Category: Other Series PR

“ARCA Rookie More Than Ready For ‘Dega Debut”

TALLADEGA, Ala. (April 12, 2011) – – After what some called a jaw-dropping performance in the open-test at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway late last month, Maryeve (pronounced Mary-EV) Dufault (pronounced DU-FAU) and her Tony Marks Racing (TMR) crew return to the 2.66-mile superspeedway looking to prove that their effort wasn’t a fluke and their rookie team is more than ready to contend in Friday’s 3 Amigos 250.

Led by crew chief Larry Moore and car chief Darren Wolfe, the duo have put together a strong No. 12 VR-12 / Dodge Motorsports Dodge Charger that should put Dufault, the Sorel, Quebec Canada native as a serious sleeper in the second of 19 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards events this season.

“I’m anxiously awaiting Talladega this week,” said Dufault. “We had a great test with Tony Marks Racing, VR-12 and Dodge. The car was strong right off the trailer. I know that a lot of teams weren’t there and I’m sure that others weren’t showing all of their cards, but we weren’t either. I want to go to Talladega and do the same thing I did at Daytona just minus the outcome.”

When Dufault refers to Daytona in February, the resident of Redondo Beach, California rewinds back to when she found herself in-line for a solid finish before being collected in the “big one” just 16 laps from the finish. Dufault did an excellent job maneuvering through the incident but at the last second, another competitor clipped her No. 12 Dodge Charger which ultimately sent her to the garage for the remainder of the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 which resulted in a 28th place finish.

“I felt like as a team, we preformed very well at Daytona, despite the finish,” she added. “I was just learning and preparing myself to make the move when I needed to then the big accident broke out in front of me. I thought we escaped but I was turned at the last second and it did some damage to our tailpipes. Nonetheless, I still learned a lot about the cars and the draft; which will again be important this weekend at Talladega.”

The former NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 competitor was initially overwhelmed with the size and presence of Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, but she is looking forward to completing all 94 laps on Friday afternoon.

“Talladega has some similarities to Daytona and I think we’ll see an exciting race,” Dufault sounded. “I’ve talked to a couple of the other drivers and they’ve been very helpful in telling me what to expect, what to watch out for and what not to do. That’s important for me being a rookie. Once the race starts on Friday, I have to keep our No. 12 VR-12 / Dodge Motorsports Dodge Charger out of trouble but inside the lead draft and take the checkered flag. We need a boost in the point standings, so a good run will pay a two-for-one special.

Tony Marks, owner of Tony Marks Racing, the newest multi-car operation in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards is equally energerized about Friday’s contest.

“Quickly, Tony Marks Racing is showing that while we still may be young, we know how to go fast. The team has done an incredible job putting this superspeedway program back in tip-top shape following our misfortunate at Daytona. Maryeve is incredibly focused and determined to do a good job not only for the team, but for our sponsors too. As an owner, that’s all I can ask for. I’m looking forward to seeing what Friday afternoon delivers.”

The 3 Amigos 250 (94 laps / 250 miles) is the second of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 49th ever ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Thursday, April 14 with a three hour practice session planned from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 5:05 p.m. Coverage of time trials is available online through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at http://www.arcaracing.com/ arcaracing.com in collaboration with Alabama’s local WTDR Thunder 92.7 FM. A 45-minute final practice has been etched in on Friday, April 15 from 10:00 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. The event will take the green flag that afternoon shortly after 4:00 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED with additional live broadcasting available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at http://www.arcaracing.com/ arcaracing.com in collaboration with Alabama’s local WTDR Thunder 92.7 FM. All times are local (Central).

For additional information on TMT, Inc. please visit; tmtcompanies.net.

For more on Maryeve Dufault, please log onto Maryeveracing.com

To learn more about Tony Marks Racing, please click over to Tmr-racing.com

About Tony Marks Racing (TMR):

Tony Marks Racing was founded in 2009 through the passion for racing of team owner and former driver Tony Marks. Marks is the successful owner of TMT, Inc., a logistics, warehousing and packaging company with over 400 employees whose customers are mainly comprised of Fortune 100 companies.

Marks began his racing career in 1985 getting behind the wheel of everything from drag racers, Dirt Late Models, SCCA Formula Fords, USAC F2000 Open Wheel and ARCA cars. Tony personally raced until 2005 amassing numerous wins, championships and track records along the way until he then changed his focus from driver to owner and began building racing programs for his children Jared (16 years old) and Rachel (13 years old). Under the auspices of TMR, Jared began his racing career in 2002 in quarter midgets and now competes in late model, CRA, ASA and ARCA Series events while Rachel continues her development program racing quarter midgets and Bandoleros.

TMR has been at the forefront of charitable giving through its’ “Driving Against Hunger” and “Million Meal Challenge” race programs which have raised over $200,000 for Forgotten Harvest in 2010 at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series events at Michigan International Speedway.

For the NASCAR events TMR along with TMT, Inc. partnered with Forgotten Harvest for the “Million Meal Challenge For Our Kids” which helps to bridge the hunger gap while schools are out of session and feeds 20,000 children per day in the Detroit metro area. Forgotten Harvest was significantly displayed on the entry of Chase Austin during both the Truck and Nationwide events at Michigan International Speedway along with logos of “Million Meal Challenge” sponsors Walgreen’s, United Race Group, Holyfield’s Choice Alka-Power Water and Vitamin Spice. Evander Holyfield was also instrumental in the challenge, acting as Grand Marshall for the August race and announcing his “Fight Against Hunger” on behalf of Forgotten Harvest.

As the first race team to “Drive Against Hunger” through their partnership with Forgotten Harvest, TMR plans to continue their alliance with Forgotten Harvest and once again “Drive Against Hunger” during the 2011 season.

TALLADEGA, Ala. (April 12, 2011) – – After dabbling in the USARacing Pro Cup Series over the course of the last two months, Stuart, Florida native Bryan Silas will return to his normal surroundings this week when the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards makes their annual stop at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway for the running of the 3 Amigos 250.

There will be something incredibly different about Silas’s sixth start at the 2.66-mile superspeedway when the green flag flies on Friday afternoon. He won’t be driving the familiar No. 11 Ford Fusion for Fast Track Racing. Earlier this week, Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) and Bryan Silas Racing (BSR) jointly announced that the 23-year ARCA pro will drive the No. 98 Vietnam Veterans of America / Rockingham Speedway Toyota Camry in the second of 19 ARCA events this season.

“I’m very appreciative of the opportunity to drive for Eddie Sharp Racing this weekend,” said Silas, who is gunning for his first career ARCA victory. “I also have to graciously thank Andy (Hillenburg), my mentor and owner of Fast Track Racing for being so encouraging and helping me with this event. Even though I won’t be in his car; he’s been so accommodating and willing to do anything he can to help with the transition.”

While Silas has enjoyed 88 career starts with the 1995 ARCA champion, the opportunity to drive for Denver, North Carolina-based ESR team quite possibly could be a switch that is talked about for a long time to come.

An enthusiastic Silas continued, “without any question, I think we’ll have a shot at running up front and finding ourselves in contention for the win in the No. 98 Vietnam Veterans of America / Rockingham Speedway Toyota Camry. I’m looking forward to getting to Talladega and working with the ESR team. I’m anxious to experience the Toyota buzz for myself; not to mention drive for another organization that has won an ARCA championship.”

No matter what the outcome on Friday afternoon, Silas’s busy week won’t stop there as he plans to make the trek to Dillon, South Carolina for the third race of the season in the USARacing Pro Cup Series. After two outings which include one top-five and two top-10s, Silas finds himself fourth in points just 29 markers behind leader Brad Rogers.

“It will be a busy weekend for sure,” sounded Silas. “I’ve enjoyed running in the USARacing Pro Cup Series this season. We are having a lot of fun and I hope to keep our momentum growing over there at Dillon (S.C.) Motor Speedway on Saturday night.

Entering Talladega, Silas has 92 career ARCA Racing Series starts to his credit with a career best finish of fourth at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway in 2009. He also holds 27 top-10 finishes to his credit. In his previous five Talladega contests, Silas has a best start of 16th (2006) and scored a top-finish of 12th in 2009.

The 3 Amigos 250 (94 laps / 250 miles) is the second of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 49th ever ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Thursday, April 14 with a three hour practice session planned from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 5:05 p.m. Coverage of time trials is available online through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at http://www.arcaracing.com/ arcaracing.com in collaboration with Alabama’s local WTDR Thunder 92.7 FM. A 45-minute final practice has been etched in on Friday, April 15 from 10:00 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. The event will take the green flag that afternoon shortly after 4:00 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED with additional live broadcasting available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at http://www.arcaracing.com/ arcaracing.com in collaboration with Alabama’s local WTDR Thunder 92.7 FM. All times are local (Central).

For more on Bryan Silas please visit, BryanSilasRacing.com .

TALLADEGA, Alabama (April 12, 2011) – – After delivering an electrifying third place performance at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Win-Tron Racing has once again called upon Portland, Texas native Matt Merrell to drive the team’s No. 32 Toyota Camry in Friday afternoon’s 3 Amigos 250 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

Given Merrell delivered a champion-like performance at Daytona is fitting for the second of 19 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards races this season as Win-Tron Racing announced last week that Champion Brands has signed on as the primary marketing partner of the team’s No. 32 Toyota Camry for Merrell’s inaugural debut at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.

“To have another shot at victory at a superspeedway in the No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry is a blessing for sure,” said Merrell, a former competitor in the USARacing Pro Cup Series. “We had such a strong race car at Daytona and we’re bringing that same car back to Talladega hoping for the same results.”

Merrell added, “It’s very humbling to represent a great company like Champion Brands. Win-Tron Racing, I know is one of the best in the ARCA Racing Series and I know Champion has found a great home with them. It’s my goal to go out there in the race and prove to them why it’s such a great home.”

Much like Daytona, Merrell, the 26-year old has never tested nor raced at the 2.66-mile superspeedway but the lack of track time isn’t a worry for him because of the faith that he has in his Lakeville, Minnesota-based team led by Win-Tron’s wizard crew chief Mike Chafee.

“To go to a place like Daytona or Talladega can be intimidating for sure, but I’m not worried,” Merrell sounded. “Mike (Chafee) and Mike (Resop) and the entire Win-Tron Racing team know what they are doing when it boils down to this restrictor plate racing, so I’m just going to Talladega this weekend and do exactly what I did in Daytona and hope we leave with the same or even a better result.

If we’re able to pull off a win at Talladega at Friday, I can’t even begin to explain the emotions and happiness it will bring to not only me and my family but for this Win-Tron Racing team. They’ve had a lot of faith in me over the years and have always put me in first class equipment; I would like to thank them with a win in the worst way.”

Nate Thiesse, co-owner of Win-Tron Racing is equally upbeat about having Merrell back at the controls for the 3 Amigos 250. “Matt did a magnificent job at Daytona and there’s no hesitation to think that he cannot do the same again on Friday. He showed at Daytona that despite very little experience in the draft, he tackled the finesse of the draft like a veteran. We know that he’ll race smart and put our No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota in contention when it really counts!”

The team’s No. 32 Toyota Camry is also aiming for its third consecutive top-10 finish on a superspeedway. Last April, Justin Marks delivered a ninth place performance after a late-race shuffle in the draft. In February, Merrell piloted the same automobile to a podium third place finish in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.

Merrell will make his 15th career start and first at Talladega in the ARCA Racing Series presented Menards this week. In his previous 14 outings, Merrell has six top-fives including runner-up finishes of second at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway and Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (August) in 2009 and seven top-10s. His best start position for Win-Tron Racing occurred at the tricky triangle of Pocono (Pa.) Raceway where he qualified his No. 32 CollinsHope.org http://www.collinshope.org/ Dodge Charger second in June of 2009.

The 3 Amigos 250 (94 laps / 250 miles) is the second of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 49th ever ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Thursday, April 14 with a three hour practice session planned from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 5:05 p.m. Coverage of time trials is available online through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at http://www.arcaracing.com/ arcaracing.com in collaboration with Alabama’s local WTDR Thunder 92.7 FM. A 45-minute final practice has been etched in on Friday, April 15 from 10:00 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. The event will take the green flag that afternoon shortly after 4:00 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED with additional live broadcasting available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at http://www.arcaracing.com/ arcaracing.com in collaboration with Alabama’s local WTDR Thunder 92.7 FM. All times are local (Central).

Further information including driver opportunities with Win-Tron Racing is available by visiting win-tronracing.com http://www.win-tronracing.com/ or contacting Nate Thiesse at 952.469.1839.

TALLADEGA, Alabama (April 12, 2011) – – In racing, a mulligan offers a chance for you to forget about the race; despite the finish and march forward. For Chad Hackenbracht and his CGH Motorsports team, the team used their mulligan in the season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February – now leaving this Friday’s 3 Amigos 250 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway as the right opportunity to “officially” kick-off their 2011 ARCA Racing Series championship bid.

The second of 19 races this season comes at a perfect opportunity for the Concord, North Carolina-based CGH Motorsports as the team recently announced two personnel changes whom both have a wealth of experience at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.

With Rob Torrey, otherwise known as “Bucket” calling the shots as crew chief and Kevin Reed, ARCA’s 2010 crew chief of the year serving as director of competition; calling CGH Motorsports a sleeper for Friday afternoon’s anticipated thriller would be an understatement.

“I’m ready to get back behind the wheel of a race car,” said Hackenbracht, a native of New Philadelphia, Ohio. “I cannot tell you the hard work that we’ve put into our superspeedway program over the last two months or so. We’re hoping that with the input of Rob and Kevin, we’ll find ourselves in contention for a good finish Friday afternoon.”

The family-owned CGH Motorsports team originally had plans to participate in the open-test at Talladega late last month, but the team bowed out of the two-day session because of the impending weather thus shifting their focus not only on their No. 58 Tastee Apple Chevrolet Impala but the other ARCA Racing Series events ahead too.

“We wanted to go and test, but we thought it over and just decided it wasn’t in our best interest,” explained the 19-year old rising star. “ “We’re not worried, our car should be fast and we’re looking good for the upcoming races, I just want to go out there and run well.”

Hackenbracht has one prior start at Talladega coming last April where he started 41st, stayed out of trouble and collected a respectable 21st place finish.

“I did a lot of learning last year,” Hackenbracht recalled. “We didn’t have the best piece, but we had a car that I was able to get in the group and draft; learn and finish the race. This year, we’ve stepped up our superspeedway program, so I’m looking forward to putting our CGH Motorsports machine in the lead pack and earning a top-10 finish.”

Sitting deep in the point’s standings, Hackenbracht knows that a cautious approach to Friday’s event would be smart – but he realizes that it could hurt him too.

“We haven’t really decided on an attack plan for Friday yet,” Hackenbracht said. “We know that we have to finish well to gain some ground in the point standings. There’s a lot that can happen in the race, but we can’t worry about that. We just need to go out there run our race and hope in the end everything falls into place.”

CGH Motorsports is actively seeking additional marketing partners for the full 2011 ARCA Racing Series schedule. Single, multi and full-season placements are available on the team’s No. 58 entries. Interested parties are urged to contact Jordan Dahl at 570.234.5449 or jordan@cghmotorsports.com.

The 3 Amigos 250 (94 laps / 250 miles) is the second of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 49th ever ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Thursday, April 14 with a three hour practice session planned from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 5:05 p.m. Coverage of time trials is available online through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at http://www.arcaracing.com/ arcaracing.com in collaboration with Alabama’s local WTDR Thunder 92.7 FM. A 45-minute final practice has been etched in on Friday, April 15 from 10:00 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. The event will take the green flag that afternoon shortly after 4:00 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED with additional live broadcasting available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at http://www.arcaracing.com/ arcaracing.com in collaboration with Alabama’s local WTDR Thunder 92.7 FM. All times are local (Central).

For more information on Chad Hackenbracht and CGH Motorsports, please visit ChadHackenbracht.com http://www.chadhackenbracht.com/ and CGHMotorsports.com .

Connect with Chad Hackenbracht and CGH Motorsports through Facebook by clicking here. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chad-Hackenbracht-Fan-Page/192325897461194

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 Concord, 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 will step up their commitment from a partial schedule and prepare for a hopeful full-season ARCA championship assault beginning in February 2011.

TALLADEGA, Alabama (April 12, 2011) – – After a 15th place finish in the season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) Speedway nearly two months ago Sean Corr and his Empire Racing team left the 2.5-mile superspeedway frustrated with their performance. To some, a 15th place finish would be satisfying but for Empire Racing they know that their capable of more. They plan to attack the field in Friday afternoon’s 3 Amigos 250 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and show the competition just how serious they are about the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards championship.

The team participated in a two-day test at the 2.66-mile superspeedway last month and despite losing a day of activity due to inclement weather; the team gained valuable track time which they hope will pay dividends in Corr’s second tango with Talladega.

Since the test, the team also made a crew chief change. Longtime ARCA fixture Howard Bixman recently joined the Mooresville, North Carolina-based team giving the team some added confidence with his background in Motorsports including restrictor plate racing. In February, he guided Benny Gordon in his ARCA debut to a solid top-10 finish. The team’s hoping with Bixman’s leadership and call – he can deliver Corr to a victory.

“The Empire Racing team has busted their tails, there’s no hiding that,” said Corr, a native of Goshen, New York. “We’ve made some internal changes, but it’s all for the better and to make this a championship worthy team. The test went okay but we found a lot of things after the test that should help us considerably on Friday.”

Last April at Talladega, Corr gained notoriety for being a rookie and masterfully drafting from his 25th place starting position to inside the top-five before the “big one” unleashed itself leaving the No. 82 Empire Racing Ford Fusion no where to go, ultimately erasing him from competition.

“We proved to everyone that we are plenty capable of running up front in the ARCA Racing Series last year at Talladega,” the 27-year old recalled. “While the car was destroyed, I think the car we’re taking this weekend not to mention the Roush Yates horsepower will put this team back on the map with a strong finish.”

With several of his competitors who raced at Daytona opting not to participate in Friday’s event, Corr will be on the heels of being in the top-10 in the championship standings once the green flag flies – which is important in the team’s overall goal of tackling the championship.

“Escaping Daytona with a solid finish is what we needed to do,” said Corr. “It’s our intent to go to the end of the season with this Empire Racing team and good – consistent finishes like Daytona will help us – but we know based on last year’s championship runs – it will take top-10s, top-fives and wins to make our championship dream a reality. I know we have the tools to do it, we just need to show everyone.”

When asked what the fans can expect in Friday afternoon’s race. Corr added, “A chess match at 200 miles per hour. I know everyone refers it to that a lot; but that’s exactly what it is. These ARCA Racing Series packs on the superspeedways continue to get bigger and bigger every year. That just shows you how good and close the competition is.

We need to find the perfect drafting partner and keep our No. 82 Empire Racing LLC Ford Fusion as close to the front as possible. We did that last year, but unfortunately were eliminated with the “big one.” So, it doesn’t matter where you are on the track, it can happen at the front; it can happen in the middle, the back wherever. You just have to be on your toes and try to avoid if you can.”

The 3 Amigos 250 (94 laps / 250 miles) is the second of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 49th ever ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Thursday, April 14 with a three hour practice session planned from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 5:05 p.m. Coverage of time trials is available online through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at http://www.arcaracing.com/ arcaracing.com in collaboration with Alabama’s local WTDR Thunder 92.7 FM. A 45-minute final practice has been etched in on Friday, April 15 from 10:00 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. The event will take the green flag that afternoon shortly after 4:00 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED with additional live broadcasting available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at http://www.arcaracing.com/ arcaracing.com in collaboration with Alabama’s local WTDR Thunder 92.7 FM. All times are local (Central).

For more on Sean Corr, Empire Racing and marketing partnership opportunities for the 2011 racing season, please visit empireracingllc.com http://www.empireracingllc.com/ .

Connect with Sean Corr and Empire Racing through Facebook by clicking here. http://www.facebook.com/empireracingllc

Tweet with Sean Corr through Twitter @EmpireRacingLLC.

About Empire Racing:

Established in 2009, Empire Racing LLC. (empireracingllc.com http://www.empireracingllc.com/ ) is a two-tier professional Motorsports organization consisting of dirt and asphalt competition. Sean Corr, a 26-year old hailing from Goshen, New York pilots the team’s automobiles in the DIRTcar Series and Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). In 2011, the team will attempt to run for a championship in the ARCA Racing Series with aspirations of moving into the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The team is headquartered in Goshen, New York with an additional operation in Mooresville, North Carolina.

Brandon McReynolds No. 4 Wolfpack Rentals Chevrolet Impala Event Preview Fact Sheet  

Event/Date:          3 Amigos 250 – April 15, 2011

Venue:                   Talladega Superspeedway – Talladega, Ala.  

* Starting off on the Right Foot … Brandon McReynolds will make his 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards debut this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway in the No. 4 Wolfpack Rentals Chevrolet Impala fielded by Turner Motorsports. This is the same Turner Motorsports-prepared Chevrolet Ricky Carmichael raced to a fourth-place finish in the season-opening Lucas Oil Slick Mist 250 at Daytona International Speedway. The 19-year-old driver started 18th last April in his lone start at Talladega but overheating issues sent his Eddie Sharp-owned machine to the garage area for a short time leaving him with a 23rd-place result.

* Remembering Beau …This weekend at Talladega, Turner Motorsports’ four NASCAR Nationwide Series entries, along with McReynolds’ No. 4 machine, will carry decals honoring the life of former ARCA Series competitor and Turner Motorsports employee Beau Slocumb who lost his heroic battle with cancer last weekend. Slocumb made four ARCA starts in 2009, logging an impressive 7.0 starting average combined with a solid 11.2 average finish. The 26-year-old driver logged a pair of top-10 finishes over those four starts including a career-best fifth-place finish at Kansas Speedway. Slocumb began his career racing Legends cars and climbed the professional ladder through the late model ranks, earning 131 feature wins in Legends and late model competition, and eventually making his mark in the ARCA series. He is survived by his wife Jessica, parents Burke “Buster” and Jeanne, brothers Seth and Daniel and sister Maggie. Memorials can be made to the Ryan Newman Foundation, Hospice of Iredell County (N.C.) or Hospice of Central Georgia. * ARCA Racing at a Glance ….  McReynolds has logged four career ARCA starts, including last year’s stop at Talladega. Over those same four events, McReynolds has earned one top-10 finish, logged a solid 10.8 starting average, a 20th-place average finish and completed 396 of the 544 laps contested (72.8 percent).

* Hailto the Chief … Mark Rette, crew chief for Ricky Carmichael and the No. 4 Monster Energy team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, will call the shots for No. 4 Wolfpack Rentals Chevrolet at Talladega. Rette will be flanked by Carmichael’s Truck Series team as the group gets dialed in for the 3 Amigos 250.

* Catch the Action … The 3 Amigos 250 from Talladega Superspeedway will be televised live on SPEED Fri., April 15 beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Qualifying for the second race on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule will take place on Thurs., April 14 at 5:05 p.m. local time. 

  BRANDON MCREYNOLDS QUOTES How did the opportunity to drive for Turner Motorsports at Talladega come about? “My dad started talking to Mr. Turner back in October about what he was doing with his race teams and if there were any potential driver development opportunities. At the time, Mr. Turner wasn’t exactly sure what the plan was but it worked out well because he allowed me to go test with his Truck Series team down at New Smyrna Speedway. I worked with Mark Rette and that whole bunch and had a really good test. After that, they started talking about doing some things with me. I was hanging out with those guys after the ARCA race at Daytona and they asked me if I wanted to run the car in Talladega. I’m very thankful for the opportunity. I’m not sure where it’s going to lead but I’m hoping everything goes well.”

  You’ve got an experienced crew chief in Mark Rette and Ricky Carmichael’s Camping World Truck Series team preparing the car for you. That has to really boost your confidence coming into Talladega.

“It makes it so much easier on me knowing that Ricky Carmichael works with those guys on a full-time basis and that it’s the same group I worked with at the test at New Smyrna. The communication barrier has already been knocked down and Mark Rette has always been a good friend of mine. I’m also really close with Andrew (Overstreet), the team engineer. I’ve spent a lot of time with everyone just waiting on this opportunity. We should be able to go down to Talladega and have a pretty smooth race.”

  What are your expectations for Talladega and what would define a successful weekend for you? “Going down there and winning is what I’m out to do. I know Turner Motorsports has top-notch equipment. They run Hendrick motors and have very solid, experienced guys. After they ran fourth with Ricky (Carmichael) in February at Daytona, anything short of a win will be a disappointment. You always want to go to the race track and make winning your goal and anything short of that should be disappointing. That’s how we’re built as racers. It’s also important for me to gain the respect of the team and of my fellow competitors on the race track. I want to have a solid afternoon, stay out of trouble, learn a little bit and hopefully, come home with the trophy.” What else do you have going on outside of this opportunity with Turner Motorsports? “Obviously, it’s a tough market out there, especially with the economy being the way it is. Right now, I’m just looking at doing things on a race-by-race basis. I really hope that we can have a good outing at Talladega and maybe that will lead to some more races with Turner Motorsports. I ran the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race for Jeff Spraker at Greenville-Pickens Speedway and we’re looking at running a few more with him. Jeff runs Chevrolets so that’s a good opportunity for me to stay behind the wheel of a Chevy. Other than that, I’m working for Randy LaJoie at the Joie of Seating and doing whatever those guys need me to do. That helps me stay tuned in to what’s going on in the sport while I don’t have a full-time program.”  

How did the ARCA race at Talladega go for you last year? “It was a solid day. I ran in the top 10 for most of the day but I got in the back of James Buescher and ended up overheating. We had to go to the garage and cool the motor down but once I got back out there, I pushed Dakoda Armstrong and Patrick Sheltra to the lead so I had a really good car. It was a solid afternoon and I learned a lot. It was good to mix it up with the leaders at the end of the race. I think I can rely on some of the things l learned last year, like how to keep the car cool, to help me this time.”

 ollow Brandon McReynolds at: Brandonmcreynolds.com Twitter.com/franchize28 Facebook.com   About Turner Motorsports: Turner Motorsports, LLC, established in 1999, is in the midst of its sophomore season of NASCAR competition. Owned by Texas businessman Steve Turner, the organization has expanded in 2011 from a two-truck operation in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) to become the largest stand-alone multi-series team in NASCAR’s top-tier touring series. Turner Motorsports operates out of an 110,000 square-foot state-of-the art facility in Mooresville, N.C., and will compete with three entries in the Camping World Truck Series and four entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.  The team boasts an all-star driver line-up that includes Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Jason Leffler, Reed Sorenson, Justin Allgaier, Ricky Carmichael, James Buescher, Brad Sweet and Brandon McReynolds. The Chevrolet-backed team has created alliances with General Motors’ powerhouse teams Hendrick Motorsports, which will provide engine support for both its NNS and NCWTS programs, Kevin Harvick Inc. for body and aero support, and Earnhardt Technology Group for drive train and suspension technology assistance. Turner Motorsports’ marketing partners include Dollar General, Great Clips, Monster Energy, BRANDT, Rexall, Exide, AccuDoc Solutions, Wolfpack Rentals, Fraternal Order of Eagles and ABF Freight. For more information on Turner Motorsports, visit www.turnermotorsportsllc.com.

North Wilkesboro Speedway (NC) — April 10, 2011.  Just weeks before one of the most talked about races in recent short track racing memory legendary racer and Crew Chief Butch Miller along with SS Green Light Racing team owners Bobby Dotter and Ken Smith agreed to put together an entry for the Pro All Stars Series 300-lap “The Race” at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway. “The Race” offered one of the largest prizes ($75,000) seen in years and Miller wanted to be part of the big event.  

In 2010, Butch had been paired with Colorado racer Chris Eggleston for five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events with the SS Green Light team and the veteran short track racer and mentor knew the 5’ 3”, 120-pound racer affectionately known, as “Shorty” was the right choice to fill the seat in the special event.  

“When Butch called me I couldn’t wait to get to run with him again. We had a great chemistry last year in the truck series. I knew if we could qualify on time, we should have a good chance to be there at the end.”  

Miller brought an underpowered car to the abrasive old track to take advantage of a weight break in the rules and to use solid tire management during the 300-lap race. He knew that Eggleston had run very competitively in the ASA Late Model Series at Berlin (MI) Raceway; another track that is hard on tires. He also knew the chemistry they had formed in 2010 could continue on the historic old speedway.  

“Chris learned how to conserve his tires racing against Brian Campbell at Berlin Raceway,” Miller explained. “I knew how smart a driver he is and that he could take care of his equipment over a 300-lap race.”  

After qualifying fifteenth out of 77 entries on Friday afternoon, Eggleston was the last car to make the race on time without having to earn a spot through the last chance races. The event was originally scheduled for Saturday evening, but inclement weather postponed the race until Sunday afternoon.   Once the green finally fell, it took just fifty laps for the Colorado State University senior to maneuver the ASI Limited #08 into the top-five. However, Chris would drop back several positions on each restart, as his car took longer to get up to speed than the high horsepower cars and ended the first 100-lap segment in ninth place.

After the first eight-minute break for tires and fuel Chris would again make a push towards the point, reaching third at the halfway mark and taking the lead from Bubba Pollard just before the second competition caution at lap 200.  

Pollard would grab the top-spot on the double-file restart and Chris would follow him for the next 75 laps, finally moving around the #18 on the outside in lapped traffic on lap 276 of the caution free third segment to take the lead for good and pulled away by several car lengths bringing the ASI Limited #08 to the checkers earning the $75,000 prize.  

“Butch and I just communicate so well with each other; especially running those five truck races for him and SS Green Light Racing,” an excited Eggleston explained. “Butch prepared the car so well, how we unloaded out of the box is exactly how we ran the car in the race.”  

“All night he was on the radio reminding me to conserve the tires and we saved just enough that we were able to catch the 18 in lapped traffic with less than 30 to go and go on to win this race.”  

“We were kind of an underdog coming here with a crate motor, but Butch knew that tires were the key to be strong at the end. I’m so excited right now; I have to thank Bobby Dotter, Ken Smith and ASI Limited for giving me this opportunity.”  

For Miller, it was the pre-race decisions that made the difference,“We had the right driver in the car. We were underpowered and that hurt us on the restarts, but Chris never spun the tires at all and that helped at the end. We were starting to get a little tight, but we didn’t get as tight as the other cars.”   “All the guys on the SS Green Light team did a great job preparing the car and I’m real proud of all of them.”  

Chris was a special guest on Dave Despain’s “Wind Tunnel” Sunday Night on Speed TV along with several other national media appearances following the event.

For more information on SS Green Light Racing visit www.SSRacingonline.com or e-mail pr@ssracingonline.com.

DENVER, N.C. (April 11, 2011)– Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) announced Monday that Stuart, Florida native Bryan Silas will pilot the No. 98 Vietnam Veterans of America / Rockingham Speedway Toyota Camry in Friday’s 3 Amigos 250 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

“We are thrilled to work with Bryan at Talladega,” said team owner Eddie Sharp. “I have watched Bryan race over the past few years under the tutelage of Andy Hillenburg, and I’ve seen him develop into a really good driver. In collaborative efforts with Andy, we are excited to work with Bryan at Talladega Superspeedway.”

“I’m thrilled about working with Eddie Sharp and Eddie Sharp Racing this upcoming week at Talladega,” said Silas who will make his 93rd ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards start on Friday afternoon. “There’s no mistake when it comes to the ability of Eddie Sharp Racing and his equipment. I’m looking forward to giving our No. 98 Vietnam Veterans of America / Rockingham Speedway Toyota Camry a shot to celebrate in victory lane.”

The 24-year old Silas moves to ESR for his sixth start at the 2.66-mile superspeedway from Fast Track Racing and mentor and 1995 ARCA champion Andy Hillenburg. Despite not driving the familiar No. 11, Hillenburg will still play an instrumental role with his protégé and assist the No. 98 team throughout the week.

ESR looks to continue the 2011 season with success with Silas in the car. The team kicked off the ARCA Racing Series season at Daytona International Speedway in February. Kevin Swindell drove to a 12th-place finish in the No. 98 Curb Records ESR Toyota, and Jason Bowles wheeled his way to a top-five finish in his ARCA Racing Series debut in the No. 6 Rusty Wallace Racing Experience ESR Toyota. The team looks to pick back up the momentum after a two-month break in the ARCA Racing Series schedule.

The 3 Amigos 250 (94 laps / 250 miles) is the second of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 49th ever ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Thursday, April 14 with a three hour practice session planned from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 5:05 p.m. Coverage of time trials is available online through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at http://www.arcaracing.com/ arcaracing.com in collaboration with Alabama’s local WTDR Thunder 92.7 FM. A 45-minute final practice has been etched in on Friday, April 15 from 10:00 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. The event will take the green flag that afternoon shortly after 4:00 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED with additional live broadcasting available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at http://www.arcaracing.com/ arcaracing.com in collaboration with Alabama’s local WTDR Thunder 92.7 FM. All times are local (Central).

For more on Bryan Silas please visit, BryanSilasRacing.com.

About Eddie Sharp Racing


Eddie Sharp set up shop in 2005 in Denver, N.C. after several years of transforming young, talented drivers into ARCA championship contenders. Today, Eddie Sharp Racing has evolved into the rite of passage for any serious upcoming driver with an ambition for professional stock car racing. Located in Denver, North Carolina, Eddie Sharp Racing occupies a top-notch facility that closely resembles a five-star NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, both inside and out. The two ESR buildings contain two teams where on any given day, championship contending cars are assembled, engines tuned and teams strategize to score the next race day victory. For more information on the team, please visit: www.teamesr.com and connect with the team on http://www.facebook.com/teamesr www.facebook.com/teamesr and http://www.twitter.com/teamesr www.twitter.com/teamesr.

MOORESVILLE, North Carolina (April 11, 2011) – – Officials from Empire Racing LLC. announced today that Howard Bixman has been named crew chief of the No. 82 Empire Racing Ford Fusion in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards beginning with Friday’s 3 Amigos 250 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

Bixman joins driver Sean Corr and the Mooresville, North Carolina-based organization, after guiding Grant Enfinger and Grant Enfinger Racing (GER) to a successful 2010 season. Starting off the 2011 season Bixman lead role was as crew chief and consultant for Benny Gordon who in his inaugural ARCA debut finished seventh in the No. 09 VSI / GER Ford Fusion at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February.

Bixman replaces former crew chief Richard Johns.

“Howard is very knowledgeable and we are excited to welcome to the team,” said Empire Racing team manager John Bellesfield. “We appreciate everything that Richard Johns has done for Empire Racing and wish him well in his future endeavors. With Howard’s leadership qualities and extreme dedication, we are hoping he can bring some overall improvement to our young team.”

For Goshen, New York native Corr – the opportunity to work with Bixman is ideally a win-win situation in his bid for the coveted ARCA championship. “Howard has been a fixture in the ARCA Racing Series for a long time,” sounded Corr. “He has always gone out of his way to consult with us (when needed) and now we are welcoming him aboard for this journey towards the top. I feel with his experience, work ethic and passion – he can only bring good things to everyone at Empire Racing.”

Empire Racing enters the second of 19 races on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series schedule 16th in points after a top-15 outing in the season-opener at Daytona nearly two months ago. In preparation for Corr’s second outing with the 2.66-mile superspeedway, the John Corr-owned operation participated in the open ARCA Racing Series test session but Mother Nature washed out one of the scheduled two day sessions – leaving the team optimistic about their chances for Friday afternoon’s expected thriller.

For more on Sean Corr, Empire Racing and marketing partnership opportunities for the 2011 racing season, please visit empireracingllc.com http://www.empireracingllc.com/ .

About Empire Racing:

Established in 2009, Empire Racing LLC. (empireracingllc.com http://www.empireracingllc.com/ ) is a two-tier professional Motorsports organization consisting of dirt and asphalt competition. Sean Corr, a 26-year old hailing from Goshen, New York pilots the team’s automobiles in the DIRTcar Series and Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). In 2011, the team will attempt to run for a championship in the ARCA Racing Series with aspirations of moving into the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The team is headquartered in Goshen, New York with an additional operation in Mooresville, North Carolina.