Category: Other Series PR

LEXINGTON, N.C. (February 12, 2013) — Fourth-generation racer Trey Hutchens is set to tackle the inaugural UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona International Speedway on Monday, February 18 behind the wheel of the No. 15 Trey Hutchens Racing entry.

Hutchens, currently preparing for his sophomore season in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (NWAAS), will attempt to qualify for the series’ non-points event on the 0.4-mile short-track on the backstretch at Daytona.

The race, scheduled to be broadcast live on SPEED at 7 p.m. ET, is part of a two-day NASCAR Home Tracks exhibition at the legendary venue that also features the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series.

The high school freshman, who scored a fourth-place points finish and collected Rookie-of-the-Year honors in the American Speed Association Limited Late Model Series at Ace Speedway (Altamahaw, N.C.) in 2012, says he is ready for next week’s challenge.

“It’s still a bit surreal that I’m headed to Daytona during Speedweeks as something more than a spectator,” said Hutchens, son of JTG Daugherty Racing competition director, Bobby Hutchens.  “I’ve been to a few Daytona 500s with my father, but I never dreamed I’d have a chance to compete there the same week as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars.  This race has been circled on my calendar for quite some time and my team has put a tremendous amount of work into it.  I guess you could say I’ve been waiting for this week my entire life.”

The 14-year-old is sponsored by Kroger, Herr’s Potato Chips, Kingsford and Technique Engineering Chassis Components for the UNOH Battle at the Beach with an Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR) Engines motor under the hood.

The A-honor roll student notched seven top-five and 14 top-10 finishes in 18 starts in last season’s ASA Limited Late Model Series at Ace Speedway. His immediate goals are to continue competing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series in a Late Model at Motor Mile Speedway (Radford, Va.) and Southern National Motorsports Park (Lucama, N.C.), and to complement that experience with a handful of NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races this year once he meets the mandated minimum age requirement of 15 years old in May.

Daytona Beach, FL (Febuary 12, 2013) – The 2012 season proved to be yet another successful year for Venturini Motorsports (VMS). Three wins, four poles, an unprecedented 38 Top-10 finishes along with ARCA’s Super Speedway Challenge title, further proved VMS’s strength in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

A mid-December test at Daytona International Speedway, hinted that the racing world would see the continuance of that dominance come the 2013 season. VMS topped the leader board throughout the three day test. John Wes Townley, current ARCA and NASCAR driver, posted the fastest speed of 181.452 MPH.

The drivers may have changed for 2013, but the team remains the same.

With this pre-season power, Venturini will field four cars for this year’s 50th running of the season opener in Daytona, the Lucas Oil 200 presented by MAVTV American Reel. 2013 marks the 31st consecutive year VMS has competed in the ARCA season opener at Daytona International Speedway. VMS’s Daytona driver lineup includes, Justin Boston (No.25), Milka Duno (No.35), John Wes Townley (No.15) and Darrell Wallace Jr. (No.55).

Rookie Justin Boston, one of two full-time drivers for VMS, will pilot the No.25 Zloop Computer & Electronic Recycling Toyota.

Justin Boston joins Venturini Motorsports from the world of late models. After competing in the UARA-STARS and REV-OIL Pro Cup Series’ (Formerly Hooters Pro Cup Series) under the Turner Motorsports banner the last few years, Boston is ready to embark on his first full-season campaign with VMS. Boston’s ARCA pre-season test at Daytona was promising as the rookie driver quickly found the top of the leader board, trading positions with his VMS teammates and finishing with the second fastest lap time of the weekend.

The 23 year old from Mooresville, North Carolina is anxious and excited about kicking off his inaugural ARCA stock car season at the world center of speed this weekend. Keith Hinkein will lead and serve as Boston’s crew chief. Follow Justin Boston on twitter @JustinMBoston.

Milka Duno, the second full-time driver in 2013 for VMS, will drive the No.35 CANTV / Milka Way Toyota. Veteran crew chief Kevin Caldwell will be overseeing the team’s efforts. This will be Milka’s fourth consecutive Daytona start and first with Venturini Motorsports.

Milka, a native of Caracas, Venezuela, has attained international notoriety both on and off track. Widely noted for becoming the first-ever Latina driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500, her on-track achievements also include eight wins between the American Le Mans Series and Rolex Series. Milka also holds the record of highest finishing female in the annual Rolex 24 in Daytona. Off track, she is known for spear-heading “Milka Way;” an international program which strives to promote academic excellence among young students. Follow Milka Duno on Twitter @MilkaDuno.

John Wes Townley will reunite with VMS at Daytona and run the No.15 Zaxby’s Toyota under team crew chief, Kevin Reed. John Wes earned a career best third place finish with VMS at Daytona in 2010. This will be John Wes’ fourth Daytona start in the ARCA Series. Townley earned a career best third place finish with VMS at Daytona in 2010. Topping the speed charts during ARCA’s offseason testing session at Daytona, Townley has set the tone for another strong performance Saturday afternoon.

In addition to signing with Red Horse Racing to run a full 2013 NASCAR Camping World Series campaign, Townley will also pilot VMS’s No.25 Zaxby’s Toyota entry in a limited NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) schedule. VMS will make their team debut in NNS on March 16th at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Darrell Wallace Jr., commonly known as “Bubba,” will be making his ARCA/Daytona debut behind the wheel of VMS’s No.55 Toyota Manufacturing entry. Wallace, whose name has been reverberating throughout the NASCAR world, is a development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR).

He participated in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program and has run successful, consecutive years in the K&N Pro Series. In his 36 starts, he won six times and finished in the Top-10 sixteen times. Wallace won Rookie of the Year honors in the K&N Pro Series in 2010. Last season, Wallace also competed in four NASCAR Nationwide Series races; in which he captured three Top-10s. Wallace also announced late last week he will be running the No. 54 Toyota for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series. Next weekend Wallace will be in the No. 55 for Venturini Motorsports with NASCAR veteran crew chief Dan Deeringhoff in control. Follow Darrell Wallace on Twitter: @BubbaWallace.

The entire fleet of VMS race cars will carry associate sponsorship from national recording artists, The TRUTH band, Mudd Advertising, featuring TheADMANBook.com, Susie’s Hope, and Everfi, the critical skills company.

The V-team will arrive in Daytona early this week. Practice will be held on Thursday, February 14th from 1pm-5pm, EST. Qualifying takes place on Friday, February 15th at 2pm and the Lucas Oil 200 presented by MAVTV American Reel, on Saturday, February 16th at 4:30pm. Live timing and scoring will be available on arcaracing.com and the main event will be televised, starting at 4pm, on SPEED Channel.

About Venturini Motorsports
Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars for over 30 years in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. With multiple team championships and consistent on-track success, VMS has evolved into one of the most recognizable names in motorsports. Since 2007, VMS has assisted in the career development of notable NASCAR drivers such as Joey Logano, Justin Allgaier, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Brian Scott, Kevin Swindell, Miguel Paludo, John Wes Townley, Alex Bowman, and Ryan Reed. In 2012, VMS was inducted into the National Italian Sports Hall of Fame, and 2013 will highlight the team’s debut in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

About the TRUTH Band
National Recording Artists, THE TRUTH BAND, formed in Pittsburgh, PA by lead vocalist and guitarist Paul Benson, brings a driving rock and roll sound back to the forefront from the days when bands rocked arenas. This eclectic group of musicians’ debut album, “Can’t Let Go”, was produced by Kid Rock’s Kenny Olson and features original songs written by the band and co-writers Jeff Thurston and legendary, number one song writer Bernie Nelson. Founder, Paul Benson has had a passion and uncanny musical ability from a very young age. Both Paul, a veteran performer of the big stage, and drummer Josh Gerba, a road warrior, have performed hundreds of live shows with various bands. Shayne MacLaughlin brings the distinct guitar sound Paul has been searching for. Beautiful and multi-talented vocalist Ayesha Scott, who joined Paul after several guest appearances on his live shows, has been collaborating on music and lyrics ever since, gelling their musical styles together to form the sound of The Truth. The band will be touring this summer with the ARCA Racing Series, serving as the official ‘Music Partner” of Venturini Motorsports and has a full fall college tour scheduled.

About EverFi
EverFi is the leading education technology company focused on teaching, assessing, badging, and certifying students in critical skills. We combine cutting-edge personalized technology, deep education research and data, and a dedicated implementation team that allows each teacher to feel as though they have a blended learning assistant in their classroom. Most importantly, EverFi partners with the private sector and foundations that sponsor this innovation across the country. EverFi is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Boston, San Francisco, and Chicago. We also have team members in Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. www.everfi.com

About Susie’s Hope
The mission of Susie’s Hope™ is to help end the epidemic of animal abuse that has spread throughout our nation by creating awareness of the problem and providing education about its solution. Susie and Donna Lawrence have embarked on a personal journey to educate people of all ages about animal abuse and the proper way to care for their pets. They visit schools, churches, special needs community groups, pet adoption fairs and fund raisers, and other organizations that offer information and inspiration to the public. Susie’s Hope, the movie, will premier in early 2013 at selected theatres across America. An extraordinary story based on true events, Susie’s Hope follows a family who triumphs over tragedy and changes lives in their community. A survivor of a horrific pit bull attack, Donna Lawrence, adopts a pit bull-mix puppy, Susie, who has been beaten, set on fire and left for dead. Together, they learn to heal, love and forgive as they lead a historic effort to seek justice and protection for all animals. www.SusiesHope.com

About Mudd Adverting
Mudd Advertising is a leader in direct marketing, audio-visual production, media, digital marketing and point of sale advertising. Headquartered in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the Mudd campus features a 3,000 square foot state-of-the-art production studio. Mudd partners with over 3,000 clients across the nation and is highly regarded for its results-driven advertising in the automotive, academic, agriculture and entertainment industries. Mudd has been helping clients succeed since 1981. www.Mudd.com

Official: www.VenturiniMotorsports.com  |  Twitter: @VenturiniMotor  |  Facebook: Venturini Motorsports

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2013) – A talented young winner in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series has been paired with a two-time Canadian champion, as Bill McAnally Racing brings a two-car effort to the UNOH Battle At The Beach at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 18 and 19.

Nineteen-year-old Sergio Peña – who was recently announced as the driver of BMR’s No. 16 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West for 2013 – will team with D.J. Kennington, who last year collected a second title to go with the 2010 championship he won in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1. Kennington of St. Thomas, Ontario, will pilot BMR’s No. 28 Castrol Toyota at Daytona.

Peña of Winchester, Va., and Kennington will participate in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series portion of the inaugural event at “The World Center of Racing” that will also include a combination race for the two NASCAR Whelen Modified tours and a late model competition for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. The event will be contested on a .4-mile oval on the backstretch at DIS.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to compete in this exciting new event,” said BMR President Bill McAnally. “We anticipate it will attract the best caliber teams in NASCAR regional touring and we are glad to be a part of it. We want to thank all of our sponsors who made this possible – NAPA Auto Parts, Toyota, NAPA Filters, NGK and Castrol.”

While Kennington earned a guaranteed starting position in one of the three races by virtue of winning the Canadian championship, Peña will need to race his way in through one of the heat races.

The event will provide Kennington a new Daytona International Speedway experience – one that he feels suits his skillset. As a result of being situated on the backstretch at DIS, the short track virtually will be flat, and that suits Kennington just fine.

“I love flat race tracks,” he said. “I really don’t know why. I’ve had some success, maybe that’s why.”

Beyond some inherently flat road-course venues, the Canadian Tire Series competes at Autodrome St. Eustache (Quebec), a .4-mile flat oval north of Montreal, at which Kennington has a win and two runner-up finishes in four Canadian Tire Series starts.

The primary difference between the Daytona short track and St. Eustache is the radius of the turns. The Quebec track is egg-like in shape while the UNOH Battle At The Beach circuit is more of a paperclip in shape.

“The turns, I suppose, will be very different,” stated Kennington. “Getting the car to rotate through the turns will be pretty similar on a flat surface, I think.”

Traveling to Daytona is nothing new to the veteran Kennington, who made three NASCAR Nationwide Series starts on the legendary 2.5-mile tri-oval. However, the thrill of competing during Speedweeks to kick off the 2013 season is not lost on him.

“Anytime you race in Daytona it’s a big deal,” he said. “The history there is enough to knock you over. Whoever can say they won a race in Daytona has done something.”

The K&N Pro Series cars are quite different from the Canadian Tire Series machines, but Kennington has quite a bit of experience in them. Including a second-place finish in the 2011 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, he has four career K&N Pro Series starts. He also has 48 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts to his credit which, at the time, used equipment very similar to what is currently employed in the K&N Pro Series.

Peña joined BMR last month following three successful seasons competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He has been a member of NASCAR’s Next9 program since 2011, a season in which he scored three wins. Additional, he has been named by FoxSports.com as one of the NASCAR drivers 25 and under to watch in 2013.

 

Peña’s first race with his new team will be in the UNOH Battle At The Beach.

 

“I’m super excited,” he said. “I guess I’m kind of impatient to get the season started just because I’m so anxious to get to know all the guys on the team. The more races we run, the better.”

 

Like other drivers, Peña is somewhat in awe of racing at Daytona for his first time.

 

“It gives me chills just thinking about it,” he said. “I know we won’t be running on the big track, but just to be able to be racing in a NASCAR race at Daytona – it doesn’t get any cooler than that. It’s so awesome.

 

“Just to think about it, a couple of years ago I was running formula cars on road courses,” he said. “Who would have thought I would be going to NASCAR? And now I’m going to be racing a NASCAR K&N Pro Series car at Daytona. I can’t believe it. I’m so excited.”

 

Peña knows, however, how tough the competition will be in Daytona, with drivers from the K&N Pro Series East and K&N Pro Series West.

 

“The series is tough,” he said. “It’s a developmental series, but there’s nothing easy about it. I think the Battle At The Beach will foreshadow the year and see how people are going to perform.”

The event marks a new chapter for Peña, meanwhile, as he moves to the West Coast.

“I’m going to miss everybody back East,” he said. “I’ve built such a great relationship with so many people the past three years racing out there. But I couldn’t be more excited about going to the West. There’s going to be more people to meet and new tracks to learn. It’s going to be pretty much a fresh start for me.”

The UNOH Battle At The Beach will feature qualifying races for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Models and a 150-lap feature on Feb. 18, while the racing on Feb. 19 will include a similar schedule of qualifying races and 150-lap races for both the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tours and K&N Pro Series.

EVENT: UNOH Battle At The Beach

PLACE: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway

DATE: Monday-Tuesday, Feb. 18-19

TIME: Mon., Feb. 18: 7:15 p.m. ET (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series); Tues., Feb. 19: 7:15 p.m. (NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), 8:30 p.m. (NASCAR K&N Pro Series)

TV SCHEDULE: SPEED, 7 p.m., Feb. 18-19; NASCARHomeTracks.com internet video stream, 9 a.m. on Mon., Feb. 18 and 10:45 a.m. on Tues., Feb. 19

RADIO SCHEDULE: MRN, 7 p.m., Feb. 18-19 with simulcast on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and at motorracingnetwork.com

TRACK LAYOUT: .4-mile oval

2012 WINNER: Inaugural event

2012 POLESITTER: Inaugural event

EVENT SCHEDULE: Mon., Feb. 18: 9-11 a.m. NWAAS practice; 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. NWAAS final practice; 12:40-2:05 p.m. NKNPS practice; 2:15-3:40 p.m. NWMT practice; 2:30 p.m. NWAAS autograph session; 4 p.m. NWAAS qualifying races; 6:50 p.m. NWAAS driver introductions; Tues., Feb. 19: 10:45-11:30 a.m. NWMT practice; 11:35 a.m.-12:20 p.m. NWMT final practice; 12:30-1:15 p.m. NKNPS practice; 1:25-2:10 p.m. NKNPS final practice; 1:30 p.m. NWMT autograph session; 2:20 p.m. NKNPS autograph session; 3 p.m. NWMT qualifying races; 4 p.m. NKNPS qualifying races; 6:35 p.m. NWMT/NKNPS driver introductions. CLICK HERE TO VIEW COMPLETE SCHEDULE

TRACK CONTACT: Lenny Santiago (lsantiago@daytonainternationalspeedway.com) or Andrew Booth (abooth@daytonainternationalspeedway.com); (386) 947-6782

TWITTER: @DISupdates

EVENT TWITTER HASHTAG: #NASCARBattle

NASCAR IMC CONTACT: Jason Christley, (386) 310-6094 or jchristley@nascar.com

Please contact Jason Christley if photos or graphics are needed for the UNOH Battle Of The Beach

FAST FACTS

The Race: This is the inaugural UNOH Battle Of The Beach event.

The Procedure: The starting field for each of the three races is 34 cars and each race is 150 laps covering 60 miles.

• The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Models will have four 25-lap/25-minute qualifying heat races for which the lineups are determined by fastest lap in final practice. The four fastest drivers in final practice will start from the first position in the respective four qualifying races. The first 28 starting positions for the feature race will be determined by the highest finishers in the four qualifying races and those having ‘Protected’ status. The four qualifying race winners will participate in a random draw to determine the first four starting positions. Positions fifth through 28th will be assigned by the finishing order in the four qualifying races with the second-place driver in the first qualifying race getting the fifth starting position and so on. Entered drivers with ‘Protected’ positions in this race are the top-10 finishers in the 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship point standings that include: C.E. Falk III, Nate Monteith, Deac McCaskill and Adam Royle. The remaining six positions for who did not qualify in the top 28 will be determined by a 25-lap/25-minute last chance race.
• The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will have two 25-lap/25-minute qualifying heat races for which the lineups are determined by fastest lap in final practice. The two fastest drivers in final practice will start from the first position in the respective qualifying races. The first 28 starting positions for the feature race will be determined by the highest finishers in the four qualifying races and those having ‘Protected’ status. The two qualifying race winners will participate in a coin toss to determine which is awarded the pole position and which qualifying race finishers will start from the inside and outside rows. Entered drivers with ‘Protected’ positions in this race are the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion (Doug Coby) along with eligible 2012 race winners from each of the two tours which includes: Danny Bohn, Justin Bonsignore, Donny Lia, Jason Myers, Ryan Preece, Bobby Santos, Ron Silk, Mike Stefanik, Andy Seuss and Brandon Ward.
• The NASCAR K&N Pro Series will have two 25-lap/25-minute qualifying heat races for which the lineups are determined by fastest lap in final practice. The two fastest drivers in final practice will start from the first position in the respective qualifying races. The first 28 starting positions for the feature race will be determined by the highest finishers in the four qualifying races and those having ‘Protected’ status. The two qualifying race winners will participate in a coin toss to determine which is awarded the pole position and which qualifying race finishers will start from the inside and outside rows. Entered drivers with ‘Protected’ positions in this race are the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion (Kyle Larson), NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion (Dylan Kwasniewski), NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 champion (D.J. Kennington), NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series champion (Jorge Goeters) and Euro-Racecar NASCAR Touring Series champion (Ander Vilarino) along with eligible 2012 race winners from each of the two series which includes: Cale Conley, Corey LaJoie, David Mayhew, Greg Pursley, Tyler Reddick, Michael Self and Derek Thorn.

 

The Track: The .4-mile short-track oval is situated on the backstretch of the 2.5-mile tri-oval at Daytona International Speedway. This newest addition to the menu at “The World Center of Racing” was made possible following the 2010 resurfacing project. The track is virtually flat and has a paperclip-like shape.

 

The Records: The 2013 UNOH Battle At The Beach is a first-time event.

 

DAYTONA RACE NOTES:

Speedweeks Features All Levels of NASCAR:  With the addition of the UNOH Battle At The Beach, the 2013 Speedweeks racing card at Daytona International Speedway now features all levels of the NASCAR ladder system. In addition to NASCAR’s top three national series that have traditionally raced at Daytona, the grassroots levels of the sport are now represented as well with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series weekly program and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tours at the regional touring level. NASCAR’s Grand-Am Road Racing series also competed at Daytona in January to open the 2013 racing season.

 

International Champions:  All three of NASCAR’s international series are slated to descend upon the “World Center of Racing” for the UNOH Battle At The Beach. Jorge Goeters will represent the NASCAR Toyota Series as the champion from Mexico while D.J. Kennington will head to Daytona as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 titlist and Ander Vilarino will get his first shot to race in the United States as the champion from the Euro Racecar NASCAR Touring Series. All three secured locked-in starting positions by virtue of their series crowns and will compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series race at the Daytona short track.

 

Full Agenda for Larson:  Reigning NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Champion Kyle Larson will have a full plate of racing during 2013 Speedweeks, and for a driver that competed in more than 120 events in 2012, it should be business as usual. Larson will attempt to run all three UNOH Battle At The Beach races, the ARCA contest, and will attempt his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut – all in a span of eight days. For the UNOH Battle At The Beach, he’ll have one final ride with the Rev Racing team he drove to a title in the K&N Pro Series race – for which he has a locked-in starting position – and will drive Kevin “Bono” Manion’s No. 7 Chevrolet in the Whelen Modified Tour event. His Daytona short track experience will also include an attempt to make the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model feature.

Mod Drivers Plan To Double-Dip:  The World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at nearby New Smyrna Speedway has long been an attraction for NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tour teams to travel south during the winter offseason. This year, with the addition of the UNOH Battle At The Beach in Daytona, the two events are benefiting from each other. Of the 33 current entries for the Whelen Modified race at Daytona, 15 have so far declared that they plan to run one or more of the nine nights of racing at New Smyrna.  New Smyrna recently joined the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program and the World Series will be NASCAR-sanctioned racing.

 

Getting Some Experience:  Of the 30 NASCAR K&N Pro Series entrants for the UNOH Battle At The Beach, only half competed in the series in 2012 with the team they will head to Daytona with. Among the other 15, three are newcomers who plan to run the series in the coming season, four are with different teams and eight are just making a spot appearance for this special event.

 

#NASCARBattle Social Media Events

Fans will have multiple opportunities to meet UNOH Battle At The Beach (#NASCARBattle) competitors and participate in exclusive experiences by staying informed of the event via social media. Select NASCAR Home Tracks drivers will participate in a fan Tweet-Up at the Sprint Fan Deck on Saturday, Feb. 16, during the 2 p.m. hour. Stay tuned in to all of the event activities with NASCAR Home Tracks social media outlets: @NASCARHomeTrack on Twitter and www.facebook.com/NASCARHomeTracks.

 

NEXT TIME OUT:

NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series: The NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series will also launch its 2013 championship season at Phoenix International Raceway on March 1 as part of the NASCAR weekend at PIR. The event will mark the first time for the series to compete at a U.S. facility.

 

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West: The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West will kick off its championship season on March 2 at Phoenix International Raceway with the Talking Stick Resort 60, as part of the big NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend in the Valley of the Sun. David Mayhew led flag-to-flag in winning the season opener at Phoenix a year ago.

 

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East: The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East gets its championship campaign underway at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on March 16, the first event on a 15-race schedule for 2013. Nelson Piquet Jr., won last year’s season opener at Bristol from the pole.

 

NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour: The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour begins its championship season Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C., on March 16. George Brunnhoelzl III led flag-to-flag in winning last year’s season opener at Caraway and beginning his successful march toward a third tour championship.

Euro Racecar NASCAR Touring Series: The Euro Racecar NASCAR Touring Series opens the 2013 season at Circuit Paul Armagnac in Nogaro, France on March 31. Ander Vilarino, who went on to win the series championship, won last year’s event from the pole in the inaugural season for the series under the NASCAR banner.

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour: The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will kick off its championship season with the traditional Icebreaker at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway on April 14. Ron Silk led 22 laps en route to taking the victory in last year’s season opener at Thompson.

 

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1: The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 has its season-opening event on May 19 on the road course at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Last season J.R. Fitzpatrick took the checkered flag in the event with eventual series champion D.J. Kennington finishing as the runner-up.

 

Concord, NC (Febuary 11, 2013) – Darrell Wallace Jr. has teamed up with Venturini Motorsports (VMS) to compete in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards series’ season opener next weekend atDaytona International Speedway.

Wallace, a development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and a former participant in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program, will make his first Daytona start behind the wheel of VMS’s No.55 Toyota entry.

“We’re proud to once again be featuring another Gibbs’ development driver in our program. Darrell is one of those natural talents who possess skills far beyond his young age. He’s already proved he can race with the best of them. We’re expecting him to hit the track running and compete for a win at Daytona,” stated Billy Venturini, Director of Competition for Venturini Motorsports.

NASCAR started its Drive for Diversity program in 2004 to help develop minority and women drivers for its top series. The 19-year old, Wallace, drove in the K&N Pro Series East for JGR from 2010 to 2012. In 2010, he earned rookie of the year honors and became that series’ youngest driver and the first African-American driver to win a race at Greenville-Pickens Speedway.

While collecting six wins in the K&E Pro Series East while part of NASCAR’s diversity program, he also competed in four NASCAR Nationwide races for JGR in 2012, earning three top-10 finishes and his first-ever pole award at Dover Speedway.

“I’m excited to get down to Daytona and run the No. 55 Toyota for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA race,” said Wallace. “I know they have great equipment and have helped a lot of talented young drivers gain valuable experience. I appreciate Toyota continuing their support of me and being on board for my first Daytona race.”

Over the weekend JGR announced Darrell Wallace Jr. will drive a full season schedule for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2013. The Mobile, Alabama native will be just the fourth African-American to run a full season in a NASCAR National Series after Wendell Scott, Willy T. Ribbs and Bill Lester.

Look for Wallace to make more history once the green flag drops on the 50th annual Lucas Oil 200 presented by MAVTV American Real which airs live from Daytona International Speedway Saturday, February 16th on SPEED Channel at 4:30 p.m. EST.

About Venturini Motorsports
Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars for over 30-years in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. Multiple team championships and consistent on-track success, VMS has evolved into one of the most recognizable names in motorsports. Since 2007, VMS has assisted in the career development of notable NASCAR drivers such as Joey Logano, Justin Allgaier, Ryan Blaney, Brian Scott, Kevin Swindell, Miguel Paludo, John Wes Townley, Josh Richards and Ryan Reed.

Official: www.VenturiniMotorsports.com  |  Twitter: @VenturiniMotor  |  Facebook: Venturini Motorsports

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BITD
Parker 425

While many competitors in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) are gearing up for the 2013 race season, Justin Lofton decided to return to his racing roots and compete in the Best In The Desert (BITD) “Blue Water Resort and Casino Parker 425.” Driving the Unlimited Jimco No. 1577 Class 1500 car, sponsored by General Tire, Speed Energy, Impact, Fox Racing Shocks, Baja Designs, Rockwell Watches, and Jimco Racing Inc; this race being the first race coming off of knee surgery. Lofton and navigator Derek Balcunas qualified an impressive 10th place with 40 registered vehicles in their 1500 class. The green flag fell shortly after 6:30 a.m. on Saturday afternoon in the Parker, AZ downtown. The Parker 425 included three laps around an approximately 142-mile loop across the Nevada desert, with an 8-mile in-field spectator area. Lofton and Balcunas were faced with large rocks, steep drop-offs and cliffs, this does not include the stout field of drivers and their machines.

The first two laps went smooth, Lofton and Balcunas made up positions and only a few minor tire issues.

“We had a great pace going; I remembered this particular corner from the Blue Water race in October and had a line I wanted to try. I guess I landed to hard on the right rear and blew our [General Tire] Grabber right off the wheel!”

There was a miscommunication and the duo drive a total of seventy-miles without a good spare tire in the rack. They finally stopped at pit 2 for 3 fresh General Tire Grabbers and fifty gallons of fuel and they set sail to make up the time that they lost.

By lap 3, Lofton had drove his way up to first in class 1500 and was in a tight battle with fellow competitor Jason Voss for the overall second position, when Lofton’s power-steering pump broke. He continued to drive an impressive thirty-miles with zero power-steering, where his pit crew was able to get the pump replaced and back on the race track in under twenty minutes. While Lofton was the second class 1500 car through the General Tire finish line, through time intervals he finished an impressive fifth place in class 1500.

Next up, Lofton will return to NASCAR to drive his #6 Chevy Silverado in the “Nextera Energy Resources 250” in Daytona, Florida Friday, February 22, 2013 followed up with the Best In The Desert “Mint 400” in Las Vegas, Nevada March 20th – 24th, 2013

Justin Lofton Inc, Is based out of Huntersville, NC Competing in the NASCAR Camping World truck series #6, Best in the Desert Off Road Racing #1577

2013 marketing partners:
Lofton Cattle, General Tire, Speed Energy, Weekend Warriors Productions, J6Ink Vinyl Graphics, Jimco, Baja Designs, Rockwell Time

The Canadian Racing Season Begins February 8, 9 & 10, 2013 at Toronto’s International Centre

(TORONTO, ON // FEBRUARY 7, 2013) For the third year in a row, the massive race hauler that is the base of operations for all NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 race events will be the core of the series’ display at the Canadian Motorsports Expo (CME). In a new twist for this year’s show, the hauler will be accompanied by eight of the series’ race cars. The show takes place February 8-10 at Toronto’s International Centre, across from Pearson Airport.

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series is Canada’s top professional racing series. Since 2007, the series has travelled across Canada, thrilling fans while earning a reputation for exciting racing on ovals and road courses, at some of the country’s top motorsports events.

Surrounding the series’ hauler at the CME will be many of the tour’s most prominent cars. The No. 17 Castrol Edge Dodge of two-time and reigning series champion D.J. Kennington will be on display accompanied by the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion trophy.

Scott Steckly’s No. 22 Canadian Tire Dodge and Andrew Ranger’s No. 27 Dodge / GC Motorsport Dodge will also be on display at the CME. Like Kennington, both Steckly and Ranger are  two-time series champions.

The No. 60 Mopar / Mobil 1 Dodge driven by Ron Beauchamp Jr., the No. 23 Tim Hortons Dodge of Jeff Lapcevich, the No. 5 EMCO Dodge (Noel Dowler), the No. 66 Quaker State Dodge (Robin Buck) and the No. 81 National Tomlinson Tire Recycling / RC Trailers Dodge driven by Larry Jackson will also be on hand.

“We feel that it’s essential for us to be part of the Canadian Motorsports Expo for several reasons,” said NASCAR Touring Series Director Brad Moran. “Primarily, though, we want to bring awareness and exposure of the Canadian Tire Series to the fans, and to show them some of what goes on behind the scenes. The CME gives us a relaxed, preseason opportunity to speak with the drivers and the teams, and it also allows us to connect with other members of the motorsports industry.”

Discussing having his car and the championship trophy on display at the CME, Kennington said, “It’s a great feeling to have your name appear on any NASCAR trophy, and to have it inscribed twice on the championship hardware is pretty remarkable. The depth of talent in the Canadian Tire Series is unbelievable. To win a race, let alone a championship, is quite an accomplishment, and one that we’re very proud of.”

Kennington continued, “Race fans at the Canadian Motorsports Expo can get a really up-close look at our cars and will be able to get a true sense of what we do 12 weekends a year. It’s great that we can play a part in introducing people to the sport and to our brand of stock-car racing.”

Supporting the static multi-car display, staff members of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will be on hand to provide escorted tours of the series’ hauler, co-ordinate impromptu autograph sessions with the invited drivers, answer questions that the fans might have regarding the cars, the series or the racing schedule. It’s also planned that two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip will spend part of his autograph signing time, on Saturday afternoon, at the back of the NASCAR hauler after signing on the Mazda Stage, adjacent to the NCATS area.

 

ABOUT THE NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES: Created in 2007, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series is Canada’s only professional racing series. Utilizing strictly enforced technical specifications, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series provides a balanced playing field for the competitors, guaranteeing intense, wheel-to-wheel competition. In 2013, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule will consist of 12 events at 11 different venues, appearing from Nova Scotia to British Columbia and racing on both oval tracks as well as road and street courses.

In its six year history, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series has crowned three different champions, with drivers Andrew Ranger, Scott Steckly and D.J. Kennington each claiming the championship on two occasions.

For a full race schedule, race reports and regular series updates, visit the NASCAR website, www.nascarhometracks.com and click on the Canadian Tire Series tab.

 

ABOUT THE CME: The 7th Annual Canadian Motorsports Expo Powered by Inside Track Motorsport News takes place February 8, 9 & 10, 2013 at Toronto’s International Centre, adjacent to Pearson International Airport. The show features motorsports content geared to racers and fans. This year’s celebrity guests include NASCAR stars Kyle Busch, two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip and Canadian racing legend Ron Fellows. The show will also feature an appearance by JP, Mike and Robb, the stars of TV’s Trailer Park Boys. For information about the show, including exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities, call (416) 962-7223, or email info@CanadianMotorsportsExpo.com. The CME’s website is located at www.CanadianMotorsportsExpo.com.

Watertown, Conn.—Feb. 6, 2013 — After a very solid season last year that saw him pick up one win and set fast time on 12 different occasions, David Gravel has been counting the days until the 2013 season opener. That wait will end this week, as the 20-year-old heads south to compete in eight races in Georgia and Florida.

Gravel will open the 2013 campaign aboard his No. 89 Beyond Boobs J&J in the Third Annual Winter Freeze at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga., on Thursday, Feb. 7 with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions. He then heads to the “Sunshine State” for a pair of races at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla., on Friday, Feb. 8 and Saturday, Feb. 9. Gravel will follow that up with five straight nights of competition during the 42nd Annual UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit Racing Equipment at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. The first two nights at Volusia (Feb. 13–14) will be sanctioned by the All Stars, with the final three races (Feb. 15–17) falling under the banner of the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series.

“Going to Australia to race kept me sharp, and I’m ready to get going,” said Gravel. “I ran well at Screven and in Florida last year and should be able to use some of what we learned when we go back this time. The competition is always tough down south to open the season, so you have be on your game and prepared, and I believe we are.”

Gravel, who finished third in points with the All Stars last season on the strength of 28 top-10 finishes, opened his 2012 campaign by setting fast time at Screven Motor Speedway. He finished second in the main event on the opening night at the high-banked, three-eighths-mile and was seventh in the finale, charging forward from the 11th starting position.

“Having a practice night on Wednesday at Screven should help quite a bit, especially with the new tires this year,” he noted. “Hopefully it’s not too big of a learning curve with the tires. Qualifying well as always will be important and trying to make it into the dash. Starting the night off on the right foot is very important and can really set the tone for the rest of the night.”

The native of Watertown, Conn., picked up a pair of top-10 finishes at Bubba Raceway Park in 2012. He was fastest in time trials in the finale of the three-night event at the three-eighths-mile. Gravel finished eighth on the final night at the venue, after a ninth-place showing on the second night.

“Ocala is a tricky track, because it changes every time you are there,” explained Gravel. “It’s never the same. We’ve run decent there in the past. My crew chief Tyler (Swank) and I have been together for a little while now and I think we are better than we’ve ever been. We just have to pick up where we left off last year.”

At Volusia Speedway Park last year, Gravel earned a pair of top-five finishes, while qualifying for four of the five main events at the blazing fast half-mile, against one of the strongest fields he faced all season. In the finale of the three-night World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series event at Volusia last season, Gravel finished third, after battling wheel-to-wheel for the lead with five-time series champion Donny Schatz and Craig Dollansky, who picked up the win in that race. Gravel came home fourth in the first of two races for the All Stars at Volusia, which preceded the three World of Outlaws contests.

“Just like Ocala, Volusia changes a lot,” noted Gravel. “With five nights in-a-row, you are bound to get just about every kind of track surface you can think of. The main thing is to keep up on the track and make adjustments accordingly. There are always a ton of cars there and it’s a big horsepower track, so you have to be on your game in qualifying.”

Prior to heading to Georgia to open the season here in North America, Gravel recently returned from Australia, where he competed in five races, including setting fast time in his first start of the year Down Under at Simpson Speedway, where he would end up finishing second in the main event. He also took to the track at Avalon Raceway in the President’s Cup, Borderline Speedway in the Kings Challenge and competed in both nights of the Lucas Oil 41st Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic at Sungold Stadium Premier Speedway.

For Gravel, the 2013 season will open with eight nights of racing in an 11-day stretch at three different tracks in two states. He’ll open the trip with a practice session on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at Screven Speedway in Georgia.

“We definitely want to make the main event at all the shows,” he stated when asked about goals for the southern swing. “If we keep our nose clean and can finish in the top-10 every night, it would be a great trip for us. We want to be consistent and run strong and build on what we did last year.”

David Gravel and DDR Motorsports would like to thank: J&J Chassis, JRC Transportation, Kistler Engines, Musco Fuels and P&M Transportation for their continued support.

Keep up-to-date with David Gravel and DDR Motorsports by visiting www.DavidGravel89.com. Follow David on Twitter @davidgravel89gand like David on Facebook.

Hickory, NC (Febuary 6, 2013) — With the need for environmental responsibility growing year after year, ZLOOP™ Computer and Electronics Recycling Centers is out to educate the public about initiatives that can truly make a change. This year, the company will take its message to race tracks across America to spread awareness and education in several substantial, visible ways.

eWaste – or electronic waste – includes out-of-date computers, TVs, cell phones, and many more types of machinery. Anything requiring electronics or batteries to run can be considered eWaste, and it’s all made with materials that are toxic for landfills and pose a threat when not disposed properly.

In 2013, ZLOOP™ – a Hickory, N.C. company – will have presences at tracks and in racing divisions large and small, showcasing its eWaste recycling efforts in NASCAR and ARCA competition, among others. Not only will ZLOOP™ Racing sponsor race teams to make an impact on the track, but the company will also host at-track recycling drives with the colorfully-branded ZLOOP™ eWaste tractor trailer to educate, assist, and reward fans off the track.

“What we’re trying to do is divert as much e-Waste out of landfills as possible and get people to pull it out of their closets, garages, and attics, knowing that it will be safely, securely, and properly recycled,” said Bob LaBarge, partner and chief marketing officer for ZLOOP. “A presence across the board in motorsports can place a larger scope on the issues surrounding eWaste. It’s human interest, and we can’t wait to properly educate the public on and off the track about proper disposal and recycling.”

Rookie driver Justin Boston will represent ZLOOP™ Racing in the ARCA Racing Series, driving Venturini Motorsports’ classic No. 25 entry for the full 2013 season. The company will announce partnerships in the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series in the coming month, opening ZLOOP™’s exposure to NASCAR’s 75 million fans.

ZLOOP™’s 2013 involvement in racing will launch next week in the Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona International Speedway, the season opener for the ARCA Racing Series. The race will air live on SPEED on Saturday, February 16.

How important is proper eWaste recycling? eWaste is growing by five percent annually, as the average American household spends nearly $1400 every year on new electronic products while casting aside old and outdated equipment. eWaste comprises 70 percent of overall toxic waste. While 27 states have banned electronic waste from landfills and 25 have passed eWaste recycling laws, only 15 percent of eWaste is properly recycled. That leaves the landscape open to damaging, toxic chemicals and products that are derived from improperly disposed eWaste.

Each year, more than $21 billion in gold and silver is used to manufacture electronics around the world, but too much of that value is simply thrown away by consumers who have not yet been educated about eWaste and its dangers.

Security in electronic disposal is also important, especially in computers storing years of data; all of ZLOOP™’s equipment is certified to meet or exceed all National Security Agency requirements.

ZLOOP™ offers eWaste recycling services based on the company’s core values of education and simplicity, and that will be evident in NASCAR and ARCA competition across America in 2013.

More information on ZLOOP™, its equipment and processes, and ZLOOP™ Racing is available online atzloopit.com. ZLOOP™ is on Twitter at @ZLOOPRacing and @zloopCERC. For additional media requests contact Tom@VenturiniMotorsports.com or Blabarge@Zloop.com.

About Venturini Motorsports 
Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars for over 30-years in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. Multiple team championships and consistent on-track success, VMS has evolved into one of the most recognizable names in motorsports. Since 2007, VMS has assisted in the career development of notable NASCAR drivers such as Joey Logano, Justin Allgaier, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Brian Scott, Kevin Swindell, Miguel Paludo, John Wes Townley, Josh Richards and Scott Lagasse, Jr. In 2012, VMS was inducted into the National Italian Sports Hall of Fame, and 2013 will highlight the team’s debut in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Official: www.VenturiniMotorsports.com  |  Twitter: @VenturiniMotor  |  Facebook: Venturini Motorsports