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Sweet Wins at Volusia ahead of Outlaws Season Opener
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By NAPA
Returning to Pennsylvania for a second weekend in a row, the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series had dates lined up for both Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Penn., and Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Penn. Unfortunately, mother nature struck again, and Friday night’s program at Williams Grove was canceled. Saturday at Lincoln was bitterly cold with wind and temperatures peaking in the 40s. Nonetheless, Lincoln Speedway is a track where Brad Sweet, driver of the No. 49 NAPA Auto Parts Sprint car, has been dominant, missing the top 10 only once in his last nine starts.
With 49 cars in attendance, Sweet was slated to qualify seventh in Flight B. He hit the charts 14.660 second, placing him second in the flight. Starting from the first spot in Heat Race 4, Sweet was eager to get the jump on second-place starter Chris Windom. The NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 launched ahead to pick up the heat race win and lock Sweet into the Fast Pass Dash.
“As we race, I think we are going to learn more and more about the tires, obviously, as the track changes,” Sweet said, drawing the second spot for the dash. “Hopefully, with our NAPA Auto Parts car, that was a good dash draw; we can keep it up front tonight.”
With six laps to complete the dash, the Big Cat rolled off from the second spot with his eye on the lead. At the drop of the green flag, Sweet managed to pull ahead to the lead. The No. 49 machine took off in the clean air up front, and Sweet picked up the Fast Pass Dash win.
That put the NAPA No. 49 in the first starting position for the 35-lap Lincoln Speedway feature. With Sweet eyeing victory lane, the green flag dropped. The NAPA driver jumped to the early lead before holding off the field while battling through heavy lapped traffic, but Sweet fell back to second with 12 laps to go. He held his line and brought the NAPA Auto Parts machine home in second place.
“We’re never happy to finish second, but we had new tires tonight, and the racing was actually a lot of fun there in the A-main,” Sweet said after the race. “I was struggling to figure out how to get my car off the corner there a little bit better, but that’s a part of the learning curve… We are going to have to keep adjusting out setups and try to find a package that’s going to be better for the whole 35 laps.”
Next up on the schedule is the Talladega Sprint Car Showdown at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, Alabama, on Friday and the World of Outlaws Black Ice Brawl at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, Mississippi, on Saturday.
Start / Finish: 1 / 2
Points Standing / Total: 4th / 812 (-40)
Next Race: Friday, March 24, Talladega Short Track, Eastaboga, Alabama
How to Watch or Listen:
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By NAPA
Defending NHRA Funny Car world champion Ron Capps is leaving Gainesville Raceway with the confidence that he has one of the quickest cars in the class yet again after a second-round exit at the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals. The driver of the link hidden, please login to view Toyota GR Supra laid down the second-quickest pass of the event in the first round of Sunday eliminations before going up in smoke in the quarterfinals.
Capps and tuner Dean “Guido” Antonelli made a statement in Saturday qualifying, where Capps recorded the third-quickest pass of Q3 before laying down a 3.874 E.T. at 333.25-mph in the final session to claim the first No. 1 qualifier award of his sophomore season as a team owner and driver. It was Capps’ seventh pole position since forming Ron Capps Motorsports.
“(In the) last session, Q4, to go to the top and get the yellow hat is something we take very seriously,” Capps said. “It’s important to us to be able to fend off such great competition to steal the pole.”
Racing in front of a packed house on Sunday morning, Capps in his NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra fired off a 3.855-second pass at 334.57-mph to defeat Terry Haddock and set what was then low E.T. of the event. In the second round, Capps left first against fellow Toyota driver Alexis DeJoria but lost traction just after leaving the starting line.
“We felt great about race day,” Capps said. “(The weather) warmed up before second round and when I got back from the run and it smoked the tires, I told Guido how spoiled I was because we haven’t done that in a long, long time. We made a small clutch adjustment that caused us to smoke the tires, but we’re very, very happy with everything and I can’t wait to get going to the West Coast.”
Capps, a veteran of the NHRA nitro ranks, started the season with a new look and new body on his Toyota GR Supra Funny Car. There were personnel changes with the retirement of co-crew chief John Medlen after the Ron Capps Motorsports team won its first world championship as an organization at the end of the 2022 season. With one race under their belts, Capps and company are now ready to continue chasing Capps’ third consecutive world championship, and fourth overall, as the NHRA Camping World Series moves on to Phoenix.
“This last off-season was one of my favorites,” Capps said. “We had an extra month, and as an owner, it gave us a little more time to get everything together. Starting the season off with the Gatornationals was something I think the fans really love, and now I’m super excited to head West and get that string of West Coast races started. Couldn’t be happier with the way we started our season here. Test session went great on Tuesday. We brought out our brand-new 2023 Toyota GR Supra Funny Car body, and everything went according to plan.”
The early-season West Coast swing will begin March 24-26 at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Ariz.
Start / Finish: Qualified No. 1 / Defeated by Alexis DeJoria in the quarterfinals
Points Earned: 62
2023 NHRA Camping World Series Points Standing / Total: No. 6 / 62 pts. (-52)
Next Race: March 24-26, NHRA Arizona Nationals, Chandler, Ariz.
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By NAPA
The first week of March took the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series back to where the 2023 season started: Barberville, Florida. While the annual Bike Week kicked off in nearby Daytona Beach, 23 competitors arrived at Volusia Speedway Park to compete in the Spring Showdown as well as to make up a rained out race from the Dirtcar Nationals three weeks prior.
Brad Sweet, driver of the No. 49
link hidden, please login to view sprint car, was eighth in the qualifying order and hit the charts at 13.930 seconds, placing him seventh overall. That put the Big Cat third to start in Heat Race 1. With a relatively wet track at the green flag of the first heat race, cars quickly spread out and made passing difficult. Sweet finished his heat race where he started in third place.
Placed seventh to start the feature, Sweet and the No. 49 team were looking to advance. At the start, Sweet was shuffled back to ninth when his line was slower on the start. The four-time and defending series champion made every attempts to move forward, but the track was still too fast, and cars were lapping the circuit in a single lane. Battling dirty air from cars ahead, the NAPA No. 49 crossed the checkers in ninth place.
The second portion of Sunday night’s event included the make-up Dash and A-main from the rained-out Saturday night of the Dirtcar Nationals three weeks prior. With a chance to improve the car for the current track conditions, Sweet and the NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 team saw a shot at redemption. Rolling off sixth in the six-lap Dash offered Sweet a six-lap opportunity to earn improve his starting spot in the A-main. From the drop of the green flag, Sweet’s NAPA machine came to life and launched him up to third place. Sweet looked to gain another spot but ran out of time.
With 30 laps to contest in the feature, Sweet was ready to use all 900 horsepower the No. 49 car could offer to make his move to the front. With an ideal setup, Sweet proved quick as the field took off. Running the preferred line, the NAPA driver made several charges to pass the leader. Sweet ultimately crossed the line in second, the podium finish offering redemption for the team’s unremarkable outcome earlier in the evening.
Monday marked the second night of the Spring Showdown and the final night of racing in Florida for the 2023 season. With 23 cars signed into competition, Sweet went out 17th in qualifying and laid down a lap time of 13.668 seconds, good for ninth quickest overall. Starting third in Heat Race 3, Sweet knew he needed to pick up at least one spot to advance to the Fast Pass Dash. When the green flag dropped on his heat race, Sweet launched into second and held the spot, locking him into the Dash.
“We are struggling a little bit, but the Dash gets you those extra laps to get your car a little better,” Sweet said during the Dash draw. “Hopefully we can have a good finish with our NAPA Auto Parts car down here at Volusia. We’ve had a lot of fun, and I’ve been down here quite a bit, so hopefully we can finish strong.”
After drawing the fifth spot to start the Dash, Sweet had six laps to improve his starting spot in the A-main. At the drop of the green, Sweet drove around the outside to claim fourth, holding the spot to the checkered flag.
Sweet focused on making strides toward the front when he rolled off from fourth in the 30-lap A-main. The NAPA driver quickly advanced to third following the drop of the green flag. After a mid-race caution, the No. 49 spun its tires on the restart and fell back to sixth, where the NAPA team ultimately finished.
Sweet and the NAPA Auto Parts team will enjoy some days off before they make their way to Port Royal, Penn., for the next Outlaws event.
Start / Finish:
Sunday, Mar. 5, Spring Showdown: 7 / 9
Sunday, Mar. 5, Dirtcar Nationals make-up: 3 / 2
Monday, Mar. 6, Spring Showdown: 4 / 6
Points Standing / Total: 7th / 666 pts. (-56)
Next Race: Friday, March 10, Port Royal Speedway, Port Royal, Penn.
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By Counterman
You can’t turn a corner these days without seeing a headline about electric vehicles. In recent years, this caused some consternation in the automotive aftermarket, with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles being the bread and butter for this industry. However, new data shows there will continue to be room for – and a need for – products for both incoming electric and ICE vehicles.
According to data from the Joint EV Trends and Outlook Forecast from MEMA and Auto Care Association, while EVs are beginning to penetrate the U.S. car parc, ICE vehicles will maintain the majority share through 2040. By 2030, the average estimate for approximately 30% of new car sales will be electric vehicles, according to PwC, which partnered with the associations on the joint forecast.
That being said, over the past several months, we have seen a significant uptick in industry activation surrounding vehicle electrification, in a variety of ways.
Within the automotive aftermarket, we are beginning to see a mindset shift, moving from skepticism surrounding the idea of EVs into more companies seeing the opportunities available in this rapidly growing space. Take for example longtime diagnostic products provider Autel entering the market this past June with the launch of its new Autel Energy division, which released the MaxiCharger Home and Commercial Level 2 AC chargers, available in 40-amp and 50-amp flexible charging configurations, compatible with all plug-in electric vehicles.
In the automotive repair equipment space, BendPak recently introduced its EV2400SL EV battery pack and powertrain lifting system. This push-around full-rise scissor lift table is designed to make replacing both electric vehicle battery packs and internal combustion powertrain components more efficient, the company said. The patent-pending design offers all the benefits of BendPak’s former SL24EVT lifting system with several user-friendly enhancements.
Just this past month, GM announced plans to invest a total of $20.5 million across three of its Customer Care and Aftersales parts distribution centers in Tennessee and Michigan to modernize warehouse operations as the automaker prepares for industry growth and electric vehicle readiness.
NAPA also saw the need to invest in preparation for the incoming change and this past fall announced its “NexDrivePowered by NAPA” training program in the U.S. to prepare repair shops for the changes electrification brings in the repair segment.
In January, Shell paid a cool $169 million to acquire EV charging company Volta to “unlock long-term growth opportunities in electric vehicle charging,” the company stated.
Bridgestone unveiled at CES this January it’s new Smart Corner solution, a demonstration of the ability to enhance the performance, comfort and efficiency of electric and autonomous vehicles, while maximizing the lifespan of tires and air springs. The solution combines premium Bridgestone tires and Firestone Airide (previously Firestone Industrial Products) air springs that are engineered specifically for electric and autonomous vehicle applications.
Standard Motor Products said it is committed to providing replacement parts for hybrids and EVs and has added new part numbers specifically for hybrids and EVs through its Standard and Four Seasons brands.
Valvoline and ENEOS both have developed automotive fluids specifically for use in Hybrid and Plug-in EVs.
These are just a handful of examples of businesses that have long been involved in the traditional ICE market segment creating opportunities in the EV market, as well.
From a consumer standpoint, the rate adoption of EVs varies from country to country, with cost (be it cost-savings or cost barriers) being one of the top factors.
According to AMN’s sister publication dedicated to EVs, The Buzz, “While internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles still dominate future vehicle purchase intentions, preference for electrified powertrains continues to rise. Overall, the global shift to EVs is occurring at different speeds as individual markets face varying challenges to adoption, including cost and availability of charging infrastructures.”
Citing data from Deloitte’s 2023 Global Automotive Consumer Study, The Buzz noted that “Despite mounting concerns about climate change and reducing emissions, lower fuel expenses are the top reason consumers choose EVs in the U.S., Germany, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Southeast Asia, in an effort to reduce vehicle operating costs.”
In the U.S., intent to purchase hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and all-battery powered electric vehicles (BEV) are each up by 3 percentage points from 2022. Globally, consumer interest in BEVs is highest in China (27%, up 10 points year-over-year).
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By Counterman
Here in Northeast Ohio, we recently experienced a “cold snap.” Temperatures dropped below zero degrees Fahrenheit, with wind chills approaching minus 20 F. Needless to say, most people were caught off-guard by the temperatures, and how long that cold weather stuck around.
It highlighted just how much we’re affected by our climate, and for that matter, our cars and trucks. Drivers lost control on highways and had to be towed out of the ditch along the highway, while others weren’t able to start their engine thanks to a weakened battery. I remember many things from my time behind the parts counter, but none more so than this: With each new season comes a pattern of vehicle repairs or needs. You’ll never sell more wiper blades than on a rainy day, and you’ll sell more batteries when temperatures climb or drop to extreme levels. Today, I want to focus on diesel engines and the challenges they face during the winter months.
Diesel engines typically are associated with larger pickups, thanks in part to their workhorse nature and their abundant torque production. But cold weather is rather harsh on diesel fuel and the fuel system. When temperatures dip, it can form into a gel instead of a liquid. Cold diesel fuel is harder to ignite under compression, which means the engine has to crank longer than usual. In extreme cold, the engine might become difficult to start even when the glow plugs are given the time to do their job.
Diesel fuel has changed quite a bit in recent decades. The United States has mandated the use of ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel in an effort to improve air quality. But this also has brought about some chemical changes in the refining process, and with it, some new challenges to overcome. Those chemical changes have caused an increase in paraffin inside the fuel, which can lead to a buildup of wax particles. Those wax particles can form larger crystals that can clog up fuel lines, filters and so on.
Condensation inside the fuel also is a concern. Condensation is a major contributor to rust, cold-weather icing and microorganism growth in warmer weather. Diesel engines can operate much better when corrosion and bacteria growth are prevented.
The Solution: Fuel Additives
Additives aren’t new. In fact, they’re present inside each and every container of oil you carry in your store. When it comes to diesel-fuel additives, they have a simple job to do: Help the diesel fuel to resist the effects of the cold weather. Fuel treatments help to reduce fuel gelling by encapsulating and dispersing those waxy crystals as they’re formed. When done right, this can prevent them from growing large enough to clog any of the components in the fuel system. The fuel is then able to flow more easily through the fuel filters and lines and into the combustion chamber where it can be burned.
Some fuel treatments will contain some or all of the following additives. Lubricity additives help to protect diesel-fuel systems from internal wear. Lubricity additives help the fuel to form a boundary layer of lubrication between the metallic parts inside the fuel system. This film helps to reduce friction between the metal surfaces, and the wear and tear on them. This can extend the life of those components and reduce downtime in the future. Cetane boosters increase the flammability of the diesel fuel, and this allows for a cleaner-burning diesel engine.
What Should You Tell Your Customers?
To most customers, fuel treatments can be thought of as just another routine maintenance item. Most fuel treatments will need to be poured into the fuel tank at each fill-up, but it’s best practice to always reference the usage guidelines from the manufacturer.
If you need help to overcome a cost objection, I wouldn’t suggest trying to scare them with the cost of potential breakdowns or repairs down the road. In my eyes, fuel treatments are simply a “peace-of-mind” sort of sale. Their job is simple, and their objectives are clear. So, if we place ourselves into the customer’s shoes, the benefit they have to offer is the peace of mind that their diesel engine will continue to operate without issue throughout the colder winter months. While it’s true that they can reduce the risk of costly repairs or breakdowns later on, I wouldn’t lead with that thought.
The need for diesel-fuel treatment products will definitely spike as the temperatures start to dip. So, I would invite you to take a few moments to read the labels on the products you carry in your store, and familiarize yourself with what separates one from the next. Then, you’ll be ready to help your customers find the right product for their diesel-powered vehicle.
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