Category: Other Series PR

Other series racing press release

  • ‘Casper’ Not So Friendly For Chad Hackenbracht; CGH Motorsports At Daytona

    DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (February 14, 2011) – – CGH Motorsports with driver Chad Hackenbracht brought a Chevrolet Impala SS nicknamed “Casper” to Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway this past week for the opening race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

    In the childhood story, “Casper” is known as the friendliest ghost that you ever did see. Unfortunately when the checkered was thrown in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200, friendly wasn’t the word of choice for the CGH Motorsports team.

    Unhappy with their performance in the three-day open test at Daytona last month, the Concord, North Carolina-based team went back to their shop, completely stripped and rebuilt their Chevrolet bowtie, all with the intention of allowing Hackenbracht, ARCA’s newest rising star to make a name for himself at the “World Center of Racing.”

    When practice began on Thursday afternoon, the team was baffled with the performance of their No. 58 Tastee Apple Chevrolet Impala SS. While the New Philadelphia, Ohio native reported that his car seemed to have plenty of horsepower, the car could not produce the speed that the freshman ARCA team was looking for.

    Help from other friends and colleagues in the ARCA garage discovered several potential solutions to the team’s hiccups. After an array of changes on Friday morning before qualifying, the CGH Motorsports headed into qualifying optimistic.

    While the changes helped the overall performance of the car, the team would become challenged once again as it was determined post-qualifying that a spark-plug issue had significantly thwarted the team’s prior obstacles but thus created a new one.

    Correcting the motor issue prior to Saturday morning’s happy hour session, the CGH Motorsports team participated in the final practice with the objective to get their 19-year old driver comfortable with his reconfigured race car. A productive session had the family-owned team focused on the race.

    The green flag was displayed for the first time in 2011 with Hackenbracht quietly making his move towards the front. Keeping his No. 58 Tastee Apple Chevrolet Impala SS tucked in his drafting pack.

    Hackenbracht would continue his steady climb up the running order and positioned himself comfortably inside the top-30. When a caution ensued approaching lap 20, the CGH Motorsports team opted to keep the rising star out on the race track, thus placing the No. 58 Chevrolet into the top-10.

    On the restart, Hackenbracht wasn’t able to fend off his competitors but did maintain a comfortable position in the lead draft.

    Slipping back to the middle of the pack, Hackenbracht’s day took an ugly turn on lap 44 of the 80-lap contest. While racing behind the No. 30 of Terry Jones, smoke began to billow out from Jones’s automobile forcing the No. 58 to the outside line. Unbeknownst to the driver, oil was spewed onto the track and onto the tires of the Greg Hackenbracht-owned machine which threw the car into a vicious spin and hard into the outside wall. How hard was the hit? The impact with the safer barrier wall was strong enough to lift the automobile off the ground and virtually turned it over before slamming back to the ground with heavy damage.

    Hackenbracht waited until ARCA safety officials arrive at the scene of the accident where he pulled the window net down and climbed from his battered machine but not before waiving to the fans while making the mandatory trip to the infield care center. He would be later released with no injuries.

    “That was wild,” said Hackenbracht, who is planning to run the full ARCA Racing Series schedule in 2011. “We had our struggles with our Casper this week, but we made considerable improvements and actually had a good car for the race. I’m not sure what happened with the 30. It looked like he lost a motor and I went around him on the outside and the next thing I knew I was hard into the wall.”

    He continued, “I am thankful to all my guys on the CGH Motorsports team for building me a safe race car. That was probably one of my hardest hits in my racing career and it stinks that Casper is junk, but I’m able to walk away from it okay and we’ll be back after it at Talladega.”

    Ron Hornaday, a four-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) champion served as a driver mentor and coach for the former Legend Car Series (LCS) pilot.

    Axel Fuel, the Official Energy Drink of CGH Motorsports, JRI Shocks, Metal Parts Manufacturing, Performance Vehicle Works, Portable Shades, R2C Performance and Xflex Racers Tape join Tastee Apple as marketing partners for the first of 19 races this season.

    The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will take nearly an eight week pause before action resumes at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Friday, April 15th, 2011 live on SPEED.

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

    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.

  • Sean Corr; Empire Racing Overcome Adversity At Daytona For Solid Finish

    DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (February 14, 2011) – – There’s an old saying that hard work equals reward. While that phrase may be a little bit of an understatement for Empire Racing and driver Sean Corr this past Saturday at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (DIS), the team was still able to produce a solid finish in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.

    Frustrated with the performance of their No. 82 Ford Fusion following the three-day open ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards test in January, the Mooresville, North Carolina-based team put a countless number of hours into the 2011 ARCA Racing Series season-opener.

    When the first practice concluded last Thursday afternoon, Corr climbed from his machine satisfied with the vast improvement of his race car from just a month prior. Despite being nestled mid-pack overall during the four-hour practice session on Thursday, the team was quick to point out that they chose not to draft, while others did.

    “The car is better, a lot better,” said Corr, a native of Goshen, New York. “John (Bellesfield, team manager), Richard (Johns, crew chief) and the team put a lot of sweat into the car over the past couple of weeks and it showed after the first lap of practice.”

    In qualifying on Friday, Corr maneuvered the 27th fastest time placing his Empire Racing into the starting grid for the second consecutive year at the “World Center of Racing.” The team was relieved on the run as the field was one of the tightest in ARCA history at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

    “I’m okay with where we’re starting,” added Corr. “Of course, we would have liked to have been closer to the front, but we made the show and that’s important! Now in Happy Hour, we’ll focus on drafting, so I know how the car will perform during the race.”

    On Saturday morning, Corr thundered his John Corr-owned automobile into the seventh fastest lap overall with a time of 48.398 seconds or 185.958 miles per hour. Corr was one of five Ford Fusions to place into the top-10 during the forty-five minute practice session at DIS.

    When the green flag dropped on Saturday afternoon for the race, Corr wasted no time moving the field and when the caution waived on lap four, Corr moved into the 21st position.

    On the restart, Corr drafted his way into the 17th position where he hovered until he made a pit stop during the event’s second caution on lap 19. The quick pit stop put their driver back into competition solidly in the top-20 and ready to maneuver back to the front.

    Unfortunately for the Corr, his Ford Fusion struggled in the single-car draft, unable to gain the speed needed to move through the field.

    Resting in the top-25 with 16 laps remaining, Corr brilliantly negotiated through the “Big One” in turn three. Escaping the carnage allowed the No. 82 Nesco / North East Fabricators / Trans Tech / Roush Yates Performance Parts Ford Fusion to move back into the top-20.

    During the final green flag run of the race, the dirt late model ace was able to use the side-draft to his advantage allowing him to creep in the rundown and take the checkered flag in the 15th position edging outside pole sitter Kyle Fowler.

    Upon inspection of the team’s entry following the event, the team diagnosed a failure in a shock, which ultimately hampered Corr’s ability to have a better run.

    “It was a quiet race, but we did okay,” said Corr. “The guys worked hard and we came away with a race car intact. We can go back to the shop, work on her some more and get ready for Talladega. We’ll mean business there, I promise you that.”

    Corr continued, “We’ve shown that we can make this car better and we did throughout the whole week and still were able to walk-away from Daytona with a solid finish. Sure, I would have liked more, but I’m thankful for what we did accomplish. I also want to thank everyone who came on-board as marketing partners for the race. I know I’m speaking on behalf of the team that we appreciate it greatly!”

    The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will take nearly an eight week pause before actions resumes at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Friday, April 15th, 2011 live on SPEED. There, Corr will also look to make his second consecutive superspeedway debut at the breathtaking 2.66-mile oval.

    For more on Sean Corr, Empire Racing and marketing 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.

  • Frank Kimmel Post Race Release

    Daytona, FL – Frank Kimmel, driver of the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, finished 10th this afternoon in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 from Daytona International Speedway. It was a tale of two gambles with opposite results this afternoon, both taken by Frank in pursuit of his first victory at Daytona International Speedway in an impressive 20th start.

    The action started early for Frank, as a few teams, including the Ansell-Menards Ford, elected to bring their cars down pit road before the green flag dropped, which resulted in them having to start in the back. The plan was to be patient in the early portion of the race and let the action play itself out in the front of the field.

    “We decided to move to the rear early. I’ve been around long enough to see that it can get chaotic at Daytona instantly, especially with so many rookies in the race,” said nine time ARCA Racing Series Champ, Frank Kimmel.

    The initial gamble paid off, as Frank was able to stay out under an early caution, when a majority of the other teams had to pit for fuel. The result was a restarting position of 3rd by lap 23. Unfortunately, Frank’s second risk was not as successful. Frank quickly moved the Ansell-Menards Ford out of line on the restart in hopes of taking second place. However, the top lane wasn’t the preferred groove throughout the race and the other drivers elected to stay on the bottom, which left Frank without a drafting partner. The outcome temporarily dropped the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford back to 16th.

    “I wanted to get behind Bobby (Gerhart). I thought with it being early that someone would go with me but I was wrong. I only lacked a few feet to make the pass but I needed that help,” said Frank.

    From that point on the Ansell-Menards team fought a battle to get back to the front – one position at a time. In the end, the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford took the checkered flag in the 10th position. “It was difficult.the only way you could pick up a spot was when a driver decided to try and pass up top. We were able to race our No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford back to 10th there at the end. Overall, it’s a top ten finish and that’s encouraging heading into Talladega,” concluded Frank Kimmel.

    Watch for Frank Kimmel in the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford at Talladega Superspeedway for the Talladega ARCA 250 in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. The race can be seen live on SPEED Channel on April 25, 2011 at 5:00 pm EST. More information can be found at www.frankkimmel.com and www.arcaracing.com.

  • Chad Hackenbracht Receives Support From NASCAR Champion

    DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (February 12, 2011) – – When a ARCA rookie like Chad Hackenbracht receives some advice from a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) champion, you better believe he takes every word to heart. 

    So, when Ron Hornaday Jr., driver of the No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet Silverado strolled through the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards garage on Thursday and made a trip to the No. 58 Tastee Apple Chevrolet Impala SS garage stall, Hackenbracht was more than willing to inhale advice from one of NASCAR’s finest.

    “I’ve always had a lot of respect for Ron (Hornaday Jr.),” said Hackenbracht, who will make his second career start at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway Saturday afternoon in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200. “He isn’t shy to tell you what to expect or what to prepare for or even how the car looks. As a rookie team, we really embrace that kind of support.”

    Hornaday’s presence around the Concord, North Carolina-based team is stemmed from the relationship of CGH Motorsports General Manager and Director of Marketing Jordan Dahl, whose marketing ties with American Marketing Group (AMG) is linked in with KHI.

    “It means a lot to me for Jordan to stretch his neck out and bring someone like Hornaday over to our side of the fence, all in an effort to make me a better race car driver,” sounded Hackenbracht, who is attempting to run a full ARCA Racing Series schedule in 2011. “Believe me, I take in everything that Ron says and I don’t take any of it for granted. I’m hoping this relationship is just the start of the things to come.”

    Hornaday has remained nestled around the CGH Motorsports garage area and hauler talking to the New Philadelphia, Ohio native through the week preparing him mentally for today’s season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

    In addition to Tastee Apple, Axel Fuel, the Official Energy Drink of CGH Motorsports, Metal Parts Manufacturing, Portable Shades, R2C Performance and Xflex Racers Tape join the family-owned team as associate marketing partners in Saturday’s season-opener. 

    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 jordandahl@cghmotorsports.com.  

    The Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona (80 laps / 200 miles) is the first of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 48th ARCA race held at Daytona is a three-day show. The event will take the green flag later today shortly after 4:30 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED with additional race coverage including live timing and scoring and radio broadcast 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.

    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.

  • Maryeve Dufault; Tony Marks Rev Up With VR-12 For 2011 ARCA Season

    DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA (February 12, 2011) – – Officials from Tony Marks Racing (TMR) and Freezetone® Products, the manufacturer of VR-12 announced this morning from Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway that VR-12 has aligned itself with the newest team in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards driven by Maryeve (pronounced Mary-EV) Dufault (pronounced DU-FAU) for the full 2011 season as the title sponsor of the team’s No. 12 entry beginning with this afternoon’s Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.

    VR-12 is manufactured by Freezetone® Products, USA, leader in International car maintenance products and environmentally safe solutions. Luis M. Latour, President, has 30 years of experience in manufacturing ecological products for the automotive industry. With his team of experts, he was able to develop a solution that saves consumers money while at the same time lessening the environmental damage caused by most automotive chemical solutions.

    VR-12 is a revolutionary green product that is used to guard against coolant problems. This new invention is the ultimate cooling system protection. It is like a vitamin for cooling systems, composed of organic components and mixed through a synergetic process. VR-12 offers an alternative to topping off radiators and cooling systems versus conventional methods. A special formula containing Organic Acid Technology (OAT) will keep vehicles running at pick performance for longer periods of time while eliminating flushing and waste. It should be used as part of monthly radiator and cooling system maintenance. VR-12 is a green product that protects radiators and cooling components from rust and corrosion, preventing expensive coolant replacement.

    “We’re very excited about today’s announcement with VR-12,” said Tony Marks, owner of TMR. “This partnership with VR-12 fits the platform that we believe in at TMR and it is a product that I personally endorse. It is our goal to make others in racing and those consumers on the road know the importance of what VR-12 can do and I believe we’ll start showing that this afternoon! To have Maryeve (Dufault) represent VR-12 is a win-win situation. She fits their marketing model perfectly and I know that she can and will get the job done behind the wheel of the VR-12 Dodge Charger.”

    For Dufault, a native of Sorel, Quebec Canada the opportunity to work with a growing company like VR-12 fits right into her spectrum. “What an honor it will be to drive the No. 12 VR-12 Dodge Charger this season,” explained Dufault, who will roll from the 24th position later today in her ARCA Racing Series debut. “Mr. Latour believes in our race team and we believe that we can help him accelerate the growth and distribution of his product through Tony Marks Racing. It’s a real honor to be the one to boast their product week in and week out!”

    Vehicle maintenance is important, especially as consumers are postponing buying new cars in a recovering economy. VR-12 is appealing as a maintenance solution for radiators and car coolant systems because it can be used with all makes and models and mix with any antifreeze/coolant type, color or brand. Any vehicle owner, motorcycle, heavy truck, light duty truck, RV’ or boat, experiencing poor vehicle performance due to a week and neglected coolant can use VR-12. Also, other coolants are compatible with VR-12 so consumers can use this product when changing engine coolant in conjunction with what they are already using.

    “VR-12 is proud to be affiliated with Tony Marks Racing and Maryeve Dufault for the 2011 ARCA Racing Series season,” says Luis M. Latour, President of Freezetone®.  “VR-12 is designed to take care of your vehicle and save money while saving the environment. It helps conserve resources because it can re-energize your antifreeze and boosts your cooling system. We feel that no one can better help us spread that message than the TMR team. We’re extremely proud of the accomplishments that the team has achieved here at Daytona and we’re looking forward not only to today’s race but for the rest of the season.”

    The Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona (80 laps / 200 miles) is the first of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 48th ARCA race held at Daytona is a three-day show. The event will take the green flag later today shortly after 4:30 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED with additional race coverage including live timing and scoring and radio broadcast through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com.  All times are local.

    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.

    See the buzz that VR-12 is creating by clicking over to their website at VR-12.com.

  • Brian Rose Qualifies 15th For Daytona ARCA Debut

    Brian Rose Qualifies 15th For Daytona ARCA Debut

    DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (February 11, 2011) – – In his return to Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway for the first time since 2002, ARCA Racing Series Rookie of the Year candidate Brian Rose will start his No. 19 Team ASE / Harris Trucking Toyota Camry 15th on Saturday afternoon at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

    [media-credit name=”BrianRoseMotorsports.com” align=”alignleft” width=”266″][/media-credit]Rose, the Bowling Green Kentucky native was the second of 47 cars to make a qualifying attempt around the newly re-paved 2.5-mile superspeedway. His early lap of 49.358 seconds at 182.341 miles per hour was good enough to stay in the top-10 for a majority of Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell but when qualifications were complete, Rose landed with the seventh fastest time overall for the Toyota brigade. Saturday’s 80 lap / 200 mile shootout will be the debut of Brian Rose Motorsports (BRM) which was formed by the NASCAR driver in late 2010.

    “We were expecting to be somewhere between eighth and 12th, but we’ll take this and look towards tomorrow,” said Rose. “The main thing is that we are in the show. Danny (Rollins, crew chief) and all the guys on this Brian Rose Motorsports team really did an outstanding job the past couple of days. We’ve had to overcome some hurdles, but we did and I’m anxious to get back to plate racing tomorrow afternoon!”

    When asked about his goal(s) for tomorrow, Rose, who will make his ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards inaugural debut, was firm but realistic.

    “I really think we have a chance at winning this race,” he said. “Our car is really good in the draft. We haven’t decided if we are going to partake in drafting practice tomorrow but if we do, we’re just going to make sure the car responds well and we still have the speed we’re looking for. When the green flag drops, it’s my mission to get to the front as quickly and safely as I can and stay there. Hopefully if we can avoid any incidents ahead of us, we’ll be sitting pretty when the white flag flies and we’ll be in contention to head to victory lane!”

    Rose has one prior start at the “World Center of Racing” in 2002 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driving for Bobby Hamilton Racing (BHR). With Rollins calling the shots back then too, the duo was able to qualify fourth, lead three laps with Rose able to cross the finish line third, a career-best in NASCAR.

    Lawton Insurance, Battomi and West Coast Autosource join Team ASE and Harris Trucking as associate marketing partners on the No. 19 Brian Rose Motorsports Toyota Camry.

    The Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona (80 laps / 200 miles) is the first of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 48th ARCA race held at Daytona is a three-day show. A forty-five minute final practice session is etched in on Saturday, February 12th from 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. The event will take the green flag later that day shortly after 4:30 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED with additional race coverage including live timing and scoring and radio broadcast through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com.  All times are local.

    More information on Brian Rose, Brian Rose Motorsports and marketing partnership inquiries, please visit the all-new BrianRoseMotorsports.com.

  • Frank Kimmel and the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford Qualify 26th for the Lucas Slick Mist 200

    Daytona, FL – Frank Kimmel, driver of the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford Fusion, qualified 26th this afternoon for Saturday’s Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 Race at Daytona International Speedway.

    The No. 44 Kimmel Racing team worked extremely hard this morning to get the car ready before today’s Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell. The team’s difficult task did not hinder their persistence in getting the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford prepared, through the ARCA Racing Series inspection line and pushed out to their qualifying spot right on time. Unfortunately, Frank’s qualifying lap was not at the top of the charts, but Frank Kimmel and the Kimmel Racing crew are confident that they’ll be able to quickly work their way to the front in tomorrow’s race.

    “I wasn’t too thrilled with that lap. I could see that the guys worked really hard to get the car ready, and I know that the qualifying lap doesn’t represent how well the car will race tomorrow. We just lack the single lap speed to put down that fast lap on our own but I believe we’ll be able to work the draft pretty well and move our way to the front,” said Frank Kimmel, driver of the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford.

    Continue to watch for Frank Kimmel, as he makes his 20th start at Daytona International Speedway in the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford tomorrow for the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. The event can be seen live on SPEED Channel starting at 4:30 pm EST. More information can be found at www.frankkimmel.com and www.arcaracing.com.

  • Rookie Ty Dillon Wins Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell for Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona

    (DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.) – Ty Dillon set the standard early, and made it stick. Dillon, an 18-year-old ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards rookie, drove a qualifying lap in 48.509 seconds (185.533 mph) to win the Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell for Saturday’s Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway.

    Dillon was the 10th of 47 drivers to attempt a qualifying lap, and his time is the fastest ARCA qualifying lap at Daytona since February 11, 2001, when Kirk Shelmerdine qualified for the pole at 187.352 mph.

    The Menards Pole Award is Dillon’s second in four career ARCA starts; his first came in his series debut at Iowa Speedway last July.

    “It was really special to me. I’ve been coming here for a long time since I was a little kid to see my grandfather, watching races, watching qualifying, and this being my first time at a superspeedway and to have this car get the pole is really special to me,” Dillon said. “I’m glad we could do it with UNOH.”

    Dillon – a grandson of legendary NASCAR team owner Richard Childress – will aim for his third consecutive victory in the series in tomorrow’s race after winning the final two races of last season, at Kansas and Rockingham.

    “Our team has definitely worked hard enough so that we have one of the best cars in the garage,” he said. “I believe we can definitely win this race tomorrow. I just have to be patient; we have the car to do it.”

    Despite a schedule that has had him traveling back and forth from Daytona Beach to Volusia Speedway Park – just over 20 miles away – for nightly dirt modified racing this week, Dillon mentioned that he finds the action enriching.

    “I think it just helps me with my experience, getting as much seat time as possible,” he said. “It’s been hard every night getting back to the hotel at 1 in the morning and getting up at 6 to come here to be with the guys, but I love racing. I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.”

    Starting next to Dillon’s No. 41 University of Northwestern Ohio/Richard Childress Racing Development Chevrolet on the front row will be Kyle Fowler, a fellow 18-year-old.

    Fowler drove the No. 15 Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet into the second position with a lap of 48.65 seconds (184.995 mph).

    “Venturini definitely has an awesome piece there with the 15 car, and I’m just the lucky guy that gets to hold the steering wheel,” Fowler said.

    Fowler has made just five prior starts in the ARCA Racing Series, but none on a track larger than a mile-and-a-half.

    “It was absolutely incredible to make those first few laps around here,” he said. “Heck, I got goosebumps just walking on the premises. It’s every driver’s dream to race here. It’s racing’s biggest stage, and I just want to be there at the end.”

    Steve Arpin, a teammate to Fowler at Venturini Motorsports, will start third after a lap of 48.762 seconds (184.57 mph). Matt Merrell, making his first ARCA Racing Series start since 2009, will start fourth in the No. 32 Red Line Oil Toyota for Win-Tron Racing.

    “We were really focused (in practice) yesterday on qualifying stuff,” said Arpin, who led the series with three victories last year. “It’s really hard at Daytona, because you’ve got to try to qualify the best you can because track position’s really important, but at the same time you’ve got to make the car drive as good as it can.

    “We tried to find that happy medium and balance the car the best we could. The best thing I’m excited about is that our car drives awesome in the draft and that’s all that’s important – to get that trophy at the end of the day tomorrow.”

    Six-time Daytona ARCA winner Bobby Gerhart will start fifth. Practice leader Hal Martin, motocross superstar Ricky Carmichael, Mark Thompson, Tim George Jr., and Tom Hessert will fill out the rest of the first five rows.

    Milka Duno will start 23rd. Nine-time ARCA Racing Series champion Frank Kimmel will roll off 26th for his 20th ARCA Racing Series start at Daytona.

    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 and live audio presented by ARCA Nation and News 1150 WNDB at ARCARacing.com. Bobby Gerhart (No. 5 Lucas Oil Slick Mist Chevrolet) is the defending and all-time leading winner at the track, with wins in 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2010. Gerhart also won four consecutive poles between 2003 and 2006. The race is scheduled as the first of 19 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.

    2011 Event #1, ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards  
    Daytona Int’l Speedway, Daytona Beach FL, 2-12-11  
    Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200    
             
    February 11, 2011 / 3:49 PM    
             
    POS NO DRIVER/HOMETOWN TIME SPEED
    1 41 Ty Dillon/Lewisville NC 48.509 185.533
    2 15 Kyle Fowler/Smyrna GA 48.650 184.995
    3 25 Steve Arpin/Fort Frances ON 48.762 184.570
    4 32 Matt Merrell/Portland TX 48.881 184.121
    5 5 Bobby Gerhart/Lebanon PA 48.961 183.820
    6 55 Hal Martin/Galliano LA 48.977 183.760
    7 4 Ricky Carmichael/Tallahassee FL 48.981 183.745
    8 66 Mark Thompson/Cartersville GA 49.083 183.363
    9 31 Tim George Jr./New York NY 49.112 183.255
    10 52 Tom Hessert/Cherry Hill NJ 49.249 182.745
    11 28 Miguel Paludo/Nova Prata Brazil 49.276 182.645
    12 98 Kevin Swindell/Goodlettsville TN 49.291 182.589
    13 16 Joey Coulter/Miami Springs FL 49.314 182.504
    14 22 Dakoda Armstrong/New Castle IN 49.355 182.352
    15 19 Brian Rose/Louisville KY 49.358 182.341
    16 6 Jason Bowles/Ontario CA 49.368 182.304
    17 14 John Ferrier/Middletown NY 49.386 182.238
    18 30 Terry Jones/Amherstburg Ontario 49.388 182.230
    19 17 Chris Buescher/Prosper TX 49.408 182.157
    20 09 Benny Gordon/DuBois PA 49.537 181.682
    21 94 Brett Hudson/Owensboro KY 49.583 181.514
    22 11 Bryan Silas/Stuart FL 49.584 181.510
    23 63 Milka Duno/Caracas Venezuela 49.604 181.437
    24 12 Maryeve Dufault/Sorel Quebec 49.726 180.992
    25 77 Joey Licata/Van Nuys CA 49.727 180.988
    26 44 Frank Kimmel/Clarksville IN 49.775 180.814
    27 82 Sean Corr/Goshen NY 49.782 180.788
    28 1 Chad McCumbee/Supply NC 49.791 180.756
    29 18 Chris Lawson/Troutman NC 49.801 180.719
    30 00 Ed Kennedy/Coppell TX 49.811 180.683
    31 36 Grant Enfinger/Fairhope AL 49.846 180.556
    32 26 Tommy Joe Martins/Como MS 49.924 180.274
    33 23 Nick Igdalsky/Long Pond PA   Provisional
    34 34 Darrell Basham/Henryville IN   Provisional
    35 48 James Hylton/Inman SC   Provisional
    36 10 Ed Pompa/Ballston Spa NY   Provisional
    37 06 Barry Fitzgerald/Sykesville MD   Provisional
    38 68 Steve Blackburn/Prestonsburg KY   Provisional
    39 7 Brent Cross/Cortland NY   Provisional
    40 58 Chad Hackenbracht/New Philadelphia OH   Provisional
    41 75 Benny Chastain/Tallahassee FL   Provisional
    42 3 Brent Brevak/Eau Claire WI   Provisional
    43 42 Scott Stenzel/Orlando FL   Provisional

     

    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 tests the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, annually 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.

    Founded by John 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 two professional touring series and local weekly events.

  • Wilson Shines in Test with Andretti Autosport

    February 11, 2011 – Indianapolis, IN – Stefan Wilson has his sights set on the 2011 Firestone Indy Lights championship, which he proved during a test last weekend – February 5 and 6 – with Andretti Autosport at Firebird International Raceway.

    Wilson was eager to be back in the car after a six-month hiatus following an incident at Kentucky Speedway, where he was taken out by a car that lost control in front of him. When the opportunity came along to test with Andretti Autosport – one of the sport’s leading teams – he gladly accepted.

    “Six months is a long time to be out of the car,” says Wilson. “I was full of anticipation to get back on the track – especially in an Andretti car. They’re such a competitive team and you can see how much effort the whole team puts in. The car looks impeccable and handled well straight out of the box.”

    Teamwork was an important part of the testing equation during both days on track. Early on in the first session, Wilson’s engineers were able to make improvements and adjust the setup to suit his driving style. After a couple new tire runs, Wilson was able to end the day in P1 of 2.

    Day two brought a variety of test items and three new drivers. Despite running out of time to complete the entire test plan, Wilson was still able to secure P1 on the timesheets for the day and weekend. He really enjoyed working with the engineering staff and is confident that a second test will bring even greater improvements.

    “Overall, I felt the test went really well,” says Wilson. “I was able to showcase my skill to one of the best teams in Indy Lights. I showed work ethic and speed, but also gave precise feedback. I was able to put in consistent laps without mistakes, which allowed the team to fully evaluate the setup changes. That’s exactly what I wanted to accomplish.”

    Andretti Autosport’s engineer, Stuart Kenworthy, was pleased with the test as well. “It was a very productive test,” he says. “We accomplished everything we set out to. Stefan made no mistakes. He was consistently very quick and his feedback was excellent. I feel he’d fit in very well here at Andretti Autosport.”

    With such a positive experience for both the team and the driver, it’s only logical for Wilson to have high hopes for the upcoming season. His goal is to secure a full-time ride in time for St. Petersburg, the first race on the Indy Lights schedule. In addition, he’s expressed his excitement toward both the Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the David Hobbs 100 at the historic Milwaukee Mile. Because of the diversity of Wilson’s talent, it’s no wonder he’s looking forward to the 13-race schedule of both streets and short ovals. Only a portion of his 2011 budget remains to be filled, and he continues to work toward finding sponsorship while keeping his focus on the championship.

    About Avocado, LLC Founded in 2008, Avocado designs and implements custom motorsports marketing programs for businesses, race teams and drivers, using three principles – accountability, momentum and results – to drive business. This individualized strategy permits clients to participate in producing exactly what they want. By controlling the executables, Avocado ensures those expectations are met. Avocado is located 20 minutes north of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Carmel, Indiana.

  • BMR Announces 2011 Program

    Antelope, CA – Now embarking on their 21st year with BMR, NAPA AUTO PARTS, the primary sponsor on the No. 20 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, amassing over 40 wins including winning the inaugural NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown and five NASCAR K&N Pro Series Championships, the familiar blue and yellow NAPA entry will once again be piloted by three-time series champion, Eric Holmes. Together BMR, NAPA and Holmes are sure to be a force as they aggressively defend their 2010 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Championship.  

    Hasa Pool Products with three-time most popular driver Moses Smith in the No. 16 Hasa Pool Products Toyota Camry finished 4th in the 2010 chase for the series championship. Now with four full-time seasons in the NASCAR K&N Pro West Series, BMR and Smith looks to give race partner Hasa their first win and contend for the 2011 series championship.  

    The driver of the No.12 Toyota Camry from the BMR stables as yet to be finalized. The team from BMR who finished third in the series 2010 championship is without a full-time driver as Paulie Harraka is excited about his opportunities to move up the ladder to one of the NASCAR National Touring Series.   BMR returns with a strong lineup of personnel and a lot of newly acquired race cars from Michael Waltrip Racing and Rusty Wallace Racing that will give them the arsenal to defend their 2010 title and work to earn a sixth NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship. It also marks the team’s fourth year with Toyota and fifth year with Hasa Pool Products. NAPA will sponsor five of the series races this season.  

    With a new and stronger schedule for 2011, the series will be heading to some new markets and returning to some not visited in recent years. The schedule includes returns to the Seattle market with a race at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington and the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada. The schedule includes Colorado National Speedway, All American Speedway in Roseville, California, Infineon and Portland International Raceway. Back on the schedule is a race at Spokane County Raceway – a .5-mile track that was last visited by the series in 1979. The teams will visit 12 race venues in nine states as series celebrates its 58th season as the oldest stock car racing circuit in the West.  

    The 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West season will kick off at Phoenix International Raceway on February 24th. The two scheduled races at PIR will run in conjunction with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.  

    BMR is proud to continue its driver development program by adding Jaimie Krysik, 20, to our roster. Krysik will race 10 races in the NASCAR Whelen Late Model Series. This young driver from Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada is the 2010 IMCA Canadian National Champion.  

    For more information on Bill McAnally Racing and our race partners, please visit our website at www.billmcanallyracing.com. Become a fan of Bill McAnally Racing and follow us on our Facebook Fan page. We can also be followed on Twitter at BMR_NASCAR.