Category: Other Series Racing

Other series racing

  • The Season Starts Now At Talladega For Chad Hackenbracht; CGH Motorsports

    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.

  • Agenda Clear For Sean Corr; Empire Racing At Talladega

    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, 3 Amigos 250 Preview

    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.

  • Chris Eggleston Wins ‘The Race’ at North Wilkesboro!!!

    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.

  • IZOD IndyCar Series: Are Double File Restarts The Way To Go?

    This year, the IZOD IndyCar Series adapted a new rule of using double-file restarts.

    So far this year, it has produced some interesting race as it has caused accidents in both the season opener at St. Petersburg and this past weekend at Alabama.

    “I still believe we need to try to take care of each other a little more,” Tony Kanaan said after the race. “I mean, every one of them we had a crash, so it’s not a coincidence. But every one of them we have a lot of passing too, so it’s a trade there. It’s only the second race. I would give us a chance for us to settle in and make sure that that’s going to work. Do I like it? I mean, it plays in my favor big time, but no, I don’t. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to work for it and make it. If it’s exciting for racing and for all of us, why not. We’re going to have to figure it out.

    “We’re driving the cars. It’s not like we crash all the time. Well, you’re driving it. You have to take care of each other. You have to to give each other room. Things are going to happen, but I’m 50‑50 right now. I would say, yeah, it’s playing in my favor right now. If it was single file, would I have passed that many cars? I don’t think so. So we’ll try to make it work. I got told that the fans liked it, so we’ll see. We’ll see how the crowd looked at it. I’m just a driver. They tell me what I’m going to do, and I’m going to have to do it, you know.”

    Looking at a lap-by-lap analysis of Alabama, you can tell see how the restarts played a big role in incidents happening throughout the day.

    On lap 1, JR Hildebrand and Raphael Matos made contact causing Matos to spin.

    On the lap 41 restart for the lap 37 caution, Simona de Silvestro, James Hinscliffe and EJ Viso wrecked. Helio Castroneves made it three-wide, which made things tight, causing drivers to make contact with each other.

    The restart came on lap 46, which another incident then took place as Mike Conway got hooked into the wall by his teammate Danica Patrick.

    The restart came on lap 50, and then six laps later, Ryan Hunter-Reay bounced off the curb into Ryan Briscoe.

    The restart came on lap 62, which then on lap 63, Justin Wilson wrecked after he hit Rapael Matos, causing him to turn back into him.

    The good side of it is that it has provided some solid side-by-side racing, including Kanaan passing 10 cars in four laps.

    It has also helped in creating rivaleries and solid competition between drivers, as displayed by Scott Dixon and Will Power. Dixon felt that Power was breaking one of the restart rules with how he was swapping lines after crossing the start-finish line. He complained to series officials while his team owner Chip Ganassi went down to Power’s pit and threatened to wreck him if he did it again.

    “Brian as usual does nothing about it,” Dixon said after the race. “So if they’re going to implement these rules and tell you in the drivers’ meeting that the person on the left has to be to the left center of the line, then enforce it. At least tell them. I spoke to Will after the race, and he said well, I never heard anything on the radio. But if you look at the restarts, I’m pretty much on the grass almost. And he’s even over the center line on the right part of the center line. I know why he’s doing it. He’s trying to get out of the dirty side. But you can’t have the best of both worlds. If you’re going to pick the inside and then run the car on the right that’s not how it should be. All in all, I don’t think it would change much, but I think it’s a disaster waiting to happen.”

    “I think that the rule is that you can be anywhere on the track after the start/finish line,” Power said. “Simple as that. That’s what I was told on the start/finish line. I was told on the radio he was upset with me for putting him almost in the grass. I would have given him more room. I didn’t realize that’s what the problem was. All he did is come up beside me and take a big weave at me. If they told me what the problem was, I would have helped him out there.”

    Double-file restarts may not be a good deal on a road course as you have to turn left and right so therefore you have people crowding each other as they try to manuever the course. This is a solid rule that has been a plus for the IZOD IndyCar Series, though maybe its something that should be saved for ovals as that way you don’t have the issue of people getting crowded.

  • Travis Pastrana to Compete in Blue Ox 100 NASCAR K&N Race at Richmond International Raceway

    Motocross and X Games Legend Will Also Visit Party Zone Fan Hospitality on Friday, April 29th

    Arguably the most popular competitor in motocross history, Travis Pastrana is coming to Richmond International Raceway to compete in the Blue Ox 100 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race on Thursday night, April 28th. Additionally, Pastrana, known for wowing crowds with his amazing freestyle motocross stunts, will participate in a question and answer session in the Party Zone fan hospitality on Friday, April 29th, prior to the BUBBA burger 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

    Pastrana is racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, which features separate schedules and championships for the East and West, and makes up the top step of the NASCAR Home Tracks ladder—a launching pad for developmental drivers and home for veterans of motorsports. In addition to producing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series has served as the starting point for some of the top up-and-coming talent now in NASCAR’s three national series, including 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne, Austin Dillon and Ryan Truex.

    The Blue Ox 100 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race runs prior to the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown on Thursday, April 28th. The Showdown features NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Michael Waltrip, Joey Logano Bayne and Hermie Sadler, Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell and some of the best Late Model Stock Car drivers in the area. Thursday’s tickets, which include both races, are general admission and $25. Children 12 and younger are admitted free with a ticketed adult. Click here or call 866-455-7223 for tickets and information.

    Pastrana will stick around Friday, April 29th and participate in a fan question and answer session in the Party Zone fan hospitality, prior to the BUBBA burger 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race. The Party Zone is an add-on for BUBBA burger 250 ticket holders. This offer includes a pre-race pit pass (for fans 16 years of age and older), a full dinner buffet, Q&A with NASCAR celebrities, three adult beverage tickets (for fans 21 years of age and older) and much more! Party Zone admission is $65 per person. Party Zone children’s tickets are $10 and include all the amenities except for the pre-race pit pass and adult beverage tickets. Click here or call 866-455-7223 for additional Party Zone information and to purchase BUBBA burger 250 tickets (which start at $30).

    The weekend continues on Saturday, April 30th, for the Crown Royal Presents The Matthew & Daniel Hansen 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Hometown hero Denny Hamlin, defending series champion Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart and all of your favorite stars will battle it out “under the lights.” Tickets start at $45 and can be purchased by clicking here or calling 866-455-7223.

    About Richmond International Raceway:

    Richmond International Raceway, known as America’s Premier Short Track, offers exciting night racing action and a commitment to the fan experience. One of the most popular facilities among drivers and fans in all of motorsports, Richmond International Raceway annually hosts all of its major events—two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, two NASCAR Nationwide Series events and one NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race—under the lights on its ¾-mile D-Shaped oval. The unique layout consistently produces the thrill of side-by-side racing, coupled with high enough speeds for a superspeedway feel. Combined with first-class amenities (including the state-of-the-art Video Scoring Tower) and a focus on the fans, guests at Richmond International Raceway can expect to experience what “Racing Perfection” truly is. For tickets to events at Richmond International Raceway, call 866-455-RACE or visit www.rir.com online. http://www.facebook.com/richmondinternationalraceway Find us on Facebook and follow http://www.twitter.com/ririnsider us on Twitter @RIRInsider.

  • Bryan Silas and Eddie Sharp Racing Team Up for Talladega

    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.

  • Empire Racing Names Howard Bixman As Crew Chief

    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.

  • Flag-To-Flag: Will Power Dominates Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama

    In the past five road course races, Will Power has started on pole and finished either first or second.

    After finishing second last week, Power would not be denied this week as he qualified first and led flag-to-flag on his way to winning the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. The win marked the 10th win of his career.

    “The key was to make sure I got the jump on him every time,” Power said. “It seemed like it was yellow-after-yellow. But man, that was one of the most relaxing races I’ve ever had. I am going to be a lot better on ovals and I am very determined. I am going to win that championship.”

    Power is the first driver to lead flag-to-flag since Dario Franchitti at Sonoma in 2009.

    Scott Dixon finished second after trying to find a way around Power all day.

    “It is going to take a long time to make back the points that we lost at St. Peterburg’s with all of these teams,” Dixon said. “I think Helio jumped us on the restart, but it was better to just let him go. We worked by Ryan on the second stint and then sat behind Will all day. I pushed hard behind Will to try to catch him but in those final eight laps, I couldn’t get close as I had ran the tires off of the car.”

    Dixon was followed by his teammate and last week’s winner Dario Franchitti.

    “Its like we said at the end of last year, every point means a lot as every position means something,” Franchitti said. “Briscoe pushed me in the grass in one, left the door open into two and then off the turn, he closed the door so that was just racing. You think on these restarts you’re able to get by these guys, but Will and Scott were too far in front of us. Up until the final restart, I thought we had a good car but we didn’t get the right balance. I was just trying to get a good finish and to go from seventh to third here is pretty good.”

    Marco Andretti finished fourth with Orio Servia in fifth. Tony Kanaan finished sixth after starting 26th.

    “A little bit of luck and a good start,” Kanaan said. “We took the advantage to pass a lot of cars on the start and that actually changed my strategy. We were thinking of pitting on lap 10, but when we got up front, we decided to pit a little later. I got to thank my pit crew for some good pit stops as we’re a relative new team. I struggled all weekend as it wasn’t a coincidence that I was almost dead last every sesson as there was something seriously wrong. We took Takumo Sato’s set-up and on the start, I made a good jump.”

    He was followed by Helio Castroneves, Sebastian Pagenaud, Simona de Silvestro and Charlie Kimball.

    It wasn’t easy for Power today as there were multiple cautions for multiple incidents throughout the day.

    The first caution came on lap 1 as JR Hildebrand and Raphael Matos made contact causing Matos to spin.

    Then on lap 37, Alex Taglani spun and got stuck on the sand trap to bring out the caution. Though a lap before, James Jakes pits as his car was on fire.

    We came in and made a pit stop,” Jakes said. “As I came out of turn three, it felt pretty hot in there and the team said to look at the telemetry. It looked a little hot so I brought it down pit road.”

    The restart came on lap 41, though right away, de Silvestro, James Hinscliffe and EJ Viso wrecked. Castroneves made it three-wide, which made things tight, causing drivers to make contact with each other.

    “We got off to a rough start,” Hinscliffe. “I was hoping to not make too many mistakes. I went around in lap 1 but the team was coming back in the top 10. Then Simona got into EJ, which it isn’t his fault that he spun. But any driving school you go to will tell you that you hit the clutch and the brake when you spin, not the gas. It just sucks for this Newman-Haas team.”

    “Unfortunately, we were in the wrong place, wrong positoon,” EJ Viso. “Simona had a pretty good restart, passing three-or-four cars and then she spun, I tried to avoid her and Hinscliffe came down into me.”

    The restart came on lap 46, which another incident then took place as Mike Conway got hooked into the wall by his teammate Danica Patrick.

    “Just coming over the top of the hill, I feel we just crossed paths, made contact and unfortunately wrecked,” Mike Conway said.

    The restart came on lap 50, and then six laps later, Ryan Hunter-Reay bounced off the curb into Ryan Briscoe.

    “Well, I mean I think Ryan is sticking his nose in where it doesn’t belong,” Briscoe said afterwards. “I tried to give him room and looks like he just stuck the nose in there. He was that much quicker and he could’ve waited the half a lap to pass me.”

    Hunter-Reay was given a penalty for unavoidable contact, in which he replied on the radio saying, “I thought I was giving him room and he just turned down. I just can’t believe this.”

    The restart came on lap 62, which then on lap 63, Justin Wilson wrecked after he hit Rapael Matos, causing him to turn back into him.

    “I think when I look back at it, its a racing incident,” Wilson said. “As we were racing in, Raphael gave me room and then came down, I kept backing down backing down and got into him. If you look there, he had a whole lane on the outside.”

    Wilson ran the race today with a wrist injury he suffered at St. Peterburg’s.

    “The wrist was bugging me, but it is fine,” he continued. “The carbonfibre brace I had broke on lap 45 so I threw that out and put this one on under caution.”

    The multiple back-to-back cautions were caused in a large part due to contact on the double-file restarts, which is fresh for the series.

    “From the fans point of view, it looked a lot of exciting,” Kanaan said after the race of the double-file restarts. “I think we need to work together on taking care of each other’s stuff. We crashed on almost every restart and that’s not a coincidence. This is only the second race that we’ve done it so we got to get used to it. Do I like it? No, but it worked into my favor. I think as drivers we need to learn to take care of other. Right now I am 50/50. They told me the fans like it and I am just a driver so if they tell me I have to do it, then I have to do it.”

    Plenty of debates have been brought up with the rule, including how the leader restarts the race. Dixon complained that Power was crossing lines on the start, in which Ganassi added at one point during the race that if Power does it one more time, he was going to get his driver to take him out.

    “Like usual, Brian did nothing about it,” Dixon said after the race. “If you’re going to make a rule, you need to enforce it.”