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  • Bobby Gerhart Makes Thrilling Last-Lap Pass for Eighth Daytona Victory

    Bobby Gerhart Makes Thrilling Last-Lap Pass for Eighth Daytona Victory

    Saturday, February 18, 2012

    “Did That Just Happen?”

    Bobby Gerhart Makes Thrilling Pass for Eighth Daytona Win

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Leilani Munter Combines Racing and Dolphin Passions

    Leilani Munter Combines Racing and Dolphin Passions

    [media-credit name=”Photo courtesy of Phil Cavali ” align=”alignright” width=”260″][/media-credit]While passions run high as the ARCA racers take to the track for their season opener at Daytona, Leilani Munter is not only looking forward to her time behind the wheel but cannot wait to share the cause on the hood of her race car.

    The driver of the No. 12 Tony Marks Racing Dodge Charger is combining her passion for speed, as well as her commitment to calling attention to the plight of dolphins by featuring the documentary ‘The Cove’ on her race car.

    “I’m just passionate about a lot of things, like the environment and clean energy,” Munter said. “The way that I found ‘The Cove’ is that I saw the movie a couple of years ago.”

    “As soon as I saw it, I was so moved by it,” Munter continued. “As soon as it ended, I looked at my husband and said “We’re going to Japan to help to end this.”

    “That was my call to action,” Munter said. “My husband and I traveled over there in 2010. I made two trips in 2010 and then another trip over there for three weeks this past September.”

    What Munter saw in her travels to Japan and the cove shook her to her core and became the reason for her desire to combine her racing passion with her call to save the dolphins. Munter’s passion for the issue was most evident as she recalled the story of ‘The Cove.’

    “There is a small cove and the dolphins are migrating past the area,” Munter said. “Thirteen boats go out and bang on poles in the water, which scares the dolphins into the cove.”

    “The dolphins are trapped overnight in the cove,” Munter continued. “Then dolphin trainers from all over the world come and pick out the dolphins they want to go train at dolphin parks.”

    “But what happens to the remaining dolphins is that they end up slaughtering all of them for food.”

    During her trips, Munter is ‘on the ground’ volunteering. She has even risked her own safety to share her concerns for the plight of the dolphins in the cove.

    “I filmed the first slaughter of the year this year,” Munter said. “And I got caught in the typhoon and was without water for five days in Japan.”

    “It was pretty interesting having no drinking water and no showers,” Munter continued. “So, I’ve had some pretty intense experiences over there.”

    “I just became passionate about it and the more that I got to know Ric O’Barry (dolphin activist, former trainer of Flipper, and star of the movie), the more I wanted to help and to get everyone to see the movie.”

    Prior to the Daytona race, Munter has devoted a great deal of time to continuing to try to keep the academy award winning film, as well as the plight of the dolphins, in the public eye.

    “This summer, we did a screening of the movie in San Francisco, who donated the theatre to us,” Munter said. “My brother-in-law, who is a musician with the ‘Grateful Dead’, played a few sets so a lot of their fans came out.”

    “This past December, we went up the Empire State building, as the owner saw the film and was moved to help,” Munter continued. “So, on December 9th, we lit up the Empire State building in red in honor of the dolphins who had died at ‘The Cove.’

    “It was there that I began to think about how cool it would be to have a race car and really get this message in front of the race fans,” Munter said. “One of the key things we want people to understand and take away from the film is the tie to dolphin captivity and the slaughter.”

    “The take away message, besides watching the movie which is my number one call to action, is to not support dolphin captivity and dolphin parks,” Munter continued. “By doing that, you are indirectly supporting the dolphin slaughter.”

    “We want to help fans making the connection between going to see dolphins jump through hoops and the slaughter that occurs for all the other dolphins in the cove,” Munter said. “It is a complicated issue but we hope that we can help fans understand.”

    Munter is not only educating her fans but also her own race team to the dolphin slaughter issue.

    “We held a screening at Tony Marks Racing to help the team and crew know the message,” Munter said. “It was fantastic. One of the guys came to talk to me afterwards and shared that he had no idea that was going on until he saw the film.”

    “That’s something that we want to accomplish and to get people to see the film because that’s how we’ll end the slaughter.”

    Munter knows that the strength of stock car racing, combined with being at Daytona, is one of the best ways to get her message out. In addition, she is thrilled to drive at the storied track and fully intends to take her ‘Cove’ car to Victory Lane.

    “What better way than NASCAR to get a movie out in front of a large group of people all at once,” Munter said. “And Daytona is the best venue ever.”

    “I’m so excited to drive this car,” Munter continued. “I have a good, fast race car and this means more than anything to me. It’s a very special race to me.”

    Munter and Tony Marks Racing currently have a one race deal for the Daytona ARCA race. But they are focused on gaining not only sponsorship but calling attention to other causes in upcoming races as well.

    “We’re definitely focused on ‘The Cove’ car, which is a one race deal,” Munter said. “But Tony Marks and I are hoping to go to at least the nine televised ARCA races that are left. I’m actively talking to sponsors to be involved in that program.”

    “We want to continue to use the race car to send messages,” Munter continued. “We want it to be a vehicle to call people to action and get them to think about things.”

    Munter has one more reason to look forward to her Daytona race. In addition to her passion for racing and dolphins, she will also be celebrating her birthday.

    “I’m looking forward to having a chance to run up front and finish the race in first place,” Munter said. “I don’t think I’d ever be able to top winning the Daytona race in ‘The Cove’ car on my birthday.”

    “But for this weekend, it’s all about the dolphins,” Munter said. “We want to make the world a better place.”

     

  • Sean Corr Wins First Menards Pole Award after Controversy at Daytona

    Sean Corr Wins First Menards Pole Award after Controversy at Daytona

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • THE LEFT COAST RACING SCENE: R-I-P IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY

    Despite all of the clues from a long string of rampant rumors, the recent announcement that said the Irwindale Speedway will be dark in 2012 was still stunning. On Monday, February 13th, a very simple, not to mention vague, statement was issued by Irwindale Speedway LLC CEO Jim Williams and track General Manage Bob DeFazio that said “the management of Irwindale Speedway today announced that the 2012 racing season has been cancelled.”

    This official announcement flew in the face of previous, and equally vague, website and social network statements, published all through January and early February, claiming there will be a 2012 racing season and the Irwindale staff were busy working on a 2012 racing schedule.

    The reason for the 2012 cancellation became clearly evident later that same day when it was revealed that the Irwindale Speedway management had filed official Chapter 7 bankruptcy papers at the United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District.

    Some of the numbers in the bankruptcy petition displayed the real reason why the speedway wasn’t going to be racing this year and included:

    A total asset listing of $28,942 compared to total liabilities of $331,773. Cash on hand, as of the February 13th filing date, was listed at a mere $1,500. But the real hard hit came with the speedway’s gross income numbers for the 2011 season. It was an approximate $600,000 drop in revenues from the 2010 season.

    Some of the noteworthy outstanding corporate liability issues included:

    Three different personal injury claims against the speedway. One of them, a debt of $150,000, accounts for nearly one half of the $331,000 in total liabilities. There are two other personal injury claims with no specified monetary amounts indicating that these cases may be pending adjudication.

    There’s also a $55,000 debt, for outstanding rent, to Nu-Way Industries Inc. This corporation actually owns the real estate where the speedway, and its administrative buildings, are located.

    Other outstanding liabilities include a $16,379 debt owed to the Golden State Water Company. The speedway also has an outstanding debt with the Irwindale Police Department in the amount of $8,093. There’s also an outstanding debt for newspaper advertising, to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, in the amount of $1,437.

    There were a series of factors that greatly hampered the Irwindale Speedway’s financial profile during the 2011 racing season. Certainly one of them was the harshness of the national economy. That led to the aforementioned sharp decline in gross income revenues last year. Track attendance, and the ticket sales that comes with it, were reported to be way down last year.

    Also shrinking last year were the speedway’s total car counts among the multiple racing divisions. This also was in direct proportion to harsh economics. But it was also related to reports of race teams disgruntled with frequent rule changes that often raised the cost of their operations.

    Track sponsorships, such as the billboard ads on the speedway’s safety fences, also had a significant drop last year. But the really big sponsorship blow came late last year when Toyota announced its decision not to continue its contract with the speedway. In 2007, the car manufacturer purchased the naming rights to the speedway, with a ten year contract, that changed the name of the facility to Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. However, one of the reported provisions in this contract was a so called out clause which allowed Toyota to discontinue the agreement after a period of five years. That fifth year came into play this year just prior to what would have been the start of the 2012 racing season.

    Yet another huge loss for the speedway came last August when NASCAR cancelled the annual All Star Showdown after seven years. This cancellation was also linked to Toyota when NASCAR announced they could not reach an extension of the sponsorship agreement with the auto maker. This racing showcase featured the talents of NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series East and West divisions. The loss of this event to the Irwindale Speedway was staggering especially in light of the fact that it came with a lucrative national television contract.

    During the final weeks of 2011 there were a plethora of rumors indicating there might be problems associated with Irwindale Speedway. These rumors were fortified by the speedway’s decision to cut the 2011 season short by cancelling the final two races on the schedule. Also raising more than a few eyebrows was the cancellation of the traditional post season awards banquet.

    This was followed by the fact that the speedway’s presence was noticeably absent from NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Series’ 2012 schedule which was released last December. The speedway has been a mainstay on the series’ schedule since the track opened back in 1999.

    On the other extreme were some indicators that there might be racing in 2012 at the Irwindale Speedway. First there was the series of short and vague statements from management that said the new schedule would be released very soon.

    This was supported by the release of 2012 schedules from racing series that said they would be making appearances at Irwindale. This included the Lucas Oil Modified Racing Series whose new schedule included races dates set for the months of June and August.

    The Formula Drift Series, who has staged some wildly successful events at Irwindale in the past, was scheduled to conclude their 2012 season there in October.

    Also set to go was one of the Irwindale Speedway’s most prestigious annual events: the USAC Turkey Night Grand Prix which has been held there since 1999. This year’s event was set for Thanksgiving night, November 22nd, however it’s now being reported that event promoters are searching for a new venue.

    There are also intense rumors regarding new ownership of the Irwindale Speedway. Linked to these rumors are Lucas Oil as well as Spears Manufacturing. There’s even rumors that claims NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart, who is involved in track ownership, has expressed an interest in purchasing Irwindale. So far, there are no signs of confirmation to support these rumors.

    Sadly the brief announcement, from February 13th, has eliminated any hopes of racing at Irwindale this year. The speedway staff will now be looking for new employment venues. Concession stand operators, who depended on the Saturday night revenues from the fans, will now have to seek a new location to sell their wares. Also left in the lurch are race teams who will have to find a new speedway to support their sponsorship arrangements.

    It’s very easy for race teams and fans alike to point the finger of blame. That likely because management has been keeping an extremely low profile and has not been returning telephone inquiries. The only absolute confirmation of Irwindale’s troubles have come from the bankruptcy court documents which are a matter of public record.

    Despite the frustration of it all, it’s important to remember that the Irwindale Speedway was once proclaimed as being one of the best short track programs in the nation. It’s important to remember the 12 years of excitement we felt while attending races there. It’s also important to hang onto the hope that this situation can be resolved.

    The question remains: is there a silver lining underneath this extremely dark cloud? It appears that it’s extremely possible. There are already reports that Nu-Way Industries Inc, the property owners where the speedway is located, is very much interested in supporting the installation of a new promoter to continue the racing tradition at Irwindale.

    Here’s hoping that some arrangement develops soon. It’s very hard to imagine racing not being held at the Irwindale Speedway.

  • Kia Motors to Partner with Homestead-Miami Speedway Again for Grand Prix Weekend

    Kia Motors to Partner with Homestead-Miami Speedway Again for Grand Prix Weekend

    MIAMI – Kia Motors America (KMA) is partnering again with Homestead-Miami Speedway to sponsor the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race – the Kia 200 — on April 28, 2012. The agreement marks the second straight year Kia is sponsoring the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC) race during the Grand Prix of Miami Weekend.

     

     

     

    “We are pleased to continue our relationship with Kia for GRAND-AM racing,” said Homestead-Miami Speedway President Matthew Becherer. “We’re proud to have them as a partner as we again host the best road racing circuit in America. It’s a natural given the tremendous success Kia has had on the GRAND-AM circuit with last year’s Street Tuner (ST) championships and their podium finish at the season opening event last month.”

     

     

     

    “Motorsports continues to provide a powerful platform to raise awareness and perception of the Kia brand with racing enthusiasts, and we are thrilled to again partner with Homestead-Miami Speedway and share an exciting weekend of road racing with fans in South Florida,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, KMA. “Our third-year Kia Racing program is enjoying a lot of momentum and returning as the title sponsor of the Kia 200. After a championship-winning season in 2011, and with 2012 off to a tremendous start with our second-consecutive podium finish at Daytona, the Kia Racing team is experiencing tremendous success and we want to share that success with race fans and keep our momentum going.”

     

     

     

    Kia made its road racing debut in 2010, when it joined the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge with a pair of Forte Koups. Kia’s racing partner, Kinetic Motorsports, campaigns the No. 10 and No. 12 Forte Koups in the ST class, which are co-piloted by Andy Lally and Nic Jönsson and brothers Mathew and Mark Pombo, respectively.

     

     

     

    The 2 hour, 30 minute Kia 200 race will be run on the speedway’s 2.3-mile, 11-turn stadium road course. Like the GRAND-AM Rolex Series’ Grand Prix of Miami (Sun, April 29), the Kia 200 CTSCC features two classes of race cars – the big-bore Grand Sports (GS) and the smaller ST. This April’s race will mark the fourth consecutive year the series has run in Miami and the seventh time overall.

     

     

     

    Two-day Grand Prix of Miami Weekend tickets start at $35 and are available at www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com or by calling 866.409.RACE.

     

     

     

    About Kia Motors America

     

    Kia Motors America is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 755 dealers throughout the United States and serves as the “Official Automotive Partner of the NBA.” In 2011, KMA recorded its best-ever annual sales total and became one of the fastest growing car companies in the U.S. Kia is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the brand through design innovation, quality, value, advanced safety features and new technologies.

     

    Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its website – www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

     

     

     

    About Homestead-Miami Speedway

     

    The Speedway has been open since 1995 following an initiative to spur economic recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. The 640-acre facility is active more than 280 days per year and hosts NASCAR’s Championship Races during Ford Championship Weekend (November 16-18, 2012). The Sprint Cup Championship Ford 400 is broadcast live on TV and radio to 175 countries and into 24 languages. The 2011 championship attracted ESPN Television’s largest NASCAR Sprint Cup viewership ever with a peak audience of 10.5 million when the checkered flag fell. Homestead-Miami Speedway, featuring a 1.5-mile oval and 2.21-mile road course, generates more than $250 million annually for the region.

     

    For more information, visit www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com.

  • Rockingham Speedway to hold NCWTS and K&N Pro Series Tire Test March 6-7; Whelen Southern Modifieds to test rubber on April 18

    Rockingham Speedway to hold NCWTS and K&N Pro Series Tire Test March 6-7; Whelen Southern Modifieds to test rubber on April 18

    [media-credit name=”rockinghamspeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”157″][/media-credit]Rockingham Speedway to hold NCWTS and K&N Pro Series Tire Test March 6-7; Whelen Southern Modifieds to test rubber on April 18

    Grandstands will be open for fans to watch tests

    Rockingham, N.C. (February 15, 2012) – In advance of NASCAR’s return to the Rockingham Speedway, Goodyear will be holding tire tests for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and K&N Pro Series East on March 6-7 and the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour will be on site on April 18.

    The grandstands will be open to fans free of charge on all three days.

    “This is a great opportunity for race fans to come out and get a taste of what the racing action is going to be like for our two big race weekends this year,” said Rockingham Speedway President Andy Hillenburg.

    The Camping World Trucks make their debut at the famed one-mile oval on April 15, 2012 in the Good Sam Club Roadside Assistance Carolina 200, presented by Cheerwine. The Southern Modifieds and the K&N East Series will conclude their 2012 season at Rockingham on Nov. 3, 2012.

    For more information on the Good Sam Club Roadside Assistance Carolina 200, presented by Cheerwine, or to purchase tickets for any of the speedway’s events, contact Rockingham Speedway at 910.205.8800 or visit online at www.rockinghamspeedway.com.

  • Ron Fellows: It’s a Privilege To Be Apart of the Ownership Group

    Ron Fellows: It’s a Privilege To Be Apart of the Ownership Group

    [media-credit id=4 align=”alignleft” width=”262″][/media-credit]During the 2012 racing off-season, it was announced that the ownership of Mosport Raceway had changed hands. Canadian Racer Ron Fellows, along with partners Alan Boughton and Carlo Fidani purchased Mosport from the previous ownership.

    “It’s really enjoyable to be a part of it. Mosport has been a big part of my life,” Fellows said last weekend at the Canadian Motorsports Expo. “I went to the first race in 1969 as an 11 year old kid and that’s where I got bitten by the bug to go racing for myself and have had a lot of firsts at Mosport in terms of big wins for me so the place has meant a lot to me. For me, to get an opportunity to be part of the ownership team with Carlo Fidani and Alan Boughton, it’s pretty special.”

    The interest to get in the ownership side began while out one day with Boughton and Fidani.

    “We were down at my performance driving school just west of Las Vegas and I had the two partners – Carlo Fidani and his two sons and Alan Boughton,” Fellows tells the story. “We were talking about owning a race track and Carlo basically said ‘What about Mosport? I heard it’s for sale’ and I said, ‘I know who to call’. So we got in touch with the previous ownership group and it started from there.”

    Fellows went to say that this is a good deal to be involved in as both Boughton and Fidani have business experience to lend to the venture in trying to improve the facility and run it.

    Immediately, the ownership group began making changes to the facility to upgrade it to improve it for drivers, fans, media and track staff.

    The first change they made was adding a new tunnel above turn nine to therefore improve the infrastructure of the track and allow people to be able to get around easier. They took out what Fellows called the “mouse tunnel” and put in a tunnel wide enough for two tractor trailers to fit through side-by-side.

    To improve the experience for the fans, they’ve done grading to improve the sight lines, created some new areas for camping, and there’s a road that connects all the facilities together now so fans don’t have to go on to the public road to get from one end to the other.

    There are also plans to put in a new registration centre and a new event centre, which will feature a media centre, timing and scoring and administration.

    It was announced at the Canadian Motorsports Expo that Mosport Raceway had formed a partnership with Canadian Tire. The deal marks a long-term partnership between the two parties and will see the track change names, now known at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. The newly named track will host the season opener for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series in May.

    “For the Canadian Tire Series to do their season opener at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park is absolutely ideal scenario for us,” Fellows said. “And then having a marketing partner like Canadian Tire, we feel its going to grow Mosport and create a lot more auto racing interest.”

    Through his years of racing at Mosport, Fellows has had a lot of accomplishments there. Some of these accomplishments include winning in a Ferrari back in 1997 and first TransAm win in 1989.

  • Steve Blackburn Looking For Lighting Fast Finish At Daytona

    Steve Blackburn Looking For Lighting Fast Finish At Daytona

    [media-credit name=”steveblackburnmotorsports.com.” align=”alignright” width=”259″][/media-credit]DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (February 14, 2012) – – For the past two consecutive seasons, Steve Blackburn has been bitten by bad luck when the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards invades Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. This year, however, the Prestonsburg, Kentucky native is hoping that “third times a charm” in the running of Saturday’s Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.

    Extremely fast-cars have kept Blackburn in the hunt for a solid finish in all of four of his previous restrictor plate races, two at Daytona the other two at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway respectively, but on-track incidents have halted the Steve Blackburn Motorsports (SBM) from shining in the limelight.

    Once again, the season-opener is upon the team and with the support of Harley Davidson Pikeville and Pop’s Chevrolet Buick Cadillac Honda of Prestonsburg, Blackburn is looking for a thunderous effort in his ninth career ARCA Racing Series start.

    “I feel like Daytona owes us,” says Blackburn, whose run at least one ARCA Racing Series event since 2005.

    “We’ve put a lot of effort in our superspeedway program, not only because it’s a blast to drive at, but it’s an important race. The atmosphere surrounding the race is contagious which makes you proud to be a part of it that much more. Hopefully, if we can have a good showing at Daytona, we’ll be back to dance with the series again at Talladega in May.”

    Blackburn will admit that he is psyched about Saturday’s race and he has every reason to be. Since Daytona last year, his team has tediously worked on their No. 94 Harley Davidson Pikeville / Pop’s Chevrolet Buick Cadillac Honda of Prestonsburg Chevrolet for the 60th season of competition in the ARCA Racing Series.

    “Believe me, it would be extremely humbling to be included in the opening ceremonies of ARCA’s 60th season,” Blackburn said. “That’s a great accomplishment for them (ARCA). They really do make us feel welcome which is why we continue to come back and have a presence in the series. We have a new chassis and body on this car plus the work from Gary (Hostettler, crew chief) and the rest of the SBM team is commendable. Lorin Ranier is scheduled to spot from us on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) side, so we’ve put all these pieces together to try and bring home a strong finish for our Kentucky-based team. Hopefully, we can just stay out of the trouble that has thwarted us in the past and see that checkered flag.”

    Finally, if a new chassis and body wasn’t enough to boast about, then the manufacturer switch which included a change in their engine provider quite possibly can sneak Blackburn into the “sleeper” category for the first of 20 races this season.

    “I’ve run a Dodge since we started racing in ARCA back in 2005, but we’ve made the switch to Chevrolet and have some power under the hood from Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR) engines,” Blackburn explained. “I feel that this change is that extra boost that we need to push us from contenders to winners in the ARCA Racing Series. Sure, to some it would be an unexpected win, but we don’t come just to race, we come to win too!”

    Since 2005, Steve Blackburn has competed in eight ARCA Racing Series races. In addition to Daytona and Talladega, Blackburn also has made three starts at Kentucky Speedway and one at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway respectively. In those eight outings, Blackburn has delivered a best starting position of 11th twice at Kentucky Speedway in his inaugural ARCA debut (2005) and Talladega (2008). His best finish thus far occurred in his very first start where he delivered a notable 14th place finish.

    The Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona (80 laps / 200 miles) is the first of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 49th ARCA race held at Daytona is a three-day show. Practice begins Thursday, February 16 with a four hour practice session planned from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for Friday, February 17 slated to begin at 2:00 p.m. A forty-five minute final practice session is etched in on Saturday, February 18th 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. ARCA, celebrating its 60th season in 2012 is the preamble for the highly anticipated Budweiser Shootout for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) set to ignite under the lights later that night.

    For more on Steve Blackburn and SBM, please log onto steveblackburnmotorsports.com.

  • Joey Coulter and Rip It Energy Fuel Join Forces for ARCA Season Opener at Daytona International Speedway

    Joey Coulter and Rip It Energy Fuel Join Forces for ARCA Season Opener at Daytona International Speedway

    2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year set to compete in select ARCA Racing Series events in 2012

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. (February 14, 2012) – Coulter Motorsports, along with veteran driver Joey Coulter, is pleased to announce the continuation of their partnership with Rip It Energy Fuel for the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season.

    For the third consecutive year, the dynamic duo will kick off the season at the historic Daytona International Speedway for the season-opening Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 with Coulter behind the wheel. The 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Rookie of the Year will pilot the No. 61 Rip It Energy Fuel, Darrell Gwynn Foundation Chevrolet Impala SS for five races in 2012.

    The 2012 partnership with Rip It Energy Fuel stems from two extremely successful seasons with the Coulter Motorsports team. The organization and its driver have accumulated one win, seven top-five and 11 top-10 finishes along with 117 laps led. In 2010 they captured the Bill France Four Crown Championship.

    “I am proud to represent Rip It Energy Fuel once again with Coulter Motorsports,” Coulter commented. “They have been a great partner of Coulter Motorsports and my racing career, and are a proven supporter of the ARCA Racing Series. Daytona is one of those tracks everyone wants to win at and the ability to showcase our sponsorship with Rip It makes that goal much more special.”

    Along with the season opener at Daytona, Coulter will vie for ARCA wins at Talladega Superspeedway (May 4), Toledo Speedway (May 20), Michigan International Speedway (June 15) and Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis (July 27).

    Coverage for the upcoming Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona will be live on SPEED beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, February 18th.

    ###

    You can get LIVE updates wherever Coulter Motorsports travels by following on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CoulterMtrsprts

    Facebook at www.facebook.com/CoulterMotorsports

    Also please be sure to support Joey’s sponsors at:

    Shell Shock: shellshock.homestead.com

    Tempest Cycles: www.tempestcycles.com

    MAD Industry: www.areumad.com

    WileyX: www.wileyx.com

    About Rip It Energy Fuel:

    www.RipItEnergy.com

    Rip It Energy Fuel by National Beverage Corp. (NASDAQ: FIZZ) is available in fifteen exhilarating flavors, including three sugar-free varieties. Great-tasting and power-packed, Rip It provides REAL energy for REAL people at a REAL value. In an office, on the job, on a mountain, riding waves, doin’ flips, doin’ tricks, jammin’ all night, crammin’ all night, whatever your life calls for, Rip It is there to fuel you.  Crack open an ice-cold Rip It Power and Feel the REAL Taste of BOLD energy surge through your body. Or maybe you prefer the sweet taste of Sugar FREE Citrus X to slap your tongue back to life. Rip It Energy Fuel has the complete line of Regular and Sugar FREE flavors in both 16 oz cans and 2 oz shots to make Rip It a REAL part of your everyday life.

    About Darrell Gwynn Foundation (DGF)

    www.darrellgwynnfoundation.org

    The Darrell Gwynn Foundation (DGF) is a certified non-profit 501(c) 3 agency. DGF exists to prevent, provide for and ultimately cure spinal cord injuries and other debilitating illnesses. To expedite specific cures, the Foundation assists in the funding of targeted research. DGF is also dedicated to injury prevention, with special emphasis on programs targeting children. The Foundation helps improve the quality of life for those already afflicted with injury or illness, by providing necessary equipment or special services. DGF is an official charity of the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction, National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and has a close affiliation with NASCAR and the NASCAR Foundation.

  • Grand Opportunity For Brandon Davis At Daytona

    Grand Opportunity For Brandon Davis At Daytona

    [media-credit name=”AndyBelmont.com” align=”alignright” width=”249″][/media-credit]DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (February 13, 2012) – – In all respects, the opportunity of a lifetime has been presented before Brandon Davis to compete in Saturday’s 2012 ARCA Racing Series season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in the No.2 ModSpace Ford Fusion for Andy Belmont Racing (ABR).

    The recently announced partnership gives the Hunting Beach, California native the opportunity to increase an already impressive and healthy racing resume. A solid outing in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 will only further open add fuel to Davis’s crave towards a stellar year of racing.

    Though, the reigning NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champion at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.) has little experience at a magnitude track like Daytona, the rookie is relying on the arousing core of veterans surrounding his No.2 ModSpace Ford Fusion to make an impression in the highly anticipated contest.

    “It’s going to be a big week for me, but I’m ready,” said Davis, who also boasts a championship in the World Challenge GT Series. “I can’t say enough about everyone at Andy Belmont Racing and ModSpace about having faith in me to drive one of their racecars at one of the greatest race tracks on Earth.”

    Leading the charge for Davis will be long-time ARCA fixture and veteran crew chief Lee Leslie. The brother of former ARCA champion and NASCAR driver Tracey Leslie, the input and guidance from him will enhance the comfort zone for Davis in his proposed inaugural ARCA Racing Series debut.

    With team principal and former ARCA driver Andy Belmont and teammate driver Mikey Kile at his disposal, the rookie will lean on their wisdom to help make his Daytona debut a memorable one.

    “Experience is important in any sort of racing, especially at a place like Daytona,” sounded Davis. “I have a lot of respect for the speed, its sophistication and technique. I’m planning on inhaling as much as I possibly can that will help us not only get a good qualifying spot but put ourselves in a position to gain some attention during the race.”

    Belmont is no stranger to working with young talented rookie drivers and is aspirant about what the Californian could produce.

    “It’s pretty clear, the kid has great credentials,” Belmont said. “We’re bringing Brandon a really good piece to the track and with his knack for success in a racecar; it should transfer over into the ARCA Racing Series with similar results. Daytona’s a monster in its own, so while we have goals, we just want him to go out there and do the best job he can and hopefully that will result in a positive finish.”

    Davis’s teammate, Mikey Kile will drive the team’s primary entry, the No. 1 ModSpace Ford Fusion in his 29th career ARCA start but first for ABR.

    The Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona (80 laps / 200 miles) is the first of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 49th ARCA race held at Daytona is a three-day show. Practice begins Thursday, February 16 with a four hour practice session planned from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for Friday, February 17 slated to begin at 2:00 p.m. A forty-five minute final practice session is etched in on Saturday, February 18th 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. ARCA, celebrating its 60th season in 2012 is the preamble for the highly anticipated Budweiser Shootout for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) set to ignite under the lights later that night.

    For more on Brandon Davis, please visit brandondavis.com.

    PHOTO CAPTION: Brandon Davis, driver of the No. 2 ModSpace Ford Fusion in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards for Andy Belmont Racing (ABR).

    About ModSpace:

    Modular Space Corporation (ModSpace), based in Berwyn, Pa., is a leading provider of modular buildings, portable storage and services for temporary and permanent space needs. With more than 40 years of experience, ModSpace serves a diverse set of customers and markets through a network of 80 branches throughout the United States and Canada. Further information is available by visiting .

    About Andy Belmont Racing (ABR):

    Andy Belmont Racing (AndyBelmont.com) is a competitive and respected motorsports operation who fields race cars in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. ABR has been serving the motorsports community and winning for nearly 25 years. Currently, the team fields a full-time ARCA Racing Series program for series winner Mikey Kile in the No. 1 ModSpace Ford Fusion.