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Matt Poole Making his Return to Racing

Matt Poole is making his return to racing, thanks in large part to his many fans that have encouraged him to do so after many disappointments in the 10 year quest for his racing dreams. Therefore, Matt is turning to those fans to help him make the dream come true.

“Chasing the racing dream, the hard way” was Matt Poole’s slogan from the beginning. He set out on his journey after the sudden death of his mother, Peggy Poole, in January, 2003. Then his motivation was given an extreme boost after his dear friend Tonya Schultz was murdered by her husband in 2005.

During his time away from racing, Matt Poole says many of his fans and friends asked him repeatedly if he would come back to racing, especially after numerous disappointments along the way.

“I have a legion of fans that have been behind me over the last several years” he says. “It is my hope that those same fans will help me get there”.

The goal is a package of races in the ARCA Truck Series and the ARCA Series. Matt would run a full season in the ARCA Trucks, (8 races) and would be competing for Rookie of the Year honors. Also slated for Matt are three races in ARCA’s premier series. Matt would race two short tracks, as well as an intermediate track. Two of those races will be televised on Fox Sports 1 channel.

A crowd funding page has been integrated with the Matt Poole Racing website, where friends and fans can contribute as little as ten dollars, or any amount they care to contribute. Each and every person who contributes will get their name listed on the Matt Poole Racing website.

As he has always done, all race winnings will be donated to the American Heart Association in memory of Peggy Poole, and to the Victory Junction Gang Camp in memory of Tonya Schultz. Donations will be made on behalf of Matt Poole Racing, as well as the car owner, and each and every person who contributes.

“Fans aren’t just helping to make the dream come true. We are all helping others together, as a team. We need 12,500 people on our team”

To read about Matt Poole’s unique story, and hop aboard the Matt Poole Freight Train, please visit the Matt Poole Racing Fundraiser page.

February 26, 2015
NASCAR Schedule for Daytona Friday, Feb. 13 – Sunday, Feb. 15

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to racing this week at Daytona International Speedway with the Sprint Unlimited Saturday evening and Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying on Sunday.

Friday, Feb. 13

5:00 p.m. – 5:55 p.m. Sprint Cup Practice for Sprint Unlimited – FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m. – 7:25 p.m. Sprint Cup Final Practice for Sprint Unlimited – FOX Sports 1

Saturday, Feb. 14

10:30 a.m. – 12:25 p.m. Sprint Cup Practice for DAYTONA 500 – FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m. – 3:25 p.m. Sprint Cup Practice for DAYTONA 500 – FOX Sports 2
8:15 p.m. – Sprint Unlimited (75 Laps, 187.5 Miles) FOX
11:00 p.m. – NASCAR Victory Lane – FOX Sports 2 – Time approximate

Sunday, Feb. 15

1:35 p.m. – Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FOX

All times Eastern.

ARCA Racing Series Schedule

The ARCA Racing Series will also be on track at Daytona for the Lucas Oil 200 Saturday afternoon.

Thursday, Feb. 12

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – ARCA Practice

Friday, Feb. 13

9:30 a. m. – 10:30 a.m. – ARCA Final Practice

3:30 p.m. – ARCA Group Qualifying

Saturday, Feb. 14

4:15 p.m. ARCA Lucas Oil 200 (80 Laps, 200 Miles) FOX Sports 1

All times Eastern.

February 11, 2015
Leilani Munter Continues to Share Renewable Energy Message Through Racing

Racer, self-proclaimed vegan hippie chick, and passionate environmentalist Leilani Munter is continuing her efforts to share her renewable energy message through her racing.

In fact she will do just that at the next ARCA race in Kansas for Venturini Motorsports, in addition to making a special energy stop along the way.

“I’ll be running Kansas on October 3rd with Venturini Motorsports,” Munter said. “It’s called the Energy Freedom car to address all of the environmental issues that I am passionate about. I think the race will air on Fox Sports 2 at 7 PM on October 3^rd.”

“Prior to the race, I’m going to this really cool town, Greensburg, Kansas,” Muter continued. “They were hit with an F5 tornado and it basically took out the whole town. It was devastating and demolished the whole town.”

“But they did something really amazing,” Munter said. “They rebuilt the town on 100% renewable energy. The last place that you would expect is that this little tiny town could become an example to the world that you can run completely off of renewables. So, I’m going to sit down with some of the families that lived through that tornado and saw how the renewable energy has changed them. I’m going to document this and talk to the Mayor and we’re just going to produce a short film that we will share on line to tell the story of this amazing town and how they rebuilt. I want to show that Kansas is doing this as part of the race weekend. I think it’s a story that many have not heard. I’m really excited about it and will put that out after the Kansas race.”

Munter has also been sharing her renewable energy passion by taking electric routes to the race track. In fact, she has taken her new Tesla across the country to the race track to demonstrate just how easy and convenient that mode of transportation really is.

“I bought my Tesla about a year ago now,” Munter said. “It’s just a wonderful car and I haven’t been to the gas station for a year now. But I’ve also discovered in owning this car how many myths there are about electric cars. One of the many things that people don’t understand is that there is a charging network throughout the country that makes it possible for me to easily do cross country trips.”

“That’s the purpose of behind why I wanted to drive to Chicagoland Speedway because I wanted people to see and have an example that long electric road trips are possible and they are convenient,” Munter continued. “I was able to stop for 15 minutes, just long enough to get out of your car, use the rest room, have a cup of coffee, walk back to the car and go. And it is a free charge and it is also a very fast charge.”

“I think one of the myths that people have is that it is not convenient and that you cannot go long distances,” Munter said. “I felt like it was important to do that to show a real time example. I partnered with my friends from the Solution Project, an organization that I joined on the Board of Advisors. Their goal is to push forward with the notion that the US can be using 100% renewable energy by 2050.”

“The other thing I wanted to bring out with that road trip was to show that one of the problems with gasoline is that a large amount is coming from OPEC, from overseas and oftentimes from countries that don’t like us or countries where there is conflict, which makes gas prices go up,” Munter said. “When you are charging with electricity, there are several advantages. One is that all that money is staying locally in the United States. So, it’s very patriotic to drive an electric car because you are paying money to travel but all of the money stays where domestically. When you fill up with a gallon of gasoline, a large portion of what you are paying is going to OPEC. So, if you don’t want to fund or be part of the problem of spending dollars on foreign oil, then you would want to drive electric. Who in their right mind would argue about keeping money in the United States?”

While Munter has seen her share of resistance to her renewable energy message in the past, she has definitely seen some changes in recent years, with more understand and embracing of the technology.

“There are always going to be people that I’m not going to win over,” Munter acknowledged. “I understand that there are those who are resistant to change. I’ve been talking about this for many, many years and there was a great deal of criticism.”

“But I see that changing now,” Munter continued. “For example at the Daytona race that I ran last year, we actually had the Green Tea Party out there. This is the Tea Party, which is definitely conservative not liberal side of things. They were there because they are fighting for energy independence. They don’t think it is fair that the utilities are trying to stop Americans from putting solar on their homes. They can agree that we as Americans can choose the type of power we want.”

“That is the most important conversation to have.”

Munter also acknowledged that her environmental passions have at times negatively impacted her racing passion. But in the end, she has chosen to be true to her convictions and not compromise her strongly-held beliefs.

“I definitely did make a choice,” Munter said. “There were a few offers that I’ve had in the past to be in the car full-time at higher levels than I am at now. But those companies offering that opportunity to me were not in line with my environmental views.”

“In essence, I want to work with people that are trying to make the world a better place,” Munter continued. “Ethically I ended up making the decision to walk away from being in the race car full-time and possibly have a full-time career as a driver but possibly selling out in terms of who I was as a person personally.”

“That was probably a defining moment for me,” Munter said. “The racer in me thought ‘Oh my God, I could be in a car full-time.’ At the end of the day, I couldn’t do it. So, in that respect, the environmental front to my racing because I made that conscious choice did impact my racing career. I did choose to walk away and in some cases, yes it has hurt my racing career because I’ve had less races than I could have.”

“But I wouldn’t have felt good about it,” Munter continued. “I would have felt badly about not aligning myself with who I want to be and how I want to live.”

While it may have taken some time for her energy and racing passions to come together, Munter is most hopeful for the remainder of the 2014 racing season, as well as the new ARCA season ahead next year.

“Hopefully as the world has woken up to our environmental problems, I have definitely seen a lot more people recognize that what I’m doing makes sense,” Munter said. “And so I’m hoping that they are making choices and that I can find companies that understand why I did walk away and want to support the difference I’m trying to make.”

“Sponsorship is looking pretty good to race in Daytona and things are looking good for me to actually race full-time next year,” Munter said. “I feel like I have more momentum than ever but I will definitely be getting to Daytona in my Tesla.”

“As long as I’m in a race car, it gives me this amazing ability as a biologist and environmentalist to talk to a huge demographic of people that normally wouldn’t hear this message,” Munter continued. “The race car gives me a voice that amplifies my message to a group that we need to talk to.”

“I think we are seeing more and more people seeing that this is a good thing.”

September 27, 2014
NASCAR Sprint Cup Rookie Kyle Larson Wins the Pocono ARCA 200

Today was time for the ARCA Racing Series to tackle the tricky Pocono Raceway and it was time for Kyle Larson, one of NASCAR’s newest young guns, to show us what he has and he did not disappoint. Larson brought home the win in only his third start in the series. He became the 34th different driver to win at Pocono and the 17th different driver to win in the last 17 races. He is also the fifth different winner in the ARCA series this season.

“I was nervous for a while there,” Larson said after the race. “He was real aggressive and got the lead, then started to pull away.”

He continued saying, “We had a good car, a dominating car,” Larson said. “We definitely wanted to win. I was glad that we had to work for it there in the end. I learned something in all of this. In the end, it was a lot of fun.”

The race started with Larson leading the field to the green flag after winning the pole in only his third ARCA start. The first caution flew on lap seven when Tim Means gets loose and barely kept it off the wall. After that it was the Kyle show and not Kyle Busch but a driver just as dominant. The top three cars of Larson, Mason Mitchell, and Justin Allison stayed that way.

Another great battle for sixth spot ensued between Will and Frank Kimmel. Green flag stops went underway around the halfway mark. Kyle Larson pit did not stay under the yellow line on his way out of his pit earning himself a drive-through penalty but because he had a large lead on the field was still the leader after serving the penalty. The biggest loser during pit stops was Austin Wayne Self who was penalized for speeding. On his drive through for speeding, he was caught speeding again.

It still was the same show after the caution, with the top three drivers staying in their spots. Not many noticed that John Wes Townley, who started in the rear, was creeping up closer to the front.

With 21 laps to go the caution flew for debris but Justin Allison didn’t pit as he was stuck in 4th gear which would prove to be a complication on the restart. The caution came back out with 16 laps to go as everyone was trying to get around Allison who was trying to get up to speed which resulted in an accident sending Matt Tifft and Justin Boston into the wall.

Things got interesting when, with less than 10 laps to go, Larson had a bad re-start and Mitchell took the lead. For a while he appeared to be leaving everyone behind but with three laps to go Larson caught up. The battle for first was short as Larson reclaimed the lead and would be the victor today at Pocono.

The biggest mover of the day was John Wes Townley who had a solid third place finish after starting at the rear of the field due to missing practice and qualifying on Friday.

The top-five at the finish were:

1) Kyle Larson                  No. 4

2) Mason Mitchell               No. 98

3) John Wes Townley         No. 15

4) Will Kimmel                   No. 69

5) Justin Allison                 No. 88

June 7, 2014
Tom Hessert wins International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200 at Talladega Superspeedway

For the fourth time in his career, Tom Hessert was able to get to ARCA victory lane after making a pass late in the race for the win.

Grant Enfinger, driver of the Casite-Motor Honey-Advanced Auto Parts #90 Ford, and winner of the first 3 races of the season in the ARCA racing series started from the pole at Talladega Superspeedway in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200 and was looking for win number 4 of the 2014 season. Once the green flag flew, the front of the field ran single file up front for the first half of the race with Mason Mitchell, Justin Boston, Mark Thompson, and John Wes Townley rounding out the top 5 behind Enfinger.

Green flag pit stops began on lap 36 of the 76 lap event. Multiple drivers were penalized for speeding on pit road including leader Enfinger who had dominated the first half of the race. Clay Campbell, Mark Thompson, and Frank Kimmel were among the 16 pit road speeding violations. Justin Boston in the #25 Zloop Chevrolet took over the lead after pit stops until lap 54 when he was passed on the track by the Zaxby’s #15 of John Wes Townley.

The first and only caution of the race came out on lap 56 when Justin Allison, grandson of Donnie Allison, in the #88 HAVACOSales.com Ford, blew a right front tire and slammed into the side of Clay Campbell driving the #52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet for Ken Schrader Racing, causing Clay to spin out. The caution put many of the the penalized race cars back into contention for the win.

The race went back to green at lap 64 with John Wes Townley in first followed by Boston, Mitchell, and Tom Hessert. Bobby Gerhart, making his 300th start in the series took the lead with 4 laps to go and was quickly over taken by John Wes Townley.

With only two laps to go Tom Hessert, driving the #77 Cunningham Motorsports Caregard-AxiomWarranty.com Dodge took the lead for the first time of the day after passing Townley on the high side and lead the final two laps to win his first ever super speedway race and the 4th win of his career. Hessert was followed by John Wes Townley in 2nd, teammate Austin Wayne Self, driving the #22, in 3rd, Mason Mitchell in 4th and Spencer Gallagher in the #23 rounding out the top 5. The rest of the top 10 were Derrick Lancaster in 6th, Bobby Gerhart 7th, Frank Kimmel 8th, Grant Enfinger 9th, and Buster Graham in 10th.

The ARCA Racing Series next race is at Toledo Speedway on May 18th.

May 3, 2014
Corey Lajoie Looks to Extend his Joy of Winning

Corey Lajoie will be tackling the ARCA race at Iowa Speedway with one goal in mind, to extend his winning streak to three. In fact, the 21 year old up-and-coming racer has almost achieved perfection, winning both of the ARCA races that he has entered, with the goal of making it a three-peat.

“To win in my only two starts this season is so exciting,” Lajoie said. “Having a taste of victory makes me even more excited to try to get that Medallion Financial Ford back in Victory Lane in Iowa.”

“I just want to be the first one across the finish line,” Lajoie continued. “In the other two races, everything worked in our favor and we’re hoping the same will hold true.”

“We’ve had two really good cars and we’ve been in position to capitalize on them when stuff happened to other people,” Lajoie said. “Hopefully this week, we can run out front and hopefully have nothing go wrong with the car.”

Lajoie has scored wins at two very different tracks, Chicagoland and Pocono, prior to his attempt to extend his joy of winning to Iowa.

“At Chicagoland, it was my first time on a mile and half,” Lajoie said. “That’s a learning experience in itself.”

“I was getting faster on every lap of the track and by the end of the race, we were the fastest car,” Lajoie continued. “Some tried to stretch and make it on fuel and didn’t make it.”

“So we were the first one getting the checkered, which worked out really good.”

“Pocono, man that track is tough,” Lajoie said. “They call it the ‘Tricky Triangle’ and it definitely lives up to its nickname because that place is really technical.”

“We picked up four seconds from when we first started practicing until race time just from me getting used to the track.”

Lajoie has been at the Iowa Speedway, where he will compete next, before in the NASCAR K&N Series. He has one win, two top-fives and three top-15 finishes in his four starts at the track.

“I really like Iowa,” Lajoie said. “We won there last fall in the K&N Series.”

“I grew up racing on short tracks, and Iowa is a perfect combination of short track and superspeedway,” Lajoie continued. “You carry a lot of speed there, so I’m thankful I will have a Roush Yates engine under the hood.”

“I think we will have a really good shot at the win this weekend,” Lajoie said. “At least I know where the parking lot is when I get there because I didn’t even know that for the last two races.”

Unlike some of the other racers against which Lajoie has competed, he and his team have just one car that they modify depending on the type of race track on which they are competing.

“Iowa is a seven-eighths track, so we had to make a bunch of changes on our car with brake packages and suspension packages to accommodate for that,” Lajoie said. “You’re not as worried about aero at these short tracks.”

“You’re more worried about down force and trying to get the car turning because the bigger tracks you rely a whole lot on aero,” Lajoie continued. “We’ve been lucky enough to have a good enough and neutral enough car that doesn’t favor one side or another.”

“The biggest thing you have to worry about is keeping the tires on it,” Lajoie said. “The ARCA cars have the most horsepower so they fight a lot more issues.”

“I know there will be some guys with some throw down short track cars there but hopefully we can make up for it in the seat,” Lajoie continued. ““We’re going to be worrying about putting the pedal to the ground and keeping the nose clean to get to Victory Lane.”

While Lajoie has a relationship with Richard Petty Motorsports and hopes to race for them full-time next year in the Nationwide Series dependent on sponsorship, he also relies on a little help from his family, including dad Randy Lajoie, and his friends when it comes time to get to the race track.

“Petty doesn’t have their hands in very much for this ARCA deal,” Lajoie said. “They help with the motors and pit crew and all that but the people at the shop is just me and one buddy and a couple others who pitch in and help hands every now and again.”

“Dad is out there for the Boone Nationals, the dirt modifieds, so he’s only about an hour and a half away,” Lajoie continued. “He’s going to cruise over race day and come hang out with us.”

“I compare our team to being like a pickup basketball team playing against Syracuse, North Carolina and Duke,” Lajoie said. “And we’ve been beating them every time.”

“Our pick up team ain’t doing too bad.”

Lajoie admits that he does not get quite the seat time of some of his other competitors, however, he tries to make the most of every opportunity that he has. And he also tries to keep himself in race shape by getting to the gym and racing in other series of the sport.

“I just really have been working out and doing cross fit the last couple weeks which has been kicking my butt,” Lajoie said. “You work muscles in the car that you don’t even know you have.”

“I wish I could get more laps because everybody I’m racing has way more laps than I do,” Lajoie continued. “So, I have to make the most out of every opportunity.”

“Sometimes I race a late model every now and then and run at Rockingham but I really don’t have any other options like a Kyle Larson that runs ten times a week,” Lajoie said. “I’m just in the shop, grinding it out and trying to get my car faster.”

Lajoie has already loaded up the car and will send it on its way to Iowa, while he and his team will fly out on Friday morning.

So, is the young driver ready to get to Iowa and attempt a third win on just his third start in the ARCA Series?

“I’m looking forward to that,” Lajoie said. “That’s going to be awesome if I get to Victory Lane for my third win in my third start but then I’m going to go back to the shop and get ready for win number four.”

“I just want to go racing because all this work and late nights and early mornings are for the birds until you get out there in Victory Lane,” Lajoie continued. “And then it’s all worth it.”

September 4, 2013
Bryan Silas Goes Back to School During Truck Series Off Week

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Bryan Silas may have the weekend off from racing, however, he is taking full advantage of the time to go back to school. The T3R2 racer will be testing almost daily, from a road course in Virginia to a dirt track in New York.

Silas hit the road course at Virginia International Raceway earlier this week in preparation for the Truck Series road course event later in the fall at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

“This is actually a fun type of school and is much better than sitting in a school doing paper work,” Silas said. “I’ve been on a couple road courses but most of them have been very flat.”

“I needed some experience on a road course with some elevation and VIR was one of those places that had some of that,” Silas continued. “I need to get that experience because the track we are going to, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, apparently that place is just wild.”

“There are a lot of elevation changes and it’s a road course that thinks it’s a super speedway.”

So, what did the young driver learn on the VIR road course?

“If you are going downhill to a corner, you can’t brake as late as you can going uphill,” Silas said. “This is the stuff I’m learning.”

“And also going into a corner where you can’t see the exit and trusting that, going 110 mph, that you will make it through,” Silas continued. “That was a learning experience.”

“I remember a couple of times there was a straightaway where you went uphill and the downhill and I felt my stomach get light a couple of times,” Silas said. “It just makes it that much more fun.”

During the VIR road course test, Silas rode with the BMW Racing School and was most impressed with the horsepower of those vehicles.

“There were four or five cars in line and I followed one of the BMW instructors,” Silas said. “They would show me where to lift and following the instructor who has done a million laps around the place was definitely a good learning experience.”

After some wild road course testing, Silas will head to New York later in the week to do some dirt track testing, all in preparation for the upcoming Inaugural Mudsummer Classic set for July 24^th at Tony Stewart’s track, Eldora Speedway.

The 25 year old racer will be the guest of four-time dirt champion Bryan Holland for this test. Silas will also experience the racing hands-on by working with the crew and then having his own private test session following that.

“I have a total of four races under my belt on dirt, all in ARCA,” Silas said. “My dad is telling me that he thinks there will be 50 trucks showing up for the Eldora race.”

“So, I have to get some dirt experience before I go there and make a fool of myself,” Silas joked. “So, I’m going to some track in New York and jumping into a late model the day after the race there to turn a bunch of laps.”

“There will be a couple people there helping me get ready for Eldora,” Silas said. “I think my biggest challenge there will be trying to figure out the best line to get around the place.”

“The issue will be learning how the track will change during that race.”

Silas feels that his whole racing season to date in 2013 has been all about learning. Unfortunately, the racing gods have not been with Silas in his student phase.

“Overall, I’ve learned a lot from last year and I’ve been able to use that this year,” Silas said. “Not only have the cars gotten better but I’ve gotten better with these Trucks.”

“We’ve just had crappy luck,” Silas continued. “Daytona, we got wrecked out. Martinsville, we ended up blowing a drive shaft.”

“And in Kansas, we were going to get a top 17 easy and we got caught in the wreck with Todd Bodine,” Silas said. “Our vehicles are heading in the right direction but we need to catch a little bit of luck and then we’ll be alright for Charlotte.”

For Silas, though, his season really is all about learning and he is most eager to do so. But the best way to learn in his mind is to be there on the race track as much as possible.

“I know I still have a lot to learn, but I’m eager,” Silas said. “I’d rather be on the race track.”

“At this point in my career, I need as much testing as possible because I can learn so much,” Silas continued. “You look at the Cup racers and they are on track every week or if they do have an off week, they are racing somewhere else.”

“So, it’s really hard to catch up, but I plan to,” Silas continued. “And I just have to keep learning and going to school.”

May 3, 2013
Zack Jarrell Saving the Ocean One FASCAR Lap at a Time

[media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Barry Vaught/Sea Shepherd” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Nineteen year old FASCAR (Florida Association of Stock Car Auto Racing) racer Zack Jarrell has two passions, driving his race car and saving the ocean, both important parts of his life.

So, it was natural for Jarrell to marry those passions on the race track, flying the conservation organization Sea Shepherd’s Jolly Roger logo on his No. 18 Chevrolet Impala at a recent FASCAR Pro Late Models race at New Smyrna Speedway in his home state of Florida.

“My passion for the ocean really started in high school, “Jarrell said. “I was a little bit of a science major in high school, taking environmental science and marine biology.”

“I actually knew of Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, before I ever knew about the movement against whalers and marine poachers,” Jarrell continued. “So, I learned about his work at the Cove and his documentaries.”

“Later on I saw the TV show Whale Wars, the Animal Planet TV Series, so that interest continued,” Jarrell said. “I live right on the beach and this is something that is close to home to me.”

This young racer sees absolutely nothing strange about his ocean and race car marriage. In fact, he thinks the two actually go hand in hand.

“Race cars these days are very scientific and very technical,” Jarrell said. “The science side of racing is something I’ve always enjoyed.”

“So, having Sea Shepherd on the car was the perfect combination of my passion for racing with my interest in science, all combined into one.”

Jarrell also believes that racing and being out on the ocean, especially enjoying his ocean passion of surfing, engender similar feelings.

“Being on the ocean, it’s a calming feeling,” Jarrell said. “I have the feeling like I belong there.”

“When I’m behind the wheel of the race car, it’s like I’m at home and I belong there,” Jarrell continued. “I feel like it’s meant for me to be there and it comes very naturally to me.”

Jarrell has been racing for quite some time, in fact since 2005 where he started in quarter midgets. In 2007, he started racing stock cars and then trucks at New Smyrna, racing 27 times with one win.

“It was a big culture shock, coming from a quarter midget to a full-size stock car with 450 horse power,” Jarrell said. “I ended up second in points for my first season and was Rookie of the Year.”

“That was a really big deal for me and I really tried hard for that, especially competing against some of the bigger name and bigger budget teams.”

Jarrell continued racing trucks in 2009, however, was unable to run the full season because of sponsorship. In spite of that, he ran sixteen select races and won seven of them.

“It was an amazing feeling showing up at race tracks and having great equipment,” Jarrell said. “But then we had to take the year off for 2010 because we didn’t have the sponsorship and I had a racing injury, a broken leg.”

“So, we decided to let my leg heal and focus on 2011,” Jarrell continued. “We were able to put sponsorship together and went racing in late models for the first time that year.”

“That was a different beast too but I was the happiest kid in the world being back in a race car,” Jarrell said. “I felt like I was back home.”

Jarrell was ‘home’ indeed, proving to many that he still had the ability to get behind the wheel of a race car and win. And this year, Jarrell has seen even more success.

“This year, I couldn’t ask for much more,” Jarrell said. “It’s been the best racing year I’ve ever had.”

“Even though I haven’t won yet, I’m racing in this new series, the Pro Late Model Series, against some of the best drivers I’ve ever seen,” Jarrell continued. “To be able to compete with them and even be mentioned in the same sentence as them, I’m so fortunate.”

“This last race, when I had the Sea Shepherd on board, I finished third, which was an amazing feeling,” Jarrell said. “It gave me a calming sense and I showed everyone I deserved to be out there driving a race car.”

“I was so happy that the race was able to go so well.”

Jarrell has big plans for next year’s season, which includes hopes for either a NASCAR K&N Pro Series ride or competing in the ARCA Series.

“Some new people have been approaching us this week because we are a low budget team and they have been impressed with what we have done in spite of that,” Jarrell said. “I’m proving to people that I can take a low budget car and finish up front with it.”

“I’m very happy,” Jarrell continued. “My only thing is to prove that I deserve to be out there.”

The youngster definitely fashions himself as a NASCAR up and comer, particularly dreaming of one day driving for one of the major teams.

“Growing up, my favorite race car drivers were the whole Hendrick Motorsports team, including Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson,” Jarrell said. “Drivers I’d like to follow are Joey Logano and also the Dillons (Ty and Austin).”

“They are closer to my age and I’ve seen them race at short tracks,” Jarrell continued. “Just to have an opportunity to start in a NASCAR Truck or Nationwide race ultimately, that’s my goal.”

Until he achieves that goal, Jarrell is content to race hard and also do all he can to save the ocean, one lap at a time.

“My career has paralleled the ocean,” Jarrell said. “I feel like when you’re surfing and you have that momentum and you’re getting ready to stand up and ride the wave in.”

“That’s the point I feel that my career is at right now,” Jarrell continued. “I’m just catching the wave and all I need to do is stand up.”

July 29, 2012
Chad Hackenbracht is Making a Name for Himself On and Off the Track

[media-credit name=”Photo Credit CGH Motorsports” align=”alignright” width=”246″][/media-credit]In spite of his difficult to pronounce moniker, up and coming 20 year old racer Chad Hackenbracht has been making a name for himself on and off the track.

Hackenbracht definitely made a name for himself on the track at Talladega by leading laps at the end of the race and pushing Brandon McReynolds, son of former crew chief and FOX broadcaster Larry McReynolds, to his first ARCA win.

The driver of the No. 58 Kindify Chevrolet Impala led 38 laps and was leading when the white flag flew. Unfortunately, Hackenbracht was a sitting duck at the front of the field and had to settle for a third place finish in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250 when all was said and done.

This was Hackenbracht’s fifth career top five finish and his best finish ever at a superspeedway.

“I knew we had a good chance at winning for sure,” Hackenbracht said. “But you don’t want to be in the lead at a superspeedway.”

“You’re a sitting duck with no friends at all,” Hackenbracht continued. “So, they got me on that last restart. I tried to back up to them but they wound up getting around me.”

While rivals on the track, Hackenbracht and McReynolds have been good friends off the track. And they planned on working together in the draft during their superspeedway competitions.

“Brandon and I talked about pushing each other since the tandem racing began at Daytona,” Hackenbracht said. “Ever since then, we tried to work together but never got the opportunity until the Talladega race.”

So, how has McReynolds paid Hackenbracht back for that winning push, which has brought great attention to both racers’ names, at Talladega?

“He hasn’t given me anything,” Hackenbracht said with a laugh. “He called me after the race and thanked me.”

“He said we could go get some lunch or dinner or hang out,” Hackenbracht continued. “He has thanked me a lot and really that’s all you can ask for.”

“Obviously with Brandon being Larry Mac’s son and me pushing him to the lead, we’ve both gotten a lot of exposure,” Hackenbracht said. “So, when they talk him, they’re also talking about me.”

“We’re getting some good press out of it for sure and hopefully making a name in the garage area.”

Hackenbracht certainly had mixed emotions after the ARCA race, even with his third place finish. Among those emotions were elation for his friend, sadness that he was not in Victory Lane, and a little bit of anger all at the same time.

“Right after the race, I was actually kind of upset because the 16 came up and damaged our car,” Hackenbracht said. “He decided to come up and block us after we were right next to him.”

“Third is good because it helps us go after the championship,” Hackenbracht, who is third in the ARCA point standings, continued. “You always want to be in Victory Lane but it will happen when it’s supposed to happen.”

Hackenbracht has also been making a name for himself off the track as well. The young driver was chosen to do the Hoosier tire test at several newly paved tracks, as well as fulfilling a great deal of sponsor and charitable appearances.

“We did the Hoosier tire test,” Hackenbracht said. “We were the only team that went up and tested the tires on the new surface.”

“We also did that a few weeks ago in Michigan, as well as at Pocono,” Hackenbracht continued. “Michigan was very similar to the old track as far as conditions.”

“It had a lot of grip and is a lot faster,” Hackenbracht said. “We were actually only two tenths off of the Cup speeds in the ARCA cars.”

“Pocono also looks great,” Hackenbracht continued. “I can’t complain about that at all. It’s smooth and fast too.”

Hackenbracht has become a bit of a rock star off the track as well, between all of his sponsor visits and charities.

“Before Talladega, we went to Fort Bragg and did a show car appearance,” Hackenbracht said. “I had never once been on a base before and I didn’t realize it was like a whole other town.”

“It was great to meet the troops and spend time with them.”

“That Thursday of Talladega, we went to Fort Rucker and it was so nice to meet people and get my name out there,” Hackenbracht continued. “Another thing that I’ve started to do is with the RAD (Race Against Drugs) program. They’re going to have a go kart thing where kids get to race against us ARCA racers.”

“At ‘Dega, as soon as I got out of the car after finishing the race, I rushed everybody out and went to the hauler, changed my clothes and went outside the track to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame to sign autographs for different kids with the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind,” Hackenbracht said. “That was fun to speak with a bunch of different kids.”

“It was hectic getting right out of the car but it was really fun.”

While Hackenbracht likes to go fast and finish well on the track, making a name for himself and causes he cares about off the track is something that is vitally important to the young driver.

“That’s one thing I really like to do is the off-track stuff, whether it’s autographs or just meeting people,” Hackenbracht said. “I love meeting new people and you never know where there connections will lead.”

Although it is early in the season, Hackenbracht has been enjoying making a name for himself on and off the track. And he just knows that his team will be the next ones in Victory Lane.

“We’re getting closer to finally closing the deal on the win,” Hackenbracht said. “It’s been a long time coming.”

“We’ve had dominant performances but bad luck or other problems have gotten in the way of the win,” Hackenbracht continued. “It’s definitely been a good season so far.”

“Hopefully we will continue to go in the right direction.”

May 14, 2012
Bobby Gerhart wins Eighth ARCA Daytona Race in Last Lap Mayhem

[media-credit name=”arcaracing.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]For the eighth time in his career, Bobby Gerhart won the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway.

Gerhart came home with the victory after coming from fifth to first off of corner four when both Brandon McReynolds and Chris Windom ran out of fuel.

“Unreal,” Gerhart said. “That last lap was a dream. I always learned to take what was infront of me. I just went high and all it takes is for the leader to mess up.”

Gerhart had to start at the back after failing post-qualifying inspection when he had qualified on the pole.

The race ran clean till seven laps to go when James Hylton spun off the bottom, collecting Sloan Henderson and Rick Clifton. Some drivers pitted while others stayed out.

The race restarted with five to go, before a last caution with three to go. The caution came out after Nelson Canache spun Chris Buescher in the tri-oval. Once again, some drivers pitted while others stayed out.

The green would come out for a green-white-checkered, which immediately drivers began running out of gas, including a whole group coming to the checkereds.

Unofficially, Drew Charlston finished second in his first ARCA start

“That was awesome,” Charlston said. “I feel like I won the race.”

February 18, 2012