JUSTIN ASHLEY WINS WINTERNATIONALS

[image: JAR Logo Blue.jpg]


*JUSTIN ASHLEY WINS WINTERNATIONALS*



POMONA, CA (February 20, 2022) --- For the second consecutive NHRA
Winternationals Justin Ashley raced his way to the final round and today
the young driver from Plainview, New York, drove all the way to the
winner’s circle. His Phillips Connect <https://www.phillips-connect.com/>
Toyota Top Fuel dragster powered by Vita C Shot
<http://www.markonehealth.com/> turned on four wins lights on the way to
victory at the 62nd annual NHRA Lucas Oil Winternationals. In the first
round Ashley defeated Jim Maroney, then took on Toyota Gazoo Racing North
America teammates Antron Brown and Steve Torrence in consecutive rounds
before outrunning 2019 Rookie of the Year Austin Prock in the final.
*[image: winners circle.jpg]*
*Justin Ashley Phillips Connect winner's circle, photo by Ron Lewis*

“We wanted to focus on our sixty-foot times and our early numbers. Our
numbers in Phoenix were really good and it was up to us to make sure it
translated to Pomona and the rest of the year,�?? said Ashley. “We are off to
a good start. Those runs from testing were integral to our success today
and this dragster was really like a bracket car all day. From a driver’s
perspective when you have good early numbers and make runs like we did
today that gives me as a driver a lot of confidence.�??



“The better the car is running, of course you feel more pressure to perform
as the driver. For me I always put pressure on myself to perform for my
team. Our Davis Motorsports team and (crew chief) Mike Green do such an
outstanding job. It is up to me to be the best driver I can be.�??


*[image: _RXL5197.jpg]*
*Winternationals final round, Ashley def. Austin Prock, photo by Ron Lewis*


Over the course of the three-day event Ashley’s Phillips Connect Toyota Top
Fuel dragster was a model of performance consistency posting seven
consecutive flawless passes down the newly resurfaced Auto Club Raceway at
Pomona. On race day his winning elapsed times were 3.699, 3.692, 3.702 and
3.694 seconds, respectively. With the backing of new primary sponsor
Phillips Connect and Vita C Shot along with returning sponsors Auto Shocker
<https://www.autoshocker.com/>, KATO Fastening Systems
<https://katofastening.com/katohome.html> and GuardLab
<https://guardlab.com/> Ashley is poised to be a dominant player on the
NHRA scene in 2022.



“We knew coming into today and this season that Top Fuel was going to be
tough,�?? said Ashley from the Auto Club Raceway media center. “You saw that
starting today when races were separated by a few thousandths of a second.
We really had no lay-ups, and I don’t think you will have any lay-ups this
season. To be able to beat guys like Maroney, Brown, Torrence, the
four-time champion and Prock just solidified what we wanted to get done
over the off-season. We were trying to work on picking up more power. Today
you could see the progress we made.�??



In the first round Ashley got his day off to a strong start with a
resounding victory Maroney. This was the first time Ashley and Maroney have
squared off in eliminations. The Direct Connect Top Fuel dragster powered
by Vita C Spot got the jump off the starting line with a .055 reaction time
and a winning time of 3.699 second at 330.39 mph in front of Maroney’s
4.056 seconds at 234.09 mph.



“I have been communicating with Chip Lofton from Vita C Shot all day and
this is a big win. He gave us a shot at the beginning of my career and I am
very thankful. Having Phillips Connect onboard along with Toyota was a big
help this weekend and we want to keep proving ourselves to all our
sponsors,�?? said Ashley.


*[image: _RXL4276.jpg]*
*Phillips Connect Vita C Shot Toyota dragster, photo by Ron Lewis*


The second round saw Ashley face his technical alliance partner Brown in a
battle between two team owners, Toyota teammates and friends. Throughout
Ashley’s young career Brown has been a consistent sounding board and now
that the pair have begun officially working together, they are becoming an
even stronger force.



When the Christmas Tree flashed Ashley and Brown left at the same time
posting .053 reaction times. Racing down the track Ashley and his Mike
Green and Tommy DeLago Phillips Connect Top Fuel dragster began to pull
away and got to the finish line first with a winning time of 3.692 seconds
at 333.33 mph. Ashley’s winning time was the quickest run of the session
and gave him lane choice in the semifinals over four-time world champion
Steve Torrence. The win also evened Ashley's career record against the
three-time champion at 3-3.



Ashley was 1-4 against Torrence in semifinal races over his career but his
performance numbers throughout the weekend gave the 2020 NHRA Rookie of the
Year confidence going into the race. Ashley got the jump on the starting
line and never trailed in the drag race. He hit the finish line in 3.702
seconds at 329.42 mph against Torrence’s 3.731 second run at 326.00 mph. It
was a close race between the two Toyota back Top Fuel dragsters and set up
a showdown between the 2019 and 2020 Rookies of the Year.



In a final round that was the capstone race on an amazing weekend of NHRA
drag racing action Ashley and Prock showed the future for the sport is
loaded with young talent. Each driver was nearly psychic off the line with
Prock’s .049 reaction time nearly equaled by Ashley’s .050. Both dragsters
powered down the track hitting on all eight cylinders, but Ashley’s Toyota
dragster was out in front and took the win 3.694 to 3.713 seconds. It was
Ashley's third career Top Fuel victory and his first “major�?? win at one of
the NHRA’s signature national events.



“Winning is great but when you can put on a good show for the fans that is
even better. It started for us in qualifying when Mike Salinas and our team
both went 3.67 seconds. All the close racing today was really a win for the
fans. I was happy to see the attendance this weekend, especially yesterday
and today. The NHRA community is very strong,�?? added Ashley.



Ashley will leave the Winternationals as the Top Fuel points leader and
will be back on track at the NHRA Arizona Nationals in five days.



*Qualifying Results*

Q1: 3.676 sec, 331.45 mph; Qual. 1

Q2: 3.741 sec, 329.26 mph; Qual. 1

Q3: 3.699 sec, 328.78 mph; Qual. 2

Bonus Points: +7 (Quickest of Q1, 2nd quickest Q2 and Q3)



*Race Results*

E1:  *Justin Ashley, Plainview, NY, Phillips Connect Vita C Shot dragster,
3.699, 330.39 mph* def. Jim Maroney, Mesa, Arizona, 4.056, 234.09 mph



E2:  *Justin Ashley, Plainview, NY, Phillips Connect Vita C Shot dragster,
3.692, 333.33 mph* def. Antron Brown, Brownsburg, IN, Matco dragster,
3.742, 326.00 mph



E3:  *Justin Ashley, Plainview, NY, Phillips Connect Vita C Shot dragster,
3.702, 329.42 mph* def. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco dragster,
3.731, 326.00 mph



E4: *Justin Ashley, Plainview, NY, Phillips Connect Vita C Shot dragster,
3.694, 314.53 mph* def. Austin Prock, Avon, IN, Montana Brand dragster,
3.713, 333.00 mph



*Camping World Drag Racing Series Top Ten - Top Fuel*



*1.       Justin Ashley                         124*

2.       Austin Prock                          96

3.       Brittany Force                       82

4.       Steve Torrence                      74

5.       Mike Salinas                          61

6.       Antron Brown                       53

7.       Tony Schumacher                 52

7.       Josh Hart                               52

9.       Doug Kalitta                          34

10.     Shawn Langdon                    33

10.     Leah Pruett                           33


*About Justin Ashley Racing*
Justin Ashley Racing in partnership with Davis Motorsports fields the
Phillips Connect Top Fuel dragster powered by Vita C Shot in the NHRA
Camping World Drag Racing Series. In 2021 Ashley raced to three final
rounds with a win at the Texas Fall Nationals in Dallas and ultimately
finished No. 4 in the Top Fuel standings. During his Top Fuel rookie season
in 2020 Justin won the NHRA Summernationals, finished in the Top Ten and
was recognized as the 2020 NHRA Rookie of the Year.  Prior to his
professional debut Ashley has three wins in Top Alcohol Dragster on the
Lucas Oil Series. He is the son of multi-time NHRA national event winner
Mike Ashley. In 2017, he was named to the Drag Illustrated magazine’s 30
under 30 list, highlighting some of racing’s most promising young
individuals on and off the racetrack. To learn more about Justin Ashley
Racing, visit JustinAshley.com <https://justinashley.com/>.


*Elon Werner*
Founder

M: 214-244-1184
E: elon@elonwerner.com
Twitter: @elonwer