to touch on uh Formula One real quick. They're on uh they're in Miami this weekend racing around Hard Rock Stadium as they're set and locked in to do until 2041. But the big story is not all the changes that these teams have made due to the fact that uh Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were canceled due to the Iranian war, but as we mentioned, it's the weather.

SPEAKER_01 4:38

Yes. Uh as the local weatherman here on the podcast, it's not looking good. I'm not gonna lie to you.

SPEAKER_00 4:45

It's gonna rain.

SPEAKER_01 4:46

Yeah, it's gonna rain and it's gonna rain heavy.

SPEAKER_00 4:48

Yeah. Uh the weather's looking pretty bad on Sunday for the main Grand Prix. 88% chance of rain, 53% chance of thunderstorms, and you know, being it's the US, we have restrictions on if there's lightning and outdoor events. Um thanks to NASCAR after uh what was it, 2012 Pokenon? Yes. When a fan tragically got struck and killed by lightning. But being it's in the US and being that lightning is uh very real chance on the forecast, the F1 race, it could get postponed, it could just get canceled, so uh it depends.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

Depend really depends.

SPEAKER_00 5:22

It depends on a lot of things. But Miami could be canceled. I don't think it will be. I hope it isn't, but we'll see. But if it is canceled, that's three canceled races in a row.

SPEAKER_01 5:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:33

And the Formula One calendar, it'll have an even larger gap between races, stretching from the end of March with Japan all the way to Memorial Day weekend uh with Canada's. Remember, Monaco this year, they moved it to June. Yeah, they took it off Memorial Day weekend. No more Monaco, Indy 500, Coke 600, triple header. It's Canada.

SPEAKER_01 5:56

Oh, Canada! Yes.

SPEAKER_00 5:59

I I actually remember you you showed me that tweet. It's like, oh, Carson Hospital are running a uh F1 at Canada and uh Indy 500 and Coke 600, call it the triple dipper. What a good marketing idea. I don't know if it's logistically possible.

SPEAKER_01 6:15

I don't think it is.

SPEAKER_00 6:16

I don't think so.

SPEAKER_01 6:17

But and plus after this, we're gonna go get a triple dipper from Chile.

SPEAKER_00 6:21

That's a good point. We're going to ch we're going to Chili's after this.

SPEAKER_01 6:24

So we're riding the dente.

SPEAKER_00 6:26

Ride the dente. But staying in the in the in the states now, uh, we'll we'll touch on uh a little bit of Texas and then Georgia and then back to Texas. But I want to talk about them high limit sprint cars. Two high limit sprint car races. One of them was last night, the other one is scheduled for tomorrow night. But before we recap the first one, I just want to say high limit, they've gotten some great exposure lately. First they got six races on FS1. Now they had last night's race on the NASCAR channel and flow racing. Tomorrow night's race will be on Prime Video along with Roku Foo TV and Flow Racing again. I get to watch it on Prime.

SPEAKER_01 7:01

Yes, the GOAT broadcasting.

SPEAKER_00 7:03

Yes, that's gonna be nice. But last night, uh, if you want to know what happened last night, just look at Kyle Larson. He won the pole, he dominated the race, led every single lap of the feature, and scored the win. It's his first high limit win since the season opener at Las Vegas. It's his first win at the Texas dirt track, uh, and it's his 11th career win in his own series that he co owned and co-created. Um but Larson, he's gonna try and go four for four this weekend on the Texas Motors Relay property by uh also winning Saturday's O'Reilly series race, uh the second high limit race on Saturday night, and then Sunday's Cup race. And he's he's not winning all four, but um hopefully he wins at least two for two, but more on that later. Uh we'll we'll take a quick trip to Georgia. The long-awaited return of the Southern Nationals now, uh no more Atlanta Dragway. They're dead. Well, IHRA is trying to revive them, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:01

It's not looking great.

SPEAKER_00 8:02

It's not looking good, but not as bad as a certain other Atlanta sports team. But hey, South Georgia Motorsports Park, renewed excitement to NHRA, the fifth of 20 events this year. It's also the first of four new venues debuting in NHRA's 75th anniversary season. Uh Doug Coletta, Ron Caps, Dallas Glenn, Richard Gatson, they come in as the points leaders in top field funny car pro stock and pro stock motorcycle. Coletta, Glenn, and Gatson, they are the defending champs in their respective class. But the big storyline coming out of day one, the speed. Yes. The speed is off the charts. I mean, Sean Langan, aka Doug Coletta's teammate, Coletta Motorsports. We've finally seen Britney Force's national speed record of 343.51 miles an hour from Indy last year uh get demolished with a blistering fast. 345 double zero. That's right, 345 miles an hour flat just shot into outer space at the top end. I mean, at this point, when are we gonna hit 350?

SPEAKER_01 9:02

What if we return to these things into airplanes at this point?

SPEAKER_00 9:05

Yeah, I mean, uh they're just rocket ships. Literally, man, it's just when are we hitting 350? I mean, it seems like it's gonna be an inevitability at this point. It's probably either gonna happen by like the end of the decade or like if NHRA changes rules, then it won't. But if not, it'll probably happen by the end of the decade at this point. But sure, Langdon went faster at Gainesville in February, but that was in preseason testing, and it wasn't really on my radar. But I guess here we are, I guess. Uh South Georgia. Welcome to the NHRA. You now you now are the track and the place where the national speed record currently sits. So good for you. Um J.R. Todd and Funny Car, Greg Anderson Pro Stock and Matt Smith at ProStock Motorcycles, they are also the other number one qualifiers, at least provisionally, heading into day two at South Georgia. But back to Texas now in the truck series, aware that the truck series race is happening tonight. Deal with it. Um Caden Honeycutt in Corey Haim's truck that won last year at Texas. He starts 10th tonight. Uh Caden Honeycut is not Corey Haim, but Caden Honeycutt is a talented driver, but he's also not Corey Haim. So we'll see what he can do from 10th. Yes. Um, Kyle Bush, he returns to Texas having 20 wins across all three series at Texas, which is the most all time. Four cup wins, 10 O'Reilly's wins, and six truck wins here. He's won the last four races at Texas that he's entered in. Um, so just can Kyle Bush win another race? I mean, Kyle Bush, he's the all-time wins leader in terms of all three national series. So just can't add another win. And uh Carson Hosper, man, fresh off his big cup win at Talladega. He has he's got the Intimidante scheme on the 77 truck now. His first truck win came in 2023 here at Texas, and he could honestly go back to back in cup wins this weekend, but more on that later. Our picks. Um I decided to pick Kyle Bush, ironically. He starts 6th tonight. He was he was he was alright in practice and he was alright in qualifying. I don't know if he has winning truck pace, but I mean at the same time, his truck will is probably gonna get better as the you know we transition into the night, anyways. Evan, you picked Caden Honeycutt. He starts 10th.

SPEAKER_01 11:22

I think he'll do good. I just don't know good, as you said, he's not Corey Heim, but he's in Corey Heim's truck, so he could have reswing speed. We just don't know yet.

SPEAKER_00 11:30

Yes, but he's also not Corey Hyme. But Caden Honeycutt trying to get his long awaited first crew, and he's had multiple near misses. Very painful near misses, but yeah, multiple near misses. Uh Haley with Tyler Ankrum, he starts 13th. Stacy with Ben Rhodes, the one time Stacy does not pick Chandler Smith in a race, Ben Rhodes goes out and wins the poll. So Stacy can just trying to uh keep her truck series points lead uh over Bernardo who uh gets Chandler Smith in the in the random wheel lottery uh for not giving me my not giving me his picks, but he starts eighth and Noah with Daniel Hemrick starting 14th. Daniel Hemrick just pedestrian, pedestrian quiet. Like where has he been? I mean I guess it's better. I guess it's better than Christian Eckis just wiping out Corey Hyman Bristol. Yeah. But getting into O'Reilly's, we mentioned earlier how Larson has a chance to go four for four and wins on the Texas Motors Bay property this weekend after his Thursday night win in the high limit sprint cars. But remember, Larson won this O'Reilly's race uh last year in the JRM 88 cars, a fill-in roll for Carnotilich, who hurt his back at Talladega the previous week, and he missed that race, which Larson ended up winning. But no fill-in roll for Larson this time, but the goal was the same. Win. Yes. Win and for Larson, win is win.

SPEAKER_01 12:58

Win is money and more experience.

SPEAKER_00 13:00

Young money loves money. But yeah, he won at Las Vegas, uh, another mile and a half track already this year. And in addition to the O'Reilly's win at Texas last year, he won in the same series in 2016, so he knows how to get it done in these cars. But our picks, uh, I hope I sure hope Larson starts two for two, as I mentioned, because I picked Larson in this race, starts third, which is pretty good, until you realize that Stacy picked Algar with a blistering 188 miles an hour plus lap. There was only two cars that even hit 180 miles 188 miles an hour, and one of them was Algar, and Algar won the pole. That's right. Stacy swept the truck and O'Reilly's poles. So, not good.

SPEAKER_01 13:45

Not good for you.

SPEAKER_00 13:45

Not good for me from a standing standpoint. Um, Evan, you picked Sheldon Creed, starts 11th.

SPEAKER_01 13:51

Hopefully it doesn't play second again. Good point.

SPEAKER_00 13:55

Sheldon Creed, even though he managed to get that win off his back, he still has a very good knack for finishing second.

SPEAKER_01 14:01

Yeah. Every track, no matter what he finishes second.

SPEAKER_00 14:04

Uh Haley with Austin Hill starts seventh. Austin Hill needs some help.

SPEAKER_01 14:08

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 14:09

Man, Austin Hill really needs he really needs some help uh trying to get back on track. Bernardo with Ryan Seag starts ninth. When I think of Ryan Seag, I think of 2024 second at Texas to Sam Mayer and that throw ever finish. And to just think how much things would have changed if it would have been, you know, just a couple thousandth the other way. Yeah. How much would have changed in Ryan Seeg's career? How much would have changed in Sam Mayer's career? I guess we'll never know. Yes. Um Noah with Austin Dillon, you would think Austin Dillon, Texas, Indian O'Reilly's car would be good, but he qualified 20th.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:45

Just pedestrian Austin Dylan. Just mid. And that's that's Austin Dillon for you. Um in the cup cars. Noah, Gregson, Chase Bresca. They were on Door Bomber Clear earlier this week after Talladega, and they brought up how it's a wax and crescent moon phase this weekend. And actually, tonight for the truck race, believe it or not, it is a full moon right now. That's sure to bring chaos. If you know you know, but apparently it's supposed to put more grip on the track, and I guess almost every driver knows about it. So we'll see. But if you want to talk about trends, talk about the pre-race promo that NASCAR has posted as this year. It's predicted the winner eight out of ten times so far this year. I mean, some people will consider it to be seven out of ten times, but I consider it to be eight out of ten times so far this year. That's an even better clip than Red X five out of ten this year. Last week's graphic, it had the Talladega big rig, which we we could infer and represent somebody that uh get out of the way, and Hosovar is very much like that, and he went on to win. And the four on the graphic this week, Hosevar is on there along with Joey Logano, William Byron, and John Honey Ivancek. Such a random four, yeah, like um at first glance, but when you actually think about it, it's like uh it it it kind of makes sense. Hosovar, of course, he's coming off of his big win at Taladega last week's first career cup win, but it wouldn't it really wouldn't be the craziest thing if he went back to back this weekend. He won his first career truck race at Texas in April 23, like we mentioned. His first career cup series pull at Texas was last spring, and although that was a 24th place finish, he was in the top 10 for much of the day, and he finished 10th and 24 at Texas, so not the craziest thing to ride the day for two weeks in a row. It's really not. Logano's the defending winner of this race is Texas, but it also marks the one-year mark of the three-time champions win the streak. Logano's last win was at Texas last year, and here we are a year later. And he has not looked good this year. Last time we were at a mile and a half at Kansas two weeks ago, he failed inspection, started in the back, and his car was so garbage he only finished 30th.

SPEAKER_01 16:56

Yeah, he stayed in the back the whole day.

SPEAKER_00 16:57

He stayed in the back all day, and for all we know, Texas will probably end up being the same thing. But who knows? It's Texas. Do not spin out in three and four.

SPEAKER_01 17:07

Yes. That's a death trap.

SPEAKER_00 17:09

Um, Byron's won here at Texas before in the fall of 23, but Byron, he's had a weird season. He needs help. Yeah. He also needs help. He's at a slow start to the year. He needs he needs he needs a turnaround. I guess the turnaround could be a win at Texas, which also wouldn't be the craziest thing in the world. Plus, Nimachek, he's got two O'Reilly's wins at Texas in 21 and 23 and a truck win in 21, so I guess he could surprise just like he did last year with an eighth place finish and cup. But is that really gonna happen?

SPEAKER_01 17:39

No. No. But it's not unrealistic for it to happen, but do we think it's gonna do? No.

SPEAKER_00 17:45

No. It's not unrealistic, but also just no. And outside of the promo trends, Ross Chastain, he's been fast here lately. Second to Byron in 23, second on the last lap before Byron tournament overtime in 24, if you remember that, and then second to Logana last year. Uh, that's about the only time you have heard Ross Chastain and the word fast in the same sentence this year. I don't know what's going on with Trackhouse. They're on life support.

SPEAKER_01 18:11

Just hoping and praying.

SPEAKER_00 18:13

They need help. There's there's a lot of people that need help that we've mentioned in this episode. You need help, you need help. A lot of people need help. But Chastain really needs help. I sure hope he gets his help because I picked him, but more on that later. Uh Chase, he's also trying to keep his consistent season and impressive intermediate results intact. He won at Texas in 24, second at Las Vegas in March, eighth at Kansas two weeks ago, and has a 9.7 average finish, which is pretty good. But remember, it's second behind Tyler Reddick's insane 5.9 average finish to start the year, which is just crazy. And Redick, he has a win at Texas in the fall of 22. So Reddick winning a sixth race this season, it's not out of the question either. It's really not. But our picks, as I mentioned, I pick Ross Chastain. Please have speed.

SPEAKER_01 19:02

Yes. Anything anything from Trackhouse needs speed this week. Please.

SPEAKER_00 19:05

Everybody from Trackhouse needs speed, but Chastain, especially. Evan, you went with Denny Hamlin. Again, hopefully it's not like last year where you caught on fire.

SPEAKER_01 19:14

Yeah, we don't we don't need progressive to come save us this year.

SPEAKER_00 19:17

We need we need the progressive insurance to not catch on fire. And yeah, Hamlin needed some new auto insurance after that.

SPEAKER_01 19:25

Yeah, he needed up his plan.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

Yeah, but I mean, it was kind of I mean, at Kansas last year he broke something and ended up DNF there too, and then, you know, fast forward a year later, he almost wins the race.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

So So I'm hearing he's gonna win this weekend.

SPEAKER_00 19:42

Hey, I said almost win at Kansas. Almost went at Texas. But we all know what happened. But at the same time, it's Texas.

SPEAKER_01 19:48

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 19:48

I mean, he almost won at Texas in 24 until he got loose to three and four.

SPEAKER_01 19:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:54

Yeah. We know we know what happens at Texas in turns three and four. It's like another world. Um Haley with Chase Elliott, just trying to trying to keep his intermediate track momentum going, as we mentioned. Stacy with Joey Logano, not sure why you'd pick Joey Logano. I mean, yeah, he won last year, but it's like it's Joey Logano. Yeah. Joey Logano. I'm I'm just gonna say it, Joey Logano's washed.

SPEAKER_01 20:18

He is washed. Ever since his last cup game, he's been washed.

SPEAKER_00 20:21

But here's here's a crazy stat, okay? You want to know what was the last time that a Ford driver, not named Ryan Blaney, has won a NASCAR Cup series race?

SPEAKER_01 20:31

Logano last year?

SPEAKER_00 20:32

Yes. Which is just crazy in itself, and it's a testament to show you how bad Ford is right now. Ford needs help.

SPEAKER_01 20:40

Ford as a company.

SPEAKER_00 20:41

Ford as a company needs help. Ford in the O'Reilly series is dead.

SPEAKER_01 20:46

It's non-existent no more. He's gone.

SPEAKER_00 20:48

There is no Fords uh in the O'Reilly series at Texas tomorrow for the race. So not not good there. Um Bernardo with Ty Gibbs. I don't know how to feel about Ty Gibbs at Texas. It's like he could run top ten, he could end up blowing a tire in the outside wall. Who knows? I mean, he's been fast for the most part of late. He got his first crew in at Bristol a few weeks ago, but at the same time it's Texas. Anything can happen. Anything can happen at Texas, but at the same time it's like you gotta be good on your immediates, but at the same time it's Texas. And ever since the reconfiguration at Texas, it it it it's literally the Wild West. For no other like there's no other good way to say it. It's Texas is the Wild West, and it it fits with the Texan theme. Noah, Chase Perskale, just I don't know. I I don't know how to feel about Chase Perscale either. It's like he could run good, he could blow a tire and hit the outside wall. You don't know. It's Texas. There's no other real way to describe it. But we've already seen crazy things happen this week. I'm sure it's only gonna get crazier this weekend, it's probably gonna get crazier. In the truck race tonight, I'm sure. But we'll recap it all right here on Monday. But that's all we got for today's episode of the Throttle Four Podcast shortened episode. Um make sure you tune in and listen and download on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube. Check out uh the chill photography and throttle four podcasts, Instagrams, and TikToks. But that's all we got, and uh crazy stuff probably coming. Who knows?

SPEAKER_01 22:24

But ride the dente. Have a good night, y'all.

SPEAKER_00 22:26

Ride the dented, and then we're gonna go to the house.