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Maynard Ashley Racing Driver Justin Ashley Wins Second Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge
JOLIET, Ill. (May 20, 2023) --- During the final day of qualifying for the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals, the newly-announced Maynard Ashley Racing Justin Ashley and the Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster team took another win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, outrunning Antron Brown and Austin Prock in rematch races with his Winternationals foes. For his efforts, Ashley collected another $10,000 payday and equally as important as the cash was an additional three Camping World championship points.
Ashley will head into race day as the No. 4 qualifier and a first round race with Jacob McNeal. For Ashley and the Phillips Connect Toyota team making two quality runs set them up hopefully for another successful race day. The last time Ashley took the Mission Foods Challenge win, the 2020 NHRA Rookie of the Year won his second consecutive Winternationals the next day.
“We did a good job of running well and setting the tone for ourselves going into tomorrow,” said Ashley, a seven-time Top Fuel national event winner. “Tomorrow's a new day, but today and everyday I am proud to be able to represent our Phillips Connect Toyota racing team. In round one you always get those butterflies and I had them in Q2 today. It helps from a driver's perspective to experience that before Sunday.”
The win was a perfect conclusion to a big news day for Ashley and his team. Between rounds Ashley announced the creation of Maynard Ashley Racing, a new union between his racing operation and JCM Racing.
“I feel very blessed to be in the position that we're in now, to be able to announce today the formation of our new partnership, Maynard Ashley Racing,” said Ashley. “We are so appreciative of the Maynard family, Jim Epler “Mr. 300” and Dustin Davis. This new team shows growth, it shows strength, it shows stability, and we want to be out here doing this for a very long time because this is what we love to do and it's a business on and off the racetrack and that's where our focus is.”
About JCM Racing:
Established in 2022, JCM Racing is a multi-car NHRA team owned by Joe and Cathi Maynard, along with their partners Eric and Kim Lehman, all of Clarksville, Tenn.Headliners for the JCM Racing team are the SCAG Power Equipment Top Fuel dragster driven by Tony Schumacher, the SCAG Power Equipment/Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang Funny Car piloted by Tim Wilkerson, and the Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster campaigned by Justin Ashley. As an eight-time world champion and 86-time event winner, Schumacher is the most decorated Top Fuel driver in the history of the sport. Wilkerson is a 22-time Funny Car winner and an industry anomaly as he serves as both the driver and tuner of his 11,000-horsepower machine. While still considered a newcomer to the Camping World Series, Ashley, the 2020 Rookie of the Year recipient, has already earned a reputation as one of the best 'leavers' in the Top Fuel category. NHRA Hall of Famer Don Schumacher, father of Tony Schumacher, is a minority owner of the SCAG dragster, while Tim Wilkerson Racing (TWR) co-owns the SCAG/LRS Mustang with JCM Racing. The Maynard Ashley Racing (MAR) operation is co-owned by JCM Racing and Max Out Motorsports.
JCM Racing also operates a driver development program, which currently lends support to three entries in NHRA’s Sportsman categories. Wyatt Wagner competes in Super Stock, Kayleigh Hill is a Super Comp racer, and Waylon Bennett tears it up in the Jr. Drag Racing League. Through the driver development program, JCM offers young talent the opportunity to hone in and perfect their driving skills as they work toward a career competing in NHRA’s professional ranks.
For more information, visit @jcmnitro on Twitter and Instagram, @JCMNitro on Facebook, and JCMNitro.com.
