Category: Other Series PR

[media-credit name=”ARCA Racing Network” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit](NEWTON, Iowa – May 10, 2012) – Iowa Speedway officials announced recently that for the seventh consecutive year, Prairie Meadows will continue as entitlement sponsor for the track’s annual ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards event.

Prairie Meadows has been the sponsor of ARCA’s annual race since the series’ first visit to Iowa Speedway in the track’s first year of operation, 2006. The Prairie Meadows 200 will air live on SPEED at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on Friday, July 13.

Prairie Meadows’ president believes facilities like Iowa Speedway line directly up with their mission as a community organization.

“Prairie Meadows is proud to partner with the great leadership team at Iowa Speedway in bringing the Prairie Meadows 200 ARCA race to Newton again this year,” said  Gary Palmer, president and CEO of Prairie Meadows. “This partnership allows us to continue to fulfill our mission of supporting tourism and economic development.”

Said Stan Clement, president of Iowa Speedway: “To have a community leader like Prairie Meadows involved with our speedway, basically since day one, has allowed us to be a better community partner. With their sponsorship, we have been able to create an amazing relationship with ARCA, which brings the fans a great race to watch and provides a huge economic impact on the local economy.”

ARCA was one of the first sanctioning bodies to race at the Newton motorsports complex.

“The support of a longtime partner is important in motorsports,” said Mark Gundrum, vice president of business development and corporate partnerships for ARCA. “We’re happy to see that Prairie Meadows and Iowa Speedway are working together again as ARCA’s 60th Anniversary Season visits Newton.”

Previous ARCA winners at Iowa Speedway include: Steve Wallace (2006); Frank Kimmel (2007); Matt Hawkins (2008); Parker Kligerman (2009); Tom Hessert (2010); and Ty Dillon (2011). Tickets are available by calling 1-866-RUSTY-GO or visiting IowaSpeedway.com.

[media-credit name=”ARCA Racing Network” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit](TOLEDO, Ohio – May 10, 2012) – Born in Toledo in 1953, the Automobile Racing Club of America and its premier national tour will celebrate a historical 60th season with one home race this year, as Toledo Speedway will host the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care next Sunday, May 20.

The series last raced at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway six days ago, and the contrast between major, national superspeedway and local short track truly showcases the wide range of ARCA’s reach over the past six decades. SPEED will air the race for a national television audience, placing Toledo motorsports in the spotlight on a weekend afternoon.

The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards – ARCA’s flagship series for developmental drivers and veterans alike – will hold practice and qualifying on Saturday, May 19, with the race set for Sunday afternoon.

The basic facts and figures surrounding the race are as follows:

What: Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care, the fifth race of 20 on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series schedule

When: 2 p.m., Sunday, May 20

Where: Toledo Speedway

Distance: 200 laps, or 100 miles

Last year’s winner: Ty Dillon in May, Chris Buescher in October.

Dillon’s spring win was a catalyst for his series championship run, one of seven victories in 2011.

Buescher’s win in the season finale – and the 70th ARCA Racing Series event at Toledo – was his third of 2011 and his third in the last four ARCA Racing Series events at the track; he drove to victory when Dillon spun race leader Brennan Poole. Though Dillon has moved on to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Buescher and Poole will enter as top contenders for the May 20 race.

Last year’s pole winner: Tom Hessert, 16.08 seconds (111.94 mph).

ARCA qualifying record at track: Justin Lofton, 15.86 seconds (113.493 mph) – 2008.

Over 25 drivers and cars are currently entered and more are expected. Alex Bowman, a short track winner this season at Salem (Ind.) Speedway is entered, as is nine-time Toledo winner and ARCA champion Frank Kimmel.

Fifteen-year-old Erik Jones, a Michigan driver, will make his final ARCA start before turning 16. Ohio drivers expected to compete include Jared Marks (Napoleon), Chad Hackenbracht (New Philadelphia), Tim Cowen (Perrysville), Tommy O’Leary (Cygnet), and Levi Youster (Toledo).

The entry list, as it stands today, is available on ARCARacing.com and is being updated as necessary until the event.

Schedule of accompanying on-track events: Practice: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-1:45 p.m., Saturday, May 19; Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell: 3:30 p.m., Saturday, May 19.

The ARCA Truck Series will also race, with practice opening at 11:15 a.m. Saturday and a race at 5.

ARCA will honor numerous champions, race winners, and key figures from 60 years of competition in a special ceremony before Sunday’s race.

[media-credit name=”ARCA Racing Network” align=”alignright” width=”180″][/media-credit]TALLADEGA, Alabama (May 9, 2012) – – Tom Hessert III, driver of the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Toyota Camry delivered his fourth consecutive top-10 finish at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway Friday afternoon after thundering to his first top-five finish of the season in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250.

When Mother Nature soaked the 2.66-mile superspeedway on Thursday afternoon, the teams would be denied their crucial three-hour practice session in the morning followed by qualifying later in the afternoon. With the field set according to the ARCA rule book, the veteran driver found himself seventh in the 43-car lineup.

A short practice session on Friday morning allowed the Ken Schrader Racing (KSR) team led by crew chief Donnie Richeson to “shake down” their automobile, making sure it was ready to compete in the fourth race of the season.

The green flag waived shortly after 4:00 p.m. local time and Hessert remained focused on keeping his No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Toyota Camry out of trouble and near the front. By lap-five, Hessert had maneuvered himself into fourth with the three leaders closely ahead of him.

The Cherry Hill, New Jersey remained in the fourth position when the first yellow flag waived on lap 11 when the classic “big one” developed in the tri-oval.

When racing resumed, Hessert nearly immediately began to feel a vibration and quickly notified his crew which informed their driver to bring the car to pit road for an unscheduled stop. Under green, the 25-year old carefully brought his machine to a stop where the KSR team quickly bolted on four new Hoosier tires and sent their pilot back into battle.

Upon inspection, the right-rear tire was deflated. While the decision to pit was the right one, Hessert know found himself without drafting help and in danger of losing a lap to the leaders. Thankfully, a caution flag waived on lap 20 allowing Hessert to regain all the ground he lost on the track.

Restarting 19th, Hessert methodically began working his way towards the front and had nearly reached the top-10 again when the fourth caution flag waived on lap 52 for debris on the racetrack. Under the yellow, Richeson brought his protégé to pit lane for the team’s final stop of the day. The quick work by the KSR team landed the team back inside the top-five for the final segment of the race.

Lap 70, Hessert was fifth in the running order and was able to muscle his way into fourth when the checkered flag waived on lap 94.

“We’ll take fourth, especially after the tire problem early in the race,” said Hessert. “If not for the tire problem, I believe the end results would have been a little different. I feel like our No. 52 Federated Auto Parts ToyotaCamry was strong enough to contend for the win, we just ran out of laps. I want to thank the guys on the KSR team for doing an immaculate job throughout the race. They are the ones that made the top-five possible.”

Next up on the tour is the fifth stop of the season at the famed Toledo Speedway, dubbed as the hometown track for the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). The Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care is set for Sunday, May 20. The green flag is set to fly shortly after 2:00 p.m. with live coverage on SPEED. Unofficially, Hessert sits second in the championship point standings, a gain of two spots following his first top-five of 2012 and a mere 55 points out of the championship lead.

Exiting Talladega, Hessert has 87 career ARCA Racing Series starts. In those outings, he has maneuvered two poles, one win, 20 top-fives and 46 top-10s.

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

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

[media-credit name=”www.asa-racing.com” align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]–Milwaukee’s Giuffre Brothers Cranes Also Partnering with Fellow ASA Alumnus–

MOORESVILLE, NC (May 8, 2012)–Officials of Rusty Wallace Racing, LLC (RWR) and Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches announced today that Jimmy John’s will be the primary sponsor of Rusty Wallace and his No. 66 Ford Fusion in the June 12th Howie Lettow Memorial 150 ASA Midwest Tour race at the Milwaukee Mile.

Based in Champaign, IL, Jimmy John’s was founded in 1983 by 19 year old Jimmy John Liautaud in Charleston, IL. He’s still rockin’ out sammies and the company has grown to over 1400 locations in 42 states across the U.S. The company is known for fresh quality products, but it’s the freaky fast speed and delivery that really puts Jimmy ahead of the rest. Jimmy John’s also sponsors Kevin Harvick in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Joining the effort as an associate sponsor on the Jimmy John’s Ford will be Milwaukee’s Giuffre Brothers Cranes. One of the world’s largest distributors of boom-trucks, Giuffre Brothers is a family-owned company that has deep ties to Midwestern auto racing. Co-founder Frank Giuffre actually competed on the ASA tour in the 1980s. In 2011, the company served as the official recovery vehicle provider for the Indianapolis 500.

Said Wallace, “I’m really excited about getting behind the wheel again at Milwaukee. I’ve had a ton of success there over the years. I’m equally excited about having Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches and Giuffre Brothers Cranes on board for the race. Hopefully we’ll have a “freaky fast” Ford up there and can put Jimmy John’s and Giuffre Brothers in victory lane.”

# # #

About Rusty Wallace Racing, LLC

North Carolina-based Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR) is a professional auto racing team steeped in the legendary racing history of its founder, Rusty Wallace. In 2011, the team, led by third-generation driver Steve Wallace, campaigned the No. 66, No. 64 and No. 62 cars in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. RWR entries have finished among the top-ten in the Nationwide Series driver or owner standings in each of the last four seasons. For more on Rusty Wallace Racing, please visit the award-winning rustywallace.com.

[media-credit name=”indianapolismotorspeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”295″][/media-credit]Parnelli to celebrate 150-mph pole run by driving ‘Calhoun’ on Pole Day at IMS

INDIANAPOLIS, Friday, May 4, 2012 – Parnelli Jones will celebrate the 50th anniversary of breaking the 150-mph barrier in qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 by driving the No. 98 Agajanian Willard Battery Watson-Offy roadster on Pole Day, Saturday, May 19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

1963 Indianapolis 500 winner Jones is scheduled to turn laps in the famous car, nicknamed “Calhoun,” at approximately 4 p.m. Jones won the pole for the 1962 Indianapolis 500 in the car with a four-lap average speed of 150.370 mph. The IMS Hall of Fame Museum now owns the car.

It’s the second consecutive year Jones will drive a historical car at IMS. Last May he drove the Marmon “Wasp,” which Ray Harroun guided to victory in the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911.

“Last May it was an honor to drive the Marmon ‘Wasp’ around Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of the Centennial Celebration – not for just one lap but for three laps,” Jones said. “This year to drive in ‘Calhoun,’ the car that was such an important part of my Indianapolis career, it will be like getting together with an old pal. We’ve seen lots of good and bad times together.

“It will be fun to drive around the Speedway again. That’s always fun, especially in a car that means so much to me. We’ve been through it all! What if I want to stay out on the track and keep driving? Who’s going to make me pull in?”

General admission on Pole Day is $15, with children 12 and under admitted free.

***

Colts-Foyt golf event May 22 to benefit charity: Headlined by a special appearance by legendary four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt, the Indianapolis Colts “Foyt Family Wines” Inaugural Golf Classic Presented by BullWear will tee off for charity Tuesday, May 22 at Brickyard Crossing Golf Course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit The Healing Place, Inc., a non-profit organization formed to reach the homeless, offer recovery for the addicted and help restore productive lives. Founded as a homelessshelter in 1989, The Healing Place has become one of the nation’s most effective, long-term social model recovery programs. For more information, visit www.thehealingplace.org.

Foyt Family Wines owners Larry Foyt and A.J. Foyt IV will serve as hosts for the event that will feature appearances by several IZOD IndyCar Series drivers and celebrity guests.

Limited registration for public players is available at www.foytwines.com/foytgolf . Onsite registration for this exclusive golf scramble begins at 7 a.m., with the shotgun start at 8 a.m. Afoursome for the outing is $1,300, which includes greens fees and four tickets to the Foyt Family Wines “Wine Down” reception immediately following the scramble. All of the proceeds from the event’s silent auction will be donated to The Healing Place.

The “Foyt Family Wines” Golf Classic is sponsored by Foyt Family Wines, the Indianapolis Colts, BullWear, Fresh Marketing, Meadowcroft Wines, Brickyard Crossing, Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka, The Healing Place, The J Wagner Group, Huddles Frozen Yogurt, Deuce Brand, Anheuser-Busch and Zink Distributing.

***

Museum hours extended during May: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum will feature extended hours during the 96th Indianapolis 500.

The Museum will be open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, May 12 through Friday, May 18 and Monday, May 21 through Wednesday, May 23. Hours will be 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, Sunday, May 20, Thursday, May 24 and Friday, May 25. Fans can visit the Museum from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, May 26 and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Race Day, Sunday, May 27.

Museum admission is $5 for adults and $3 for fans 6-15 years old, with children under 6 free. Gate admission to the Indianapolis 500 is not included in Museum admission and must be purchased separately.

The IMS Hall of Fame Museum, located inside the IMS oval between Turns 1 and 2, is recognized as one of the most highly visible, prestigious museums in the world devoted to automobiles and auto racing.

***

Clauson to thank Noblesville May 6: Indianapolis 500 rookie Bryan Clauson will thank the people of Noblesville, Ind., where he resides, during a Community Appreciation Day from 2-6 p.m. (ET) Sunday, May 6.

Two-time reigning USAC National Drivers Champion Clauson will attempt to make his first start in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in a car fielded by Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing.

Festivities Sunday will take place at the Moose Lodge at 950 Field Drive in Noblesville. Two-time USAC National Midget Series champion Clauson will sign autographs for fans from 3:30-4:30 p.m., and a Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing IZOD IndyCar Series car will be on display. Other activities include a car show, food, games and entertainment.

***

2012 Indianapolis 500 tickets: Tickets are on sale for the 96th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race on Sunday, May 27, 2012 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Race Day ticket prices start at just $30. Fans can buy tickets online at www.imstix.com, by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or by visiting the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.

Children 12 and under will be receive free general admission to any IMS event in 2012 when accompanied by an adult general admission ticket holder.

Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.

[media-credit name=”IZOD IndyCar Series” align=”alignright” width=”287″][/media-credit]Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:

1.      Bell rejoins Sam Schmidt Motorsports for Indy 500

2.      Dixons lend hand in restoring hope

3.      Larrison to contest Firestone Indy Lights races with Belardi team

4.      Firestone Indy Lights rookies test at Iowa

1. Bell rejoins Sam Schmidt Motorsports for Indy 500: For the third consecutive year, Townsend Bell will attempt to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 in a car prepared by the team owned by Sam Schmidt. Bell will drive the Honda-powered No. 99 BraunAbility/Schmidt Pelfrey Motorsports.

Bell, from San Luis Obispo, Calif., will be a teammate to Simon Pagenaud, who drives the No. 77 SchmidtHamilton HP Motorsports car full time in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

“Speed and consistency win the Indianapolis 500,” said Bell, who has a best finish of fourth in 2009. “Returning to Indy with Sam and his team for the third year in a row will ensure I have both those ingredients again in 2012. For the past two years, my guys have provided me a fast race car, and I know the No 99 BraunAbility/Schmidt Pelfrey Motorsports car will give me another shot at winning.”

In 2011, Bell qualified on the second row for the Indianapolis 500 — behind his SSM teammate and pole sitter Alex Tagliani. His day ended early with an accident on Lap 157.

“Townsend is one of those drivers that gets it done at Indy, and I am excited to have him driving the No. 99 BraunAbility car this May,” Schmidt said. “To say we have unfinished business together at Indy may be a cliché, but it is true. We’ve started our first two races together with legitimate shots at winning. This year should be no different.”

Based in Winamac, Ind., BraunAbility is an industry leader in personal mobility, including the manufacturing of wheelchair vans, wheelchair lifts and other mobility accessories. It is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

2. Dixons lend hand in restoring hope: Paint brush in hand, Scott Dixon says he might have found a calling after his IZOD IndyCar Series career.

The two-time IZOD IndyCar Series champion and his wife, Emma Davies-Dixon, joined Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity and local Target volunteers (and the 10-foot-tall pink Energizer Bunny) to revitalize two homes damaged by a May 22, 2011 tornado in North Minneapolis.

“A racing career doesn’t go on that long, so I need to sharpen some skills so that I have a job to look forward to,” Dixon said.

Joining the Dixons on the project were local volunteers from Target, whose headquarters is in Minneapolis. In 2011, Target team members donated more than 474,500 volunteer hours to thousands of community projects across the country. The company is on track, by the end of 2015, to reach its goal of 700,000 volunteer hours per year.

“I’m in my 11th year driving with Target and we’ve done a lot of projects together over the years, and to help restore homes after such a devastating event is important to Emma and I,” Dixon said. “Target has a huge interest in community and helping out, and with Energizer giving back to the community.”

Energizer is on a nationwide 13-city series of volunteer projects with Habitat for Humanity, donating more than $350,000 and 1,000 volunteer hours in working with local partners in each community, like Target. The Twin Cities was the fourth stop.

“It’s cool to have Energizer, which has built its brand on endurance, come on board to help push us through to the end of this project,” said Andy Barnettt of the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. “There is a tremendous gratitude from the residents when Habitat comes in, and there is a new spirit in the community you can feel.”

3. Larrison to contest Firestone Indy Lights races with Belardi team: Mike Larrison has joined Belardi Auto Racing to race all ovals on the 2012 schedule, as well as the street course race in Baltimore.

Competing in racing since he was 4 years old, Larrison has competed in motocross, karting, USAC and Must See Racing’s Xtreme Sprint Series. He is also a part of the Davey Hamilton Racing family, driving for the INDYCAR veteran’s sprint car team.

“I’m really looking forward to the opportunity I’ve been offered by Belardi Auto Racing to drive the No. 19 TruFuel/Royal Oak Charcoal Firestone Indy Lights car in the 2012 racing season,” Larrison said. “I can’t thank all of my sponsors TruFuel, Calumet Specialty Lubricants, Royal Oak Charcoal and Turtle Wax enough for all the doors they have opened for me the past few years. I’m really looking forward to racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Freedom 100 on May 25. This has always been a dream of my father and I—for me to be able to race there. My father grew up just off 16th Street right outside the Speedway, and I grew up only 15 miles away in Avon, Ind.”

Larrison holds multiple American Motocross Association championships and accumulated five Midwest karting championships in just six years. He won two Indy Karting Series championships with 14 race wins, holds a USAC regional rookie of the year title and the world record for fastest car on a quarter-mile paved oval at Slinger Speedway in 2010.

In 2011, Larrison finished 11th in the Xtreme Sprint Series and was later sidelined with back and foot injuries sustained in a crash at Kentucky Speedway while testing with Andretti Autosport.

He completed his rookie test at Iowa Speedway on May 3, and is scheduled to make his Firestone Indy Lights debut with Belardi Auto Racing on May 25 during the Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“It’s all about me revamping myself,” Larrison said. “I plan on running Indy and all of the oval races, so I need to get laps and I need Indy to sign-off that I am ready for these cars, which they have, so this has been quite an accomplishment.

“Things haven’t changed much with these cars since I was last in one. It was just a question of me getting comfortable with the car.”

4. Firestone Indy Lights rookies test at Iowa: As an addendum to an initial rookie oval test at Auto Club Speedway in April, five Firestone Indy Lights rookies successfully completed a test at Iowa Speedway on May 3.

Mike Larrison and Alon Day of Belardi Auto Racing, Armaan Ebrahim and Emerson Newton-John of Fan Force United tested on the 7/8^th mile oval. Chase Austin, who competed in two Firestone Indy Lights races last season, also attended with Juncos Racing.

“I am here to get experience, to get a feeling for the car racing on an oval,” Ebrahim said. “Two weeks ago at Fontana was my first time on an oval. For road courses the cars have a different feeling than they do on an oval. Racing on an oval is far more technical than you think it is when you are watching it on TV.”

The session was overseen by Firestone Indy Lights technical director Vince Kremer, who came away very impressed.

“The purpose of this test was to make sure that the drivers were capable of running at speed on an oval,” Kremer said. “We’ll have one more test in Indy before the Freedom 100, but from what I’ve seen so far, I am confident that they will be ready once race time comes around.”

All Firestone Indy Lights drivers will have the chance to test on May 11 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the site of the Freedom 100, which takes place on May 25.

***

The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the Indianapolis 500 Mile on May 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will be televised by ABC at 11a.m. (ET) and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network on SiriusXM (XM 94 and Sirius 212). The next Firestone Indy Lights race is the Firestone Freedom 100 on May 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will be televised live by NBC Sports Network at Noon (ET).

[media-credit name=”ARCA Racing Network” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit](TALLADEGA, Ala. – May 4, 2012) – Brandon McReynolds passed Matt Lofton on the final lap at Talladega Superspeedway this evening to win the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250, his first ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards win in seven career starts.

The win was sweet redemption for the 20-year-old Turner Motorsports driver, who ran out of fuel and lost the lead on the final lap at Daytona International Speedway two months ago. McReynolds’ (No. 32 Turner Motorsports/Win-Tron Racing Chevrolet) drive to Talladega’s Victory Lane came 20 years and one day after Davey Allison’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at the track – an effort led by crew chief Larry McReynolds, Brandon’s father.

“Talladega’s one of these places where anything can happen,” McReynolds said. “It’s a big race track, as big as we go to, and everyone seems to reach down and find a little more confidence. It’s just cool to go to Victory Lane, knowing that Dad, and Dale Earnhardt and Davey Allison and those people that Dad worked with had so much success here. That’s what means most to me. Being able to do that with Turner Motorsports and all the people involved means that much more, because they’re the only people that have given me a shot to come out here and race and not worry about the politics, not worry about money. They have a great organization, and I wouldn’t want to do it anywhere else.”

Lofton (No. 16 Strutmasters.com Chevrolet) finished 0.195 second behind in second place, having led 55 total laps. Chad Hackenbracht (No. 58 Kindify Chevrolet) led 38 laps late in the race and provided most of the winning outside push for McReynolds before finishing third.

“The 58 was really fast and I just backed up into him and he stuck with me,” said McReynolds, who started 10th. “He could have hung me out to dry. 16 bounced off us a bit. That’s just good, hard racing, and that’s how it looked from my eyes. It was a lot of fun.”

Lofton led from the green flag, having accepted the first position by virtue of leading the 2011 owner points when Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell was rained out Thursday. Lofton kept the lead, even as Frank Kimmel (No. 44 Ansell/Menards Toyota) improved one position from the third starting spot. The two led a breakaway fluctuating between eight to 10 cars over the first 10 laps, with Lofton holding just more than a 0.1-second advantage the entire time.

Talladega’s classic “big one” came early, when Steve Blackburn spun after contact and started an 11-car incident on the frontstretch, causing a red flag for 17 minutes and 43 seconds. Notable drivers eliminated early were Daytona winner and runner-up Bobby Gerhart and Drew Charlson, respectively, Salem winner Alex Bowman, Joey Coulter, and Milka Duno.

Lofton led the field to the green flag to start Lap 17, but Roger Carter smacked the wall to bring another caution at Lap 20. Kimmel was one of several drivers to pit for fuel, closing Lap 21 with a visit to his crew from the second position. Just before the Lap 28 green flag, Kimmel drove to pit road again to top off his tank, and re-entered the race 22nd.

An eight-car pack broke away by about five seconds over the next 10 laps, with Lofton leading Brandon Davis, Hackenbracht, Chris Buescher, McReynolds, Kevin Swindell, Steve Blackburn, and Ryan Reed. The eight cars ran approximately 1.4 seconds apart, with the ninth-place driver about six seconds off of the lead.

A Lap 52 yellow flag for debris on the race track sent the leaders to pit road to close Lap 53, with Lofton surrendering the first position for the first time all day. Hackenbracht won the race off of pit road, just edging Lofton and McReynolds. McReynolds had originally lined up second, with Corr and Lofton following him, but review showed that Lofton had earned the second position out of the pits.

Nonetheless, Corr had improved substantially into the fourth position, with Davis and Blackburn filling out the top six. Kimmel, having not pitted, improved to seventh with nephew Will Kimmel eighth for the Lap 57 restart.

Reed, having just experienced trouble moving out of his pit stall to lose numerous positions, spun in Turn 4 quickly after the green flag, forcing another caution period. Mikey Kile spun after contact from Larry Barford Jr., and John Ferrier crashed into the backstretch wall soon after the next restart, but the field got away clean after the Lap 69 green flag.

Hackenbracht, Lofton, McReynolds, and Corr continued to lead, with Hackenbracht’s advantage over Lofton mirroring Lofton’s earlier in the race – about 0.1 second. The single-file train continued to hug the yellow line, as 13 cars ran within 1.628 seconds at Lap 71.

Mike Affarano crashed on Lap 75, rolling several times down the frontstretch before having to be rolled over by Talladega Superspeedway and ARCA safety crews. He walked to a nearby ambulance. Meanwhile, the field continued to drive under the yellow flag, having been forced to drive down pit road each time around.

The green flag flew at Lap 85, with Hackenbracht getting a good jump away from Lofton and McReynolds. An 11-car break formed, but Brett Hudson lost his hood as it flew off of his car and just over Chris Buescher, who drove behind him near the back of the top 20. The caution flag flew again, setting up a final dash to the finish.

Hackenbracht continued to lead out of the Lap 91 restart, but Lofton looked to the outside in Turn 1, a piece of foreshadowing in a race otherwise dominated by driving on the bottom line. McReynolds and Corr started to follow him on the outside line, but Corr was eventually shuffled away. Lofton took the lead and McReynolds followed for second; Tom Hessert moved into fourth.

Lofton took the white flag with a 0.094-second lead, but McReynolds and Hackenbracht held back to create a run. Hackenbracht started to push McReynolds on the outside, giving McReynolds just enough to pass Lofton. Light contact at the finish could not deter McReynolds, as he held a 0.195-second advantage at the start/finish line and, more importantly, an invitation to Victory Lane.

Hessert finished fourth, and Blackburn was fifth. Will Kimmel, Frank Kimmel, Brennan Poole, Davis, and Corr completed the top 10.

Six caution periods slowed the race for 38 laps. The race finished in two hours, 11 minutes, and 19 seconds, at an average speed of 114.246 mph.

Toledo Speedway is the next stop for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, as the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care brings ARCA’s top tour back to its home track for the only time in ARCA’s 60th Anniversary Season.

The race will begin at 2 p.m. and air live on SPEED. ARCARacing.com will feature live timing and scoring from the half-mile oval.

[media-credit name=”Iowa Speedway” align=”alignright” width=”222″][/media-credit]“Entitlement Sponsor Since Inaugural Year, Prairie Meadows 200 Will Be On July 13″

NEWTON, IA – May 3, 2012 – For the seventh consecutive year, Prairie Meadows will continue as entitlement sponsor for the July 13 ARCA race. Prairie Meadows has been the sponsor of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) since it has been coming to Iowa Speedway during its first year of operation in 2006.

Prairie Meadows’ president believes facilities like Iowa Speedway line directly up with their mission as a community organization.

“Prairie Meadows is proud to partner with the great leadership team at Iowa Speedway in bringing the Prairie Meadows 200 ARCA race to Newton again this year,” said Prairie Meadows President/CEO Gary Palmer. “This partnership allows us to continue to fulfill our mission of supporting tourism and economic development.”

“To have a community leader like Prairie Meadows involved with our speedway, basically since day one, has allowed us to be a better community partner,” says Stan Clement, president of Iowa Speedway. “With their sponsorship, we have been able to create an amazing relationship with ARCA, which brings the fans a great race to watch and provides a huge economic impact on the local economy.”

ARCA, which is celebrating its 60th Anniversary Season, was one of the first sanctioning bodies to race at the Newton motorsports complex.

“The support of a longtime partner is important in motorsports, said Mark Gundrum, vice president of businessdevelopment and corporate partnerships for ARCA. “We’re happy to see that Prairie Meadows and Iowa Speedway are working together again as ARCA’s 60th Anniversary Season visits Newton.”

The Prairie Meadows 200 ARCA race takes place on Friday night, July 13. Season tickets, event weekend, and single race ticket packages are on sale; reserve your ticket today by calling 1-866-RUSTY-GO or visitwww.iowaspeedway.com.

About Prairie Meadows

Prairie Meadows has given more than $1 billion through taxes, grants, and charitable donations to the state of Iowa. More than $500 million has remained in our community to promote economic development, jobs, agriculture, and tourism.

About Iowa Speedway

Iowa Speedway is a state-of-the-art 7/8 mile asphalt paved tri-oval race track and motorsports facility located just 30 miles east of Des Moines at I-80 Exit 168 in Newton, Iowa. The track is owned and operated by U.S. Motorsport Corporation and designed by former NASCAR Champion Rusty Wallace, now an anchor and analyst for ABC-TV/ESPN. Iowa Speedway is designed for year-round use and includes 30,000 permanentgrandstand seats. Call 1-866-RUSTY-GO, visit www.iowaspeedway.com, “like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @IowaSpeedway to learn more.

(TALLADEGA, Ala.) – ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards officials have cancelled all on-track activity at Talladega Superspeedway for today. Rain persisted through the afternoon, leaving the track closed.

Friday will proceed as scheduled for the ARCA Racing Series, with the garage opening at 8 a.m., practice taking place from 10-10:55 a.m., and the 94-lap International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250 at 4 p.m. All times are Central.

SPEED will air live television coverage of the race, and WTDR Thunder 92.7 FM will air the race over the radio in Alabama. ARCARacing.com will carry WTDR’s audio call, along with live timing and scoring.

2012 is the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards’ 60th Anniversary Season, featuring 20 races at 18 tracks. The complete 2012 event schedule is available at ARCARacing.com.

The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards has crowned an ARCA national champion each year since its inaugural season in 1953, and has toured over 200 race tracks in 28 states since its inception. The series has tested the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, visiting tracks ranging from 0.4 mile to 2.66 miles in length, on both paved and dirt surfaces as well as a left- and right-turn road course in its most recent season. This year, the series will visit Alabama’s Mobile International Speedway and Minnesota’s Elko Speedway for the first time; ARCA’s first visit to Minnesota will give ARCA a race in a 29th state.

Founded by John and Mildred Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in three professional touring series and local weekly events.