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Other series racing

  • Chad Hackenbracht Sets Record Straight with New Shirt

    (WINCHESTER, Ind. – June 25, 2011) – With Chad Hackenbracht finding his way to the top 10 at the end of a race for the first time last month and then scoring his first top-five finish last week, the New Philadelphia, Ohio driver figured it was time to make it known exactly how his last name is pronounced.

    Last week at Michigan International Speedway, the driver unveiled a new T-shirt that’s making the rounds in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards garage, a garment featuring a clever quiz of sorts that asks exactly: “What’s a Chad Hacken-something?”

    Having heard his name often pronounced by fellow competitors, journalists, and fans as “Hack-en-brack,” the 19-year-old and his advisors decided to have some fun with the common misconception, releasing a T-shirt that gives the following answers for what a “Hacken-something” might be. The choices on the shirt, showcased by SPEED reporter Bob Dillner on the RainEater Wiper Blades 200 broadcast, were as follows:

    A. Fancy German Beer B. Small Brazilian Amphibian C. What your father does when he has a sinus infection D. A Race Car Driver E. Name of scientist responsible for discovering time travel F. Eighth color in the rainbow G. An in-grown toe nail

    The answer, of course, is D, for Race Car Driver, and the Tastee Apple Chevrolet’s driver even included a simple pronunciation guide at the bottom of the chart, instructing readers to pronounce his name “Hock-en-bra.”

    Hackenbracht watched the race broadcast on replay to review his fourth-place finish, and smiled when seeing the clip featuring his novelty wear.

    “It was pretty cool to see the shirt on TV,” he said. “When I got off the track I had 18 missed texts, all from people that wanted a shirt. It was a really big hit and it’s pretty cool that SPEED did that for us.” Hackenbracht said that his name has been represented incorrectly for some time, and that he had fun working to educate others on the correct pronunciation.

    “Almost everyone mispronounces my last name,” he said. “The Hacken-something started from a Canadian drifter I know who couldn’t say my last name so he just called me Hacken-something, so from there we gave the idea to the ad agency and they had a blast coming up with the shirt! Common ways that people say it wrong are ‘Hack-en-brack,’ ‘Hock-en-brach,’ ‘Hack-en-sack’…they just keep getting stranger and stranger.

    “But now they’ll know how to say it correctly!”

    Hackenbracht will compete in Saturday night’s Winchester ARCA 200 presented by Federated Auto Parts at Winchester Speedway, which is the ninth of 19 races in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season. Practice begins at 1:45 p.m. and lasts for 90 minutes, and will be followed by Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell at 4:45 p.m. The 200-lap, 100-mile race begins at 8 p.m., with live coverage available at ARCARacing.com.

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

  • Takuma Sato gets first IRL pole at Iowa

    Takuma Sato gets first IRL pole at Iowa

    NEWTON, Ia. – KV Racing Technology’s Takuma Sato scored his first IZOD IndyCar Series pole at Iowa Speedway on Saturday for the Iowa Corn Indy 250. Sato clocked in at 35.6857 and took the pole from Tony Kannan, who had held the pole for a vast majority of the session.

    Sato’s previous best start was at Mid-Ohio, when he turned in the third fastest time in qualifying.

    “I want to say a big thank you to the whole team, the fans, the sponsors and everyone who has supported me,” Soato said after his qualifying run. “It is a fantastic achievement.  I knew we were going to be competitive because of last year and this morning I was truly comfortable in the car. I could feel where we needed to be with the setup for qualifying. Working so closely today with the three KVRT-Lotus drivers, working so closely with my engineers, we had a great answer. The mechanics also did a great job preparing the car. I am very pleased with today’s result.”

    Danica Patrick will start opposite of Sato on the front row after locking down the second place starting spot in qualifying.

    “It feels really good to have the GoDaddy car in position to be able to guard up front and have the opportunity for a solid race day,” Patrick said after recording a lap of 35.7184. “On short tracks like this it’s nice to start near the front because you can gain ground more quickly. If you start near the back of the field you could be a lap behind very quickly. I haven’t started on the front row in a long time so it’s a good feeling.”

    Rounding out the top-ten qualifiers was Kanaan, JR. Hildebrand, Will Power, Dario Franchitti, James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Mike Conway and Ryan Brisco.

    The IndyCar Series will race 250 laps under the lights at Iowa Speedway for the first time ever on Saturday.  The Iowa Corn Indy 250 will begin at 9 p.m. ET and will be televised on Versus and broadcast on the IMS Radio Network.

    The drivers will have 24 overtake assists, each lasting 10 seconds and with a minimum of eight seconds between pushes. Each assist will provide an extra 200 RPM, or about 10 horsepower.

     

  • Esteban Guerrieri Scores Second Indy Lights Pole in a Row at Iowa

    Esteban Guerrieri Scores Second Indy Lights Pole in a Row at Iowa

    For the second straight week in a row, Esteban Guerrieri will start from the pole as he won the Sonoco Pole Award for the Sukup 100.

    [media-credit id=2 align=”alignright” width=”276″][/media-credit]”It is very important at this track to do the right thing in qualifying because it is difficult to overtake during the race,” Guerrieri said. “We are in really good shape for tomorrow and I am pleased to start in the front.

    “I was able to maximize the short amount of time I had on the track (one practice session), and that is basically what motorsports is in Europe. It is all about making the most of the little time you have on the track. I try to be accurate and visualize what my position on the track will be. This strategy has been working for me so far, but it wouldn’t work if I didn’t have a good car. I have to thank Sam Schmidt and the team because without them I couldn’t do it.”

    Last week at Milwaukee, Guerrieri transferred his pole start into his first ever Firestone Indy Lights victory. Guerrieri’s average speed of 160.787 mph puts Sam Schmidt Motorsports on the pole for the forth consecutive week.

    Gustavo Yacaman qualified second at a speed of 159.520 mph for his first front-row start.

    “It took me three years to get there, but I made it,” Yacaman said. “We were the second car out and that didn’t help us because the track was very dirty from the USAC Silver Crown and Midget cars. When I was out there I was able to work my bars and my weightjacker enough to get a good lap.

    “I think if we would have drawn something a little later we would have had a better run. I want to thank my team because this is my best qualifying attempt so far and this is the first time I am starting on the front row. I think we are looking good to run for pole position in the next few races. This is a really hard track to race on and I think we can get it done and hopefully get our first podium of the year and build momentum from there.”

    Bryan Clauson qualified in the third position (159.434), followed by Josef Newgarden and Duarte Ferreira.

    Victor Carbone qualified sixth, followed by Stefan Wilson and Brandon Wagner.

    The green flag for the Sukup 100 at Iowa is set to be drop at 6:30pm EST tomorrow and can be seen on VERSUS.

  • Chad Hackenbracht’s Biggest Hurdle Not the Racing But His Own Last Name

    Chad Hackenbracht’s Biggest Hurdle Not the Racing But His Own Last Name

    Chad Hackenbracht had his best ever career finish in this past weekend’s ARCA race, scoring a fourth place in his family-owned No. 58 Tastee Apple CGH Motorsports Chevrolet at Michigan International Speedway.

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: CGH Motorsports” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]But even greater than the challenge of the intense competition on the track is the 19 year old driver’s challenge in just getting folks to pronounce his last name correctly.

    In addition to being on a quest for name recognition, the driver is having a little fun with it all. His team has just developed T-shirts, which say “What’s a Chad Hacken-something?”

    The correct pronunciation of that all important last name is in parentheses (hock en bra) on the new T-shirts, which are on sale on Hackenbracht’s website  www.cghmotorsports.com for just $19.95.

    “That actually was started by my marketing guy who is looking for sponsorship for us,” Hackenbracht said of the T-shirt venture. “It has turned into a really big hit.”

    Hackenbracht, however, is focused solely on his racing and was thrilled with his good performance at Michigan.

    “We wound up getting a fourth place out of it which wasn’t too bad,” Hackenbracht said. “We were up there in contention.”

    “It’s a career best for us,” Hackenbracht said. “It was really good.”

    The young driver from New Philadelphia, Ohio has been on a tear even before the career best finish in Michigan.  He scored an 11th place finish at Toledo in May, a ninth-place finish at New Jersey and seventh place finish at Pocono Raceway.

    This is Hackenbracht’s first full year in the ARCA Series, after running a limited schedule in 2010, with just the televised races on the docket. Prior to that, the young driver ran the Legends series, scoring 18 wins and the national championship.

    Hackenbracht is a bit unusual as far as his driving pedigree. He is not from a traditional racing family, but instead caught the racing bug by seeing it on television.

    “I basically was watching the Daytona or Talladega Cup race and I saw it and said to my parents, ‘Hey, I want to race.’ Hackenbracht said. “I don’t think they took me seriously but they said to come up with different options.”

    “I came up with four-wheelers and go karts and my mom said no to both of them,” Hackenbracht continued. “So, then we saw quarter-midgets and started with that.”

    The young driver has been moving on up the ranks ever since, with his eye eventually on a Truck or Nationwide ride. Like so many others, Hackenbracht definitely sees himself in the Cup Series sometime in the near future, with just the economy standing in his way.

    “I’m in the perfect age range,” Hackenbracht said. “But just the wrong economic time.”

    “In a couple years, you’ll have a lot of rides opening up,” Hackenbracht continued. “But you’ve got to survive until then.”

    Hackenbracht survives with a little help from his friends, particularly those in the Cup garage, as well as good friend and mentor Ron Hornaday, Jr.

    “ARCA is kind of like a big family,” Hackenbracht said. “All the teams work with you.”

    “I’ve got a connection with Ron Hornaday in the Truck garage,” Hackenbracht continued. “He’ll stop in the shop after a race and we’ll talk a little bit.”

    Hackenbracht does follow one particular Cup driver, one in fact that he has inherited from his mother.

    “My mom’s driver is Jeff Gordon,” Hackenbracht said. “I follow him just because of my mom and dad.”

    “But I really like Mark Martin myself,” Hackenbracht continued. “He races hard but he races clean. That’s what I do and what I want to be.”

    In addition to the racers that Hackenbracht follows on the track, he also models himself after the premiere drivers in the sport as far as putting time in at the shop and at the gym. But he does have one other duty that has led to yet another name for the young driver.

    “The guys at the shop call me ‘Sticker Boy’ because I put all the details on the car,” Hackenbracht said. “That’s kind of my thing.”

    Whether you call him ‘Hacken-something’ or ‘Sticker Boy’, Hackenbracht will next be doing his thing in the ARCA Racing Series on Saturday, June 25th in the Winchester ARCA 200 presented by Federated Auto Parts at Winchester Speedway in Indiana.

    “We came to Michigan and showed our performance was no fluke,” Hackenbracht said. “I’m anxious to get to Winchester as I feel we have a shot at our first career win.”

  • ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards Returns To Winchester Speedway

    This weekend’s ninth race of the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season marks the return to Winchester after spending three years without going there.

    After success last year and an eighth place finish back in May at Toledo Speedway, Dakoda Armstrong will once again team up with Cunningham Motorsports for the Winchester 200 presented by Federated Auto Parts at Winchester Speedway in Indiana on Saturday.

    Crew Chief Paul Andrew is expecting good things following a test last week at the half-mile, 37-degree banked track.

    “We did have a good test,” said Andrews. “We started with our Salem setup and tuned on it from there. Winchester is very similar to Salem, just much smoother. Our times on the longer runs were very consistent and our mock qualifying lap was good. With the history of the track and all of the laps that Dakoda has on the track, we are hoping for good things.”

    The Newcastle, Indiana native has had success in ARCA before as he was crowned the 2010 ARCA Racing Series Rookie of the Year with two wins – Talladega and Salem.

    This marks the first race for the ARCA Series at Winchester Speedway since 2007.

    “It’s important for the ARCA Racing Series to go back to Winchester Speedway,” ARCA president Ron Drager said. “It’s exactly the type of Midwestern facility where the ARCA brand is well-known and has the chance to be successful. Winchester is big enough and fast enough to play to the very nature of our cars.”

    When Armstrong got the news, he jumped at the opportunity to run it.

    “(I am) excited about racing again at Winchester,” Armstrong said. “I really like the track. After our test last week and the similarities Winchester has to Salem, where we run well, I am expecting a good run.”

    Meanwhile, series veteran Frank Kimmel has a lot of experience at Winchester and leads the series in victories at Winchester with five.

    “Winchester is exactly the kind of track we need to be racing at,” the Indiana,native said. “It’s perfect for these big heavy stock cars, and what a show. I think Winchester is one of the best half-miles in the country, bar none. When it was repaved, I thought it wasn’t going to be as good, but it actually got a lot better. It made a lane in the middle and made it a really racy race track.”

    Racing began at Winchester in 1914 as it was originally a flat half-mile dirt oval, with the banking added in 1922. It would then become an asphalt oval in 1952, followed by a re-paving in 1995.

    “Before they repaved it, it was a lot like Salem where you had really only one good lane to work with – through the middle in one and two and higher up in three and four,” Kimmel said. “But now, you can put the car about anywhere on the track. You can actually pass someone without running them over.”

    The return to Winchester marks the first race at the track on the short track radial tire, which Hoosier introduced in 2008.

    “The speeds will be up,” Kimmel, who sits second in points behind Ty Dillon, said. “The radial is just a better tire than the bias-ply so I’m curious to see how that could affect the outcome.”

    The Winchester ARCA 200 presented by Federated Auto Parts is a one-day event, with a 90-minute practice session beginning Saturday at 1:45 p.m. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell will take place at 4:45, with a 45-minute autograph session at 6:45. The 200-lap, 100-mile event begins at 8. Live timing and scoring for all of the events will be featured at ARCARacing.com.

  • Race #4 for NASCAR Canadian Tire Series: Vortex Brake Pads 200 at Mosport

    Opening in 1961, Mosport International Raceway is a track that many Canadian motorsports fan know of and have been too. The 10-turn, 2.459-mile road course also has been on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule since the first year in 2007.

    On that first race on June 17, 2007, it was then 20-year-old Andrew Ranger winning the event in just his third stock car start after switching from open-wheel racing. Ranger won the 2009 event, as well, though will not be racing in this year’s event.

    Winning the other two races was JR Fitzpatrick, who will attempt the Road America-Mosport double. On Saturday June 25th, he will run the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Road America for Go Canada Racing after scoring a top 10 there last year for JR Motorsports. He follow that by running the Vortex Brake Pads 200 on Sunday at Mosport. The Cambridge, Ontario native has led 72 laps on the Mosport road course and is known for how he runs on them as five of his six career wins have come on road courses. So far this year, he has had a successful start to the season, finishing in the top 10 all three races.

    The 10-turn course, though, will pose a chalelnge as according to Robin Buck, series competitor and instructor.

    “The pretty drastic elevation change along with a couple blind turns makes Mosport fairly unique,” Buck, who got his career win earlier this year at Circuit ICAR, said. “It’s a driver’s course, but long straightaway from Moss Corner to The Esses requires horsepower regardless of what kind of car you are in.”

    One of the parts of the track to watch is the Mario Andretti Straightaway.

    “If you have a car that can’t pull up that straightaway, then you’re going to have a long day at Mosport,” Fitzpatrick said.

    Another part of the race to watch will be the pit stops as with this being the longest of the five road courses, it requires at least one pit stop. Once a caution comes out, teams will have a tough decision to make as series rules mandate teams cannot change tires and fuel the car under the same stop.

    “There’s going to be a caution at some point,” veteran driver Kerry Micks said. “The odds of the race going green-white-checkered are pretty slim. So, when a caution does come, you have to decide what’s most important at the time – fuel or tires. Obviously, a fuel stop under green is easier than changing tires but everything depends on those yellows.”

    Last year, Micks scored his best finish ever at Mosport as he finished fifth, well the previous three starts resulted in a high finish of 16th. He has had success on the road courses despite that as he has two road course wins, both coming in 2007.

    Depending on how a driver works the strategy and drives the course will depend if they find success or not. For those who do, it will mean a lot.

    “Practically every racing fan in Canada has heard of Mosport and knows of its history,” defending champion DJ Kennington said. “For sponsors, it’s an easy drive from Toronto. The setting at the track is comfortable. It’s not cramped. All in all, it’s a good setting and if your sponsors are there, then you want to win.”

  • Tomy Drissi joins RWR as organization aligns with Max Q Motorsports

    Rick Ware Racing (RWR) is proud to announce that 2009 Trans Am Series Champion, and Rolex Grand Am Series and American Le Mans Series driver, Tomy Drissi has joined their organization.

    Tomy Drissi’s arrival marks the beginning of the newly formed alignment with Sprint Cup Series team, Max Q Motorsports #37 for RWR at the upcoming road course events and possibly some premier oval track dates as well.

    Drissi will drive the #37 RWR-Rise of the Planet of the Apes Ford at Infineon Raceway this weekend for the organization and then race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Watkins Glen and Montreal later this season as well as the 50th running of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona road race that strangely he has wanted to race his entire career but never given the opportunity until now.

    “Having Tomy Drissi in our camp marks exciting times for RWR,” stated Rick Ware. “I have watched Tomy race his entire career and to have him race for us and our alignment with Max Q Motorsports will provide another avenue for our marketing partners here at RWR.”

    Action gets underway on Friday, June 24th at 9:00 am EST with Sprint Cup Series practice. Qualifying is scheduled to begin at 3:00 EST with the race on Sunday at noon EST on TNT

    For more information please visit www.wareracing.com or follow the team on twitter @rickwareracing

  • DRIVERS AND FANS AGREE THAT MOBIL 1 CAR SWAP WAS UNBELIEVABLE

    *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

    June 20, 2011

    * *

    *DRIVERS AND FANS AGREE THAT MOBIL 1 CAR SWAP WAS UNBELIEVABLE*

    *Feedback Continues to Roll in One Week after Historic Event*

    * *

    *WATKINS GLEN, NY *– Local and global reaction to the Mobil 1 Car Swap at Watkins Glen International on June 14 continues long after the sound of Lewis Hamilton’s team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has faded away and Tony Stewart’s No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala wrapped up its first trip through the famed section known as The Boot. The overwhelming response has indicated that the Mobil 1 Car Swap at The Glen was an event that will last in the minds of the participants and spectators forever.

    From the moment the event was announced, the anticipation and excitement about seeing two of the best drivers in the world take a spin in the other’s car set mainstream and social media on fire. Race fans have flocked to the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York since the first race through the streets of Watkins Glen in 1948 and have made Watkins Glen International a name known worldwide. The remarks surrounding the Mobil 1 Car Swap at The Glen are just the latest example of the passion race fans have for WGI that make them the best fans in motorsports. From calling for the return of F1 to The Glen and wondering whether NASCAR will ever really run The Boot, the post-swap atmosphere has been almost as fun as the day itself.

    The best way to fully understand the significance of the swap is to get it directly from the people that were there to witness history. The following comments were collected during the event, through the official WGI Facebook page www.facebook.com/watkinsgleninternational, on Twitter at @WGI or emailed to racing@theglen.com.

    “The track is absolutely fantastic. It feels like a real classic. It just feels historic when you’re driving around. They don’t make tracks like that nowadays. When they build new Formula One circuits, they don’t build them like this.”

    *Lewis Hamilton, 2008 Formula 1 World Champion*

    “It was fun. That is truly an experience of a lifetime. I just can’t thank the people at Mobil 1 enough for helping facilitate this, everybody at Watkins Glen. I’m glad I didn’t know what these cars were like 20 years ago because I may not have put a fender on a racecar after that. I’m glad I had the experience and thankful to Lewis and his entire team for letting us do it.”

    *Tony Stewart, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and five-time Glen Champion *

    “I really enjoyed the opportunity to learn the track, even driving around in a normal road car it got my attention. It was slippery out there, two different track surfaces. I think this is a track that if you have a lot of laps here, you could be a real specialist.”

    *David Coulthard, veteran Formula 1 driver and BBC commentator*

    “I knew it would end too fast. It’s that proverbial event that happens and you sit there and say, ‘I don’t want it to end, I don’t want it to end.’ It was just amazing for these two to come out here and do what they did. Of course the biggest win today was for the fans, and that’s what it was meant to be.”

    *Michael Printup, president of Watkins Glen International*

    “Thanks so much, friends at WGI, for hosting the Mobil 1 Car Swap today. Both drivers were absolutely brilliant. I don’t think I will ever forget the way the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes sounded around the track.”

    *Seth Chaffee, WGI fan*

    “Thank you so much for bringing F1 to Central New York (and giving me an excuse to take a much needed day off of work).”

    *Michael Rock, WGI fan*

    “We just wanted to let you know we attended the Mobil 1 Car Swap. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. It was thrilling to see and hear a F1 car go around the track. We arrived early and stayed until the bitter end despite dismal weather. It was well worth it.”

    *Doug & Kathy, WGI fan*

    “I call it a success. It was emotional see that F1 car at Watkins Glen International.”

    *Todd Dailey, WGI fan*

    “Especially love the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23! Wow!”

    *Mark Watkins, WGI fan*

    “Thank you so much for making the Mobil 1 F1 and NASCAR Car Swap a reality!! Traveled from D.C. to The Glen, just for this event because I wanted to see a Formula 1 car back on the race track. The roar of the engines all across the track sent shivers down my spine. I’ll remember the event for the rest of my life and I’m so happy you made it happen.”

    *John, WGI fan*

    “So nice to see and hear an F1 car on the track again. Wish I had been there in person, but the SPEED coverage was great!”

    *Bruce, WGI fan*

    “Loved the program last night, those guys really seemed to dig the opportunity to drive alternative type of cars. It was so cool to see and hear an F1 back at The Glen!!”

    *Doug, WGI fan*

    “I loved it!!!!!!! We were there!!!!! We froze, but we loved it!!!!”

    *Lee Ann, WGI fan*

    “Yesterday was awesome, please bring F1 back to The Glen and please make NASCAR races run The Boot. Please!”

    *Garrett, WGI fan*

    “Look how many people showed up for just two cars? That should tell them something. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they bring F1 back and 24-hour races.”

    *Tesha Lewis-Chandler, WGI fan*

    “F1 back at The Glen would bring generations of fans back to The Glen in a heartbeat. How about it Bernie? Bring F1 back to The Glen!”

    *James McDougal, WGI fan*

    “The drivers had more fun than anybody!”

    *Elaine Sumner, WGI fan*

    “Lewis Hamilton would fit perfectly in NASCAR the way he drives. Very aggressive! He wouldn’t get penalized every time he bumps someone”

    *Steve Saquella, WGI fan*

    “It was awesome! Love it… thanks WGI”

    *Paul Trunzo, WGI fan*

    “Fantastic day, many thanks to all involved”

    *Tony Smidowicz, WGI fan*

    “WGI – Thank you for the Car Swap. Bring back F1 to The Glen.”

    *John “Mig” Migliaccio, WGI fan*

    “Hey, after seeing a stock car take The Boot today, maybe you need to talk to NASCAR into running that version instead. Hint. Hint. Great seeing a F1 car around The Glen too!”

    *Bruce Reynolds, WGI fan*

    Tickets for the 2011 race season at Watkins Glen International are on sale NOW! Fans can order their tickets or get more information by calling the WGI ticket office at 866-461-RACE (7223) or logging on to the official website, *www.TheGlen.com* http://www.theglen.com/. Gift certificates and track merchandise can all be purchased at The Shop located at 2 North Franklin Street in downtown Watkins Glen. The Shop is open Monday-Friday 9-5, Saturday 9-4, and closed on Sunday. Keep up with the latest happenings at The Glen by going to the official Watkins Glen International Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/watkinsgleninternational, and following WGI on Twitter, @WGI.

  • Tom Hessert Endures Tough Luck At Michigan

    BROOKLYN, Michigan (June 20, 2011) – – Tom Hessert III in the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala SS for Ken Schrader Racing (KSR) had high hopes for Friday’s RainEater Wiper Blades 200 at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). However, a solid start to the eighth race of the season, the team would encounter some setbacks that ultimately would take the Cherry Hill, New Jersey native from competition.

    On the heels of three consecutive top-10 runs, Hessert was aiming to put his blue and white Chevrolet bowtie up front in the Motor City. After mounting the 12th fastest time in the lone practice session on Thursday afternoon, the KSR team led by crew chief John Monsam were set to tackle qualifying.

    Friday morning offered both time trials and Hessert’s fourth tango with MIS. In qualifications, Hessert posted the 15th fastest time overall, the team’s seventh top-15 starting position thus far in 2011.

    At the start of the RainEater Wiper Blades 200, Hessert was a man on a mission. Quickly maneuvering his No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala SS through the competitive field, Hessert was able to move into the 14th position when the first caution flag of the day waived on lap three.

    Restarting the event on lap 10, Hessert returned to battle and continued to climb the leader board. With a solid race setup underneath him, the former USAC competitor found himself knocking on the door of entering the top-10 by lap 20.

    With a quarter of the race over with, Hessert found himself contained in the 11th position as the field began to stretch out during the green flag run. Reporting to Monsam of a tight condition on his No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala SS, the team would have an opportunity to adjust on their race car when the yellow flag waived on lap 30 for debris with Hessert finally able to climb into the 10th position.

    Restarting the race on lap 37, Hessert held onto the 10th position before finding himself in a taunting battle with Bryan Silas and Chad Hackenbracht. While the three continued to battle for ninth, 10th and 11th.

    With Hackenbracht overtaking the No. 52 by lap 38, Hessert re-entered the top-10 on lap 40 when third place runner Sean Corr lost a right front tire. The yellow flag waived again on lap 41 when the No. 55 of Hal Martin also lost a right front tire with Hessert locked in the ninth position.

    The former USARacing Pro Cup Series star would have to relinquish his position inside the top-10 when Hessert reported a problem with the brakes on his General Motors automobile generated from debris on the race track. Coming to the attention of his KSR crew, the team determined that the right front brake line had been broken, which the team repaired and bleed but in the process Hessert lost a lap to the competition.

    Down but not out, Hessert was determined to become the Aaron’s Lucky Dog when he restarted the race in the 19th position.

    Unfortunately, the team’s day would go from bad to worse as on lap 52, Hessert lost a right rear tire on his No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet sending his machine hard into the outside wall, collecting Maryeve Dufault along the way.

    Although heavily damaged, Hessert tried to re-fire his machine and head to the garage but to no avail. Stopped on the backstretch, Hessert would climb into the ambulance for the mandatory trip to the infield care center, where he would be later be treated and released.

    “It’s a shame, because I really thought we were going to have a good day,” said Hessert. “We were methodically moving our way through the field and then the problems seemed to have piled on us. The Federated Auto Racing team did a great job repairing the brake line. We went back out there, just trying to find ourselves in the hunt for the lucky dog and I knew something was wrong but the car just came around and into the wall I went. I hate that Maryeve (Dufault) was involved in that, she was having a good day too.”

    He added, “I’m not going to try and dwell on Michigan. There’s still a long way to go this season, we just have to bounce back next weekend at Winchester. I’ve never been there, but I like the short tracks in ARCA, so hopefully we can rebound for everyone at Federated Auto Parts, Cherry Hill Classic Cars and Ken Schrader Racing.”

    With Hessert’s 29th place finish, he slipped from seventh to eighth in the championship standings 100 markers behind Tim George Jr.

    Next up for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards is a return to Winchester (Ind.) Speedway for the running of the Winchester ARCA 200 presented by Federated Auto Parts.

    For more on Tom Hessert III, please visit tomhessert.com .

  • Sean Corr; Empire Racing Flex Muscle In Michigan Despite Finish

    BROOKLYN, Michigan (June 20, 2011) – – Without question, Sean Corr and his Empire Racing team made a bold statement Friday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). And even though the team once again didn’t receive the finish they rightfully deserved, the competition knew that Corr’s No. 82 Roush Yates Performance / Roush Yates Engines / Empire Racing Ford Fusion were a contender in the RainEater Wiper Blades 200.

    On the adrenaline of a successful open-test at the two-mile oval last month, Corr and his family-owned team led by Michigan native Howard Bixman returned to MIS looking to flex their muscle and put their operation in the hunt for a top-10, if not a victory.

    All indications led in the right direction as Corr in practice found his No. 82 Roush Yates Performance / Roush Yates Engines / Empire Racing Ford Fusion tucked inside the top-10 during the lone practice session before eventually landing in the 13th position overall. Strong adjustments made by the team left the Goshen, New York native heavily optimistic heading into qualifying.

    Unlike his prior start at Michigan International Speedway, time trials would not be held on the same day as practice. Instead, the stars and cars of ARCA would set the grid for the eighth race of the season Friday morning. Corr maneuvered his No. 82 Roush Yates Performance / Roush Yates Engines / Empire Racing Ford Fusion to the 17th fastest lap. However, the team wasn’t fazed by their starting position as they felt their blue oval would solider to the front once the green flag flew.

    The team’s intuitions became a reality. A quick caution on lap three stalled Corr’s path towards the front but returning to racing conditions several laps later offered the ability for Corr’s automobile to begin the march towards the lead pack.

    Through the race’s first 30 circuits, Corr nicely negotiated his Ford Fusion through the extremely tight field and moved into the 12th position when the second yellow flag of the afternoon waived.

    Bixman opted to bring his driver to pit road for two right side tires and fuel. The pit strategy paid off bolting Corr from 12th to third on the scoring pylon.

    Despite the call for two tires, Corr’s No. 82 Roush Yates Performance / Roush Yates Engines / Empire Racing Ford Fusion brilliantly remained in-toe with the leaders, most of whom had taken four tires. Fending off some of the strongest teams in ARCA competition including nine-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel, Josh Richards and Joey Coulter, Corr appeared to be heading towards his strongest run of the year in the ARCA Racing Series before on lap 40, an unexpected parts failure would cause the right front tire to go down forcing an unscheduled trip to pit road for four new Hoosier tires.

    Upon further inspection, the team notified Bixman that the right front brake rotor had been destroyed, which initially caused the tire to deflate, forcing the Empire Racing team to quickly push their race car behind the pit wall to replace the rotor.

    Magnificent repair work by the crew had Corr back on the track quickly where the team would use the remainder of the day to salvage as many crucial points as possible in order to stay in the top-10 in the ARCA Racing Series championship standings. After sitting as low as 30th in the running order, Corr quietly climbed the leader board to take the checkered flag in the 24th position.

    “One of these days, we’re going to have everything go our way and get the finish we deserve,” said an obviously frustrated Corr. “We had a good car, a real good car. The Roush Yates Performance / Roush Yates Engines Ford Fusion was going to be a contender. We made a call on pit road early and I think it was the right call, we just didn’t expect the tire to blow. We just haven’t had the luck on our side when we really needed it.”

    The 27-year old added, “I have to give props to the Empire Racing team. Howard (Bixman), John (Bellesfield, team manger) and the whole team built me a really fast car and words cannot express my thanks to them for putting us in position for a great run. We’re going to get ourselves some redemption here soon and we’ll prove to everyone that never giving up will equal rewards.”

    Despite avoiding a DNF (did not finish), Corr did slip to 10th in the ARCA Racing Series championship standings, but stands just 10 markers behind ninth place competitor Chad Hackenbracht.

    Corr made his 18th career ARCA start at Michigan International Speedway on June 17. In those 18 races, the avid dirt racer has maneuvered nine top-16 efforts and 14 top-20 finishes including seven in the first eight events of 2011. Pocono Raceway hoists the track with Corr’s career best finish of 11th in June 2011. An eighth place qualifying effort at the 2.5-mile triangle also in August 2010 is also a personal best accomplishment to date.

    Next up for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards is a return to Winchester (Ind.) Speedway for the running of the Winchester ARCA 200 presented by Federated Auto Parts. Corr will make his inaugural debut at the Indiana short track with a brand-new No. 82 Roush Yates Performance / Roush Yates Engines / Empire Racing Ford Fusion.

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

    Are you FORD tough? Connect with Roush Yates Performance Products and Roush Yates Engines through their official web site at roushyatesparts.com.

    Tweet with Sean Corr through Twitter @EmpireRacingLLC.

    About Empire Racing:

    Established in 2009, Empire Racing LLC. (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.