Category: Other Series PR

No. 44 Ansell/ Menards Toyota Camry

ARCA RACING SERIES – RACE 19 OF 19 – KANSAS SPEEDWAY         

 

A differential of 85 points separates Frank Kimmel from a record 10th ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards title. Kimmel and the #44 Ansell/Menards Toyota will look to erase that deficit on Friday night over the course of 99 laps at the Kansas Speedway. While the majority of Kimmel’s success this season has come on the short tracks, his statistical history at Kansas shows he is more than capable of pulling off a miracle in the Kansas Lottery 98.9. Kimmel has visited victory lane twice at Kansas, in 2002 and 2006, both years en route to winning the championship. With losing last week’s race at DuQuoin to weather, Kimmel and team are left with one opportunity to track down the championship lead.

 

Of the 19 races on the ARCA Racing Series schedule in 2012, Kansas and Chicagoland Speedway are the only 1.5 mile tracks on the most diverse schedule in stock car racing. In July, Kimmel finished 3rd as a result of Thorsport Racing’s constant improvement on the intermediate track program. Finishes of 6th and 4th at Pocono, and a 7th at Michigan, have the Ansell/Menards team optimistic they can improve their results on the fresh asphalt at Kansas.

 

Kimmel has started more ARCA races at Kansas than any driver entered in the field, and has been in all 11 events since the track’s opening in 2001. In the first six races at Kansas, Kimmel notched two victories and finished in the top three in all six events, leading a combined 295 laps. His average starting position of 5.3 and two pole awards bodes well for not only starting up front Friday night, but also gives Kimmel a chance to tie Iggy Katona’s record of all-time pole awards of 43.

 

While the ARCA Racing Series has been known for driver development and a surge of young talent, Kimmel has been a constant mainstay in the series, and 2012 has seen a career resurgence for the Clarksville, IN native. Since moving to Thorsport Racing this year, Kimmel’s performance has been elevated to a level he has been accustomed to throughout his illustrious career. Kimmel broke a 75 race winless drought in August at Lucas Oil Raceway Park, and followed it up with a dominating win on the mile dirt at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. With ten top ten finishes to this point in 2012, Kimmel has equaled his combined number of top five finishes from 2009 and 2010. In addition, with 290 laps led, Kimmel has surpassed his combined total of laps led from the previous two seasons. With the performance the #44 Ansell/Menards team has shown this season, Kimmel is focused on making sure the championship goes down to the final lap at Kansas.

 

TOP TEN STREAK: As a result of finishing 4th after being nearly two laps down at Salem Speedway on September 15th, Kimmel extended his streak of top fen finishes to nine races. Kimmel is in the midst of his longest streak of consecutive top ten finishes in 2012, which dates back to a 7th place finish at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

 

POINTS REPORT: After 18 of 19 races, Kimmel currently sits second, 85 points behind championship leader, Chris Buescher. To this point in 2012, Kimmel has scored two victories, ten top fives, and fifteen top ten finishes.

 

CHAMPIONSHIP SCENARIOS: In order to have a mathematical chance to win his 10th ARCA title, Kimmel must finish at least 12 positions ahead of Buescher. Kimmel must gain at more than 85 points to overtake Buescher, as Buescher holds the tie-breaker with four wins. For the championship to be mathematically in reach, Kimmel must finish 28th if all 40 cars entered take the green flag.

 

CHASING THE RECORDS: Kimmel can tie Katona’s all-time record of 43 pole awards this weekend during Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell on Friday evening at 5:35 pm CT. Kimmel’s 76th career win at the Springfield Mile in August moved him to within three wins of Iggy Katona’s all time ARCA Racing Series win record of 79.

 

CHASSIS CHOICE: Thorsport Racing will bring chassis A-4 to the racetrack for the second time in 2012. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver, Matt Crafton, piloted this chassis, with #88 on the door, in the ARCA event at Lucas Oil Raceway Park after capturing the Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell. Kimmel recently tested this car at the open test at Kansas earlier this month.

 

SHOWING THE WAY AT KANSAS: Kimmel has started all 11 previous races at Kansas, the most of any driver entered in the field. With his victories in 2002 and 2006, Kimmel is the only driver with two wins at Kansas, and is the all-time ARCA lap leader at Kansas, with 295 laps led.

FAST TRACK CHALLENGE: Not only is Kimmel on the heels of a 10th championship, but he is chasing the ARCA Fast Track Challenge title as well. The Fast Track Challenge scores drivers’ finishing position only and does not include bonus points for qualifying or leading laps. Kimmel trails Chris Buescher by 25 points with two events remaining. Kimmel and Buescher are the only two drivers that have scored top ten finishes in 2012.

 

S&S VOLVO LAPS COMPLETED AWARD: Through 18 of 19 races, Kimmel has competed all but four laps of competition thus far. His consistency has placed him second in series standings as well as second in the S&S Volvo Laps Completed Award. Kimmel is four laps behind award leader, Buescher, who has completed all the laps in 2012.

 

KANSAS AREA MENARDS APPEARANCE: Kimmel will appear at the St. Joseph, MO Menards location on Thursday night from 6-7:30pm CT. Fans can meet and get an autograph from the nine-time ARCA champ in addition to seeing the #44 Ansell/Menards Camry showcar. During that time, any guests that purchase a pair of Ansell gloves will receive a voucher for a free pair of Ansell gloves, presented by Kimmel outside the store. The St. Joeseph, MO Menards store is located at 4320 Commonwealth Dr., St. Joeseph, MO 64503.
ANSELL HyFlex® PRECISION GLOVES: Ansell’s HyFlex® brand is the most comprehensive light-duty synthetic portfolio in the industry. In addition to the ergonomic design and protection infused into all its products, the line also provides industry-leading grip technology and the largest cut-resistant portfolio in the light-duty segment. HyFlex® gloves are ideal for automotive, metalwork, electrical, and construction projects. For more information on the HyFlex® brand, visit www.ansellpro.com/hyflex/.

 

THOUGHTS FROM THE DRIVER: Frank Kimmel

WHAT DID YOU BENEFIT BY TESTING AT KANSAS? “I thought the test went really well. Taking two cars, and having Matt Crafton there, was a real big deal for us. Both cars ran real well and ended up in the top five in overall speeds. That was the first time we were about to test on a mile and a half track all year and we feel like we learned a few things”   WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HAVING TO GAIN 85 POINTS TO WIN THE TITLE? “I’ve said all along the past few weeks, we’re going to have to have some help. We’re 85 points behind, and Chris has been running real well all year long and has been very consistent. I’m not expecting him to have problems, so we have to go out and do our thing. If they run into some issues, then we need to have ourselves in position. It should be a good race, we’ve run real good all year, and if we gain the points we need to, then it will be a real good night.”   HOW PLEASED ARE YOU WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF YOU AND THE TEAM IN 2012? “My favorite thing this year has been being with Thorsport Racing and being with a team that wanted me to drive the car. We got along really well with everybody on the team, which has been a real rewarding part of the season. A real special moment was winning at LORP because that was such a big event for us. We were showing signs that we could run up front and lead races, but to win there was great. Then to come back and win at Springfield was really good too. It’s been a really good year for everyone at Thorsport Racing and for me personally as well.”

Race Info October 19, 2012 Kansas Speedway 1.5 Mile Oval Kansas Lottery 98.9 99 Laps/148.5 Miles Broadcast Info: Live Timing & Scoring at ARCARacing.com Friday, October 19: Practice – 9-11:15am CT Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell – 5:35pm CT Race – 7:30pm CT Team Facts: Current Driver Point Standings: 2nd     Chassis: A-4 (Most recently raced by Matt Crafton at LORP and tested byKimmel at Kansas) Engine: TRD (Toyota Racing Development) & TRIAD   Frank Kimmel ARCA RACING SERIES results at Kansas Speedway: WINS: 2 POLES: 2   Top 5s: 7  Top 10s: 9 Total Appearances: 11

Concord, NC (October 17, 2012) — Current NASCAR Camping World Series driver John Wes Townley will reunite with Venturini Motorsports Friday night under the lights at Kansas Speedway for ARCA’s season finale.

John Wes Townley, who will be driving his familiar No.35 Zaxby’s VMS Toyota during the Kansas Lottery98.9 speedway event, participated in ARCA’s open test session earlier this month on the 1.5 mile Kansasoval is confident about his return to the series.

“Obviously I’m excited to get back into a racecar and work again with the Venturini organization. We had a good test a few weeks ago and I’m expecting a strong showing given the package we’re bringing back to the track this weekend,” stated, Townley.

Townley, current driver of the No.09 Zaxby’s RAB Racing Toyota in the Camping World Truck Series, drove for Venturini Motorsports before moving up to the truck series. He is currently 15th in the NASCAR Truck series championship standings with two Top-10s. The Georgia born driver’s best career finish came with Venturini Motorsports in 2010; finishing 3rd at Daytona.

Practice for Friday’s Kansas Lottery 98.9 will begin at 10am ET. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell will take place Friday evening starting at 6:35pm ET and the final race in the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will go green at 8:30pm ET. The race will be broadcast live on SPEED TV. Live timing and scoring will be available on ARCARacing.com for practice and the main event.

About Venturini Motorsports 
Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars in the ARCA Racing Series, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. The 2012 season marks the team’s 30th Anniversary of competition in the ARCA Series. 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, Steve Arpin, Brian Scott, Max Gresham, Miguel Paludo, Josh Richards, Ryan Blaney, and Scott Lagasse, Jr.

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

Concord, NC (October 17, 2012) — Ryan Reed hopes to complete his Rookie season in the ARCA Racing Series with a win at Kansas Speedway on October 19, 2012. This year has seen a lot of firsts for the 19-year-old CA native, competing on NASCAR’s largest Superspeedways in Daytona and Talladega, historic tracks such as the Winchester Speedway and his first start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Ryan has also made a name off the track sharing with the world his challenges living with type 1 diabetes. With a strict diet, regular workout routine, and doctor’s support, Reed is consistently proving that despite his T1D diagnosis dreams are still obtainable.

Reed and his No.15 Venturini Motorsports team have made 13 ARCA starts and gained five top-10 finishes; one of which marked his career best finish of 5th place at Chicagoland Speedway.

“We’ve been carrying the Sam Bass designed car all year long, but it will be really special to have the blue paint scheme at Kansas as we are heading into Diabetes Awareness Month that takes place in November,” said Reed. “Obviously, this is close to my heart and I want to make an impact on others too.”

Reed, who turned in a successful test earlier this month at Kansas Speedway, is confident going into the season finale Friday night.

“If the Kansas test is at all indicative of the way this weekend will go I am really excited and confident! My crew chief and I have such good chemistry and are excited about Friday’s race,” said Reed. “I am really disappointed the season is almost over. I think this is our best shot of winning all year.”

With a successful rookie season under his belt Reed looks ahead to the future, ready to capitalize on his positive experiences as he pushes forward with exciting plans for 2013 and beyond.

Practice for Friday’s Kansas Lottery 98.9 will begin at 10am ET. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell will take place Friday evening starting at 6:35pm ET and the final race in the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will go green at 8:30pm ET. The race will be broadcast live on SPEED TV. Live timing and scoring will be available on ARCARacing.com for practice and the main event. Following @driverRyanReed and @VenturiniMotorsports on Twitter for updates during the entire day.

 

ABOUT RYAN REED & RYAN’S MISSION 
Ryan Reed is a NASCAR development driver racing under the Venturini Motorsports banner in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

Ryan was diagnosed with T1D in February 2011 and initially told by doctors his “racing career” was over. Armed with the passion and determination to fulfill his dreams, Reed shifted his focus and poured all his energy into managing his health and educating himself on the disease. He uses his racing platform and personal story to inspire others living with T1D to continue living life to its fullest through Ryan’s Mission.Reed’s off-track goodwill has made him a National Celebrity Advocate of JDRF, the world’s largest funder of research towards curing, treating and preventing T1D and its complications. Today, Reed is only one of three professional racecar drivers in the world to compete at the highest levels of racing with T1D.

Official: www.RyansMission.org | Twitter @driverRyanReed | Facebook: Ryan Reed

About Venturini Motorsports 
Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars in the ARCA Racing Series, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. The 2012 season marks the team’s 30th Anniversary of competition in the ARCA Series. 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, Steve Arpin, Brian Scott, Max Gresham, Miguel Paludo, Josh Richards, Ryan Blaney, and Scott Lagasse, Jr.

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

KANSAS CITY, Kansas (October 17, 2012) – – Open-wheel standout Chris Windom will finish the ARCA Racing Seriespresented by Menards season the same way he started it; behind the wheel of a Win-Tron Racing entry.

Win-Tron Racing announced today that Windom, who drives for Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) in the United States Auto Club (USAC) Sprint Car Series, will look to finish what he started at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Friday night behind the wheel of the No. 32 Red Line Oil Chevrolet.

Windom, in his restrictor plate debut, stood within one lap of potentially securing his inaugural ARCA Racing Series victory, but ran out of gas with leader Brandon McReynolds as the car screamed out of turn four towards the finish line. The Canton, Illinois native would go on to coast to an eighth place performance but it left the rising star with a “what if” thought.

 

On Friday, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) will close the curtain on an unprecedented 60th season of competition but for the 21-year-old Windom, he’ll look at the season finale as an opportunity to make up for what he lost nearly eight months ago.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to once again return to ARCA and compete for Win-Tron Racing,” said Windom. “Eight months feels like forever, but I’m ready to take on the challenge of my Kansas Speedway debut with a strong finish to end the year for the team.”

Windom, set to make his fourth career ARCA start and first on an intermediate track, will look to keep his early years of ARCA success alive on the 1.5-mile oval. In his two races last year at the Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield) and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, Windom shined through his limited experience in a stock-car to post an impressive third place finish at Springfield and was gunning towards another top-five in the series before being entangled in a late race skirmish that ultimately ended in a 13th place finish.

“I tested at Kansas a couple weeks ago and it really helped me get a feel for the track,” Windom added. “It’s been repaved, so everyone’s on an equal level as far as I’m concerned. I think with what we learned from the test and the changes the guys have made back at the shop, we should be in great shape once the green flag falls on Friday night.”

 

Nate Thiesse, co-car owner of Win-Tron Racing expressed his thoughts about having Windom return to the seat of their veteran team.

“It’s always a pleasure to have Chris behind the wheel of one of our cars,” he said. “He has come a long way in a stock car in a short period of time and I feel he’ll only continue to accelerate his learning curve this weekend. Much like Daytona, this will be another new style of racing that he’s never experienced, but we’re confident he’ll find his comfort level quickly and we can put ourselves in contention for another strong run. It’s been a good year with Chris and Mason (Mingus) behind the wheel and we’re looking forward to what next year holds for our race team.”

 

The Kansas Lottery 98.9 (99 laps / 148.5 miles) is the 19th of 19 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 12th ARCA event held at Kansas Speedway is a one-day show. Practice begins Friday, October 7 with a two hour and 15 minute practice session planned from 9:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin later in the day at 5:35 p.m. The field will take the green flag approximately two hours later at 7:30 p.m. The event will be televised live on SPEED with additional race coverage including live timing and scoring throughout the 1,350th race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards since it was formed in 1953 will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local.

Further information including driver opportunities with Win-Tron Racing is available by visiting win-tronracing.com

For more on Chris Windom, please visit ChrisWindom.net.

 

About Win-Tron Racing:

Located in Lakeville, Minnesota, Win-Tron Racing is the home of one the most potent ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards single-car operations. Owned by former racers Kevin Cywinski and Nate Thiesse, the team since has acquired the assets of County Joe Racing has become a favorable fixture on the circuit. Since Win-Tron Racing’s inception in 2007, the team has hosted a variety of drivers including leading drivers James Buescher, Blake Bjorklund, Justin Marks and Matt Merrell to their first career ARCA victories. In 2012, the team will begin its sixth year of competition with current drivers Chris Windom, Mason Mingus and Aleks Gregory.

###

KANSAS CITY, Kansas (October 17, 2012) – – Ricky Ehrgott is looking forward to his second go-around in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards this week. After making his inaugural debut at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway this summer, the rookie returns to the scene pairing up with former ARCA championship team Allgaier Motorsports for Friday night’s Kansas Lottery 98.9.

Concord, NC (October 18, 2012) — It has been a month since the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards has been on track and anticipations are growing. But those anticipations will be laid to rest this Friday as the season finale of the 2012 season falls upon Kansas Speedway.

Venturini Motorsports will field five entries in the Kansas Lottery98.9; all of which are seeking a strong finish to add to an already successful year. With 3 wins, 4 poles and 35 top-10 finishes so far this season, in conjunction to a promising test session in Kansas two weeks ago, Venturini Motorsports is confident that all of their drivers will end this season on a high note.

Leading the way for the VMS team is 21 year old Brennan Poole. The Texas native, who has been a consistent contender for the 2012 ARCA Series championship, as well as for Rookie of the year, topped the leader board during both practices at Kansas Speedway on October 2nd. In fact, Poole was the only driver participating in the test to break the 30-second mark; running a 29.954 second lap; one of few drivers breaking the track record held by Ken Butler III’s 30.799 second qualifying lap.

Adding to that, Poole has captured two poles this season, both coming at Pocono, as well as two wins: one at Elko Speedway in June and the other the following week at Pocono. He has also accumulated fifteen Top-10 finishes in his 18 starts with VMS.

Poole currently sits third in the Series standings, 175 points behind leader, Chris Buescher. He is relying on the strength of his No.25 Colt Ford/Average Joe Entertainment Toyota to win the final race in the 2012 season, secure his title of Rookie of the year as well as close the gap in the championship point standings.

Kevin Swindell, three-time Chili Bowl Champion, will take the green at Kansas in hopes of capturing his second win for VMS this season. The No.55 Curb Records Toyota of Swindell qualified on the pole, dominated the 150 mile race, and took the checkered at Chicagoland Speedway back on July 21st. With only having run a limited schedule this season, the 23 year old from Germantown, Tennessee, has acquired three Top-10s. Swindell hopes to secure this fourth this weekend at Kansas in his 8th start with VMS.

Ryan Reed, another VMS regular, will make his 14th ARCA start in the Kansas Lottery 98.9. The passionate driver was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in February 2011. Doctors told him “racing is out of the question.” But the now 19 year old from Bakersfield, California, is not taking no for an answer. With a strict diet, regular work-out routine, and doctor’s support, Reed is consistently proving that despite his T1D diagnosis, he can continue to race, and be successful. His No.15 JDRF Ford has one Top-5, five Top-10s and currently sits 13th in the series standings.

In addition to running a regular schedule with Venturini, Reed also made his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on September 29th. Reed ran the No.5Racehard.com/Ryansmission.org Ford for Wauters Motorsports. He finished 17th; ahead of CWTS regulars like Parker Kligerman, Ron Hornaday and Justin Lofton. Heading to Kansas Reed feels confident. He ran 7th at the Kansas test earlier this month and is determined to add another successful finish to his record.

Hailing from Caracas, Venezuela, Nelson Canache will be making his 19th start in the No.66 Venezuelan Tourism Toyota this weekend. The two-time Venezuelan open wheel champion has made tremendous strides over the course of this season. Having had practically no prior stock-car experience, the VMS rookie has consistently improved all season. Blending what he knew with what he has learned has given the driver two Top-10s and is currently ranked 8th in overall points.

ohn Wes Townley will be returning to Venturini Motorsports this weekend in the No.35 Zaxby’s Toyota. Townley, also the driver of the No.09 Zaxby’s RAB Racing Toyota in the Camping World Truck Series, drove for VMS in 2010 before moving up to the truck series. He is currently 15th in the NASCAR Truck series championship standings with two Top-10s. The Georgia born driver’s best career finish came with Venturini Motorsports; finishing 3rd at Daytona. VMS is jovial about his return to ARCA for the season closer in Kansas.

Practice for Friday’s Kansas Lottery 98.9 will begin at 9am (10am EST). Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell will take place Friday evening starting at 5:35pm (6:35pm EST) and the final race in the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will go green at 7:30pm [8:30pm EST].The race will be broadcast live on SPEED. Live timing and scoring will be available on ARCARacing.com for practice and the main event. 

About Venturini Motorsports 
Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars in the ARCA Racing Series, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. The 2012 season marks the team’s 30th Anniversary of competition in the ARCA Series. 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, Steve Arpin, Brian Scott, Max Gresham, Miguel Paludo, Josh Richards, Ryan Blaney, and Scott Lagasse, Jr.

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

New Castle, Ind.—Oct. 18, 2012— Kokomo Speedway is about 70 miles from Tracy Hines’ shop in New Castle, Ind., and while the quarter-mile is not technically his home track, it might as well have been this year. The veteran has made nine starts at the venue, picking up eight finishes of sixth or better, of which seven have been top-five performances. Following a pair of runner-up finishes in each of his last two starts at the always racy quarter-mile bullring, he’ll look to improve one spot this weekend, as he takes to the track for a pair of races as part of the Sixth Annual Kokomo Klash, where he is the defending winner of the midget portion of the event.

The open wheel segment of the Kokomo Klash is set for Friday, Oct.19, with Hines taking to the track in both a sprint car and midget. He’ll pilot the No. 24 Parker Machinery DRC in the sprint car portion of the event. For the midget race, he’ll climb behind the wheel of a self-owned Spike with a Stanton Chevy under the hood.

“The Kokomo Klash is a great late season event,” said Hines. “The fans really turn out at Kokomo and there always seems to be a good field of cars for the race as well. To be able to go out and race twice in one night and not have to worry about points allows us to try a few things and really have some fun. At the same time though, we always go out and try our best to win as well.”

The 2002 USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series champion made his first start of the season at Kokomo on May 13 in a weekly show aboard the No. 24 finishing sixth. Hines made another start at the quarter-mile in that same machine on July 29, finishing fifth. His most recent start aboard the No. 24 sprint car came at Gas City I-69 Speedway on Sept. 28, when he was charged from the rear of the field to finish ninth.

Hines has competed in four USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series races at Kokomo Speedway this season, recording three Top-Five finishes, which all came during the inaugural Sprint Car Smackdown. He finished second on both the second and third nights of that three-day event, after a fifth-place showing in the opener. Hines also made a start at the quarter-mile during Indiana Sprint Week.

“The No. 24 has been pretty good most of the times we have taken it to the track this year,” he noted. “We have been very, very close to winning at Kokomo this year and will certainly give it everything we got this weekend. Things happen in a hurry at Kokomo, so you always have to be on your toes and ready. It’s definitely a fun place to race.”

The veteran driver also made a start in a midget at the quarter-mile bullring this season, finishing third during Indiana Midget Week with the USAC Mopar National Midget Series. Hines was victorious last year in the 25-lap A-Feature for the midgets during the Kokomo Klash. He has finished on the podium in each of his last three midget starts at Kokomo dating back to last season. The midget that Hines will be racing this weekend will be a car that will be available for rent next season beginning at the Chili Bowl in January.

“It will be good to shake the car down at Kokomo this week, as we start to get ready for next season,” said Hines. “We only get to race a midget a couple of times each season at Kokomo and always seem to do pretty well. We won there last fall and were strong during Indiana Midget Week. It would be great to pick up a win in the midget before we head out west to wrap up the season.”

Entering this weekend, Hines has won six times overall this season in both a sprint car and a midget. He picked up his first win of the 2012 campaign with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series at the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio, in April, and earned his second sprint car win of the year at the legendary half-mile last month during the 4-Crown Nationals. Hines has won four times with the USAC Mopar National Midget Series, twice on the pavement at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, as well on the dirt at Dodge City Raceway Park in Kansas and during the Gold Crown Midget Nationals at Tri-City Speedway in Illinois.

“We still have a few more weeks left in the season and really want to pick up a few more wins before winter,” Hines stated. “We’ve been on a pretty good roll the last few weeks and hopefully we can carry some of the momentum we’ve had at the bigger track to Kokomo this week.”

Tracy Hines Racing would like to thank: Parker Machinery, Turbines, Inc., Support Esophagus Cancer, DRC, AFCO Racing Shocks, Bell Race Gear, FatHeadz, Kenny’s Components, Race Bumpers, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers and Stanton Racing for their continued support.

For more information on Tracy Hines Racing, including a complete 2012 schedule, visit http://www.tracyhinesracing.com. Follow Tracy on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TracyHinesRacin.

Shelby Township, Mich.—Oct. 18, 2012 — When listing some of her favorite race tracks, Taylor Ferns is quick to mention Kokomo Speedway. The Northern Indiana oval holds a special to place to her, after she raced wheel-to-wheel for the lead with open wheel legend Dave Darland for a number of laps at the track last season, turning many heads and gaining a great deal of respect in the process. She’ll return to the quarter-mile bullring for the second time in 2012 this week for the Sixth Annual Kokomo Klash.

The open wheel portion of the Kokomo Klash, which will feature midgets and sprint cars is set for Friday, October 19. The night will open for Ferns aboard her family-owned No. 55 Dea Eyewear Spike with hot laps, followed by heat races and a main event.

“Kokomo is always a fun track to race at,” said Ferns. “I’ve had some good runs there and always feel pretty comfortable when I climb in the car at Kokomo. We’re really looking to end the season on a high note, so hopefully we can continue to improve upon what we’ve been doing and have a good finish this week at Kokomo.”

Ferns, the 2011 USAC Mopar D1 Midget Series champion, has made one start at Kokomo this season, with that coming during Indiana Midget Week with the USAC Mopar National Midget Series. She qualified 12th in that event with a strong 34-car field in attendance. The high-school junior finished fifth in the fourth 10-lap heat race that night, coming up just one spot short of transferring to the 30-lap main event, and ended the night in the B-main.

“We learned a lot during the Midget Week race at Kokomo and will try to use all of that on Friday night,” she noted. “It always helps racing at a track a couple of times each season and you go back the second time and feel a little more comfortable. Hopefully we find a few things this weekend that we can use next year when we go back for the Midget Week event as well.”

Last season, the 16-year-old raced twice at Kokomo with the USAC Mopar D1 Midget Series, finishing fourth and eighth in those two starts. In July, she led 17 laps and had a spirited battle with veteran and multi-time USAC champion Dave Darland for the majority of that race, coming home fourth after recovering from a late-race spin. The winningest female in USAC history recorded another solid run at the track last fall with an eighth-place finish in the 25-lap main event for the USAC D1 Series, with all seven of the drivers that finished ahead of her being veterans of all three USAC National Series, including champions Tracy Hines and Jerry Coons Jr. Ferns opened that night with a fourth-place showing in the second eight-lap heat race.

“With Kokomo being such a small track, you always have to be alert and ready,” she explained. “Thinking things through is important and sometimes you have to kind of slow yourself down on a track like that to go faster. The smaller tracks are definitely challenging and you really have to be on your game and make sure you are concentrating every lap as well to hit your marks.”

Ferns has spent a large portion of this season competing in a midget on the dirt. She contested the full Indiana Midget Week for the first time in her career with the USAC Mopar National Midget Series, visiting five tracks in five nights across the Hoosier state. She also made her debut at the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio last month during the 4-Crown Nationals, finishing just outside of the Top-10 in 11th.

“Having run on bigger tracks the last few races should help at Kokomo, especially if the track is fast,” Ferns said. “If it gets slick and slows down you have to drive it a little different, but a lot of things I learned at the bigger tracks the last few weeks still can be applied when I’m behind the wheel. We’ll see what the track’s like come Friday night and adapt and adjust from there.”

The 16-year-old has also has raced in 2012 with the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series as well as the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association. On the pavement, she competed in four events in a late model with the JEGS CRA All-Stars Tour and made three starts with the USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series, finishing among the Top-10 in her debut with each of those series.

The native of Shelby Township Mich., made her most recent pair of starts at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Ill., during the 4th Gold Crown Midget Nationals. The middle day of the marquee event was rained out, making it a two-night contest.

Taylor Ferns and Ferns Racing would like to thank their valued partners: Dea Eyewear, eBay Motors, FK Rod Ends, Frameworks Marketing Group, Lucas Oil, K&N Filters, Lansing Sanitary Supply (LSS), Simpson Race Products, Indy Race Parts, ButlerBuilt, Allstar Performance, Stanton Mopar, Lyn St. James Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation, Race4Girls and Racing2Cure.

Keep up to date
For the latest news, results and information on Taylor Ferns and Ferns Racing and to view a full 2012 schedule, visitwww.TaylorFerns.com. Follow Taylor on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TaylorFerns or @TaylorFerns and on Facebook athttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Taylor-Ferns/116543998373.