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ATLANTA, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC), a leading global distributor of automotive and industrial replacement parts, announced today its results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024. "Our performance in the quarter highlights the value of our business mix paired with our geographic diversity as our teams delivered profits that were ahead of our expectations," said Paul Donahue, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We did this by staying focused on both our near- and long-term strategic initiatives to improve our business and drive profitable growth. I want to take a moment to thank our GPC teammates across the globe for their hard work and dedication to delivering value for our customers." First Quarter 2024 Results Sales were $5.8 billion, a 0.3% increase compared to $5.8 billion in the same period of the prior year. The sales result is attributable to a 1.9% benefit from acquisitions, offset by a 0.9% decrease in comparable sales and 0.7% unfavorable impact of foreign currency and other. Net income was $249 million, or $1.78 per diluted earnings per share. This compares to net income of $304 million, or $2.14 per diluted share in the prior year period. Adjusted net income, which excludes a net expense of $62 million after tax adjustments, or $0.44 per diluted share, in non-recurring costs related to our global restructuring, was $311 million. This compares to net income of $304 million for the same three-month period of the prior year, an increase of 2.3%. On a per share diluted basis, adjusted net income was $2.22, an increase of 3.7% compared to diluted earnings per share of $2.14 last year. Refer to the reconciliation of GAAP net income to adjusted net income and GAAP diluted earnings per share to adjusted diluted earnings per share for more information. First Quarter 2024 Segment Highlights Automotive Parts Group ("Automotive") Global Automotive sales were $3.6 billion, up 1.9% from the same period in 2023, reflecting a 0.2% increase in comparable sales and a 2.8% benefit from acquisitions, partially offset by 1.1% unfavorable impact of foreign currency and other. Segment profit of $273 million increased 3.2%, with segment profit margin of 7.6%, up 10 basis points from last year. Industrial Parts Group ("Industrial") Industrial sales were $2.2 billion, down 2.2% from the same period in 2023, with a 0.5% benefit from acquisitions, offset by a 2.6% decrease in comparable sales and 0.1% unfavorable impact of foreign currency. Segment profit of $271 million increased 3.4%, with segment profit margin of 12.3%, up 70 basis points from the same period of the prior year. "We are pleased with the start to 2024, which was highlighted by operating discipline that delivered improved overall earnings against a backdrop of low sales growth," said Will Stengel, President and Chief Operating Officer. "In Industrial, sales decreased low-single-digits, in-line with our expectations, as we were up against our most difficult comparative period for the year. In Automotive, the actions taken in our U.S. Automotive business are gaining traction, and we are encouraged by the sequential improvement in performance. This improvement, coupled with the solid performance of our other businesses, is reflected in our reaffirmed sales growth and improved earnings outlook for 2024." Balance Sheet, Cash Flow and Capital Allocation The company generated cash flow from operations of $318 million for the first three months of 2024. We used $178 million in cash for investing activities, including $116 million for capital expenditures and $135 million for M&A. We also used $175 million in cash for financing activities, including $133 million for quarterly dividends paid to shareholders and $38 million for stock repurchases. Free cash flow was $203 million for the first three months of 2024. Refer to the reconciliation of GAAP net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow for more information. The company ended the quarter with $2.5 billion in total liquidity, consisting of $1.5 billion availability on the revolving credit facility and $1.0 billion in cash and cash equivalents. 2024 Outlook The company is updating full-year 2024 guidance previously provided in its earnings release on February 15, 2024. The company considered its recent business trends and financial results, current growth plans, strategic initiatives, global economic outlook, geopolitical conflicts and the potential impact on results in updating its guidance, which is outlined in the table below. View the full article

High Limit Racing returned to full-time competition over the weekend with two stops the Lone Star State, and Brad Sweet earned a pair of top-five finishes in a strong restart for the NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 team. With Friday night’s program at Texarkana 67 Speedway canceled due to rain, Sweet and the No. 49 team made their way directly to Texas Motor Speedway for Saturday night’s show. With 49 days since his last race, the Big Cat was determined to make a mark on the series and the season. Sweet set the pace right from the start. During qualifying, the NAPA driver claimed the top spot with a blistering, 13.735-second lap. As competition heated up, the five-time World of Outlaws champion continued to shine. Sweet finished third after starting fourth in his heat race and earned a ticket to the dash by being the fastest car in his heat. During the dash draw, Sweet drew fifth. He maintained his position over seven laps to line up fifth to start the feature. He again advanced during the evening’s feature race, crossing the line third for the final podium spot. On Sunday, the No. 49 team traveled to Crandall, Texas, for another evening of High Limit Racing at RPM Speedway. Sweet wasted no time, showing again in qualifying the speed of the NAPA machine. Posting a lightning-fast lap time of 12.245 seconds, the Big Cat went to the top of the speed chart. In his heat race, Sweet climbed from fourth to second, securing a spot in the dash. Starting in sixth place gave the team seven laps to perfect their setup for the main event. The NAPA driver advanced to fifth and locked in that spot for the start of the evening’s 30-lap main event. The NAPA No. 49 team put forth their best effort as Sweet navigated the Crandall race track. Maintaining his position throughout the race, Sweet crossed the finish line in fifth for his second top-five finish on the weekend. Start / Finish: Saturday, April 13, Texas Motor Speedway: 5 / 3 Sunday, April 14, RPM Speedway: 5 / 5 Points Standing / Total: 2nd / 386 pts. (-18) Next Race: Tuesday, April 16, Red Dirt Raceway, Meeker, OK How to Watch or Listen: FloRacing NAPA: @NAPARacing Brad Sweet: @BradSweetRacing Kasey Kahne Racing: @KKRdirt The post No. 49 Team Returns to High Limit Racing Action in Texas appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Christian Eckes took the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series points lead on Friday night with a stout fourth-place performance at Texas Motor Speedway. The driver of the No. 19 Gates Hydraulics Chevrolet Silverado RST captured his third top-five finish of the season and scored 50 points on the night, the second-most of all drivers in the field. Eckes led 31 laps, the only driver to have led laps in each race this season, and tallied his third top-five finish in the last four events. For the second-consecutive weekend, Eckes qualified on the front row and was a mainstay in the top five for the entire event. He settled into second at the drop of the green flag and challenged for the lead near the midway point of the opening stage. The first lead change of the night occurred when Eckes powered his Gates Hydraulics Chevy to the lead on lap 17 and paced the field for 21 circuits. He surrendered the lead on lap 38 and collected nine points at the end of Stage 1 on lap 40 while running second. Crew chief Charles Denike brought Eckes to pit road under the stage caution for four fresh tires, fuel, and a minor air pressure adjustment to tighten his balance. Eckes restarted second on lap 47 and maintained position inside the top five for the ensuing 35-lap run. An improved handling balance and consistent lap times netted Eckes another eight points at the end of Stage 2 on lap 80 by running in third position. Eckes was armed with another batch of fresh tires, fuel, and minor adjustments to fine-tune the handling during the second stage caution. After restarting third on lap 87, he waged war for the runner-up position and gained control of it by lap 100. He ran there until a cycle of green flag pit stops began on lap 119. Eckes made his final stop on lap 129 just before a caution waved. He was able to stay on the lead lap in fourth position and in contention for the victory. He made another fierce run for the race lead on a lap 150 and led until lap 158. During the final 10 laps, Eckes fought valiantly for one final charge at the lead but took the checkered flag in fourth position for his third top-five and sixth top-10 of the season. “Not a bad points night,” Eckes said. “I thought we’d have a pretty good shot at the win there, but just went down into Turns 1 and 2 and got way too tight and slid up the racetrack. It is what it is. I’m proud of the No. 19 Gates Hydraulics team for making the improvements that they did. Our mile-and-a-half stuff has definitely shown a little bit of an improvement. We still have a little bit of a ways to go, but we’ll see how it goes.” Start / Finish: 2 / 4 Points Standing / Total: 1 / 287 pts. (+2) Next Race: Saturday, May 4, Kansas Speedway How to Watch or Listen: 8:00 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN or SiriusXM NAPA: @NAPARacing Christian Eckes: @christianeckes Bill McAnally Racing / McAnally-Hilgemann Racing: @BMR_NASCAR The post Eckes Takes Points Lead with Top-Five Performance in Texas appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

In one of the closest Funny Car races in four-wide drag racing history, three-time world champion Ron Capps finished third in the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals final round Sunday afternoon at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Driving the NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra, Capps laid down a weekend-best 3.902-second pass at 333.00 MPH to come up just thousandths of a second short in a four-wide photo finish. Capps and crew chief Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli worked their way through qualifying, steadily improving in each session. After a pair of 4-second passes on Friday, Capps laid down a 3.988 E.T. at 324.67 MPH to step up in the third session on Saturday. A consistent but slightly quicker 3.980 E.T. in the final session put Capps in the No. 11 position going into Sunday eliminations. The first quad of Funny Car eliminations was a tricky one, but Capps came out on top. He and fellow Toyota driver J.R. Todd left first with identical .059 reaction times, then Capps held on to win with a 4.289 E.T. at 222.88 MPH over Todd, Dave Richards, and Daniel Wilkerson. Capps was first off of the starting line again in the second round, an advantage that helped him and his 3.932 E.T. finish ahead of Matt Hagan’s 3.938 E.T., Todd’s 3.951-second effort, and Jason Rupert’s 4.055 E.T. Appearing in his 148th career final round, Capps cut his best light of the day, .056, and charged to his best performance of the weekend to reach the finish line third behind winner Bob Tasca III and runner-up Austin Prock. Capps finished less than a thousandth of a second behind Prock and just nine thousandths behind Tasca. “What a drag race to watch as a fan,” said Capps, who’s won six times in Las Vegas. “I can’t tell you how ecstatic I am with our NAPA Auto Care team and what they’ve done with a brand-new car and a lot of the new parts that they’ve had to get used to. It usually takes teams a lot longer than this. I’m pretty bummed that we couldn’t win that round. I’m so happy we have our race car back, especially getting on a swing here where Guido is getting comfortable. I’m so happy about the car, but I’m so bummed at the same time. It’s going to take a little bit to digest.” No. 6-ranked Capps and the Ron Capps Motorsports Funny Car team will get another shot at four-wide glory in two weeks at the East Coast edition of the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, April 26-28, at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C. Start / Finish: No. 11 / def. in Final Round Points Standing / Total: No. 6 / 242 pts. Next Race: April 26-28, Concord, N.C., NHRA Four-Wide Nationals How to Watch or Listen: FS1, NHRA.TV NAPA Racing:@NAPARacing Ron Capps: @RonCapps28 Ron Capps Motorsports: @TeamRonCapps The post Capps Finishes Third in Electrifying Four-Wide Nationals Final in Las Vegas appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Chase Elliott scored his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, snapping a 42-race winless streak The win is Elliott’s 19th career Cup Series victory in his 295th start, his third at a 1.5-mile track and his first at Texas It was the Dawsonville, Georgia, native’s first victory with Hooters as the primary partner on the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Elliott led three times for a total of 39 laps, including the final 17 circuits The 28-year-old driver now sits fourth in the Cup Series point standings, just 32 markers behind the leader Chase Elliott and the No. 9 Hooters team qualified 24th for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. Once the green flag dropped, Elliott improved to 21st and remained there until the first round of green-flag pit stops got under way. As part of the team’s strategy to try to gain track position, Elliott ran long and eventually took over the lead. Crew chief Alan Gustafson was close to calling his driver to pit road, but the caution flag waved at an opportune time with Elliott still out front when the yellow flag waved on lap 50. Under the caution, Elliott brought the No. 9 Hooters Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to pit road for four fresh tires and fuel. He restarted in the ninth position and advanced to seventh to end the first stage at lap 80. During the stage break, Elliott relayed that the Hooter’s Chevrolet was a little edgy late in the run and could use a little bit of security. After a fast stop for four tires and fuel, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native lined up seventh to start the second stage and was up to fifth when the race was slowed for a caution on lap 101. Gustafson called Elliott to pit road for right-side tires and fuel. The driver of the No. 9 was fifth to line up for the restart. He got shuffled back to 10th early in the run and was in that same spot when the caution came out on lap 114. Staying out, Elliott restarted ninth and remained inside the top 10. He came to pit road for four tires and fuel when the race fell under caution on lap 137. With varying pit strategies, Elliott restarted in 13th and drove to 10th to finish stage two at lap 165. Under the stage-ending caution, the team opted not to pit. Elliott took the green flag for the final stage from the fifth position on lap 172 and advanced to fourth before the caution came out for an incident the very next lap. Once again, Elliott stayed out on the track and was fourth for the restart on lap 177. He was in that same position at the time of the next caution on lap 181. After choosing not to pit, he was in fourth for the restart and moved into third on lap 185. A long green-flag run ensued, and Elliott pitted from the third position with just over 50 laps remaining in the race. He was scored in 15th when a caution came out on lap 230 before the field had cycled through pit stops. Once the teams that hadn’t pit yet made their stops under the yellow, Elliott moved up to third for the restart. The 28-year-old driver made a power move to the lead. He held point until the driver of the No. 11 worked his way by with 22 laps to go. An on-track incident brought out the yellow flag with just 13 laps remaining, giving Elliott another shot at the lead on the ensuing restart. Once the race was back under way with eight laps to go in regulation, Elliott was battling for the lead and was scored ahead when another caution flag came out. He led the field to the green flag with just two laps remaining, but an incident brought out the caution again and sent the race into overtime. Elliott held off the competition through multiple overtime restarts to earn his first victory of the season. It was his 19th career Cup Series victory and his first premier series win at Texas. With the win, Elliott and the No. 9 team moved up to fourth in the Cup Series points standings, just 32 markers behind the leader. “First off, thanks to everybody that came out today. You guys are unbelievable,” Elliott said following the win. “Hooters has been a partner of ours for a number of years now. It’s been a dream of mine to pay respect to the late Alan Kulwicki. Driving this car to a victory and do a Polish victory lap, just really crazy how things came full circle there in that moment. It was pretty emotional for me. He beat dad back in the day. Here we are sharing his sponsor and having an opportunity to win today. So just, man, couldn’t be more grateful for this journey and kind of the path that hasn’t always been fun, but certainly have enjoyed working with our guys. We’ve been working really hard and really well together. Like I said, hasn’t always been fun, but we’ve enjoyed the fight together. Couldn’t be more proud of our team. Thanks to our partners at NAPA, Chevrolet. Everybody at Hendrick Motorsports. Had a big week last week. Boss, thank you for sticking with me. Really, really proud of this. Appreciate all the folks back home that have stuck with me and helped us get back on track.” Start / Finish: 24 / 1 Points Standing / Total: 4th / 303 pts. (-32) Next Race: Sunday, April 21, Talladega Superspeedway How to Watch or Listen: 3:00 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN or SiriusXM NAPA: @NAPARacing Chase Elliott: @ChaseElliott Hendrick Motorsports: @TeamHendrick No. 9 Team: @Hendrick9Team The post Elliott Captures the Victory at Texas appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Christian Eckes orchestrated complete dominance at Martinsville Speedway by sweeping both stages en route to his second victory of the season on Friday night. The driver of the No. 19 Adaptive One Calipers Chevrolet Silverado RST scored the maximum 60 points and pocketed seven playoff points to make a massive swing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series point standings. He gained two positions to fourth in the standings and is only 11 markers out of the lead. Eckes displayed considerable pace by positing the third-quickest lap in practice and qualified on the outside of the front row on Friday afternoon. He made a statement at the drop of the green flag by using the outside lane to take the lead on the initial start. During the first 50-lap stage, Eckes methodically paced the field and asserted his dominance. Following a restart on lap 37, Eckes pulled away to comfortably take the Stage 1 win along with 10 points and one playoff bonus point. Crew chief Charles Denike kept Eckes on track to maintain the No. 19 team’s track position and set up a one-stop strategy. Eckes picked up where he left off in Stage 1 on the lap 61 restart. He jumped out to another quick lead and cleanly executed two additional restarts during the second stage to tally 10 points and a second playoff bonus point for leading at lap 100. Under the ensuing stage caution, Denike brought Eckes to pit road for his only four-tire pit stop of the evening and made a minor air pressure adjustment. As several trucks stayed on track with alternative pit strategies, Eckes lined up 19th on lap 110. During the second half of the race, Eckes conducted a masterclass in slicing through traffic. It only took him 11 laps to crack the top-10 and was back inside the top five by lap 142. On lap 165, Eckes arrived on the doorstep of the lead and took the runner-up position. Shortly thereafter, he reclaimed the lead with a power move on the outside for the second time on the night. Two cautions over the final 23 laps forced Eckes to execute crucial restarts to defend the race lead, which he did with complete authority. He led the final three-lap dash to the checkered flag and captured his first Martinsville win and grandfather clock by a margin of 0.64 seconds. “Something really special,” Eckes said of the victory. “It hasn’t been an easy regular season so far, to say the least. We came here and we weren’t that great last year, maybe a sixth-place truck. We worked really hard on it and here we are in victory lane. So, just super proud of everyone on this team. Huge thanks to Adaptive One Calipers, NAPA Auto Care, Gates Hydraulics, all of our partners, and Chevrolet. It’s a good day to be in victory lane. Can’t wait for that clock!” Start / Finish: 2 / 1 Points Standing / Total: 4th / 237 pts. (-11) Next Race: Friday, April 12, Texas Motor Speedway How to Watch or Listen: 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN or SiriusXM NAPA: @NAPARacing Christian Eckes: @christianeckes Bill McAnally Racing / McAnally-Hilgemann Racing: @BMR_NASCAR The post Eckes Dominates Martinsville for Second Victory of 2024 appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Chase Elliott and the No. 9 UniFirst team qualified third for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway The 28-year-old driver finished stage one in the third position and followed that up with a fourth-place result in stage two Elliott took the lead for the first time of the race in the final stage, pacing the field for a total of 64 laps After an overtime finish, Elliott ultimately took the checkered flag in the third position – part of a 1-2-3 finish for Hendrick Motorsports during the organization’s 40th anniversary weekend at Martinsville The 2020 premier series champion is now sixth in the Cup Series points standings, only 51 points behind the leader Chase Elliott and the No. 9 UniFirst team qualified third for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway during a special 40th anniversary weekend for Hendrick Motorsports. Driving the ruby red No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Elliott held steady inside the top five throughout the entirety of the caution-free first stage. He took the green-and-white checkered flag in the third position at lap 80, collecting eight valuable stage points in the process. During the stage break, the 28-year-old driver reported that his UniFirst Chevrolet fired off tighter than he anticipated. To help, the team made an air-pressure adjustment during its pit stop for four tires and fuel. He lined up fourth to start the second stage and continued to run inside the top five. Elliott was scored in the fifth position when the caution came out on lap 113. He relayed to crew chief Alan Gustafson that his Chevrolet was a little better than the last run. The team opted not to pit, and Elliott restarted from the fifth spot on lap 119. He remained there until he made the pass for fourth with three laps left in stage two. That’s where the Dawsonville, Georgia, native would finish the second stage, collecting an additional seven stage points. Under the stage-ending caution, Elliott relayed that his UniFirst Chevrolet was tighter to start that run. A fast stop for four tires and fuel gained the driver of the No. 9 two spots on pit road, allowing Elliott to fire off for the final stage from the front row. Taking the green flag in second on lap 193, the 2020 Cup Series champion powered to the lead and remained there through the lap-204 caution. Elliott continued to hold point for several laps until the No. 11 caught up to him. The two battled side-by-side until Elliott settled into the second position on lap 258. He held steady in the runner-up spot until green-flag pit stops got under way. After pitting for four tires and fuel on lap 298, Elliott worked his way by the No. 11 as green-flag stops continued, putting himself in position to assume the lead once the field cycled through pit stops. However, Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron passed Elliott prior to pit stops concluding. Byron eventually took over the top spot with Elliott not far behind in second. An incident on the track with less than five laps remaining brought out the yellow flag and sent the race into overtime. Elliott lined up beside Byron for the final restart of the race. He gave it his all in the final two laps, ultimately taking the checkered flag in the third position – Elliott’s second consecutive top-five finish. Elliott’s result was also part of a 1-2-3 finish for Hendrick Motorsports. Byron won the race with Kyle Larson finishing second. Following the third-place finish, Elliott and the No. 9 team are sixth in the Cup Series points standings, just 51 markers behind the leader. “Congrats to William (Byron) and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports. Rick and Linda (Hendrick), Jeff (Gordon), Jeff (Andrews), Chad (Knaus) and all the people that put this together for us,” Elliott said. “They have an unbelievable program and I think we are all proud to call it home. It was awesome hosting over 1,000 people from Hendrick today – employees and their families. Glad one of us could get it done. Obviously, I wish we could have got it done, selfishly, like anybody would. But it is nice to have a good couple of solid weeks and be in contention for a win. We haven’t been in contention to win one for a while, so (it was) kind of nice to get to that last restart when it actually mattered. So, enjoyed that aspect and certainly hungry for more.” Start / Finish: 3 / 3 Points Standing / Total: 6th / 258 pts. (-51) Next Race: Sunday, April 14, Texas Motor Speedway How to Watch or Listen: 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN or SiriusXM NAPA: @NAPARacing Chase Elliott: @ChaseElliott Hendrick Motorsports: @TeamHendrick No. 9 Team: @Hendrick9Team The post Elliott Finishes Third at Martinsville appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

As he celebrated 30 years as a professional drag racer, Funny Car superstar Ron Capps was looking forward to a long race day on Sunday at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park. The three-time world champion entered eliminations in the No. 11 position on the ladder but made an early exit against Blake Alexander in the first round of competition. Aboard his brand-new NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra, Capps battled to gain a favorable spot on the ladder among a stacked Funny Car field. Typically, teams at this elite level within the sport will go through several test sessions with a new car before throwing it into the intensity of NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competition, so Capps, crew chief Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli, and the Ron Capps Motorsports team knew that they would experience some trial and error. His first qualifying effort went up in a puff of smoke, but his second attempt showed more promise as he powered to the finish line with a run of 4.020 seconds at 310.34 MPH. A loss of traction in the third qualifying round forced Capps to shut off early, marking the first time in 20 events for him to begin eliminations from the bottom half of the field. “Building into the race we had the excitement of the 30 years. Having fans come up throughout the weekend and saying, ‘Happy Anniversary’ and things like that, it was fun,” began Capps as he recalled his weekend. “I always try to keep our NAPA fans updated as much as we can about what goes on with our team. We brought out a new chassis. It’s something we built in the off-season. Rather than testing first, we decided to do it in race conditions and that’s hard to do. But it reminds me a lot of our NAPA Auto Care people because I love this process of trying to take something and be the best with something so new. It’s like pulling your car into an AutoCare Center, you have a dash light blinking and technicians can attack that problem, and they don’t just snap their fingers and fix it. It’s a process, especially with today’s cars, as they try to figure out what the problem is. I love watching my NAPA Auto Care guys do the same thing. The car didn’t go down the track in the first run and to watch how many hours they put in trying to figure things out, it was really impressive.” As Capps lined up against No. 6 qualifier Alexander, hopes were high as he has defeated Alexander seven out of the eight times they’ve faced each other in the first round of eliminations. Despite getting the starting line advantage, Capps ultimately came up short. Both cars lost traction early in the race resulting in a bit of a pedal fest to the stripe, but Alexander was able to get there first. “There’s an upside and a downside to bringing a new chassis out at a race. It’s a gutsy move. But a couple of races down the road, I know that we are going to be much better because of it. And that’s also part of me having the utmost confidence in Guido and our NAPA Auto Care team. We didn’t qualify in the top half of the field, so we didn’t have lane choice. As we sat in the staging lanes, seeing dragsters winning only in the left lane made me pretty nervous and sure enough we got put in the right lane. That’s part of not qualifying in the top half. We still felt like we could beat them and that’s the confidence we had going up there. But it just wouldn’t hold, and we lost traction. I feel like I could have done a better job pedaling it. I should win those races, but we didn’t. But I feel like we’re going to have a great car for Vegas.” Capps is currently fifth in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series points as he heads to the next stop on the tour, the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, April 12-14, where he is a six time winner at the facility. Start / Finish: No. 11 / def. in first round Points Standing / Total: No. 5 / 170 pts. Next Race: April 12 – 14, Las Vegas, NHRA Four-Wide Nationals How to Watch or Listen: FS1, NHRA.TV NAPA Racing:@NAPARacing Ron Capps: @RonCapps28 Ron Capps Motorsports: @TeamRonCapps The post Capps Faces Trial and Error of New Chassis at Arizona Nationals appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Chase Elliott and No. 9 UniFirst team qualified second for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway The 28-year-old driver led the opening five laps of the race before ending stage one in the seventh position After finishing stage two in the 13th spot, Elliott rebounded for a fifth-place finish at the Virginia short track – his best result of the season The 2020 premier series champion is now eighth in the Cup Series points standings Chase Elliott earned a front row starting position for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway, taking the green flag in second. Soggy conditions required teams to start the race on wet weather tires and Elliott powered his way to the lead by the end of the first lap. He stayed out front for five laps before his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson got by him. With the track quickly drying, NASCAR officials called for a competition caution at lap 30 so teams could make the switch to slick tires. Teams were able to maintain their positions as pit stops were deemed non-competitive. Elliott was third at the time of the caution and that is where he would restart on lap 48. He continued to battle inside the top 10 and was scored seventh when an on-track incident brought out the yellow flag on lap 63. The race stayed under caution for the remainder of stage one with Elliott gaining valuable stage points for his top-10 stage finish. Under the stage break, Elliott relayed that his No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was tight through the center of the turns, so the team made a chassis adjustment during its pit stop for four tires and fuel. A fast stop by the UniFirst crew gained Elliott two spots on pit road. He lined up fifth coming to the choose cone and opted for the outside lane. The 2020 Cup Series champion settled into seventh after the restart and stayed there until green-flag pit stops got under way on lap 124. Crew chief Alan Gustafson called Elliott to pit road for a four-tire stop just a handful of laps later. Back out on the track, the driver of the No. 9 had to be patient as teams were on different pit strategies. Eventually, he cycled back to seventh on lap 154 and lost a position just prior to an incident forcing a yellow flag on lap 169. Elliott radioed to crew chief Alan Gustafson that he was pretty happy with the UniFirst Chevy’s handling. After pitting for four tires and fuel, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native restarted ninth and lost some momentum after a chaotic restart. When the green-and-white checkered flag waved to end stage two at lap 230, he was scored 13th. Elliott brought the UniFirst Chevrolet to the attention of his crew for fuel and fresh tires. He took the green flag for the final stage from the 12th position on lap 240. The Hendrick Motorsports driver settled into 13th before retaking 12th on lap 247. Elliott held steady there until Gustafson called him to pit road for a scheduled green-flag pit stop on lap 287. He found his way back to the top 10 on lap 299 and advanced to ninth before another round of green-flag stops. After pitting on lap 335, Elliott cycled back to 10th and continued to fight hard for position. He was running in seventh with less than five laps to go and that looked like that’s where he would finish, but a caution prior to the white flag sent the race into overtime. The field came to pit road under the yellow and a fast stop by the UniFirst pit crew gained Elliott a position for the restart. He restarted from sixth and picked up one more spot to earn his first top-five finish of the season. Following the fifth-place finish, Elliott and the No. 9 team are eighth in the Cup Series points standings, just 61 markers behind the leader. “I felt like we kind of found a little pace there those last two runs, and we were able to actually pass a couple of cars under green. We got ourselves in a position to have a good pit stop there at the end. I stopped a little short in my box. I think we could have been one spot better there off of pit road, but nonetheless, had a good restart and gave ourselves a top-five. It was a solid night.” Start / Finish: 2 / 5 Points Standing / Total: 8th / 209 pts. (-61) Next Race: Sunday, April 7, Martinsville Speedway How to Watch or Listen: 3:00 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN or SiriusXM NAPA: @NAPARacing Chase Elliott: @ChaseElliott Hendrick Motorsports: @TeamHendrick No. 9 Team: @Hendrick9Team The post Elliott Earns Top-Five Finish at Richmond appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

ATLANTA, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC), a leading global distributor of automotive and industrial replacement parts, plans to release first quarter financial results on April 18, 2024. Following the release, management will host a conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET. The public may access the webcast and supplemental earnings materials on the company's investor relations website. The call is also available by dialing 1-800-836-8184. A replay of the call will be available on the company's website or toll-free at 1-888-660-6345, ID 28852#, two hours after completion of the conference call. About Genuine Parts Company Established in 1928, Genuine Parts Company is a leading global service organization specializing in the distribution of automotive and industrial replacement parts. Our Automotive Parts Group operates across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australasia, France, the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Portugal, while our Industrial Parts Group serves customers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Australasia. We keep the world moving with a vast network of over 10,700 locations spanning 17 countries supported by more than 60,000 teammates. Learn more at genpt.com. SOURCE Genuine Parts Company For further information: Investor contact, Timothy Walsh, (678) 934-5349, Senior Director - Investor Relations; Media contact, Heather Ross, (678) 934-5220, Vice President - Strategic Communications View the full article

Ron Capps was looking to make it four straight NHRA Winternationals final round appearances on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, but a puff of smoke in the semifinals halted the three-time Funny Car world champion’s shot at capping off his weekend in the winner’s circle at a facility he considers to be a home track. The driver of the NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car has enjoyed an impeccable record at Pomona as of late. His last six outings at both the Spring and Fall events have included three No. 1 qualifiers, three runner-up finishes, and a win at the rescheduled 2021 Winternationals. After powering to the second-quickest pass during the second and final round of what became an abbreviated qualifying show due to persistent rain, the lifelong Californian and current Carlsbad resident placed his NAPA GR Supra in the No. 2 qualifying position and appeared to be on track to tie his former boss, Don Prudhomme, the only Funny Car driver to make four consecutive Winternationals final round appearances (1975 – ’78). Capps drew Funny Car newbie Austin Prock as his first-round competitor. When it was time to pull up to the line, the NAPA team caught fans by surprise when they chose what seemed to be the unfavorable left lane. After watching car after car struggle to make a clean pass in that lane, Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli flexed his crew chief muscle and tuned the NAPA Supra to a stout 3.891 E.T. to easily defeat Prock’s 4.138. The run not only sent Capps into the next round but held up to be low E.T. of the event. In the quarterfinals, Capps posted a 3.935 E.T. to activate the scoreboard win lights once again, defeating Terry Haddock in the process. The semifinals featured a battle between the two winningest drivers in the category, but the excitement was short-lived as Capps’ machine uncharacteristically went up in smoke early while Force made a clean pass in the opposite lane to advance. “It was us versus Force, Toyota versus Chevy,” Capps explained of his semifinal match-up. “Obviously, you want to do well for Toyota and thought we had the advantage there with our GR Supra body. We found something right before we went up there. You know, I’m always bragging about my team that we have the NAPA Know How, and they caught something that could’ve been a bigger deal and they caught it right before we went up. So, we were a little rushed, me getting in the car and getting up there. Then it started sprinkling and we thought they were going to hold off, but we got up there last minute. I haven’t talked to Guido yet to see mechanically why it smoked the tires, but just something the car hadn’t done all weekend. We felt pretty comfortable, and again like Gainesville, we had a great car. Felt like a car that could win the race. But the good thing is, we have a couple weeks off and two more West Coast races, so let’s see if we can go out there and get a trophy.” Shortly after the semifinal round was completed, the remainder of on-track activities were canceled for the day due to rain and hail. The NHRA Winternationals will be completed during the upcoming NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona, April 5 – 7. Start / Finish: No. 2 / def. in Semifinals Points Standing / Total: No. 3 / 138 pts. Next Race: April 5-7, NHRA Arizona Nationals How to Watch or Listen: FS1, NHRA.TV NAPA Racing:@NAPARacing Ron Capps: @RonCapps28 Ron Capps Motorsports: @TeamRonCapps The post Capps Reaches Semifinals at NHRA Winternationals appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Chase Elliott and No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts team qualified ninth for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) As part of the team’s strategy, the 2020 Cup champions pitted in the closing laps of each of the first two stages to hopefully put themselves in a good position to battle for the win In the final stage, Elliott had just made a pass for fifth place when his No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro got loose and he was penalized for exceeding the track limits Despite serving a pass-through penalty, the 28-year-old rebounded to 11th on lap 54 Turning some of the fastest laps of the field, he was close to breaking into the top 10 when he spun and dropped to 19th Elliott rallied to finish 16th and is now ninth in the Cup Series points standings Chase Elliott earned a ninth-place starting position for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), marking the third straight week the No. 9 team qualified inside the top 10. At the start of the 68-lap race, Elliott held his own among the top-10 running order. He lost some positions as the run went on and was 13th when he relayed to the team that his No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 felt stiff on initial load. Elliott advanced to 12th prior to being called to pit road in the closing laps of stage one for four tires and fuel – one of the popular pit strategies among the field. With some teams staying out on the track, Elliott was 18th following the pit stop and that’s where he remained to end the first stage. During the stage break, several teams that didn’t short pit the first segment made their way to pit road, putting Elliott in the ninth position to start stage two. Prior to taking the green flag, the 28-year-old driver reported that the NAPA Chevy was tighter through the center of the turns after the initial pit stop. Despite the tight handling condition, Elliott continued to turn laps inside the top 10 during the second stage. He ran as high as seventh and was scored in the eighth spot when crew chief Alan Gustafson radioed for Elliott to come to pit road for four fresh tires and fuel. The team also took the opportunity to reverse an air-pressure adjustment that was made the first pit stop. Elliott returned to the track in 21st and stayed there to take the green-and-white checkered flag on lap 30. The 2020 Cup Series champion started the final stage from the 11th position on lap 33 and impressively maneuvered his way to sixth by lap 36. Elliott had just made the pass for fifth when he got loose in turn four and was issued a pass-through penalty for short cutting the course. The team challenged the call, but Elliott was ultimately forced to serve the penalty on lap 40. After leaving pit road, Elliott was scored 22nd but quickly made up ground on his competitors. Green flag pit stops got under way on lap 44 with the No. 9 team making its on lap 47. Following the four-tire pit stop, Elliott was 26th in the running order but was consistently turning some of the fastest laps of the field. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native was up to 20th on lap 50 and advanced to 15th just one lap later as green-flag stops continued. Elliott was up to 11th and had his sights set on a top-10 finish when he got loose and spun. The driver of the No. 9 was able to continue but the setback dropped him to 19th. Refusing to give up, Elliott fought hard to regain track position. He picked up a few spots and the team was hopeful for a late-race caution, but it never came. When the checkered flag waved, Elliott and the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts crew was scored with a 16th-place finish. Elliott leaves COTA ninth in the Cup Series points standings, just 47 markers behind the leader. Next Race: Sunday, March 31, Richmond Raceway How to Watch or Listen: 7:00 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN or SiriusXM Start / Finish: 9 / 16 Points Standing / Total: 9th / 173 pts. (-47) NAPA: @NAPARacing Chase Elliott: @ChaseElliott Hendrick Motorsports: @TeamHendrick No. 9 Team: @Hendrick9Team The post Elliott Rallies to 16th after Late-Race Setbacks at COTA appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Christian Eckes put on a furious rally on an overtime restart to capture an eighth-place finish on Saturday afternoon at Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The driver of the No. 19 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet Silverado RST had an eventful, up-and-down afternoon but showcased his resilience by rebounding from two penalties to record his second top-10 result at COTA. After qualifying 10th on Friday afternoon, Eckes was forced to start at the tail of the field after the NAPA Auto Care team changed transmissions before the race. The New Yorker was undeterred by starting shotgun and rocketed to 14th on the opening lap. An early caution on lap three helped Eckes continue his rapid run to the front on a lap six restart when he cracked the top 10. He maintained his top-five position at the end of Stage 1 on lap 12 to collect six points in fifth position. Crew chief Charles Denike brought Eckes to pit road for four tires, fuel, and a small adjustment under the first stage caution. Eckes restarted 11th on lap 15 as several trucks stayed on track. He immediately climbed into fifth on lap 18 and took advantage of an impending caution to pit on lap 21 before the yellow flag flew. However, Eckes was nabbed with a penalty for exceeding track limits and was sent to the tail of the field. He restarted 23rd on lap 24 and hustled his way to close Stage 2 in 12th on lap 26. During the second stage caution, Eckes stayed on track to inherit track position and restarted eighth on lap 29. While running sixth on lap 30, Eckes incurred another track limit violation and ran 26th after serving the penalty under green. With the aid of a caution on lap 38, he restarted 10th on lap 40, but spun at the top of Turn 1 on lap 41. Denike and the NAPA Auto Care team gave Eckes four tires for the two-lap overtime as he restarted 22nd on lap 45 with two laps to go. As the OT green flag dropped, Eckes went on an all-out rampage, slicing through the field in the final two laps to take the checkered flag in eighth position. “We came from the back at least four times today and felt like we were a top-three truck,” Eckes said. “Our NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet was pretty well balanced but just had too many mistakes on my part. Our team did a great job responding from it to get back to eighth at the end.” Start / Finish: 10 / 8 Points Standing / Total: 6th / 177 pts. (-30) Next Race: Friday, April 15, Martinsville Speedway How to Watch or Listen: FS1, MRN or SiriusXM NAPA: @NAPARacing Christian Eckes: @christianeckes Bill McAnally Racing / McAnally-Hilgemann Racing: @BMR_NASCAR The post Eckes’ Late Rally at COTA Results in Top-10 Finish appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

ATLANTA, March 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC), a leading global distributor of automotive and industrial replacement parts, announced today that its board of directors has appointed James F. Howe to the position of President, Motion, the company's industrial business, effective April 1, 2024. With nearly three decades of dedicated service to the company, Mr. Howe brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role. Genuine Parts Company - James Howe Most recently, Mr. Howe served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial and Technology Officer, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the corporate trajectory of Motion. His leadership in overseeing eCommerce, strategic pricing, sales excellence, corporate accounts and human resources has been instrumental in driving the company's success. In his new capacity, Mr. Howe will continue to report to Randy Breaux, Group President, GPC North America. "James has an impressive history, having served in numerous executive roles during his long career at Motion," said Paul Donahue, Chairman and CEO. "His extensive experience makes him an excellent choice to lead Motion. We feel confident that under James's leadership, our talented and experienced Motion team will continue to achieve great results." About Genuine Parts Company Established in 1928, Genuine Parts Company is a leading global service organization specializing in the distribution of automotive and industrial replacement parts. Our Automotive Parts Group operates across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australasia, France, the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Portugal, while our Industrial Parts Group serves customers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Australasia. We keep the world moving with a vast network of over 10,700 locations spanning 17 countries supported by more than 60,000 teammates. Learn more at genpt.com. SOURCE Genuine Parts Company For further information: Investor Contact: Timothy Walsh, 678.934.5349, Senior Director - Investor Relations; Media Contact: Heather Ross, 678.934.5220, Vice President - Strategic Communications View the full article

Redemption was served on Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) as Christian Eckes was victorious after leading 144 laps and swept the night for his first victory at “Thunder Valley”. The driver of the No. 19 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet Silverado RST atoned for his runner-up finish at BMS last September in convincing fashion by pacing practice, earning his seventh-career pole award, and leading the most laps. The sixth NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) victory of his career vaulted him to fifth in the championship standings after earning a race-high 57 points. Eckes put the entire field on notice during practice that his NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet would be the truck to beat. He posted a quick time of 15.55 seconds in practice and backed it up with MHR’s third-straight pole on the BMS concrete, and his second-consecutive. At the green flag, Eckes jumped out to a quick lead and paced the opening 52 circuits. A loose handling condition hindered him from collecting a playoff point in the first segment but still earned nine points in second position at the end of Stage 1 on lap 65. Crew chief Charles Denike kept Eckes on track during the first stage caution to employ a one-stop strategy in an effort to maintain track position. The race ran without incident from lap 77 through the end of Stage 2 on lap 130. During the run, Eckes continued to wrestle with a loose condition on corner entry and was scored third to earn eight points at lap 130 before coming to pit road for his only pit stop of the night for four tires, fuel, and adjustments. The NAPA Auto Care team gained a position for Eckes on the stop and allowed him to restart on the front row for the lap 143 restart. He began to pressure Kyle Busch for the race lead on lap 154 and reclaimed the top spot on lap 159. Eckes perfectly executed a restart on lap 227 and created a comfortable gap over the final 24 circuits. In the waning laps, Eckes was able to fend off Busch’s response for the lead and banked his first BMS win. His victory also marked a historic night for MHR as teammates Zane Smith and NCTS points leader Tyler Ankrum joined him in the top-five, marking the first time the organization has had three of the top-five finishers. “Oh, man, it’s so sweet” Eckes said. “There’s just so much behind this win from last year, missing out on the Championship 4 and losing the race with six (laps) to go. To come back and redeem ourselves was our number one goal, and not only that, but the first three races, how terribly they’ve gone. We had a lot of issues, and to come back and run really good just show the resilience of the team.” Start / Finish: 1 / 1 Points Standing / Total: 5th / 142 pts. (-32) Next Race: Saturday, March 23, Circuit of the Americas How to Watch or Listen: 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN or SiriusXM NAPA: @NAPARacing Christian Eckes: @christianeckes Bill McAnally Racing / McAnally-Hilgemann Racing: @BMR_NASCAR The post Eckes Seizes Redemption with Dominant Bristol Win appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Chase Elliott and No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts team qualified fifth for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway In a race where tire management was key, the 28-year-old driver persevered to earn the No. 9 team’s first top-10 result of the season and his third straight top-10 at Bristol The 2020 Cup Series champion led twice for a total of five laps on the day – including the 80,000th lap for Hendrick Motorsports in the sport’s premier series – en route to an eighth-place finish Elliott and the No. 9 team leave Bristol sixth in the Cup Series points standings Chase Elliott earned a fifth-place starting position in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Once the green flag dropped, Elliott held his own inside the top 10 and advanced to third before the first caution of the race came out on lap 22. Under the yellow, Elliott reported that the right front was “taking a beating” but that the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1’s balance was spot on for the current track conditions. Crew chief Alan Gustafson called his driver to pit road for right-side tires and fuel. Elliott restarted fourth on lap 30 and was running in the same position when the caution flag waved again just two laps later. Staying out, he restarted fourth on lap 38 and charged to the lead on lap 61. Elliott stayed out front for four laps, earning Hendrick Motorsports its 80,000th lap led in the Cup Series in the process. When the race slowed for a caution on lap 71, Elliott was scored in the fourth position. He reported to his team that the NAPA Chevrolet was having some voltage issues, but he was ultimately able to remedy it without the team needing to make repairs. Elliott brought the NAPA Chevy to pit road for four tires and fuel. A fast stop by the No. 9 crew gained Elliott a spot on pit road and he lined up third for the restart on lap 79. The Hendrick Motorsports driver held strong inside the top 10 for several laps, but as the run went on Elliott began to get too much wear on his tires and he slid back to 15th to end the first stage. Gustafson called Elliott to pit road during the stage break for four tires and fuel. Following the stop, the team examined the tires and discovered that both right-side tires were corded – something that a majority of the field was also dealing with. Elliott started the second stage from 13th on lap 140. For several laps, cars ran double file and Elliott was stuck on the outside. At the time of the lap-177 caution, Elliott was scored 23rd. He relayed to his team that he felt that a lot of his competitors were running too hard at the start and that he was trying to protect his tires. After stopping for fresh tires and fuel, Elliott restarted 20th and improved to 17th before the yellow flag was displayed on lap 228. He radioed that he was happy with his NAPA Chevy’s balance. When Elliott came to pit road for four tires and fuel, there was trouble on the pit stop that dropped Elliott deep in the field. Once the race was back to green, he maneuvered his way to 22nd before the green-and-white checkered flag waved to end stage two at lap 250. After receiving four fresh tires, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native took the green flag for the final stage from 18th. However, the NAPA Chevy was too tight during the run and Elliott dropped to 30th as he hurt the right-rear tire trying to make his car turn. When a caution came out on lap 311, the team took the opportunity to make a chassis adjustment to the No. 9 during the four-tire stop. Elliott restarted 27th and was up to 25th when the final yellow flag of the race waved at lap 369. The six-time National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Award winner brought the No. 9 Chevy to the attention of the pit crew for a fresh set of tires. He was scored 23rd after the pit stop and advanced inside the top 20 after the race went back to green. Elliott methodically pressed forward and broke into the top 10 on lap 432. During the long green-flag run, the team opted to stay out on the track longer than most. Elliott made his way to fifth before coming to pit road for his final pit stop of the day on lap 447. Once pit stops cycled through, he was scored in the 11th position. With fresher tires than some of his competitors, he continued to gain spots in the final laps to take the checkered flag eighth. It was his third straight top-10 finish on the high-banked concrete oval. Elliott and the No. 9 team leave Bristol sixth in the Cup Series points standings, just 33 markers behind the leader. “Normally, you could just bury the car into the corner so far and you don’t ever really get beat by guys with tires that bad,” Elliott said, describing what made the race so challenging. “You could just fall off a cliff there with the way that was. It was like racing at a really old, worn-out short track. It was a lot of fun. I think there was probably a little better balance somewhere up there, but I had a good time.” Start / Finish: 5 / 8 Points Standing / Total: 6th / 152 pts. (-33) Next Race: Sunday, March 24, Circuit of the Americas How to Watch or Listen: FOX, PRN or SiriusXM NAPA: @NAPARacing Chase Elliott: @ChaseElliott Hendrick Motorsports: @TeamHendrick No. 9 Team: @Hendrick9Team The post Elliott Earns Eighth-Place Result at Bristol appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

When it comes to working in the shop, personal safety should always be the top priority. Safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, even work boots are all meant to keep your body protected. It should come as no surprise that with new hybrid and electric drivetrains, there are also new safety gear requirements. Insulated tools are just the start of a well-stocked shop. There’s more to electrical safety than just owning a set of insulated screwdrivers. This expert advice is meant to give an overview of the kinds of general personal protection equipment (PPE) needed to service hybrid and electric vehicles. It is important to follow proper repair procedures for these vehicles, as described in the vehicle specific repair manual. This includes using all required PPE listed in the repair procedure with no exceptions. If you do not have ALL of the necessary PPE, DO NOT proceed with a repair, as doing so could lead to severe injury or even death. Now that you have an idea of the serious nature of vehicle high-voltage electrical systems, let’s take a look at how you can protect yourself. Personal Protection Wearing the right personal protection gear is a must when working with electric and hybrid vehicle high-voltage systems. The electrical energy stored in a typical main traction battery pack is more than enough to kill or seriously injure a person. In the past, wearing gloves while working on a car was usually a personal preference. Today, when working on high-voltage electrical systems, wearing gloves is mandatory. And not just one pair of gloves, but two pairs (inner and outer) are to be worn together. Just in case you are wondering, welding gloves are NOT the same as high-voltage electrical safety gloves. Class 0 gloves are required for protection up to 1,000 volts AC and 1,500 volts DC. One pair of rubber gloves (inner) protects against electric shock, while the leather gloves (outer) protect the rubber gloves from mechanical wear. They must be worn together in order to perform correctly. Electrical gloves must be tested every six months to ensure they are still capable of insulating the user from the rated voltage. Gloves will be labeled with the test date near the cuff. The exact personal protection gear needed for a repair will be spelled out in the vehicle service repair manual procedures. This may include an insulated apron, coveralls, insulated arm sleeves, safety glasses, arc flash face shield with neck protection, and insulated mats or blankets. These layers of protection are necessary not just for avoiding shocks, but also potential explosions like an arc flash. Tool Safety It may seem odd to consider hand tools as part of personal protection equipment, but that is exactly the case when working with electricity. Most ordinary hand tools are made from metal, which does an excellent job conducting electricity. For servicing high-voltage electrical systems tools need to be designed in such a way that they don’t provide a path for electricity to travel to the technician, or to other vehicle components. That’s why EV tools are specially designed to protect the technician when used properly. An EV tool set is a must-have for any technician looking to service an electric vehicle. A good start for insulated hand tools is an insulated screwdriver set, an insulated pliers set and an insulated socket set. Electric vehicle tools used for diagnostics need to handle higher voltages, like this digital multimeter. For repairs where the battery pack must be removed, special care must be taken due the extreme weight involved. A specialized battery pack lift is the proper way to lower and transport a hybrid or electric vehicle battery pack. You wouldn’t pull an engine out of a car without the proper lifting equipment, so give the same respect to a heavy traction battery pack. Work Space Safety Normally, when a car is being worked on in a service bay, there is little danger to fellow technicians. But that isn’t the case with a modern electric or hybrid vehicle. Whenever the high-voltage electrical system on one of these vehicles is exposed, proper notification must be given to those working in the area. Place orange cones and caution tape around the vehicle whenever the high voltage electrical system is being serviced. This warns other technicians that there is an electrical shock hazard in the shop, and to keep their distance. You may also place an electrical warning sign on the vehicle to signal to everyone in the shop to stay away. Part of your workspace safety gear must be an insulated safety hook. If a technician suffers an electrical accident while working on a vehicle, anyone attempting to help them is also in danger of electric shock. An insulated safety hook must be used to separate the victim from the electrical source. The last tip for work space safety is to never work on an electric or hybrid vehicle alone. Always let another technician or coworker know you are working on a high-voltage electrical system, and to check in on you periodically. Training Is The Key To Safety Working on hybrid and electric vehicle high voltage systems requires meticulous procedures and extensive training. While there are plenty of dangers when working on internal combustion vehicles, many of the safety procedures surrounding those vehicles have been known for decades. As EV and hybrid drivetrain become more mainstream, so will their service safety procedures. Tackling hybrid and electric vehicle high-voltage system repairs isn’t impossible, but there must be dedication to proper training. If you are a technician (or are wanting to become a technician), and are looking for electric vehicle service training, NAPA Auto Tech can help. NAPA Auto Tech offers a wide variety of convenient, cost-effective ways to become an automotive professional. In addition to eLearning and instructor-led training, NAPA Auto Tech offers hands-on and seminar-style classes for almost every make and model to help technicians keep their skills up to date. Photos courtesy of Brian Medford. The post The Best PPE For Your EV & Hybrid Service Shop appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Three-time NHRA Funny Car world champion Ron Capps didn’t predict that a double-step and a red light in the second round would mark the end of his weekend on Sunday afternoon at the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. When opponent J.R. Todd double-stepped while waiting for the tree to drop, Capps reacted early and turned on the red light in his quick and consistent NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra. Capps in his Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli-tuned hot rod qualified third after consistently going down the track and making the third-quickest pass in all three completed qualifying sessions; Saturday’s fourth session was canceled due to weather. He picked up one bonus point in each of those sessions. It was Capps’ 3.871-second pass at 333.00 MPH in Friday’s second session that put him third on the final qualifying order. In the first round of eliminations on Sunday, Capps left the starting line first against Jim Campbell and charged to a 3.870-second pass at 332.18 MPH to get the win over a tire-hazing Campbell. It was the second-quickest performance of the round and Capps’ quickest of the weekend, extending his record over Campbell to a class-record 18-0 and giving him lane choice in the second round. Capps met up with past world champion and fellow Toyota driver J.R. Todd in the second round. Todd double-stepped the throttle, leading Capps to smash the throttle pedal in his NAPA Auto Care entry. He hit it .037 seconds too soon, as the red light came on in his lane. The third-year team owner coasted to a 4.185-second run at 249.39 MPH knowing he was disqualified due to the red light. “A heartbreaking Sunday race day, obviously, more so because we had such a great race car,” Capps said. “We were so well prepared for our NAPA Auto Care team to go down the track every single run we were here. Even the run that we lost, with all that went on at the starting line, this car still went down the track under power until they killed the ignition switch on me. It probably would have gone to the finish line, but we didn’t want to take a chance after the weird starting line scenario.” Capps went into the weekend as a four-time Gatornationals winner who was attempting to tie former boss Don ‘The Snake’ Prudhomme’s record as the second-winningest Funny Car driver at the historic Florida track. He said the bizarre second-round incident spoke to the pressure that exists in the Funny Car class, especially at the season-opening Gatornationals. “Obviously, we wanted to get another Gatornationals win, but that was so weird up there,” Capps said. “You’re so keyed up. It was a long delay for the starting line, which is great because I love that. It really makes everybody be on their toes. But when your right foot and your butt is strapped into 13,000 horsepower, you could cut the air with a knife. J.R. just made a mistake, and he felt terrible, but it’s nothing he did wrong. It’s just part of it. I tried to hold my foot, but I heard his car and reacted.” Capps took comfort in the fact that he didn’t lose due to the performance of his NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra. He’s confident the car’s consistency will carry over to the next race at one of his home tracks, In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. “It’s upsetting because of how good a car we had, but it’s also a silver lining leaving here,” said Capps, owner of Ron Capps Motorsports. “It makes it a little less agonizing because I know how good we are right now. We’ll just move on to Pomona with a great hot rod.” Capps and the Ron Capps Motorsports Funny Car team will be back on track March 22 – 24 at the NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona, Calif. Start / Finish: No. 3 / def. in second round Points Standing / Total: 5th / 59 pts. Next Race: March 22-24, NHRA Winternationals, Pomona, CA How to Watch or Listen: FS1; NHRA.TV NAPA Racing:@NAPARacing Ron Capps: @RonCapps28 Ron Capps Motorsports: @TeamRonCapps The post Capps Loses Bizarre Second-Round Matchup at Gatornationals appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Chase Elliott and No. 9 Kelley Blue Book team qualified third for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway The 28-year-old driver earned valuable stage points, finishing fifth in stage one and seventh in stage two A slew of cautions in the final stage prompted multiple strategies among teams. Elliott restarted 17th after the final caution of the race and ultimately finished the race in the 19th position Elliott and the No. 9 team leave Phoenix ninth in the Cup Series points standings After posting the seventh fastest lap in Friday afternoon’s NASCAR Cup Series practice session at Phoenix Raceway, Chase Elliott backed that up with a third-place qualifying lap on Saturday. The 28-year-old driver took the green flag for the 312-lap race from the second row on Sunday afternoon. Elliott was still running inside the top five when the first caution flag of the race waved on lap seven. The early report from the Hendrick Motorsports driver was that his No. 9 Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was locked down and tight in the back. With the team opting not to pit, Elliott restarted in the fifth position on lap 12 and remained there as the rest of 60-lap first stage went caution free. The fifth-place stage finish garnered six stage points for the Dawsonville, Georgia, native. Under the stage-ending caution, Elliott relayed to crew chief Alan Gustafson that the Kelley Blue Book Chevy was tight and that it freed up as the run went on. The crew opted for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment during a fast pit stop which gained Elliott a spot on pit road. He lined up fourth to start the second stage on lap 69. Elliott raced three-wide once the field went back to green, taking over the third position on lap 70. He held strong, maintaining his top-three running position through a long green-flag run. The field started making green-flag pit stops on lap 115, with Elliott bringing the Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet to pit road on lap 117 for four tires and fuel. With the field stretched out, Elliott was bogged down in traffic following his stop, making it harder to gain track position. Still, he managed to score a top-10 finish in the second stage, taking the green-and-white checkered flag in the seventh spot. The result added four more stage points to his total. During the stage break, Elliott brought the Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet to pit road for four tires and fuel. The pit crew knocked out another fast stop, gaining the 2020 Cup Series champion three spots. Elliott took the green flag for the final stage from the fourth position on lap 194 and was scored in fifth place when the caution came out just two laps later. Elliott kept his Chevrolet on the track under the yellow flag. He lined up fifth for the restart on lap 202 and was battling inside the top 10 when the race was slowed once more. Staying out while some drivers deeper in the field visited pit road, Elliott restarted eighth and was scored in ninth at the time of the lap-216 caution. Gustafson called Elliott to pit road with the rest of the leaders for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. With varying pit strategies among teams – some taking only two tires and others opting to stay out – Elliott restarted in the 17th position on lap 220. He managed to advance as high as 16th early in the run but being stuck in dirty air made it difficult for Elliott to continue forward progress. When the checkered flag waved on lap 312, he was scored with a 19th-place finish. Elliott and the No. 9 team leave Phoenix Raceway ninth in the Cup Series points standings, just 28 markers behind the leader. Start / Finish: 3 / 19 Points Standing / Total: 9th / 123 pts. (-26) Next Race: Sunday, March 17, Bristol Motor Speedway How to Watch or Listen: 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN or SiriusXM NAPA: @NAPARacing Chase Elliott: @ChaseElliott Hendrick Motorsports: @TeamHendrick No. 9 Team: @Hendrick9Team The post Elliott Maintains Top-10 Points Position after Phoenix appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Jack Wood began the ARCA Menards Series West (AMSW) campaign with a seventh-place finish on Friday evening at Phoenix Raceway to mark his second consecutive top-10 result at the one-mile tri oval. The driver of the No. 16 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet SS kick started his AMSW championship bid with his 12th-career top-10 finish as the race was called short due to rain and lightning after 115 of 150 scheduled laps. Wood began his effort in the desert by posting the eighth-quickest time in practice and followed that up with an eighth-place qualifying effort. The Californian began the event by wrestling an extremely loose handling condition in the NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet. Wood radioed the team that his balance was a “10 out of 10” loose on both ends of Phoenix’s flat mile but managed to stay on the lead lap during the first half of the event. Crew chief Kevin Bellicourt took advantage of a caution on lap 70 to bring Wood to pit road for a crucial wedge adjustment while running 14th. On the ensuing restart at lap 75, Wood rocketed forward to claim the sixth position by the time the halfway caution flew on lap 76. Wood took on four fresh General Tires, fuel, and additional chassis adjustments during the halfway break to tweak the improved balance on his Chevrolet. When the race restarted on lap 81, Wood was a mainstay in the top-10 until a caution for lightning slowed the field on lap 113. Wood was credited with a seventh-place finish as a rare thunderstorm enveloped the desert mile and forcing an official finish after 115 laps were completed. “With as deep as the field was here, seventh is a solid start to our season,” Wood said. “Our NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet was too loose in the first half of the race, and we really needed that caution before halfway to get an extra adjustment. Kevin and the guys made a good call, and it really improved the car. I would have liked to see us run out the full distance to see if we could have gotten into the top-five, but that’s a solid finish for our first race as a group. We have a good foundation here and we’ll work on getting ready for Irwindale in a couple weeks.” Start / Finish: 8 / 7 Points Standing / Total: 7th / 37 pts. Next Race: Saturday, March 30, Irwindale Speedway How to Watch or Listen: 10:00 p.m. ET on FloRacing NAPA: @NAPARacing Jack Wood: @DriverJackWood Bill McAnally Racing / McAnally-Hilgemann Racing: @BMR_NASCAR The post Wood Begins ARCA West Season with Top-Ten Run at Phoenix appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

You might know how to check the fuel level, but do you know how to check fuel pressure? There’s a handy gauge on the dashboard that tells you how much fuel is in the gas tank, but if that fuel isn’t reaching the engine under enough pressure, a mechanical failure could be brewing. Let’s take a look at the process necessary to check fuel pressure. What Does Low Fuel Pressure Mean? If fuel can’t reach the injector with enough force to atomize the fuel, then the engine won’t run right. More often than not low fuel pressure means a failing fuel pump. A bad fuel pump might limp along for a little while, but eventually it won’t build enough pressure to feed the engine. How To Check Fuel Pressure Using A Fuel Pressure Gauge To check fuel pressure, you will need a fuel pressure gauge (also called a fuel system pressure tester). Make sure you are working in a well-ventilated area, as some fuel fumes may escape during the procedure. Turn off the engine. Open the hood. Locate the fuel rail. You may need to remove the engine cover for access. Locate the Schrader valve on the fuel rail. This is where the fuel pressure will be tested. Remove the cap from the fuel rail Schrader valve. Attach the fuel pressure tester, making sure the connection is tight. If the fuel pressure tester has a pressure relief hose, route it to a proper container to capture the released fuel. A fuel can makes a perfect catch container, and the fuel can then be used later. Turn the ignition switch to “on,” but do not start the engine. The fuel pump will pressurize the fuel system, and you will be able to read the fuel pressure gauge. To test the fuel pressure with the engine running, leave the fuel pressure gauge attached, but place it where it will not contact any of the rotating engine accessories (fan, fan belt, pulleys, etc), and ensure the gauge will not fall due to engine vibration. You may wish to have an assistant hold the fuel pressure gauge. Start the engine, and observe the fuel pressure gauge. Refer to a vehicle repair manual for fuel pressure specifications. Once you have taken the fuel pressure reading, shut off the engine. With the pressure relief hose secured to a container, release the fuel pressure from the gauge. Properly dispose of the released fuel or reuse it. Disconnect the fuel pressure gauge from the Schrader valve on the fuel rail. Wipe up any fuel that has spilled, and dry the spill area thoroughly. Place the cap back on the Schrader valve. Replace the engine cover, if it was removed. Close the hood. How To Check Fuel Pressure Using A Diagnostic Tool Wondering how to check fuel pressure without gauge access? Checking fuel pressure using an OBD diagnostic tool can perform this vehicle test. The exact procedure will vary based on the manufacturer. Refer to the user manual for instructions on how to view live data using the OBD tool. In the case of the Actron CP9670, start at the Diagnostic Menu and select the “View Data” option. The tool will scan for available parameter identifications (PID) that can be read. Once the tool has read all the PIDs, it will prompt the user to “Select Data to View.” Choose “Entire Data List” for a readout of all the discovered PIDs. In that list should be a line called “FUEL PRES” or a similar term. That diagnostic reading is the current fuel pressure. For those who are more tech savvy, there are smartphone apps that can connect directly to a third-party OBD-II wireless transmitter. These apps display the real-time information flowing through the onboard diagnostic system. Information like engine temperature, transmission fluid temperature, fuel pressure and oil pressure are commonly available, but will depend on the app. Monitoring Fuel Pressure If you are the kind of driver who prefers to keep a constant eye on what’s going on under the hood, consider installing a fuel pressure gauge. There are a wide variety of gauge styles to match your interior, while also delivering needed information. You can keep an eye on fuel pressure, oil pressure, oil temperature and more with an aftermarket gauge set. If you have a performance vehicle or work vehicle, keeping an eye on engine vitals can help stop a problem before it starts. You can use a mechanical gauge attached directly to the fuel system under the hood, or a digital gauge in the cabin that uses a sending unit. Frequently Asked Questions: What Are The Symptoms Of Low Fuel Pressure? Common low fuel pressure symptoms: Vehicle will not start or keeps stalling Long engine cranking time Hesitation when accelerating Engine is low on power Check engine light is one (engine lean, misfire OBD-II codes stored) What Are Symptoms Of A Bad Fuel Pressure Regulator? If the fuel pressure readings are erratic or not within the specification, those may be symptoms of a bad fuel pressure regulator. What Are Symptoms Of A Bad Fuel Pressure Sensor? If the fuel pressure sensor has gone bad, you may have an illuminated check engine light, trouble getting the engine to start due to low fuel pressure, or reduced engine power. If your engine isn’t running right or the check engine light is on, then a fuel pressure check can be a good starting point for diagnosis. As you can see, the process is pretty straightforward with the right diagnostic tool. Your local NAPA Auto Parts store and NAPAonline carry a wide variety of fuel pressure testing tools to fit your needs. Don’t feel like leaving the house or don’t have the time? Order on NAPAonline to get One-Day Shipping on 160,000+ products. However you choose to shop, make sure to take advantage of NAPA Rewards to receive 1 Point for every dollar you spend. When you earn 100 Points, you automatically get $5 off your next purchase! Don’t feel like testing fuel pressure yourself or just don’t have time? You can also swing by your local NAPA Auto Care for a fuel pressure check. Their ASE Certified technicians have the right tools and training to diagnose any fuel related issues that your car, truck or SUV experience. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. The post Ask The NAPA Experts: How To Check Fuel Pressure appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

The NAPA Network supplies adventure seekers and outdoor enthusiasts with the best RV cleaning products to keep their home away from home fresh and road ready. Whether you drive a large recreational vehicle with its own engine or tow-behind camper trailers, including Airstreams, pop-ups and fifth wheels, we have you covered. And of course, NAPAonline and NAPA Auto Parts stores carry Truck Towing Parts and Equipment. To start off, browse through products specifically designed for interior detailing. Suck up any loose debris, dirt and pet hair using a high-powered vacuum cleaner from popular brands like Craftsman, Armor All and Milwaukee. Keep in mind, even the best vehicle vacuum leaves behind crumbles wedged into crevices. To grab up as much as possible, utilize a reusable cleaning gel that can squeeze into hard-to-reach gaps. A cleaning gel features a non-stick, residue-free formula that leaves no mess behind, making it simple to clean your vehicle’s surfaces without the need for water or additional cleaning agents. If you are shopping for the best products for RV interior spring cleaning, you can’t go wrong with 303 Mold & Mildew Cleaner. An RV is jam packed with surfaces that are coated with sticky handprints, food residue, grimy gear and pet hair. This multi-surface cleaner does not contain bleach, and is safe to use on vinyl and upholstery fabrics. And, after being applied, it will prevent mold and mildew from forming, which is great for families spending time at the beach or lake. Speaking of surfaces, an RV camper is filled with glass surfaces from appliances to bathroom fixtures to windows inside and out. Our NAPA experts highly recommend grabbing a bottle or two of the Duragloss Glass Water Spot Remover. If foam glass cleaner is your thing, go for the ammonia-free Voodoo Ride Streak-Free Glass Cleaner that works on windows, mirrors and more. And finally, no bucket of RV cleaning products would be complete without air fresheners. Place Armor All FRESHfx Odor Absorbing Charcoal Bags underneath seats or inside cabinets and drawers. This vehicle deodorizer works on smoke, pet smells and food odors that are difficult to remove. For a quick refresh, stock up on a New Car Smell Air Freshener from Chemical Guys. Don’t forget, participating NAPA Auto Parts stores offer a convenient Buy Online, Pick Up In Store option, so you can get back on the road in no time. And, NAPA offers even more savings with NAPA Rewards. Earn 1 Point for every $1 you spend. Collect 100 Points, and automatically get $5 off your next order. Get Your RV Road Ready For Spring At NAPA, we realize you bought an RV camper to spend more time outdoors, so let’s head outside. To start off your kit of RV exterior cleaning products, our experts recommend purchasing a solution to tackle splattered bugs, road tar and bird droppings. Because your recreational vehicle is massive, and you are likely to need to complete many washes in a season, go for the 32-ounce concentrate of Bugs B Gone Dried-On Crud Remover by Sea Foam. This pre-soak eliminates the need for hard scrubbing, and is safe on vehicle paint, clear coats, gel coats, metal, glass, mirrors, outdoor carpet, plastic and vinyl. Follow up this pre-wash application with a true RV exterior cleaner, like a Ceramic Wash & Coat from Griot’s Garage. The ultra-slick formula offers a versatile application, including a traditional hand-applied bucket wash or with a foam sprayer. After doing all this intense spring cleaning, protect your hard work with the best RV wax that is safe on fiberglass. Our experts recommend, Star Brite Premium Cleaner Wax, formulated specifically to remove oxidation from fiberglass or painted surfaces. The glossy shine provides unbeatable protection from harsh UV rays. Apply by hand or with an electric buffer. Need to stock up on the best RV roof cleaner? For RV roof cleaning, grab a bottle of Meguiar’s Mirror Glaze Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner. It cleans, penetrates and rejuvenates nonpainted vinyl and rubber surfaces like new. Then, work your way down to any pull-out awnings. Blue Magic Convertible Top Cleaner & Protectant should do the trick. It works on both vinyl and canvas materials. And finally, keep a can of Camco Slide Out Rubber Seal Conditioner on hand. Of course, spring cleaning an RV is only one part of the long list of maintenance items for this rewarding passion. The NAPA Network carries the RV replacement parts and camper accessories you need, from a roof vent cover to sewer caps and heavy-duty sewer hoses. And check out these detailed guides by the NAPA Experts on How to Conduct Your Own RV Oil Change and RV Tire Pressure For Safety And Longer Tire Life. Photo courtesy of Unsplash. The post NAPA Shopping Guide: What You Need To Get An RV Ready For Spring appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Is your car not shifting gears like it used to? An automatic transmission makes driving much less complicated than the manual gear (stick shift) alternative. But that convenience comes at the price of complexity. When an automatic transmission equipped car won’t shift gears, there could be several potential issues. These issues can range from a simple fix to needing a complete transmission rebuild. Below is technical expertise on “Why is my automatic car not shifting gears?” Low Transmission Fluid Your automatic transmission relies on hydraulic fluid pressure to operate. The pump pulls transmission fluid from the transmission pan reservoir to actuate different components. If the transmission fluid level gets low enough, the pump will be unable to push fluid where it needs to go. Even worse, the pump will pull air into the system, which could lead to a lack of lubrication that damages parts. If you are lucky, your vehicle has a transmission fluid dipstick so you can easily check the fluid level according to the instructions in the owner’s manual. If your vehicle does not have a transmission fluid dipstick but is “lifetime fill”, that doesn’t prevent you from checking the fluid level. In most cases, the fluid can be checked via a fill plug, but the transmission has to be at a certain temperature and the vehicle must be level. This isn’t an easy task, so it might be best to have your local NAPA Auto Care do it for you. Faulty Shift Solenoid We just mentioned how an automatic transmission relies on pressurized fluid to operate, but that fluid also needs to be routed to where it is needed. In a modern, electronically controlled automatic transmission, shift solenoids control the flow of transmission fluid. If the shift solenoid is faulty, then the fluid won’t be routed to the desired shift actuator. In older non-electronically controlled transmissions, shifting was controlled by shift valves, but the idea is the same. Shift solenoids can wear out or get stuck, leading to a no-shift condition. Fixing a faulty shift solenoid usually requires removing the transmission fluid pan to access the transmission valve body. Low Transmission Fluid Pressure You should be seeing a pattern of how important hydraulic fluid is to the operation of an automatic transmission. If the transmission fluid level is fine, there may still be a problem with the fluid pressure. Low fluid pressure can be caused by a worn out pump, clogged fluid passages or a clogged transmission fluid filter. A lack of shifting car gears due to low fluid pressure usually means it is time for a professional transmission checkup. If the problem is with the pump itself, then you are probably looking at a transmission rebuild. Bad Transmission Control Module Most modern automatic transmissions have an electronic transmission control module (TCM). The control module takes input from various sensors, and decides how the transmission should react. Depending on where the control module is mounted, it can lead a very hard life. Extreme temperatures, vibrations, leaking fluids and sometimes even how the circuit board is built can all lead to failures of microchips and other electronic components. If the check engine light is on while you are having shifting problems, the TCM may be the issue. Broken Shift Cable Each time you drive, the shifter is moved at least twice, once for driving and again for park. That movement adds up over the years. While an automatic transmission doesn’t have the complicated shifting mechanism of a manual transmission, there is usually a physical connection between the shifter and the transmission. Modern shift cables usually have plastic components that can break down over time. There may also be bushings that get worn out. The shift cable itself is usually metal and rarely breaks, but the pieces connecting it to the transmission can possibly fail. Shift Lock Engaged If the car is not shifting into gear from park, then the issue might be the gear shift interlock. Most modern vehicles have a lockout on the automatic gear shifter that requires the brake pedal to be pressed first. If the brake pedal isn’t pressed, the shifter won’t move. It is possible that the brake pedal sensor doesn’t read that the pedal is pressed, or a break in the shift interlock circuit interrupts the connection. The shift lock can be bypassed in an emergency. Worn Out Bands Just like how brake pads can wear out, so can the friction materials inside the transmission like the bands. Transmission bands hold certain components in place, while others are allowed to rotate. When this happens, the transmission won’t go into certain gears. Unfortunately worn out bands usually mean a complete transmission overhaul. Material from the worn out bands can make their way into sensitive fluid passages, clogging them or causing accelerated wear Failed Throttle Sensor This one may seem odd, but gauging how much throttle input the driver is giving makes a big difference in how the transmission acts. Whether the input is from a throttle sensor or a cable, if the driver pushes down the gas pedal, the transmission needs to change gears. But if that input isn’t received, the transmission has no idea what the driver wants to do. If the transmission doesn’t know the driver is hitting the gas, it might not shift into the next gear. Even worse, on some older transmissions, if the transmission isn’t linked correctly to the throttle input, severe damage can be done. If your transmission isn’t shifting like it used to, simply head to your local NAPA Auto Care center. Our team of ASE-certified technicians have the expertise and training to diagnose your automatic transmission issues. As a bonus, your repair is covered by our free 24-Month/24,000-Mile Peace of Mind Warranty (parts and labor on qualifying repairs and services), which spans across the entire nationwide NAPA Network, including 17,000+ NAPA Auto Care center locations. Photos courtesy of Pexels. The post Why Is My Automatic Car Not Shifting Gears? appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Chase Elliott and No. 9 LLumar team qualified 11th for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway The 28-year-old driver finished 15th in stage one and advanced to sixth to end stage two, earning valuable stage points in the process The 2020 Cup Series champion continued to log laps inside the top 10 in the final stage before ultimately taking the checkered flag in the 12th position Elliott and the No. 9 team leave Las Vegas seventh in the Cup Series points standings Chase Elliott took the green flag in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from the 11th position in his No. 9 LLumar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. When the first caution flag of the race was displayed on lap 10, Elliott was running in the same position. Under the yellow flag, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native reported that his entry was secure before bringing the LLumar Chevy to the attention of his crew for four tires and fuel. During the next run, Elliott continued to battle inside the top 12. He was scored in 11th when the race fell under the caution for the second time on lap 27. Elliott reported to crew chief Alan Gustafson that his Chevrolet was a little tight. Gustafson called Elliott to pit road for fuel and a set of scuff tires. With a couple teams opting not to pit and some only taking two tires, Elliott restarted in 17th. He gained two positions before taking the green-and-white checkered flag in 15th to end the first stage at lap 80. A fast stop by the pit crew set Elliott up with 12th-place starting position for stage two. After taking the green flag on lap 88, Elliott continued to race inside the top 15 through a long green flag run. After a round of green flag pit stops, the 2020 Cup Series champion found himself in the 11th position. Once there, he continued to methodically work his way forward, advancing to ninth on lap 134. Elliott was running in that same position when the caution came out on lap 156. After pitting for four tires and fuel, he lined up eighth for the restart and climbed to sixth to end the second stage at lap 165. Opting not to pit during the stage break, Elliott started the final segment in sixth on lap 172. The 28-year-old driver held his own inside the top 10 during a long green flag stint. Elliott was running in the 10th position when green flag stops got under way. He headed to pit road for four tires and fuel on lap 211. When an on-track incident brought out the yellow flag on lap 235, Elliott was scored in the eighth position. He brought his LLumar Chevy to the attention of his crew for the final time of the race, getting four fresh tires and fuel. He restarted in seventh on lap 240 and battled hard to try to keep a position inside the top 10, ultimately coming up just short with a 12th-place result. Elliott and the No. 9 team leave Las Vegas Motor Speedway seventh in the Cup Series points standings, just 23 markers behind the leader. Start / Finish: 11 / 12 Points Standing / Total: 7th / 95 pts. (-23) Next Race: Sunday, March 10, Phoenix Raceway How to Watch or Listen: 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN or SiriusXM NAPA: @NAPARacing Chase Elliott: @ChaseElliott Hendrick Motorsports: @TeamHendrick No. 9 Team: @Hendrick9Team The post Elliott Earns Top-12 Finish at Las Vegas appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article

Christian Eckes tallied a resilient sixth-place finish on Friday night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) for his best finish through three races. The driver of the No. 19 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet Silverado RST remains ninth in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) standings after his second top-10 result of the young season. Eckes has now posted top-10 finishes in six of his eight races at LVMS. Eckes started the day in strong fashion by posting the second-quickest laps in practice and qualifying. He got the early holeshot off the initial green flag and led the first seven circuits. However, Eckes began wrestling with an extremely tight condition throughout the opening stage. The balance issues relegated him to run in 14th position at the end of Stage 1 on lap 30. Crew chief Charles Denike brought Eckes to pit lane during the stage yellow to change four tires and address the handling woes. A track bar and wedge adjustment proved to be the right direction for Eckes in Stage 2, but the tight condition persisted. Eckes restarted 16th on lap 36 but immediately leaped into the top 10 by lap 38. Despite his efforts, Eckes once again ran 14th at the end of Stage 2 on lap 60. Denike and the NAPA Auto Care team made an even bigger swing to improve the balance with chassis adjustments during the second stage caution. Significant wedge and a front suspension changes proved to be the proper tonic to wake up Eckes’ Chevrolet. He restarted 21st on lap 67 and marched back into the top-10 in less than 20 laps. A smoothly executed green-flag pit stop cycle vaulted Eckes from ninth to sixth with roughly 30 laps remaining. The improved balance allowed him to string together consistent laps over the final run to take the checkered flag in sixth for his second top-10 result of the season. “We definitely made improvements throughout the night to our NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet,” Eckes said. “My guys kept making swings at it and we got the balance better, but we have some work to do to get the balance where we need it. It’s good to finish better than we ran all night, but we have some work to do.” Start / Finish: 2 / 6 Points Standing / Total: 9th / 85 pts. (-22) Next Race: Saturday, March 16, Bristol Motor Speedway How to Watch or Listen: 8:00 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN or SiriusXM NAPA: @NAPARacing Christian Eckes: @christianeckes Bill McAnally Racing / McAnally-Hilgemann Racing: @BMR_NASCAR The post Eckes Claims Best Finish of the Season at Las Vegas appeared first on NAPA Blog. View the full article