Category: Other Series PR

Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing Iowa Advance Notes

[media-credit name=”iowacorn.org” align=”alignright” width=”168″][/media-credit]Race: Iowa Corn Indy 250 (Saturday June 23 at 10:00 PM ET, NBC Sports Network)
Track: Iowa Speedway (0.875-mile oval)
Location: Newton, IA

NOTES/NEWS

Follow CGR on Twitter: Follow @CGRTeams for official updates from Chip Ganassi Racing’s IZOD IndyCar Series drivers Charlie Kimball and Graham Rahal.

Team Manager Mitch Davis on Iowa: “The racing at Iowa Speedway is great for the fans. Competing at night under the lights at the Iowa Corn Indy 250 is one of the most exciting races of the IZOD IndyCar Series season for the Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing team. Charlie and the team tested at Iowa last week and are looking forward to a very competitive weekend. The new Heat Races will give us a chance to tune our car for the race.”

The Heat is On: In a departure from single-car qualifications, three heat races will be held June 22 to set the starting grid for the 250-lap race. Qualification groups will be determined by lap times recorded by entries in the second (45-minute) practice session earlier in the day (3:30 p.m. ET). Qualifications are scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET. Race one, will consist of the even-numbered positions, starting with the 10th-quickest practice time, and determine the even-numbered positions in the starting field from 10th down. Race two, will consist of the odd-numbered positions, starting with the ninth-quickest practice time, and determine the odd-numbered positions in the starting field from ninth down. Race three will consist of drivers ranked one through eight from the practice. Results of race three will determine the first four rows, with the winner taking the pole position.

Break it Down: Pursuant to input from IZOD IndyCar Series drivers and team engineers, INDYCAR has directed a maximum rear flap angle of 37 degrees with no wicker allowed for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 at Iowa Speedway. The rule will reduce downforce available by about eight-to-nine percent.

Honda Power: Honda remains second in the manufacturer point standings with 63 points, closing in on Chevrolet with 69. Lotus remains third with 32 points.

There’s an App for that: Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) and SapientNitro SM recently re-launched an updated mobile application, which is one of the first for the high-velocity world of racing. The application brings fans updated driver and event information, and exclusive content in one centralized and expansive mobile experience, bringing to life the rich heritage and legendary success of CGRT. The unique mobile application conveys the high-octane rush of the racing experience for a team that competes at the highest levels in three series – the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS), IZOD IndyCar Series and GRAND-AM Rolex Sports CarSeries. Click here to visit the iTunes Application store and download the CGRT mobile app.

CHARLIE KIMBALL AND THE NO. 83 NOVO NORDISK TEAM

Follow Charlie on Twitter: Follow @racewithinsulin for updates as the driver of the No. 83 NovoLog FlexPenHonda completes his sophomore year with Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

Living in the Fast Lane with Diabetes: Follow Kimball’s live blog at www.CharlieKimball.com for race weekend schedules, post-practice thoughts, race day preparations, and behind-the-scenes photos.

INDYCAR 36 Follows Charlie: The sixth episode of the show “IndyCar 36” will feature Kimball and the Novo Nordisk team and will debut in Iowa as the lead-in to the Iowa Corn Indy 250 race coverage at 7:30pm ET on Saturday, June, 23. The NBC Sports Network original series “IndyCar 36”, produced by IMS Productions, gives viewers an all-access pass into the life of a world-class driver in the middle of race season. The “IndyCar 36” cameras follow a driver for 36 hours during a race weekend providing a behind-the-scenes look at the on and off-track activities of the stars of the IZOD IndyCar Series. The programs are a must watch for any racing fan to understand the high-pressure environment of professional racing, even before the starting positions are earned and victory laps are completed.

Kimball Honored with Jefferson Award: Kimball was chosen as one of three winners of the 2012 Jefferson Award – the Top Professional Athlete Award for Excellence in Service and Philanthropy. The Jefferson Awards are a national prize for public service that was co-founded 40 years ago by former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The awards are presented on two levels: national and local, beginning in 1972 to create a Nobel Prize for public service. Today, their primary purpose is to serve as a “Call to Action for Volunteers” in local communities. Individuals that have been honored with the award in the past include; Payton Manning, Sandra Day O’Connor and Colin Powell. This year, additional honorees included; General David Petreaus, Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick, Jr., retired NHL athlete, Pat Lafontaine, and retired Hall of Fame Bills quarterback, Jim Kelly. Each year, 10 athletes are recognized with the award but only two or three are honored in-person as winning recipients. Recipients of the 2012 Jefferson Awards accepted their honors last Tuesday in Washington during a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and at an evening celebration at Constitution Hall, where honorees were provided a medal and a certificate. Learn more about the Jefferson Awards: http://www.jeffersonawards.org/

Kimball on the Jefferson Awards: “It was an absolute honor to receive the Jefferson Award as recognition for my work with Novo Nordisk in the diabetes community. To be included in such an inspirational group of people is truly special. I am very blessed to be able to do what I love and at the same time inspire people to overcome obstacles and live their dreams.”

Kimball Behind-the-Scenes:Kimball and the Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing crew are featured in a 60-second national television spot, which began running during the week of February 27 and will continue to air for several months. In addition, Novo Nordisk will be running videos about NovoLog FlexPen featuring Kimball and the NNCGR team at track-side events throughout the season.

 

Welcome to the Team: Novo Nordisk recently expanded its motorsports initiatives to include an official partnership with INDYCAR as the official diabetes care sponsor of the IZOD IndyCar Series. Novo Nordisk entered the sport in 2009 as the primary sponsor of Kimball in Firestone Indy Lights and advanced to the IZOD IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2011, where Kimball became the first licensed INDYCAR driver with diabetes to finish the Indianapolis 500.

Milwaukee Recap: Kimball finished 17th in the Milwaukee IndyFest at The Milwaukee Mile, in West Allis, Wisconsin. The finish came in his 25th career IZOD IndyCar Series start and his second at The Milwaukee Mile. The Novo Nordisk team started the race from 18th and withstood incidents that caused five cautions totaling 51 laps on the one-mile oval. Kimball would battle for position on the traffic-filled oval, running as high as fifth-position in the final 52 laps of the 225-lap race. He would spend 57 laps in the top-16 but made his final pit stop on lap 175. He fought for position in the final stages of the race and finished in 17th position.

In the Points: Following Milwaukee, Kimball moves from 14th position to 15th in the IZOD IndyCar Series point standings with 145 markers, -129 points behind points leader Will Power.

A Perfect 10: Kimball has top-10 finishes in four of the eight IZOD IndyCar Series races this season, which already doubles his previously tally of two top-10 results in 2011.

Iowa Rewind: Kimball started the 250-lap race from 21st and maintained a steady pace until the first caution came out on lap 29. The No. 83 NovoLog FlexPen car came in for its first scheduled pit stop under the yellow, but the No.12 car exited their pit box early and made contact with Kimball, causing damage to aerodynamic pieces and the radiator. The Novo Nordisk team repaired the No. 83 car, allowing Kimball to make his way back out on the 0.875-mile oval on lap 98. The Novo Nordisk team deemed the damage too severe and ended their race under the lights on lap 133, which resulted in a 22nd-place finish.

Oval Stats: Kimball has 10 starts at oval tracks in his IZOD IndyCar career. In those 10 starts he has accumulated two top-10s, five top-15 finishes and led three laps. He has an average start of 18.7 and an average finish of 16.9.

Kimball on Iowa: “I’m looking forward to going back to Iowa Speedway. The Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing team recently had a really productive test day there, and I think the No. 83 NovoLog FlexPen car will be quick again once we hit the track on Friday. I’m confident that the experience I’ve gained on the ovals at the last few races will help us come out with a better result this weekend.”

About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc.

Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for over 25 years and is considered one of the most successful as well as innovative owners the sport has anywhere in the world. Today his teams include four in the IZOD IndyCar Series, two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and one Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Overall his teams have 14 championships and 147 victories, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and four Rolex 24 At Daytonas. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.

For more information log onto chipganassiracing.com

[media-credit name=”iowacorn.org” align=”alignright” width=”168″][/media-credit]Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing Iowa Advance Notes

Race: Iowa Corn Indy 250 (Saturday June 23 at 10:00 PM ET, NBC Sports Network)
Track: Iowa Speedway (0.875-mile oval)
Location: Newton, IA

NOTES/NEWS

Follow CGR on Twitter: Follow @CGRTeams for official updates from Chip Ganassi Racing’s IZOD IndyCar Series drivers Graham Rahal and Charlie Kimball.

Team Manager John Cummiskey on Iowa: “I love the fans in Iowa. The heat races will put a different twist on Friday and that should be a lot of fun for the Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing team. It really can’t get much better than Saturday night racing in Iowa and we’re all looking forward the weekend ahead.”

The Heat is On: In a departure from single-car qualifications, three heat races will be held June 22 to set the starting grid for the 250-lap race. Qualification groups will be determined by lap times recorded by entries in the second (45-minute) practice session earlier in the day (3:30 p.m. ET). Qualifications are scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET. Race one, will consist of the even-numbered positions, starting with the 10th-quickest practice time, and determine the even-numbered positions in the starting field from 10th down. Race two, will consist of the odd-numbered positions, starting with the ninth-quickest practice time, and determine the odd-numbered positions in the starting field from ninth down. Race three, will consist of drivers ranked one through eight from the practice. Results of race three will determine the first four rows, with the winner taking the pole position.

Break it Down: Pursuant to input from IZOD IndyCar Series drivers and team engineers, INDYCAR has directed a maximum rear flap angle of 37 degrees with no wicker allowed for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 at Iowa Speedway. The rule will reduce downforce available by about eight-to-nine percent.

Honda Power: Honda remains second in the manufacturer point standings with 63 points, closing in on Chevrolet with 69. Lotus remains third with 32 points.

There’s an App for that: Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) and SapientNitro SM recently re-launched an updated mobile application, which is one of the first for the high-velocity world of racing. The application brings fans updated driver and event information, and exclusive content in one centralized and expansive mobile experience, bringing to life the rich heritage and legendary success of CGRT. The unique mobile application conveys the high-octane rush of the racing experience for a team that competes at the highest levels in three series – the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS), IZOD IndyCar Series and GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Click here to visit the iTunes Application store and download the CGRT mobile app.

GRAHAM RAHAL AND THE NO. 38 SERVICE CENTRAL TEAM

Follow Graham on Twitter: Follow @grahamrahal for updates as the driver of the No. 38 Service CentralHonda completes his second season with Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

Helmet of Hope: The Graham Rahal Foundation was selected as one of the 12 charities that will be featured on NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Champion Jimmie Johnson’s helmet, through the Helmet of Hope program. Johnson will wear the helmet in the NSCS race at Infineon Raceway on June 24 in Sonoma, California. In addition to being featured on Johnson’s helmet, the Graham Rahal Foundation will receive a $10,000 grant as well as a Blue Bunny ice cream party. The program, which is part of the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, allows fans and media members across the country to nominate their favorite charities, which are then selected at random.

Milwaukee Recap: Rahal finished ninth in the Milwaukee IndyFest at The Milwaukee Mile, in West Allis, Wisconsin. The result marked Rahal’s 40th top-10 finish in his IZOD IndyCar Series career and the third top-10 of his 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season (Alabama, Texas). Rahal started the 225-lap race 11th and battled heavy traffic on the one-mile oval, driving the No. 38 Service Central Honda to the top-10 by lap 63. The Service Central team would fight handling problems early on, but would make adjustments to the car to gradually improve position throughout the second half of the race. Rahal would make the most of double-file restarts through a total of five cautions to nab a spot inside the top-10 with 23 laps to go. He ran in the top-10 for a total of 48 laps. Rahal’s previous top-10 results for the season included a fourth at Barber Motorsports Park in the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and a second at Texas Motor Speedway in the Firestone 550. On one-to-two mile ovals, Rahal has scored an average start of 7.0 and an average finish of 5.5 this season.

In the Points: Following Milwaukee, Rahal holds 11th in the IZOD IndyCar Series point standings with 171 markers, -103 points behind points leader Will Power.

Iowa Rewind: The No. 38 Service Central car lined-up 20th on the 0.875-mile oval for the 250-lap race under the lights. Rahal would charge to the top-15 and secure 12th-place by lap 45. On lap 90, the Service Central driver continued to dig through the field and nabbed a spot in the top-10 while fighting an edgy car. The Service Central team made their final scheduled pit stop of the night on lap 182 under green and were ill-fated when the yellow flag waved less than five laps later– allowing the leaders to pit under the caution and causing Rahal to lose a lap. The No. 38 continued to battle for track position and would ultimately finish 15th.

 

Career at Iowa: Rahal has made four starts at Iowa Speedway in his IZOD IndyCar career, earning two top-10s, four top-15s and leading 11 laps. He has zero DNFs (did not finish) and has completed 993 of the 1,000 laps run at Iowa Speedway since 2008. He has an average start of 15.5 and an average finish of 11.2 at the track.

Oval Office: The driver of the No. 38 Service Central Honda has made 35 starts on oval tracks in his IZOD IndyCar career. He has earned one pole, five podiums, nine top-fives, 15 top-10 finishes and led 55 laps. He has an average start of 11.9 and an average finish of 13.9.

Rahal on Iowa: “Iowa will be a tough race for all of us. We are going to be doing a lot of learning with the new aero configuration, but I think this all leans into our favor. I am looking forward to going there and really having to muscle the cars around. It’s a great little track, physically very demanding, but this will be a lot of fun for thedrivers, teams, and fans!”

About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc.

Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for over 25 years and is considered one of the most successful as well as innovative owners the sport has anywhere in the world. Today his teams include four in the IZOD IndyCar Series, two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and one Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Overall his teams have 14 championships and 147 victories, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and four Rolex 24 At Daytonas. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.

For more information log onto chipganassiracing.com

WINCHESTER, Indiana (June 21, 2012) – – With an average finish of 14th on the three short track races that Josh Williams and his Josh Williams Motorsports (JWM) team has competed on during the course of the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season, odds are that the team’s chances of improving on that statistic will improve in Sunday’s running of the Herr’s Chase The Taste 200 at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway.

After mixed results in rounds seven and eight respectively at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and Michigan International Speedway, the family-owned draws their attention towards the ninth event of the season, a race where patience and luck will likely play the deciding factor in the overall running order.   Bringing one of the favorite cars from their impressive fleet, the Port Charlotte, Florida native is eager to deliver the team’s third top-10 run of the season while also boost the team’s morale heading into a stretch of races where the Concord, North Carolina-based race team feels that they can draw some attention and earn some time in the spotlight.

“I’m looking forward to Sunday’s race, because it’s going to be one those shows that’s going to be exciting from start to finish,” explained Williams, driver of the No. 02 Southwest Florida Cable Construction Chevrolet. “The short tracks have been very intense this year but it has produced some good racing for the fans and I don’t expect this weekend to be any different. We’ve worked even harder on our short track program since Toledo so we can go to Winchester this weekend and be competitive right off the bat.”

The 18-year old added, “This is a big stretch for us. It’s off to Winchester then New Jersey, which I can’t wait for – then you have Iowa and Chicagoland not too far away, so as these races approach it’s going to be important for us to be as consistent as we can be.”

Working on a shoestring budget has kept the team from being able to dig themselves into some of the luxuries of racing in the ARCA Racing Series – but Williams remains modest in knowing that his team is making huge strides working off limited funding and will continue to do so in hopes of something more permanent will eventually develop and allow the team to expand their horizons.

“There’s so much that we would like to do, but right now we’re working with the tools that we have,” the Floridian mentioned. “I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of everyone on this team. Despite the hardship at Michigan, we’re marching forward with our heads held high knowing that we have the capabilities of bouncing back and everyone will see that we will, hopefully this weekend.”

Teetering on entering the top-10 in the championship standings despite missing Elko (Minn.) Speedway earlier this month, the avid Pro Truck driver knows that putting his JWM organization back inside that spectrum could be an added boost.

“Like a lot of teams, we’re searching and struggling to gain additional sponsorship,” offered Williams. “Without my mom and dad (owners Kevin and Theresa Williams), none of this would be happening. They believe in me and this team though and that’s why we continue to forge ahead. We’re working on some stuff, we have some connections and we know it takes time but I think if we’re able to throttle forward and maneuver ourselves back inside the top-10 that it will only help in our off-track battle in filling up the voided areas on our No. 02 Chevrolet.”

The Herr’s Chase The Taste 200 (200 laps / 100 miles) is the ninth of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 23rd ARCA race at Winchester Speedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Saturday, June 23 with a forty-five practice session planned from 12:05 p.m. – 12:50 p.m. A final practice is scheduled from 2:05 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 4:30 p.m. The event will take the green flag Sunday, June 24 shortly after 2:00 p.m. The race will not be televised but additional coverage including a radio broadcast and timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local (Eastern).

For more information on Josh Williams, his Josh Williams Motorsports team and sponsorship opportunities for the 2012 season please connect to the team’s official website at Joshwracing.com.

[media-credit name=”delawarespeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”233″][/media-credit]June 20, 2012.  Sherwood Park, Alberta’s Noel Dowler has a jammed week of appearances as he prepares for the EMCO 200 presented by Niagara Plumbing Supply & McKeough Supply, round number four of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series this weekend at Delaware Speedway near London, ON.

 

Dowler now racing in his second NCATS season is fresh off a couple of significant accomplishments in the last race.  The #5 EMCO Dodge driver claimed his first ever series top ten finish and also the Coca Cola move of the race which is the NASCAR Contingency award for the driver that gains the most positions during an event.  “You can feel the momentum building within the whole team” said Dowler.  “It feels good to be making significant gains every weekend we race” he added.

 

The #5 EMCO Dodge team expect to keep that positive energy going this weekend at the EMCO 200 presented by Niagara Plumbing Supply & McKeough Supply.  “We’ve tested the car at Delaware recently and came away with some good information” explained Dowler.  “It’s the home track for my teammate DJ Kennington and he’s been great at helping me learn about how to get around too” he added.

 

Prior to the race on Saturday Dowler will be visiting the EMCO PC location in Windsor and McKeough Supply in Brantford with the #5 EMCO Dodge.  “We started doing this last year and all the EMCO employees, customers, suppliers and the whole neighborhood get a real kick out of it” said Dowler.  It really helps us connect with the people in the company and they have become great fans of the race team” he stated.

 

Dean Mailloux is the EMCO Branch Manager for London/Sarnia/St. Thomas and will have a huge presence at this weekend’s race.   “The EMCO, McKeough Supply team and our sponsor representatives from Kohler, Keeprite, and Tempstar are thrilled to welcome over 300 contractor customers from throughout Southwestern Ontario for an exciting evening of racing at Delaware Speedway. The night will culminate with the “EMCO 200” Canadian Tire Series NASCAR race with the full support of our group cheering a trip to victory lane with the checker flag for the #5 EMCO Dodge driven by Noel Dowler”

 

The 2012 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series resumes June 23^rd at Delaware Speedway near London, ON with practice and qualifying in the afternoon and the EMCO 200 Saturday evening.  This year’s schedule features 12 events from coast to coast including races during the Edmonton Indy weekend and the NASCAR Nationwide event in Montreal.  For more information about Noel Dowler Jr. log onto www.apollomotorsports.ca and follow him on twitter, @noeldowler.

 

This release prepared by, TL Sports & Entertainment

(MARNE, Mich. – June 20, 2012) – NASCAR star Kyle Busch passed for the lead on Lap 212 and held off a late charge from ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards competitor Chase Elliott to win the Rowdy 251 at Berlin Raceway, one of the highlights of the first season of ARCA CRA Super Series racing under the new agreement between the sanctions.

Busch’s win was his third in four years at the event which features his nickname, and his first in an ARCA division since winning in the 2004 ARCA Racing Series opener at Daytona, his last ARCA start. Busch also won in the ARCA Racing Series twice in 2003.

Elliott, who will next compete with the ARCA Racing Series July 1 at New Jersey Motorsports Park’s Thunderbolt Raceway, finished ahead of two-time ARCA CRA Super Series champion Johnny VanDoorn, Tom Thomas, and Ross Kenseth.

The full results are available by clicking here, and more information from the Rowdy 251 is available atCRARacing.net.

The series will return to action Saturday at Winchester Speedway as part of an all-ARCA tripleheader at the Indiana half-mile. The ARCA Racing Series headlines a weekend that also features the ARCA CRA Super Series and ARCA Truck Series. The ARCA Racing Series will hold two 45-minute practices on Saturday, at 12:05 and 2:05 p.m. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell will follow at 5, just before the Truck Series race at 6 and the Super Series event at 7.

The 200-lap, 100-mile Herr’s Chase the Taste 200 – the ninth event of the ARCA Racing Series season – will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, with live timing and scoring and live audio coverage presented by the ARCA Racing Network available at ARCARacing.com.

(WINCHESTER, Ind. – June 20, 2012) – Discounted tickets for Sunday’s Herr’s Chase the Taste 200 at Winchester Speedway remain available at nine Menards stores near the track.

In addition to roles as the presenting sponsor of the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards and as a co-primary sponsor on Frank Kimmel’s No. 44 Ansell/Menards Toyota, Menards is participating heavily in promotion of the race. As the ARCA Racing Series continues through its 60th Anniversary Season, race fans in Indiana and Ohio have the chance to “Save Big Money” on tickets to see the action live.

Until Saturday, fans can buy tickets for Sunday’s race at $20 – a $7 discount off of the advertised at-track price – at stores in: Anderson; Celina, Ohio; Muncie; Richmond; Sidney, Ohio; and Tipp City, Ohio. Three stores in Fort Wayne are also offering the discount.

The ARCA Racing Series headlines an all-ARCA tripleheader at the Indiana half-mile that also features the ARCA CRA Super Series and ARCA Truck Series. The ARCA Racing Series will hold two 45-minute practices on Saturday, at 12:05 and 2:05 p.m. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell will follow at 5, just before the Truck Series race at 6 and the Super Series event at 7.

The 200-lap, 100-mile Herr’s Chase the Taste 200 – the ninth event of the ARCA Racing Series season – will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, with live timing and scoring and live audio coverage presented by the ARCA Racing Network available at ARCARacing.com.

Notes & Quotes: Iowa Corn Indy 250 at Iowa Speedway

Mike Conway: No. 14 ABC Supply Dallara/Honda

[media-credit name=”iowacorn.org” align=”alignright” width=”168″][/media-credit]· Mike Conway on racing at Iowa Speedway: “We recently tested at Iowa so we know what to expect going back there apart from one big change. That is going to be the reduced down force that we didn’t try but know should be ok. In the past this track has been a lot of fun, it’s a small 7/8 mile oval which when you look at it does look very small but it’s amazing how much grip it has with our cars. You can pass here if you have a good car like anywhere so we will be working hard on that in practice to get it right for the race as we have more than one [race] this time round.”

· Conway on the heat race qualifying format: “It’s going to be different for the qualifying races that’s for sure; in 30 laps the tires wont degrade that much, so it’s going to be a flat out sprint race!”

· Past performance at Iowa Speedway: Conway’s best start is 9th (2011) and his best finish is 8th (2009); the Foyt team’s best start is 13th (2010 with Vitor Meira) and their best finish is 5th (2007 with Darren Manning).

· Conway plus A.J. and Larry Foyt will attend the ABC Supply Founders Day Celebration at the Company’s headquarters in Beloit, WI this Thursday evening. From there they will fly on to Des Moines.

· ABC Supply roofing customer, West Branch Roofing, located in West Branch, IA, won the ‘Your Name Here’contest for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 at Iowa Speedway. The company name will be atop the sidepods of the No. 14 ABC Supply Dallara/Honda. Guests will receive selected merchandise, race tickets, hospitality and garage passes, plus a Meet and Greet with A.J. Foyt and Mike Conway.

· Jon Wolfkill will be the ABC Supply Honorary Crew Member of the race this weekend. Wolfkill works as a driver/operator in the Des Moines branch. Wolfkill, 39, lives in Des Moines with his wife Angie and their three children: Brandon, Abigail and Baili.

· ABC Supply will entertain nearly 400 guests at Saturday’s race. Prior to 2012, the company had entertained over 35,000 guests at IndyCar races since it began sponsoring A.J. Foyt’s team in 2005.

· The Iowa Corn Indy 250 will be shown live at 9 p.m. ET Saturday, June 23 on the NBC Sports Network. The heat races will be televised earlier, immediately following “IndyCar 36” (on driver Charlie Kimball) which starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday evening, also on the NBC Sports Network.

· For more information on the Foyt Racing program, please check our web site: www.ajfoytracing.com.

WINCHESTER, Indiana (June 20, 2012) – -After netting a career-best finish of ninth in his most recent ARCA Racing Series race at Elko (Minn.) Speedway earlier this month, Mason Mingus and Win-Tron Racing reunite together after a two-race break for Sunday afternoon’s  Herr’s Chase The Taste 200 at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway.

It goes without saying that Mingus’s transition to the ARCA Racing Series this season has seen many pluses behind the wheel of the No. 32 Call 811 Before You Dig Toyota Camry but as the season presses forward with its ninth contest of the year, Mingus is hoping to turn his top-10 performances this year into something more.

“With every race, we learn a lot and make great strides but I’m ready to put our No. 32 Call 811 Before You Dig Toyota Camry inside the top-five,” said Mingus. “We’ve had the equipment to do it, just haven’t had the right scenarios to make it happen. This weekend, I’m confident that we can go to Winchester and get that goal accomplished.”

Despite his recent pause in competition, Mingus has stayed busy focusing his efforts not only on this weekend’s race but his ARCA road course debut next weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP). Tackling, the Bob Bondurant Driving School, a facility that focuses on the fundamentals of road racing – the Brentwood, Tennessee native is thriving on the confidence of his aggressive three-day session which he hopes to carry over to one of the most demanding short tracks on the ARCA circuit.

“This week and next week are going to be night and day as far as the track is concerned, but the feelings you have as a racecar driver don’t change,” sounded Mingus. “Focus and preparation has been the key to our success this year and while I think those will be important for Sunday, I think luck and patience will be just as important. The good thing about short track racing is that you don’t need to have to cleanliest looking car to win. You can have your feathers ruffled during the race and still perform to the max and that’s what we plan to do, nothing more – nothing less.”

For the fifth time this year, the 17-year old standout will be carrying the likes of Call 811 Before You Dig, which has been with him since his inception into the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

811 is the new number you should call before you begin any digging project. A new, federally-mandated national “Call Before You Dig” number, 811 was created to help protect you from unintentionally hitting underground utility lines while working on digging projects. People digging often make risky assumptions about whether or not they should get their utility lines marked due to concerns about project delays, costs and previous calls about other projects. These assumptions can be life-threatening.

Every digging job requires a call – even small projects like planting trees or shrubs. If you hit an underground utility line while digging, you can harm yourself or those around you, disrupt service to an entire neighborhood and potentially be responsible for fines and repair costs.

“Call 811 Before You Dig is a great program and we want to increase their awareness and I feel that we have and we’re going to continue to make a major dent into that this season,” offered Mingus. “It’s really a great, informational service available and I’m extremely grateful to them for pairing up with me this season. We’ve had some good runs for them, but we’re eager for more and I’m anxious to see what we can deliver for them on Sunday afternoon.”

Nate Thiesse, co-car owner of Win-Tron Racing offered his sentiments on his protégés tango with Winchester Speedway. “There’s no hiding behind that Winchester is a tough old short track. The place has some similar characteristics of Salem, where Mason did very well at, so our initial predictions are that he will have a similar type effort this weekend.” On top of Winchester Speedway, Mingus’s current ARCA schedule also includes New Jersey Motorsports Park, Iowa Speedway, Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis and the traditional Fall Salem (Ind.) Speedway classic.

In addition to Call 811 Before You Dig, Diamond Equipment will leap aboard the team as an associate marketing partner for Mingus’s sixth-career ARCA start.

The Herr’s Chase The Taste 200 (200 laps / 100 miles) is the ninth of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 23rd ARCA race at Winchester Speedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Saturday, June 23 with a forty-five practice session planned from 12:05 p.m. – 12:50 p.m. A final practice is scheduled from 2:05 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 4:30 p.m. The event will take the green flag Sunday, June 24 shortly after 2:00 p.m. The race will not be televised but additional coverage including a radio broadcast and timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local (Eastern).

Further information including driver opportunities with Win-Tron Racing is available by visiting win-tronracing.comor contacting Nate Thiesse at 612.306.1641

Learn about Call 811 Before You Dig and what it can do for you by connecting to call811.com.

For more on Mason Mingus, please visit MasonMingusRacing.com.

 

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.

WINCHESTER, Indiana (June 20, 2012) – – Early race misfortune robbed Tom Hessert’s chances of a good finish last Friday evening at Michigan International Speedway. This weekend, however the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards tour thunders back into action at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway, the ARCA veteran knows he’s heading to a place that fits his profile for redemption.

Behind the wheel of the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala for Ken Schrader Racing (KSR), the Cherry Hill, New Jersey native has been able to negotiate an average finish of eighth in the four short track races run thus far and with his ninth start of the season on-deck for the weekend, the 26-year old knows that Winchester will boil back down to basics on Sunday afternoon.

“I’m looking forward to Sunday afternoon because you’re able to throw a lot of the components that we’ve had to utilize in the last two races at Pocono and Michigan completely out the window,” Hessert explained. “Winchester is an extremely fast track where momentum is everything. The track has similar characteristics to Salem, were we ran very well earlier in the year, so I know not only am I looking forward to the race, but the guys are too.”

The avid racer will make his second start at the Indiana short track on Sunday afternoon. Last year, Hessert maneuvered from his 13th place starting position to note a fifth place run, one of his seven top-five performances of the year. Posting three top-fives and five top-10s after eighth runs in 2012, Hessert knows that his KSR team is capable of more than a duplicate performance.

“I enjoy racing on the short tracks in ARCA,” Hessert said. “You never know what to expect but you know that you can always expect a good fight at the front. The fields have been tight and no one really has an advantage over another. Our team has shown incredible strength this season, despite the bad luck at Michigan. We’ve run well, consistent and near the front all season long. We know that we need to bounce back this weekend. We lost a ton of points last Friday and now we just need to fight our way back to the top. From our run last year, we at least know we have a starting point and Donnie (Richeson, crew chief) has done a good job fine-tuning our No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet all year long. We just have to stick to our plan and we’ll be okay.”

Eight races down, 12 to go in the remaining ARCA Racing Series schedule, Hessert currently occupies seventh in the championship standings, 170 points behind leader Brennan Poole. Just 75 markers though separate him from seventh to third in the ongoing battle for the coveted ARCA championship honors.

The Herr’s Chase The Taste 200 (200 laps / 100 miles) is the ninth of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 23rd ARCA race at Winchester Speedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Saturday, June 23 with a forty-five practice session planned from 12:05 p.m. – 12:50 p.m. A final practice is scheduled from 2:05 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 4:30 p.m. The event will take the green flag Sunday, June 24 shortly after 2:00 p.m. The race will not be televised but additional coverage including a radio broadcast and timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local (Eastern).

Entering Winchester, Hessert has 91 career ARCA Racing Series starts. In those outings, he has maneuvered two poles, one win, 22 top-fives and 48 top-10s.

For more on Tom Hessert III, please visit tomhessert.com.

Hessert has joined the Twitter crave. Follow and connect with him @TomHessert.