Category: Other Series PR

[media-credit name=”RogerCarter2Racing.com” align=”alignright” width=”282″][/media-credit]MOBILE, Alabama (March 6, 2012) – – After tackling Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, a track where a precise body and potent horsepower made the difference, the ARCA Racing Series (ARS) presented by Menards returns to its normal stomping grounds of short track racing when the Mobile ARCA 200 takes the green flag on Saturday afternoon.

Locked and loaded with full-time C2M driver Larry Barford Jr. and newcomer and Alabama native Darryl Eustace in the team’s second-entry, Carter-2-Motorsports feels that they are more than prepared and ready to mix into the action this weekend.

Veteran Late Model driver Larry Barford Jr. will continue his quest for Rookie of the Year while avid short track racer Eustace will prepare for his ARCA Racing Series debut at the half-mile speedway.

“It’s going to be another strong field of ARCA cars, but we’re ready for it,” said Carter-2-Motorsports team principal Roger Carter. “The team has been hard at it since we returned from Daytona to get our Dodges ready for battle. Unlike Daytona, we’re taking two rookies to the track this weekend – but I know we have the drive and potential to have a good clean respectable weekend.”

Barford Jr., a native of Denton, Maryland made his ARS debut at the 2.5-mile superspeedway and mounted a respectable 28th place finish after starting 43rd. Now, heading to a place where horsepower isn’t the main issue, Barford Jr. is ready to get down to business.

“We came away from Daytona pretty satisfied with our finish, all things considered,” he said. “The team did a good job and we took the checkered flag. That was our main goal. Now, it’s time to go short track racing where you can beat and bang and still have a shot at a good run. I’m really appreciative of the hard work of the Carter-2-Motorsports team and I’m looking for another weekend of building, learning and completing all 200 laps.”

Another reason that Barford Jr. is amped up about Saturday’s anticipated thriller is the addition of a new marketing partner aboard his No. 04 Dodge Charger. Affordable Auto Glass joins First (1st) Mariner Bank, Trauma Doc and Ron Paul for President as marketing partners for the second race of the season.

“I want to thank Affordable Auto Glass for leaping aboard with me and C2M for Mobile,” Barford explained. “I can’t think of a better venue other than Mobile where the series has never raced at before and a crowd that is expected to be enormous; it should be a lot of fun.”

Eustace, a native of Scottsboro, Alabama is no stranger to the ARCA Racing Series. In December, he participated in the three-day open test session which ironically opened the doors for him to be paired with C2M. Last season, he competed in the CARS Pro Cup Series (formally known as the USARacing Pro Cup Series) but Mobile will be his inaugural ARCA start. For his debut, he’ll sport the Ron Paul for President aboard his No. 40 Dodge Charger.

C2M is endorsing Paul as his message is to “Restore America Now.” Congressman Ron Paul of Texas enjoys a national reputation as the premier advocate for liberty in politics today. Dr. Paul is the leading spokesman in Washington for limited constitutional government, low taxes, free markets, and a return to sound monetary policies based on commodity-backed currency. He is known among both his colleagues in Congress and his constituents for his consistent voting record in the House of Representatives.

Dr. Paul’s consistent voting record prompted one Congressman to comment that “Ron Paul personifies the Founding Fathers’ ideal of the citizen-statesman. He makes it clear that his principles will never be compromised, and they never are.” Another Congresswoman added that “There are few people in public life who, through thick and thin, rain or shine, stick to their principles. Ron Paul is one of those few.”

Veteran racer and crew chief Nick Tucker will call the shots for Barford while Larry Balsitis will heed the role as crew chief for Eustace.

The Mobile ARCA 200 (200 laps / 100 miles) is the second of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The first ARCA race held at MIS is a two-day show. Practice begins Friday, March 9 with a three and a half hour practice session planned from 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day at 7:00 p.m. An on-track autograph session has been etched in on race day, Saturday, March 10 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. The event will take the green flag shortly after 2:00 p.m. The race will not be televised on SPEED but additional race coverage including live timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com.  All times are local.

The official website of Carter-2-Motorsports is in the process of a complete makeover for the official kickoff of the new season, but for the latest on the team, drivers and sponsors, please log onto RogerCarter2Racing.com.

For more on Ron Paul and his mission to “Restore America Now”; please log onto ronpaul2012.com.

[media-credit name=”ChadHackenbracht.com” align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]MOBILE, Alabama (March 7, 2012) – – It goes without saying that CGH Motorsports’ with driver Chad Hackenbracht had one of the strongest short track programs in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards last year. As racing resumes on the 2012 tour for Saturday’s Mobile ARCA 200 at Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway, the team plans to show no mercy and hopefully carve their name into the record books.

With the leadership of crew chief Kevin Reed and the commitment of his Mooresville, North Carolina-based team, the 20-year old Hackenbracht, or “Hacken-something” as he’s embraced as his new nickname in the garage is more than ready for victory.

“I was really proud of the team’s short track program last year,” offered Hackenbracht, who finished 14th in the season opener from Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway last month. “During the off-season, we went through our cars and literally dissected them, giving us that extra sense of security that we know what’s happening with our racecar inside and out.”

Despite opting not to test at the Southern Alabama race track, Hackenbracht admits that that is nothing new to his family-owned team as they felt the importance to prioritize other areas of their race team was more important.

“There were plenty of race tracks that we went to last season and didn’t even test and were incredibly fast so, that’s motivation for us at CGH,” sounded the New Philadelphia, Ohio native. “Thankfully, there’s a long practice (session) on Friday, so as a team we’ve come up with a game plan and look forward to hashing it out and seeing our No. 58 Tastee Apple car near the top of the charts.”

While Hackenbracht in his No. 58 Tastee Apple Chevrolet are itching for a strong finish, the team is thirsty for the joys and jubilations of a victory lane celebration. Intriguing the team towards making that dream become a reality is knowing that first time winners on the 60-year old tour is nothing new.

“We always strive to win,” added Hackenbracht, “But, this weekend at Mobile, we have plenty of reasons we need too. Everyone on this team deserves to win. We’ve come close several times but for reasons out of our control we weren’t able to seal the deal Maybe this weekend, it will be our moment.”

He added, “Winning on Saturday afternoon will give our CGH Motorsports an added incentive to help us with our on-going search for sponsorship. We’re thankful to have Tastee Apple back on-board, but we really need another inspiring company to step up to the plate and join this great organization so we can keep going forward. I know that we a championship caliber team. Believe me – a sponsor wouldn’t be taking a risk if they came here, because they’re going to see a team that’s pure of heart.”

Kevin Reed, the 2010 ARCA crew chief of the year is also eager to arrive in Mobile and he’s not afraid to show the confidence in his driver and or team.

“We are as prepared for this race as we were for Daytona,” explained Reed. “We’re taking the car that we raced at Springfield (Illinois State Fairgrounds) and DuQuoin. We hung a new body on it during the off-season and have really put a lot of time and effort into it. This car was originally from Hendrick Motorsports that Jeff Gordon ran at Martinsville and won several races with. I know Chad is ready and the guys and I have worked tremendously hard during the winter to achieve one of our goals for the year which is winning a short track and what a better place to do that in the second race of the season at Mobile.

Greg and Susan (Hackenbracht, car owners) have given us everything we need to work with but at the same time our future is still up in the air; nonetheless we are ready to capitalize on every opportunity we get this year to win races. At this point, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

Leaning into the inaugural ARCA weekend at Mobile, Hackenbracht will make his 30th career start since 2010.

The Mobile ARCA 200 (200 laps / 100 miles) is the second of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The first ARCA race held at MIS is a two-day show. Practice begins Friday, March 9 with a three and a half hour practice session planned from 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day at 7:00 p.m. An on-track autograph session has been etched in on race day, Saturday, March 10 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. The event will take the green flag shortly after 2:00 p.m. The race will not be televised on SPEED but additional race coverage including live timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com.  All times are local.

For more information on Chad Hackenbracht and CGH Motorsports, please visit ChadHackenbracht.com and CGHMotorsports.com.

To purchase the popular “What’s A Chad Hacken-Something” tee-shirt, please log on to store.cghmotorsports.com or CGHMotorsports.com.

Connect with Chad Hackenbracht and CGH Motorsports through Facebook by clicking here.

Tweet with Chad Hackenbracht through Twitter at @ChadH58 or CGH Motorsports @CGH5858.

About CGH Motorsports:

CGH Motorsports (CGHMotorsports.com), established in 2007 by Ohio entrepreneur Greg Hackenbracht is located in a 10,000 sq. foot facility located in Mooresville, North Carolina. CGH Motorsports is home of rising sensation Chad Hackenbracht, who competed in nine ARCA Racing Series races in 2010 after an aggressive ARCA testing schedule in 2009. Chad Hackenbracht is the 2008 National Asphalt Legends champion, winning 33 percent of his races and finishing in the top-10, 85 percent of the events he competed in. The team has stepped up their commitment from a partial schedule in 2010 and ran a full-effort in 2011, and will attempt another full season of competition in 2012.

[media-credit name=”tomhessert.com” align=”alignright” width=”159″][/media-credit]MOBILE, Alabama (March 7, 2012) – – Off to his best start in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards in nearly three years, Tom Hessert III, often known in the garage as TH3 heads to Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway vying to build on his team’s top-10 performance at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway last month.

Hessert, driving the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet for legendary Motorsports figure Ken Schrader knocked out a 10th place finish in the season-opening ARCA event at Daytona but now the Cherry Hill, New Jersey native admits that real start of the season can officially begin with Saturday afternoon’s Mobile ARCA 200.

“In a way, I’m glad that Daytona is over with, because we’re going back racing where a lot of the elements that a team can handle come into play,” offered Hessert. “Believe me, we are thankful to go to a place like Daytona – but it’s nice to move on and head to a track like Mobile – where I feel the show is going to be spectacular.”

Hessert’s thoughts on Saturday’s second race of the season have justification. Last week, the Ken Schrader Racing (KSR) team led by veteran crew chief Donnie Richeson participated in a private test session at the half-mile oval where the team left the Southern Alabama racetrack with confidence.

“The test went real well,” sounded the 25-year old. “As a team, we felt it was important to go and test because we knew that this race would have some big players. Cale (Gale), Bubba (Pollard) and Chase (Elliott) – this is their stomping grounds, so we went to test to see if we can’t get us an early weekend advantage. From the test, the guys took our No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet back to the shop and made some tweaks, so I think we’ll be in good shape when practice begins on Friday afternoon.”

The former NASCAR Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car driver wasn’t afraid to talk about what type of race everyone can expect on Saturday afternoon. “I think it’s going to be one of the best shows of the season, honestly,” the ARCA veteran said. “The track is incredibly unique but very fast, so those two elements alone together usually means the grandstands will be packed. It’s a good thing too – because it’s a great thing for the ARCA Racing Series to be heading to a new short track venue.”

If you’re also keeping track, it’s fair to note that Hessert and his KSR team really showed immense strength in there short track, especially in last October’s season finale at Toledo Speedway where Hessert bolted to second career Menards pole, led a ton of laps and finished inside the top-five.

“I think one of our strongest suites as a team last year was on the short tracks and that focus continues for 2012,” Hessert offered. “We’re not bringing the same car we took to Toledo Speedway last fall, but we’re extremely confident in the chassis that we are bringing to Mobile this weekend. It’s a piece that we ran at a lot of the smaller tracks last year and there isn’t a question in my mind that with its capabilities and the calls from the KSR team, we’ll be in the hunt for the win on Saturday afternoon.”

While the chase for the ARCA championship marches on this weekend, Hessert who currently occupies 11th in the championship standings, just a mere five points from climbing into the top-10, TH3 knows that another good showing this weekend can catapult the Federated Auto Parts Racing team easily into the top-five.

“I know a lot of the guys that went to Daytona aren’t showing up in Mobile, so that’s our gain. But, in order to make that leap in the points, we have to keep the fenders on our No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet to the checkered flag. That’s exactly what I plan to do.”

Entering Mobile, Hessert has 84 career ARCA Racing Series starts. In those outings, he has maneuvered two poles, one win, 19 top-fives and 44 top-10s.

The Mobile ARCA 200 (200 laps / 100 miles) is the second of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The first ARCA race held at MIS is a two-day show. Practice begins Friday, March 9 with a three and a half hour practice session planned from 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day at 7:00 p.m. An on-track autograph session has been etched in on race day, Saturday, March 10 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. The event will take the green flag shortly after 2:00 p.m. The race will not be televised on SPEED but additional race coverage including live timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com.  All times are local.

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=”No. 44 Ansell/Menards Toyota Camry” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]FRANK KIMMEL MOBILE PREVIEW

Driver of the No. 44 Ansell/Menards Toyota Camry

ARCA RACING SERIES * MOBILE ARCA 200 * MOBILE INT’L SPEEDWAY

No. 44 Ansell/ Menards Toyota Camry

ARCA RACING SERIES – RACE 2 OF 19 – Mobile International Speedway

LOOKING FOR CAREER WIN 75? Nine-time ARCA Racing Series driving champion Frank Kimmel is second on the all-time ARCA Series win list with 74 victories behind only Iggy Katona, who leads with 79. However, Kimmel, who has won nearly everywhere on the tour, has never raced at Mobile. He looks for his first victory at his first appearance at the track – and first victory since 2008 on the circuit.

SHORT TRACK SUCCESS: Kimmel has fond memories of short tracks over his 17-year history in the ARCA Racing Series. His very first race, and notoriously his first victory, came at Toledo Speedway. Toledo and Mobile have been compared to one another in the low degree of banking and oval short track style. Kimmel welcomes the challenge, but knew a bit of research was in order to master the new location. He enlisted the help of local Gulf Coast short track legend Bubba Pollard to learn the “ins and outs” of Mobile International Speedway.

CHIPPING IN FOR TORNADO RELIEF: After the devastating tornadoes that ripped through Kimmel’s home state of Indiana – including racing families such as the Bashams – young Frankie Kimmel took it upon himself to start organizing. Kimmel is accepting donations of clothing, food and/or supplies and money for the American Red Cross Indiana Chapter at their family farm: 13461 State Road 60, Borden, IN 47106. Primary sponsor Ansell is currently mobilizing cut-proof gloves to ship to all Indiana first responders on the relief effort.

HOPING TO TAKE THE POLE POSITION: Kimmel embarks on his third year with sponsor Ansell, a global leader in protection solutions, in a partnership with Menards Racing. The Menards Pole Award is presented by Ansell during the entire 2012 ARCA Racing Season – and Kimmel hopes to be standing on a podium to receive it in Mobile from an Ansell executive.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 44 team will utilize chassis No. A-1 this weekend at Mobile International Speedway. A new chassis for the team, it joins a full fleet of new race cars at the ThorSport stable in Sandusky, Ohio.

THOUGHTS FROM THE DRIVER: Frank Kimmel

WE HEARD YOU TALKED TO BUBBA POLLARD ON MOBILE? Yes, that’s correct. Bubba is a legend down here on the Panhandle of Florida and Alabama. His results speak for themselves in late models and super late models at both Mobile and Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, so I knew who to call when it was time to pick someone’s brain on track facts and logistics. He gave me a lot of great pointers going into this weekend. I’m also looking forward to chatting with our own Grant Enfinger – since this is his home track, he knows the ins and outs too. It’s a little different, I usually have guys coming to me to find out about tracks as the veteran!

IS THIS LIKE ANY OTHER TRACK YOU’VE EXPERIENCED?

One thing Bubba told me is that Mobile has been likened to Toledo Speedway. I got my first win there, and it was also my first race ever. That’s a track where I’m super comfortable, and I’ve had some great finishes there over the course of my career. So when he said that, it made me feel more confident that I could get up on the wheel from the get go. I mean, face it, at the end of the day, a short track is a short track – if you can’t get up on the wheel, it’s going to be a rough day for your team. This is a driver’s track.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF FRANKIE’S TORNADO RELIEF EFFORTS?

I’m really proud of Frankie and what he’s doing. He’s in the middle of courses as a college student at UNCC in Charlotte, not to mention a budding racer himself, and he really wanted to help. The tornadoes really devastated Indiana, and it affected many of our friends and family. Thankfully, our home was spared, but so many others have been displaced or lost everything. These types of events take everyone pitching in, and Frankie really felt like it was his responsibility to take a leadership role. That’s a great thing.

AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, IS IT STILL “COOL” TO GO TO NEW TRACKS?

I love new tracks – I’ll race anything, anywhere. You can see that in my street stock racing in the offseason. My heart is in short track racing, just because that’s how most of us veteran racers grew up – but to be able to experience an inaugural race at any track in a series is really special. It’s a big day for the series, and it makes a trip to Victory Lane special too. Let’s hope we can get this Ansell/Menards Toyota there this weekend!

Race Info:

March 10th, 2012

Mobile International Speedway

.5-Mile Paved Oval

Inaugural Mobile ARCA 200

200 Laps/100 Miles

Broadcast Info:

Live Timing & Scoring at ARCARacing.com

Friday, March 9: Practice 1:30-5pm CT

Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell: 7:00pm CT

Saturday, March 10: Pre-race coverage starts at 1:30pm CT

Team Facts:

Current Point Standings: 23rd

Chassis: A-1 – NEW

Engine: TRD (Toyota Racing Development) & TRIAD

Frank Kimmel

ARCA RACING SERIES results at Mobile International Speedway:

This will be the inaugural start for the ARCA Racing Series at Mobile

ABOUT MENARDS:

With 263 stores in 13 Midwestern states, Menards has the tools, materials and supplies for all your home improvement needs whether just needing a light bulb or can of paint to building a deck or new home.  Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader; it’s no wonder their famous slogan – “SAVE BIG MONEY” – is so widely known and easy to remember.  Menards does things right – the company’s strength and success can be seen in the well-stocked and maintained stores, the lowest prices in town and the way guests are always treated like family in a hometown hardware store atmosphere.

ABOUT ANSELL: Ansell is aglobal leader in protection solutions, with operations in North America, LAC, EMEA and Asia-Pacific.  Ansell designs, develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of surgical, examination, industrial and household gloves, protective clothing and condoms. People in over 100 countries around the world put their trust in Ansell’s innovative, high-quality solutions to offer superior protection, combined with high levels of comfort and performance. Ansell holds its operational headquarters in Red Bank, NJ, USA and its parent, Ansell Limited, is registered  in Melbourne, Australia. Worldwide, the group employs over 10,000 people in 33 countries. In its Fiscal Year 2011, Ansell achieved sales of USD 1.2 bn. For more information visit www.ansell.com, www.safetypro.com, www.activarmr.com and www.ansellconstruction.com.

[media-credit name=”willkimmel.com” align=”alignright” width=”107″][/media-credit]“Unofficial Points Leader Set To Take On Mobile”

MOBILE, Alabama (March 6, 2012) – – It goes without saying that Kimmel Racing and new driver Will Kimmel were one of the “feel good stories” upon the conclusion of the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. After starting 23rd, Kimmel cleverly crafted his No. 68 Ford Fusion to an impressive third place.

This weekend though, as the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards resumes action and steers back South to Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway for the running of the Mobile ARCA 200, the Kimmel Racing team led by championship crew chief and owner Bill Kimmel return to the racetrack but without sponsorship, something the team graciously clasped in the season-opener.

However, with Daytona winner Bobby Gerhart and second-place finisher Drew Charlson not expected to compete in Saturday’s contest, the family-owned team had felt they had no choice but to dig deep into their own personal pockets and make the drive to Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway for a variety of reasons.

“We talked it over and we felt like we just had to do it. I don’t know how, but we are,” said driver Will Kimmel, who will make his 26th career start this weekend. “Dad’s been working the phones and we have some sponsorship stuff in the works, just nothing in time for Mobile. But, we’re still going and we’ll take shortcuts that won’t affect us on the racetrack but will make the trip a little easier to swallow.”

The former Super Late Model champion at Salem (Ind.) Speedway added, “Honestly, Daytona kept our Kimmel Racing team alive. The phone was ringing when we came home and that was a good sign, but we still have a lot to prove. Realistically, we’ll enter the weekend as the point’s leader after finishing third, so we have to build on that. We’re bringing a really good short track car to Mobile, but we know we have to do everything in our power to try and bring it home in one piece.”

While many of the ARCA Racing Series teams elected to participate in private testing sessions at the half-mile oval, Kimmel Racing was forced to sit on the sidelines and will have to wait until Friday’s three and a half hour practice to dial in their No. 68 Kimmel Racing / Clarksville Schwinn Ford Fusion.

“Obviously, there’s a little disadvantage for those of us who didn’t have the chance to test, but most of us will be on the same playing field, so that puts our mind at ease a little bit,” Kimmel offered. “We’re going with a baseline setup and after talking to some of our friends in the garage, we kind of know what to expect, so I think we’ll be okay. We just need to stay focused on the job at hand and hope again we’ll have some luck.”

Beyond Mobile, Kimmel feels that the third race of the season at Salem (Ind.) Speedway will be a race that they confidently feel they’ll be able to compete at – but past that, the remainder of the season remains up in the air.

“We need some help,” the elder Kimmel explained. “Will did a phenomenal job at Daytona and it’s nice to know that we have some things working – but nothing’s secure until the contracts are signed. A third place finish was nice at Daytona, but one of the main reasons sponsor or no sponsor that we’re heading to Mobile is because we believe that Will can put our car in Victory Lane. We’re not just going for him but for everyone else that believes in our race team”

Kimmel’s nearest competitor in the championship standings is Brennan Poole who currently sits seventh overall and 20 markers behind the Sellersburg, Indiana racer in the race for the coveted ARCA championship trophy in its 60th season of competition.

For sponsorship inquiries with Kimmel Racing, interested parties are urged to contact Bill Kimmel at 502.645.9370 or bill@kimmelracing.com.

The Mobile ARCA 200 (200 laps / 100 miles) is the second of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The first ARCA race held at MIS is a two-day show. Practice begins Friday, March 9 with a three and a half hour practice session planned from 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day at 7:00 p.m. An on-track autograph session has been etched in on race day, Saturday, March 10 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. The event will take the green flag shortly after 2:00 p.m. The race will not be televised on SPEED but additional race coverage including live timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com.  All times are local.

For more on Will Kimmel, please visit willkimmel.com.

[media-credit name=”.” align=”alignright” width=”241″][/media-credit]Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg to feature record number of races in 2012 Ticket holders have access to 10 races including exotic car series and INDYCAR season starter

February 24, 2012 (St. Petersburg, FL) – Fans attending the Honda Grand Prix of St Petersburg, March 23-25, will see a lot of green and checkered flags. Event organizers announce today that the weekend race will feature 10 races – a record for the event that is only in its eighth year. The on-track schedule for the Honda Grand Prix includes the much-anticipated season starter of the IZOD IndyCar Series and will add a new race to this year’s line-up: the Ferrari Challenge.

The event will also feature the Mazda Road to Indy, INDYCAR’s official developmental ladder system for drivers and teams seeking to compete in the IZOD IndyCar Series, which allows fans to see the future leaders of the sport along with the current champions Dario Franchitti, Will Power, Tony Kanaan and former St. Pete winners Helio Castroneves, Graham Rahal and Ryan Briscoe. The ladder system includes Firestone Indy Lights, Star Mazda Championship and the USF2000 National Championship. The Pirelli World Challenge rounds out the competition with a double-header weekend featuring the Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg and three returning classes of racing, GT, GTS and Touring Car, along with the introduction of the new Touring Car B-Spec class.

“Race fans in St. Petersburg expect the best and so we’ve been hard at work securing the most entertaining lineup in racing,” said Tim Ramsberger, Vice President and General Manager for the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. “Staging 10 races is a record high for us and we’re excited to be bringing our fans the best on-track schedule yet. This year, our event will deliver the perfect mix of superstar drivers, fierce competitors and promising young talent, you will not want to miss it.”

On-track schedule:

Friday, March 23 Saturday, March 24 Sunday, March 25

IZOD IndyCar Series practice IZOD IndyCar Series practice, qualifying IZOD IndyCar Series warm-up, race

Firestone Indy Lights practice Firestone Indy Lights qualifying, race Pirelli World Challenge race #2

Star Mazda Series practice, qualifying Pirelli World Challenge qualifying, race #1 Star Mazda race #2

USF2000 practice, qualifying Star Mazda Series race #1 USF2000 race #2

Pirelli World Challenge practice USF2000 race #1 Ferrari Challenge warm-up, race #2

Ferrari Challenge practice, qualifying #1 Ferrari Challenge race #1, qualifying #2

Tickets to the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.gpstpete.com or by phone at 1-877-283-5385.

About the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

The Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg takes place March 23-25, 2012 and is run on a 1.8-mile, 14-turn waterfront circuit that includes a combination of adjacent downtown streets circling Pioneer Park, the Progress Energy Center for the Arts, the Salvador Dali Museum and extending onto the runways at Albert Whitted Airport, which overlook the Tampa Bay and picturesque St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina. To learn more about the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, visit www.gpstpete.com. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GPSTPETE or Twitter via @GPSTPETE.

About the MAZDA Road to Indy

The Mazda Road to Indy is INDYCAR’s official developmental ladder system for drivers and teams seeking to compete in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. Made up of Firestone Indy Lights, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda, the system is designed to create a defined career path for young, career-minded racers and teach them the skills needed to advance to the highest level of open-wheel racing on and off the track. In 2012, all three series that make up the Mazda Road to Indy program will join the IZOD IndyCar Series at various events. For more information on the Mazda Road to Indy, visit www.indycar.com.

About the Pirelli World Challenge Championships

Entering its 23rd consecutive season, the Pirelli World Challenge is one of North America’s top production car-based racing championships. Divided into four separate categories (Pirelli World Challenge GT, Pirelli World Challenge GTS, Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car, and Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car B-Spec), races feature thrilling standing starts, adrenaline filled door-to-door action and world-class drivers. The Pirelli World Challenge features cars from the world’s most popular manufacturers – race-prepped versions of the cars driven on the streets. Sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing, the series races at North America’s premier road and temporary street courses. Visit, www.world-challenge.com.

About the Ferrari Challenge

The Ferrari Challenge expanded to North America in 1994 with a full season of races and has been run every year since, making it the longest-running series of its type in North America. The Ferrari Challenge has given many Ferrari owners the opportunity to enjoy the continent’s finest tracks while sharing both competition and the social aspects of the series with fellow Ferrari owners. The Challenge has also given Ferrari enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy watching Ferraris in their natural environment — the race track. Visit, www.ferrarichallenge.com.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

“Did That Just Happen?”

Bobby Gerhart Makes Thrilling Pass for Eighth Daytona Win

(DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.) – Bobby Gerhart’s day at Daytona International Speedway started early with the installation of an engine fit to ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards standards, and ended with the Pennslyvania driver setting the standard himself.

Gerhart led just one lap, but it was the 83rd and final one in a green-white-checkered finish, giving him his third consecutive Daytona win and his eighth overall in 25 starts since 1988.

The veteran started 42nd in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200, forced to the back after his No. 5 Lucas Oil Slick Mist Chevrolet failed an engine vacuum leak inspection after Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell on Friday. Gerhart had qualified first, which would have given him his fifth pole at Daytona.

Gerhart slowly stalked through the field, pitting twice on Laps 1 and 10 to ensure he would have enough fuel to drive to the finish. That strategy ended up important, as race leader Brandon McReynolds (No. 4 Turner Motorsports Chevrolet) led 64 consecutive laps before running out of fuel as he drove around Turn 4 toward the checkered flag.

“Well, did that just happen?” Gerhart immediately asked upon entering the Daytona media center for his post-race press conference.

Gerhart touched on his Friday penalty from ARCA officials, admitting disappointment in the decision but saying that his second engine was just as stout as the first. After all, Gerhart led the final practice earlier Saturday morning. He said his decision to pit even earlier than he did last year – Lap 5 – had been in the works for a long time.

“(The second engine) ran the (speed) we had, so I said we’ve just got to put ourselves in position,” he said. “At the beginning of the races, there’s a strategy that (crew chief, owner, and brother) Bill and I talked about a long time ago. We decided to do it, win, lose, or draw, and the worst thing that could happen in that position is that we get a lap down. But we get the Lucky Dog and we’re right back where we were. We looked at it and had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“We kept digging. There were a lot of great cars again. The way it came, we kind of needed that last pit stop. That last lap, I had a great run down the backstretch and we were matched up with a real good car behind us. I said, ‘You know what? I’ve got absolutely nothing to lose here.’ Nobody’s going to remember me finishing fifth, so let’s see what happens. That’s what the fans come to see. It just happened at the right time, the leader took a little blip, and that was it.”

That real good car, as Gerhart called it, belonged to Drew Charlson (No. 28 Aluma Aluminum Trailers Chevrolet), who finished second. Charlson’s car was the one driven by Ty Dillon last season at Daytona to the Menards Pole Award and 11th place. Charlson entered with just one previous start.

Will Kimmel (No. 68 Enterprise Software Development Ford) finished third in his first race as the primary face of Kimmel Racing. Kimmel had earned just two other top-fives since his debut in 2008.

Sean Corr (No. 82 Empire Racing/United Way Ford) ended up the Menards Pole Award winner after Gerhart’s lap was disallowed late Friday afternoon. He eased to a 0.109-second lead over Steve Blackburn as the field entered a single-file line after one lap. On the fourth lap he drove past Gerhart, who had dropped back to 43rd with his uncustomary early pit stop.

Milka Duno (No. 33 Milka Way Chevrolet) spun on Lap 6 to bring the race’s first caution, and Corr continued to lead as many of the contenders behind him drove to pit road on Lap 9. Leilani Mϋnter (No. 12 The Cove Dodge) then crashed when she lost her left rear tire, bringing another caution flag.

Corr drove to pit road for fuel as he finished Lap 15, handing the lead to Duno’s Eddie Sharp Racing teammate, Cale Gale (No. 6 Rheem Chevrolet). Gale led off of the Lap 18 green flag, but soon saw McReynolds taking charge. McReynolds, Ryan Reed (No. 15 JDRF Chevrolet), and Chris Windom (No. 32 Justice Brothers/Gillund Enterprises Toyota) all passed Gale, leaving him fourth on Lap 19.

Another car scraped the wall to bring a caution flag on Lap 20, with McReynolds, Reed, Windom, and Gale in front of Chris Buescher (No. 17 BeavEx/Reliance Tool/Gary Yeomans Ford Lincoln Ford). The green flag flew on Lap 24, and the field again entered a single-file line.

McReynolds, whose father Larry won the Daytona 500 twice as a crew chief in the 1990s (Davey Allison, 1992; Dale Earnhardt, 1998), seemed primed to write a piece of his own Daytona history. He led the same line of cars to the halfway point, holding a 0.117 lead on Reed at Lap 40 with Windom, Gale, and Buescher continuing to follow. Meanwhile, Gerhart had jumped to the top 30.

Will Kimmel, who had started 21st, climbed to the top 10 on Lap 47, as McReynolds continued to hold a lead of just over 0.1 second on Reed, Windom, Gale, and Buescher.

Seven cars were within a second in the line on Lap 51, and the makeup of that group changed only when Gale took his first and only pit stop for fuel on Lap 60. That move helped Buescher into fourth. A caution flag flew on Lap 69 for a Sloan Henderson crash, and Buescher improved to third when Reed drove to pit road on Lap 71 – with nine regulation laps remaining.

As the field drove under caution on Lap 74, McReynolds showed signs that he might not be able to drive to the finish, working his car to the apron, off the high Daytona banks. The green flag returned on Lap 76, with McReynolds hugging the yellow line to keep the field at bay. Buescher looked to the outside to advance from third, but Windom held him away. Buescher ended Lap 77 nearly side-by-side with Windom, but all hope would go out the window when he fell back driving the outside line.

Buescher then crashed on Lap 78, setting up a certain green-white-checkered finish to decide the race. McReynolds led Windom, Will Kimmel, and Steve Blackburn (No. 94 Harley Davidson Pikeville/Pop’s Chevrolet) for the two-lap finish, starting with Lap 82.

McReynolds held the lead at the white flag, but started to wobble as he finished his final lap out of fuel. Charlson charged from behind in sixth to give Gerhart, running fifth, a push to the finish, and the two drove past the struggling McReynolds and the cars tied up in his wake. Brett Hudson (No. 09 Hudson Performance Drivelines Dodge) initially finished third, but was sent to the tail end of the lead lap for illegally passing Will Kimmel below the yellow line.

Frank Kimmel (No. 44 Ansell/Menards Toyota) and Nelson Canache Jr. (No. 35 Venezuela Tourism Toyota) were assessed the same penalty; Hudson, Canache, and Frank Kimmel finished 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, respectively.

Blackburn finished fourth, just ahead of Mark Thompson (No. 66 Phoenix Air Toyota). Max Gresham (No. 9 Made in USA Chevrolet) was sixth, leading Brennan Poole (No. 25 Adcetera/The Ad Man Chevrolet), Windom, Alex Kennedy (No. 08 SprakerRacing.com Ford), and Tom Hessert (No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Toyota).

McReynolds ended 11th, one spot ahead of Reed, who he had led for many of his 64 laps at the front.

The five caution flags slowed the race for 25 laps. The event finished in one hour, 33 minutes, and 51 seconds, at an average speed of 132.745 mph.

Daytona Beach, Fla., (AP) _ The official finish for Saturday’s Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway with starting position in parenthesis, driver, hometown, type of car, laps completed, and reason out of race, if any:

1. (42) Bobby Gerhart, Lebanon, Pa., Chevrolet, 83; 2. (7) Drew Charlson, New Bremen, Ohio, Chevrolet, 83; 3. (21) Will Kimmel, Sellersburg, Ind., Ford, 83; 4. (3) Steve Blackburn, Prestonsburg, Ky., Chevrolet, 83; 5. (12) Mark Thompson, Cartersville, Ga., Toyota, 83; 6. (18) Max Gresham, Griffin, Ga., Chevrolet, 83; 7. (33) Brennan Poole, The Woodlands, Texas, Chevrolet, 83; 8. (5) Chris Windom, West Lafayette, Ind., Toyota, 83; 9. (20) Alex Kennedy, Aztec, N.M., Ford, 83; 10. (4) Tom Hessert, Cherry Hill, N.J., Toyota, 83; 11. (11) Brandon McReynolds, Mooresville, N.C., Chevrolet, 83; 12. (2) Ryan Reed, Bakersfield, Calif., Chevrolet, 83; 13. (6) Cale Gale, Mobile, Ala., Chevrolet, 83; 14. (9) Chad Hackenbracht, New Philadelphia, Ohio, Chevrolet, 83; 15. (22) Fain Skinner, Live Oak, Calif., Ford, 83; 16. (10) Mikey Kile, Westlake, La., Ford, 83; 17. (28) Buster Graham, Lafayette, La., Ford, 83; 18. (23) Zach Ralston, Marion, Iowa, Ford, 83; 19. (31) Brandon Davis, Huntington Beach, Calif., Ford, 83; 20. (8) Chris Buescher, Prosper, Texas, Ford, 83; 21. (15) Brett Hudson, Owensboro, Ky., Dodge, 83; 22. (13) Nelson Canache, Caracas, Venezuela, Toyota, 83; 23. (17) Frank Kimmel, Clarksville, Ind., Toyota, 83; 24. (27) Ed Kennedy, Coppell, Texas, Chevrolet, 82; 25. (25) Terry Jones, Amherstburg, Ont., Dodge, 82; 26. (36) Paulie Harraka, Wayne, N.J., Toyota, 82; 27. (38) Darrell Basham, Henryville, Ind., Chevrolet, 82; 28. (43) Larry Barford, Jr., Denton, Md., Dodge, 82; 29. (35) Spencer Gallagher, Las Vegas, Nev., Chevrolet, 82; 30. (14) Alex Bowman, Tucson, Ariz., Dodge, 81; 31. (37) Ed Pompa, Ballston Spa, N.Y., Chevrolet, 81; 32. (34) Mike Harmon, Birmingport, Ala., Ford, 81; 33. (41) Josh Williams, Port Charlotte, Fla., Ford, 81; 34. (24) Matt Lofton, Roxboro, N.C., Chevrolet, 81; 35. (30) George Cushman, Waterville, N.Y., Dodge, 81; 36. (26) Leilani Munter, Rochester, Minn., Dodge, 71; 37. (16) Milka Duno, Caracas, Venezuela, Chevrolet, 70; 38. (39) James Hylton, Inman, S.C., Ford, 66, accident; 39. (32) Rick Clifton, Circleville, Ohio, Ford, 66, accident; 40. (29) Sloan Henderson, Franklin, Ohio, Dodge, 62, accident; 41. (19) Aleks Gregory, Baton Rouge, La., Ford, 44, overheating; 42. (40) Bill Coffey, Danbury, Conn., Ford, 42; 43. (1) Sean Corr, Goshen, N.Y., Ford, 41, engine.

Time of race: 1 hour, 33 minutes, 47 seconds; Margin of victory: 0.230 seconds; Lap leaders: Sean Corr 1-14, Cale Gale 15-18, Brandon McReynolds 19-82, Bobby Gerhart 83.

The next race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards takes place Saturday, March 10 at Mobile International Speedway. The race is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Mobile will host practice and Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell on Friday, March 9. The event at Mobile will be ARCA’s first at the track.

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.

(DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.) – [media-credit name=”arcaracing.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Sean Corr needed just 49.271 seconds to finish his best lap around Daytona International Speedway, but had to wait several hours to win his first Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell.

Corr will start first in the opening race of the 60th season for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, having been awarded the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 pole after original polesitter Bobby Gerhart saw his time taken off the board for an engine inspection failure after qualifying.

Corr, 27, of Goshen, N.Y., started eighth in a 2010 race at Pocono, but has never been higher at the green flag. The original surprise of his No. 82 Empire Racing/United Way Ford so significantly improving its best performance was easily surpassed by the astonishment over his late move from second to first.

“Can you pinch me?” Corr asked after learning that he had actually won the pole with his lap of 182.663 mph.

“I really don’t know if I’m dreaming because this is something that’s only in a dream. I was just walking through (the media center) once thinking to myself, ‘I never thought I’d be walking in the media center in my race suit,’ much less twice in one day.”

Corr described what he originally perceived as trouble in his qualifying lap before realizing he had actually laid down a strong time.

“The car felt really smooth,” said Corr, 27 and of Goshen, N.Y. “When it came off of (Turn) 2, it hit a little bit of a headwind and I felt like the slowest guy ever going down the backstretch but I guess it really wasn’t. The car was really good yesterday in practice, drafting, running side-by-side, and even in single-car runs. It was still very fast. I think we have a good shot at our team’s first top-five for tomorrow.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to win it, but I’ll be content at the end of the day with a top-five. To break that mark with our team would be incredibly huge.”

Entering what he hopes is his team’s second full season, Corr stressed the improvement shown by Empire Racing.

“We really have a great group of guys. Now I think we’ve locked on to the best group of people we’ve had. Ben Leslie, my crew chief, he’s worked a lot with Ford so he brought in a ton of knowledge.”

Ryan Reed, who initially qualified third, will start second in his career debut for Venturini Motorsports.

“It was a really solid lap and I was really, really happy I’m sitting (in the top three) for my first time here at Daytona,” said Reed, 18 and of Bakersfield, Calif. “The car felt really good and I look forward to tomorrow’s race. During qualifying it’s pretty good, but it’ll be even better during the race.”

Reed admitted slight disappointment in missing the Menards Pole Award, but given the news Reed received one year ago this month, the high starting position is a major source of pride.

“A little over a year ago, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and it really affected my life in every way. I was told I’d never be able to drive a race car again, yet here I am.”

Steve Blackburn, yesterday’s practice leader, will start third. Blackburn originally qualified fifth, but, in addition to Gerhart, three other cars did not pass post-qualifying inspection. One was fourth qualifier Paulie Harraka’s, allowing Blackburn to jump two spots. Cars driven by Brennan Poole and Joey Coulter also failed the review for height violations discovered shortly after the session’s conclusion.

Tom Hessert will start fourth, just ahead of Chris Windom, Cale Gale, Drew Charlson, Chris Buescher, Chad Hackenbracht, and Mikey Kile. Buescher finished second to Gerhart in last season’s race; he later finished second in the final standings and won the series’ Rookie of the Year award.

Nine-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel will start 17th in his first race for ThorSport Racing and his pursuit of his first Daytona win in 21 starts.

Poole will start 33rd, three spots ahead of Harraka after both secured provisional starting positions. Gerhart will start his 25th consecutive Daytona race in the 42nd position. Coulter did not qualify.

The 80-lap, 200-mile Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 airs live on SPEED at 4:30 p.m. Eastern tomorrow, with live timing and scoring available at ARCARacing.com. Gerhart is the defending and all-time leading winner at the track, with wins in 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, and 2011. The race is scheduled as the first of 20 this season.

The ARCA Racing Series will host a final, 45-minute practice at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Live timing and scoring will be presented by ARCA Nation at ARCARacing.com.

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.

2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Event #1 Daytona Int’l Speedway, Daytona Beach Florida, 2-18-12 Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 POSNODRIVER/HOMETOWNTIMESPEED 182Sean Corr/Goshen NY49.271182.663 215Ryan Reed/Bakersfield CA49.362182.326 394Steve Blackburn/Prestonsburg KY49.416182.127 452Tom Hessert/Cherry Hill NJ49.449182.006 532Chris Windom/West Lafayette IN49.475181.910 66Cale Gale/Mobile AL49.516181.759 728Drew Charlson/New Bremen OH49.525181.726 817Chris Buescher/Prosper TX49.537181.682 958Chad Hackenbracht/New Philadelphia OH49.537181.682 101Mikey Kile/Westlake LA49.547181.646 114Brandon McReynolds/Mooresville NC49.576181.539 1266Mark Thompson/Cartersville GA49.611181.411 1335Nelson Canache/Caracas Venezuela49.677181.170 1422Alex Bowman/Tucson AZ49.797180.734 1509Brett Hudson/Owensboro KY49.941180.213 1633Milka Duno/Caracas Venezuela49.971180.104 1744Frank Kimmel/Clarksville IN50.113179.594 189Max Gresham/Griffin GA50.134179.519 1978Aleks Gregory/Baton Rouge LA50.215179.229 2008Alex Kennedy/Aztec NM50.332178.813 2168Will Kimmel/Sellersburg IN50.375178.660 2239Fain Skinner/Live Oak FL50.395178.589 2390Zach Ralston/Marion IA50.416178.515 2416Matt Lofton/Roxboro NC50.433178.455 2530Terry Jones/Amherstburg Ontario50.561178.003 2612Leilani Munter/Rochester MN50.578177.943 2700Ed Kennedy/Coppell TX50.609177.834 2888Buster Graham/Lafayette LA50.729177.413 2929Sloan Henderson/Franklin OH50.746177.354 3013George Cushman/Waterville NY50.810177.130 312Brandon Davis/Huntington Beach CA50.813177.120 3211Rick Clifton/Circleville OH50.826177.075 3325Brennan Poole/The Woodlands TXProvisional 3431Mike Harmon/Birmingport ALProvisional 3523Spencer Gallagher/Las Vegas NVProvisional 3655Paulie Harraka/Wayne NJProvisional 3710Ed Pompa/Ballston Spa NYProvisional 3834Darrell Basham/Henryville INProvisional 3948James Hylton/Inman SCProvisional 4018Bill Coffey/Danbury CTProvisional 4102Josh Williams/Port Charlotte FLProvisional 425Bobby Gerhart/Lebanon PAProvisional 4304Larry Barford Jr./Denton MDProvisional

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.