Showing posts with label ARCA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ARCA. Show all posts

2012-03-11

Hometown Driver Cale Gale Wins ARCA's First Race at Mobile


For Immediate Release:
Saturday, March 10, 2012

 (IRVINGTON, Ala.) - The customary purple Hoosier band draped around his neck, the Mobile ARCA 200 winner paused for a moment on the frontstretch at Mobile International Speedway, waiting for a quieter moment to answer a question.

That's because the winner was Mobile's own Cale Gale, and he was surrounded by excited, loud fans and friends from his hometown just minutes after holding off Chad Hackenbracht and taking the checkered flag for his second ARCA win.

The race was the first trip to the track for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, and the first short track race of ARCA's 60th Anniversary Season.

Gale (No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet) led 76 of 203 laps, including the last 28, in a race extended by a green-white-checkered finish. Just days after celebrating his 27th birthday, Gale passed fellow Alabama driver Grant Enfinger on Lap 176 and held the advantage through four late caution periods and the subsequent restarts. A full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver, Gale now has 11 ARCA starts, and a second win to back up a 2006 triumph at Gateway.

"This worked out better than we ever could have expected it to," said Gale, standing in Mobile's victory circle and approximately 100 yards in front of his own infield billboard reading "Thanks Mobile! Gotta Have A Dream" and featuring pictures old and new from his racing career.

"We came here with intentions to win but actually being able to pull it off is awesome and it comes at a good time," he said. "What a packed house today. (Promoter) Rick (Crawford) has done an awesome job promoting this thing, and Tommy Praytor too. It's especially special, because my grandfather passed away last year and we spent many a night down here on Saturday nights and it's my first race to win since he passed away."

The win was the first for Eddie Sharp Racing since Craig Goess scored his only career ARCA victory at Pocono in 2010.

Driving to the front took some work for Gale. He started ninth, four rows behind Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell winner Alex Bowman (No. 22 eBay Motors/St. Jude Children's Hospital Dodge). Bowman led the first 28 laps in his fourth ARCA start, keeping the lead even after a Lap 19 restart.

Chase Elliott (No. 9 Aaron's Dream Machine/Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet) passed Bowman on the inside on Lap 29 after looking close a lap earlier, turning what had been as much as a 0.733-second Bowman advantage into his own lead. Elliott drove away easily after finding clean air, and even Gale passed Bowman for second on Lap 31.

The race was Elliott's first in the ARCA Racing Series. The son of NASCAR champion Bill Elliott had previously raced in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series but never in an ARCA car.

Elliott kept the lead on a Lap 42 restart resulting from the race's second caution, but chose to pit during the race's third caution period, allowing Bowman to return to the front. Erik Jones (No. 55 Paragon Corvette Reproductions Chevrolet) - making his first ARCA start at just 15 years old - rose to second, just ahead of Hackenbracht (No. 58 CGH Motorsports Chevrolet) and Frank Kimmel (No. 44 Ansell/Menards Toyota).

Bowman built a gap on the Lap 56 restart, finding himself more than a second ahead of Jones within six laps. His advantage was not meant for long, though. Two cars lost control and drove off the track and over the hill in Turns 3 and 4, an unusual occurrence but not at all unexpected at Mobile, where the only retaining wall is on the frontstretch.

Bowman pitted on the ensuing caution period, allowing Jones to move to the front. Jones led for 15 laps, but Gale - who had been fifth when Jones took the lead - quickly closed the gap. Jones led by 0.748 second at Lap 75 and 0.863 second at Lap 77, but saw that advantage sink under 0.1 second two laps later. On Lap 80, Gale took the first spot, with Elliott following for second.

Matt Lofton (No. 16 Strutmasters.com Chevrolet) followed the lead pair in third, with Enfinger (No. 61 Breland Homes Ford) and Bowman moving back to the top five by Lap 100, the race's halfway point.

Enfinger, of Fairhope, Ala., passed for third on Lap 103, just before another caution period, and it was clear that he was ready to take aim at Gale and form a true Alabama battle at the front. He moved into second nine laps later, and slowly infringed upon Gale's lead. The leaders hit lapped traffic at Lap 126, and with one driver in front of them struggling with a broken sway bar and creating a slight traffic jam, Enfinger closed Gale's lead to 0.076 second at Lap 127. He passed for first the next time around.

With Enfinger now in front of Gale, the Alabama drivers easily put some distance on the field. At Lap 133, they led by three seconds over third. Twenty laps later, they had more than seven seconds on third-place driver Mikey Kile (No. 1 ModSpace Ford) - an advantage of about one-third of a lap.

At Lap 168, though, a 59-lap green flag run ended with a spin in Turns 3 and 4. Enfinger pitted as the leader, and kept the lead over Gale as he exited. Behind them were Mason Mingus (No. 32 Call 811 Before You Dig Toyota), Clint King (No. 66 Warehouse Design Chevrolet), and Hackenbracht.

Hackenbracht passed King almost immediately after the Lap 175 restart, a precursor to Gale's pass of Enfinger for the lead the next time around. Mingus then lost control and drove over the Turns 3 and 4 hill, bringing out another caution with Gale the leader and Hackenbracht having passed Enfinger for second.

Gale led Hackenbracht out of the Lap 182 restart, another restart five laps later, and two more as the final laps ran down. The final caution period came with just four laps remaining, setting up an extension of the race and a final green-white-checkered finish on Laps 202 and 203.

Hackenbracht stuck to Gale's back bumper and tried to drive under Gale in the second turn of the final lap, but Gale held his line and Hackenbracht struggled. In front of a screaming hometown crowd, Gale drove to victory by 0.634 second, with Hackenbracht, Bowman, Kile, and King trailing him.

Chris Buescher (No. 17 Roulo Brothers Racing Ford) finished sixth, just ahead of Brennan Poole (No. 25 Adcetera Toyota). Jared Marks (No. 12 Dodge Motorsports/UNOH Dodge) was eighth, edging Tom Hessert (No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet) and Elliott.

Southern short track ace Bubba Pollard (No. 29 Grease Monkey/M&E Construction Chevrolet) finished 11th over Ryan Reed (No. 15 JDRF Toyota), Enfinger, Sean Corr (No. 82 Empire Racing Ford), and Tyler Reddick (No. 18 Broken Bow Records/Stoney Creek Records Chevrolet).

Kimmel, the nine-time ARCA champion, ended the day 17th. Jones, who led 14 laps in his debut, finished 29th after his car stalled coming off of pit road. The full results are available at ARCARacing.com.

The race was slowed by 11 cautions for 65 laps, and finished in one hour, 48 minutes, and four seconds.

The next race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will take place Sunday, April 29 at Salem Speedway. The 200-lap, 111-mile Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 is scheduled to start at 2:15 p.m. Salem will host practice and Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell on Saturday, April 28. The event at Salem will be ARCA's 91st at the track, where nine-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel has nine wins.

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 visited Alabama's Mobile International Speedway for the first time. In June, the first event at Minnesota's Elko Speedway 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.



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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 11.3.12 0 comments

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2012-03-06

Andy Belmont Racing; Mikey Kile Say Bring On Mobile



MOBILE, Alabama (March 6, 2012) - - With the season-opening Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 from Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in the rearview mirror, Andy Belmont Racing (ABR) driver Mikey Kile and the rest of the ABR team turn their attention towards round two, which in retrospect they consider the official start of the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season when the green flag waives at Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway (MIS) on Saturday March, 10.


While the ABR team in their familiar No. 1 ModSpace Ford Fusion had a strong machine at Daytona, many of the spectacles that surface with restrictor plate racing are now obsolete which means it’s time to get back to the grassroots of stock car racing.
This weekend however, it’s not the traditional short track venues of Salem (Ind.) Speedway or Toledo Speedway that the 60-year old series is trekking towards, but instead, it’s a return to the deep South to the state of Alabama for ARCA’s inaugural showing at Mobile.
“I’m so ready to get back to some real racing,” said Kile, whose poised to make his 30th career ARCA start this weekend. “Daytona is fun but you can never predict the outcome. This weekend though, we’re heading to a track this weekend where a driver can actually make a difference.”
The 29-year old continued, “Jeff (McClure) my crew chief is really excited about this race. He likes short track racing just as much as I do and with Andy Belmont Racing’s success rate last year on the short tracks, it’s definitely giving the team something to look forward to. No question about it, I think we have a shot at Victory Lane on Saturday afternoon.”
A trip to the winner’s circle would not only be a nice way to reward ModSpace with their second career victory in the ARCA Racing Series – but for Kile, a native of Westlake, Louisiana, Saturday’s anticipated thriller also means an enormous celebration from the stands.
“I consider Mobile a hometown race,” sounded Kile. “Since it’s close to home, I’m going to have a lot of support in the stands from family and friends, so while I want to get a win for everyone at ModSpace and the team, it would be nice to get a win for them too.”
Team principal Andy Belmont is all to-familiar with history in Motorsports and he would be more than obliged to see his veteran team be the first to soar to the checkered flag this weekend. 
“With the combination of Mikey and Jeff, how can we not be a favorite?” offered the long-time ARCA icon and Penndel, Pennsylvania native. “The guys have really been busting their tails to make sure that every car that we put on the track can be a contender. Mobile’s sure to have a lot of action, but we’re hoping to etch our name into the record books by winning the Mobile ARCA 200.”
An undeserving 16th place finish at Daytona has Kile occupying that position entering this weekend’s festivities in the championship standings, but with several competitors ahead of him opting out of partaking in Saturday’s contest, Kile will unofficially take the green flag inside the top-10 and look to make a massive dent towards the coveted top spot in the overall championship.
For the second consecutive event, Kile will have a teammate at ABR as rookie Thomas Praytor will steer the No. 5 ModSpace Ford Fusion in the first short track race of the season.
The Mobile ARCA 200 (200 laps / 100 miles) is the second of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The first ARCA race held at MIS is a two-day show. Practice begins Friday, March 9 with a three and a half hour practice session planned from 1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day at 7:00 p.m. An on-track autograph session has been etched in on race day, Saturday, March 10 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. The event will take the green flag shortly after 2:00 p.m. The race will not be televised on SPEED but additional race coverage including live timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com.  All times are local.
For more on Mikey Kile, please visit him online at MikeyKile.com and through Twitter @MikeyKile.
Additional information on Andy Belmont Racing is available by logging onto AndyBelmont.com.
PHOTO CAPTION: Mikey Kile, driver of the No. 1 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 http://www.modspace.com.

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.


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 6.3.12 0 comments

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High Expectations Surround Chase Elliott in ARCA Debut


For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, March 6, 2012

(TOLEDO, Ohio) - His name alone stirs attention. At 16 years old, Chase Elliott - the son of NASCAR champion Bill Elliott - is a fan favorite wherever he races.  


But young Elliott's position on the family tree isn't the only quality keeping him top of mind in motorsports circles these days. With a long list of major accomplishments and success in Hendrick Motorsports' development program, the Dawsonville, Ga. teen has proven a real ability to compete.

Elliott, driving a No. 9 Aaron's Chevrolet for Bill Elliott Racing, will make his first ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards start Saturday at Mobile International Speedway, which will host ARCA for the first time. Elliott believes he can contend in the second race of ARCA's 60th Anniversary Season.

"I don't really see why there'd be any reason we can't run in the top five or 10," he said last week. "I really feel like we're capable of doing that. Obviously, this will be my first race as a driver and things are going to be different, but I think if we adapt well, I don't see any reason why we can't run inside the top 10."

Elliott's accomplishments are numerous. Both this January and last, he won the pro late model feature at Speedfest, the season opener for the CRA Super Series. Last year, he added the super late model title at the same event.

In 2010, Elliott won another major CRA race, the Winchester 400. Late last season, he secured what he calls the biggest win of his racing career, the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. In 44 years of the prestigious late model race, Elliott is the youngest winner.

His trophy list extends far beyond those events. In addition, he was named last season's NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Most Popular Driver and earned a High School Player of the Week mention by none other than Sports Illustrated.

Elliott raced last weekend in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West at Phoenix International Raceway, finishing 17th. He drove a full schedule in the eastern division last year, ranking ninth in points with six top-10s in 12 races. He also finished third at Phoenix in the West finale.

His move to an ARCA car for five races this year is the result of his growth plan and, as is common in racing, sponsorship influence. Elliott will also compete in the ARCA Racing Series at New Jersey in July, Berlin (Mich.) and Madison (Wis.) in August, and at Salem (Ind.) in September, according to a Hendrick Motorsports representative.

"It's mostly a thought process between us and Aaron's, our sponsor," he said. "It was just that things worked out with my age, being 16 and not being able to run speedways. That pointed the finger toward short tracks and the road course. We're trying to get our feet wet in ARCA as well as get experience on road courses. We're just trying to do the best with the next step at the age I'm at right now."

One factor playing a role in Elliott's entry at Mobile, though, has to be his history at the race track. He won a late model championship at the track in 2010, earning two wins along the way.

Lance McGrew, a former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief for Hendrick, will lead Elliott's effort at Mobile. McGrew notably led Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin at the Sprint Cup level, and also headed cars for Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon, among others, in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He now works in Hendrick's research and development wing and manages Elliott's driver development plan.

McGrew's support for Elliott at Mobile will consist of people from the Hendrick shop in Concord, N.C. and Elliott's shop in Dawsonville. Bill Elliott will attend the race, but Chase is uncertain whether or not his father will spot as he did last weekend in Phoenix.

Given his experience at Mobile, Elliott feels qualified to speak to the track's characteristics.

"I think it's going to be an interesting race, for sure," he said. "The cars that I've raced there are light cars, but these ARCA cars are heavy. It's a heavy stock car. We'll see how it goes. I kind of have a feel of what the race track is like. I'm sure there's going to be differences between driving a late model car and driving an ARCA car.

"It's a very unique place, obviously, with no walls except for on the front straightaway. It's different looking, and has a different feel. It's the kind of race track you're not used to seeing. Most places you go, you have the wall to kind of catch you. It's just different. All that plays into the feel of a race track. It's really smooth in (Turns) 3 and 4, and there are a few bumps in 1 and 2."

Whether Elliott earns that top-10 he wants or not is up to him and those around him, but the 16-year-old is confident that he'll be part of a memorable show in ARCA's first trip to the Alabama track.

"I think Rick Crawford's done a really great job promoting the race track and getting ARCA to come over. I think it's going to be a phenomenal race, one that the fans will enjoy."

Practice will begin at 1:30 p.m. Central on Friday, March 9, and will last for three and a half hours. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell will follow that, starting at 7 p.m.

The 200-lap, 100-mile Mobile ARCA 200 will start at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 10. ARCA Racing Series drivers will appear on the track for an autograph session just before the race, at noon.

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.


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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 6.3.12 0 comments

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Mason Mingus Focused On Helping Win-Tron Racing Wrestle Mobile Field

 


LAKEVILLE, Minnesota (March 5, 2012) - - Brentwood, Tennessee native Mason Mingus may not be a familiar fixture on the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards circuit - yet. Win-Tron Racing, considered by many, one of the most potent single-car operations in the series will hand the wheel of their No. 32 Toyota Camry to the rising phenom for Saturday’s Mobile ARCA 200 at Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway


Win-Tron Racing known for grooming up and comers has tightened their reins around Mingus all with the intentions of putting the former MMRA Mini Cup Series driver into contention in ARCA’s historic first visit to MIS.

Not only is the teenager juggling the books of being a High School scholar, but the 17-year old is excelling in his post-curricular activities in wrestling. Last month while the Win-Tron Racing team was partaking to the high-banks of Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Mingus was tackling the mats with his team in the State championship rounds after his team won their division title, where he placed an impressive fifth overall in his individual class.

With the former ARCA CRA-Super Series standout continuing to make noise throughout the hallways of his school, Mingus is now prepped and ready to return to business at the racetrack when he climbs aboard the No. 32 Call 811 Before You Dig Toyota Camry for his second career start in the ARCA Racing Series.

Mingus, in all aspects is used to pressure, so the bonus announcement of Win-Tron Racing expanding their newest protégés presence to a minimum of eight races on the 60-year old tour sheds light that Mingus will find himself gunning for another type of trophy by season’s end.

“I’ve been ready to go racing for a while,” said Mingus, a former competitor in the MMRA Baby Grand Series. “I’m excited about our race schedule increasing in the ARCA Racing Series. I think it’s going to help me immensely develop as a driver. I know I have a lot to learn and I’m going to be racing against some really good drivers, but it’s a comforting feeling to me knowing that I have the experience and faith of the group at Win-Tron Racing behind me. As a rookie, that eases the comfort level quite a bit.”

Call 811 Before You Dig, which leaped aboard for Mingus’s inaugural ARCA Racing Series debut last September at Salem (Ind.) Speedway has returned for the 2012 season and will hoist the title as the primary marketing partners of the team’s entry beginning with Saturday afternoon’s 200-lap dash.
811 is the new number you should call before you begin any digging project. A new, federally-mandated national "Call Before You Dig" number, 811 was created to help protect you from unintentionally hitting underground utility lines while working on digging projects. People digging often make risky assumptions about whether or not they should get their utility lines marked due to concerns about project delays, costs and previous calls about other projects. These assumptions can be life-threatening.
Every digging job requires a call – even small projects like planting trees or shrubs. If you hit an underground utility line while digging, you can harm yourself or those around you, disrupt service to an entire neighborhood and potentially be responsible for fines and repair costs.
“Call 811 Before You Dig is a great program and we want to increase their awareness and I feel that we’re going to make a major dent into that this season,” offered Mingus. “It’s really a great, informational service available and I’m extremely grateful to them for pairing up with me this season. Believe me, we’re going to do everything we can to spread their message and more importantly take them to Victory Lane!”
Nate Thiesse, co-car owner of Win-Tron Racing is eager to put his newest pupil behind the wheel of their Win-Tron Racing entries. He also admits that it won’t take long for the passion and devotion to set in for Mingus.
“We’ve worked with a lot of drivers, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a driver so passionate about winning and eager to dig right in with the team,” offered Thiesse. “There isn’t a question in my mind that he can climb into our No. 32 Call 811 Before You Dig Toyota and become a contender. Mobile’s going to be a strong field, but one of Mason’s strongest suites is that he adapts quickly, so that has propelled the team’s morale a bunch heading into the weekend.”
In addition to Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway, Mingus has increased his ARCA Racing Series schedule from five races to eight races with the option of adding more races becoming likely. In addition to Mobile, Salem (Ind.) Speedway, Toledo Speedway, Elko (Minn.) Speedway, Winchester (Ind.) Speedway, Iowa Speedway, Lucas Oil Raceway and the traditional Fall Salem (Ind.) Speedway classic have all been laid out as Mingus’s ARCA Racing Series current short track blitz.
In addition to Call 811 Before You Dig, Diamond Equipment has leaped aboard the team as an associate marketing partner for Mingus’s foray into the development series.

The Mobile ARCA 200 (200 laps / 100 miles) is the second of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The first ARCA race held at MIS is a two-day show. Practice begins Friday, March 9 with a three and a half hour practice session planned from 1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day at 7:00 p.m. An on-track autograph session has been etched in on race day, Saturday, March 10 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. The event will take the green flag shortly after 2:00 p.m. The race will not be televised on SPEED but additional race coverage including live timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com.  All times are local.

Further information including driver opportunities with Win-Tron Racing is available by visiting win-tronracing.com or contacting Nate Thiesse at 612.306.1641

For more input on Call 811 Before You Dig, please connect to call811.com.

For more on Mason Mingus, please visit MasonMingusRacing.com.

About Win-Tron Racing:

Located in Lakeville, Minnesota, Win-Tron Racing is the home of one the most potent ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards single-car operations. Owned by former racers Kevin Cywinski and Nate Thiesse, the team since has acquired the assets of County Joe Racing has become a favorable fixture on the circuit. Since Win-Tron Racing’s inception in 2007, the team has hosted a variety of drivers including leading drivers James Buescher, Blake Bjorklund, Justin Marks and Matt Merrell to their first career ARCA victories. In 2012, the team will begin its sixth year of competition under the helm of veteran crew chief Mike Chaffee with current drivers Chris Windom and Mason Mingus.

PHOTO CAPTION: Mason Mingus with his No. 32 Call 811 Before You Dig Toyota Camry in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards for Win-Tron Racing.

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Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 6.3.12 0 comments

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2012-02-20

Connected to ARCA's Past, Charlson Has Career Day;

For Immediate Release:

Monday, February 20, 2012

 

News & Notes from ARCA's Season Opener at Daytona

(TOLEDO, Ohio) - Drew Charlson had made just one ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards start prior to Saturday's Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.

 

 Last October, he finished an unremarkable 24th at Toledo Speedway, no surprise for a 17-year-old driver making his first competitive laps in the national tour. One year ago, Charlson attempted to qualify at Daytona, but couldn't make the 43-car field.

 

Now 18 - and just eight days past that milestone birthday on Saturday afternoon - Charlson improved upon his career debut and more than made up for last year's failure to start.

 

Charlson charged to the outside as race leader Brandon McReynolds ran out of gas on the final lap of Saturday's race, falling in line just behind Bobby Gerhart and pushing the veteran to a win just as both cars approached the start/finish line. Gerhart's win was his eighth in 25 starts, both Daytona ARCA records, and Charlson earned a runner-up finish that he'll remember forever.

 

"Bobby's spotter (Jason Jarrett) came on and he just said, 'Stick with them, stick with them,'" Charlson said. "I stuck to his bumper and came out of the turn to give him a shove. It's just amazing. This is my second ARCA start. We're just a small team working out of a two-car garage, and I can't thank everyone - Aluma Aluminum Trailers, AgriGold, and Heitkamp Crop Insurance - enough. It was just awesome."

 

With his Lap 83 heroics came the demise of the driver who had led Laps 19-82 - 64 in all: McReynolds.

 

"That's got to be heartbreaking," Charlson said, "to sit in the spot like he did. He led a lot of laps, and I feel for him. That's just the way it goes."

 

Charlson is from New Bremen, Ohio, the same town where sprint car driver Allen Crowe died in a racing accident in 1963. Crowe's name is familiar to many in the ARCA Racing Series; the Allen Crowe 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds is the first of ARCA's dirt track races each summer. Likewise, New Bremen Speedway, the track that took Crowe's life, hosted six ARCA events between 1957 and 1973.

 

He plans to run at least two more ARCA events this season.

 

"Right now, we plan on running the Talladega race. Aluma has stepped on board. Their home track is Iowa Speedway, so we're for sure doing those two tracks. Anything's open right now."

 

W. Kimmel Keeps it in One Piece, Earns Award: Will Kimmel's No. 68 Ford stands firmly in the middle ground in the ARCA Racing Series. The family name rings well in ARCA's 60th Anniversary Season, a year celebrating many accomplishments of ARCA's past - including those of Kimmel's father Bill, uncle Frank, and grandfather Bill. Frank is no longer part of the Kimmel Racing bunch, though, having departed for ThorSport Racing early in the offseason. The move leaves Will Kimmel as the face of a team with plenty of fan support and a famed name, but no major sponsor.

 

That mattered little to Will Kimmel on Saturday, though, as he finished third in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.

 

"Unbelievable," Kimmel said. "I feel like we stole that race. It was just unbelievable. Me and my team, we (started) 21st. The car did not draft at all in happy hour; it ran away from other cars. I'm ecstatic now. (Enterprise Software Development) on the quarter panel, Clarksville Schwinn and Crosley, they help out whenever they can, and we have an all-volunteer crew. I'm just happy to be here. We came out of here good."

 

Asked about his plans to carry the Kimmel name forward from a team's perspective in the ARCA Racing Series, the 23-year-old from Sellersburg, Ind. spoke uncertainly about what was next but said he hopes to have a plan soon.

 

"Right now, I'm not sure," he said. "I'm glad we got out of here in one piece and we're going to roll the car back in the trailer, of course. It looks like we're going to go to Mobile. I'm sure we'll figure something out, and run that, and maybe Salem and Talladega. We'll see what happens."

 

Another highlight of Kimmel's day came in one of ARCA's special award categories, as his rise of 18 spots from a 21st-place start gave him the first CGS Imaging Hard Charger of the Race Award for 2012. Bobby Gerhart's 41-position rise is not eligible for the award since he started with a provisional spot.

 

Daytona the Debut for 10: Ryan Reed, driving Venturini Motorsports' No. 15 JDRF Chevrolet, finished best among the 10 drivers making their first career ARCA Racing Series start in Saturday's race. Reed ran second to Brandon McReynolds for much of the afternoon, but finished 12th - still good enough to top fellow debut driver Fain Skinner by three spots.

 

Zach Ralston (18th) and Brandon Davis (19th) each finished in the top 20 while making their maiden ARCA starts.

 

Nelson Canache Jr. (22nd), Paulie Harraka (26th), Larry Barford Jr. (28th), Sloan Henderson (40th), Aleks Gregory (41st), and Bill Coffey (42nd) all made ARCA debuts.

 

Half of Top 10 New to Daytona: In all, 24 of the 43 drivers who started Saturday's race had never competed in an ARCA Racing Series event at Daytona International Speedway before this year.

 

Five of those drivers finished in the top 10, led by Charlson in second. Max Gresham, Brennan Poole, Chris Windom, and Alex Kennedy finished sixth through ninth, respectively.

 

F. Kimmel Disappointed, but Encouraged: Frank Kimmel finished 23rd in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200, the final driver on the lead lap after being penalized for advancing his position below the yellow line just before taking the checkered flag.

 

Kimmel was disappointed to miss his first Daytona victory in his 21st start at the track, and more frustrated with missing a sure top-10 finish because of the official decision. However, his run in the season opener has him feeling confident about his chances in 2012 with his new team, ThorSport Racing.

 

"This definitely wasn't the way we wanted to end this race," said the driver of the No. 44 Ansell/Menards Toyota, in a team press release. "It is an unfortunate situation. We had a good car in practice and the guys really worked their tails off to get this Daytona setup ready for us. This team just became a team six weeks ago, so it's a testament to their hard work that we could bring it home in the top 10. I understand the ruling, and again, it's unfortunate, but it is the sanctioning body's decision. We learned a lot today, and the positive is we're that much more close as a team going into Mobile in March. We'll get after it there."


First Trip to Mobile Next: The next race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards takes place Saturday, March 10 at Mobile International Speedway, and will 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.

 


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Brandon Davis Goes to Plate Racing School at Daytona with Andy Belmont Racing

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (February 20, 2012) - - Prior to coming to Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, the biggest oval Brandon Davis had competed on was one mile in length. The high banks of Daytona have always been a challenge for rookies, since 1959, but Davis made the most of his first restrictor plate race, running in big packs, and finishing on the lead lap in 19th position. As a road racer by trade, Davis’ late model background in California paved his way into the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West tour. Those ten starts in NASCAR’s west series paved the way and gave him the experience to put forth a solid effort at “The World Center of Racing.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Going to Daytona was a great experience, especially for the first few laps out it took a bit to get over the wow factor of driving there,” Davis said. “Restrictor plate racing is such a different animal than what I’ve experienced, but I think overall we did a good job being competitive and improving throughout the week.” 

Similar to his Andy Belmont Racing teammate, Mikey Kile, Davis stayed out of the big packs during practice sessions through the weekend. However, Davis was one of 18 cars that took time in Saturday’s “Happy Hour” to draft in small packs to warm up for the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.

After locking himself into his first ARCA start in Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell on Friday afternoon, Davis and his No. 2 ModSpace Ford Fusion team shifted their focus to formulate a strategy to get the California native as much experience as possible. Davis managed to complete all 83 laps, finish on the lead lap, and kept the No. 2 ModSpace Ford Fusion out of trouble. While falling a lap down past the halfway point, Davis managed to fight his way back on the lead lap to be a part of the action in the final stages.

“The green white checkered I think was good for us,” Davis said. “It allowed us to bunch up again and pick off more positions. It's difficult since there is no more give and take that late and you're hoping that there isn't another caution.”

During the 200 miles of action at Daytona in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200, Davis was able to put himself in many different positions throughout the field. Through the intensity that played out in the final stages, Davis managed to keep the nose clean on the ModSpace Ford and came home with a 19th place finish.  As a result, Daytona proved to be an important setup Davis’ development as an oval driver.

“I have to say thanks again to Andy Belmont, the Andy Belmont Racing team and ModSpace for allowing me to come out and compete at Daytona,” Davis sounded. “I feel like I was able to learn a lot over the course of the weekend and I'm looking forward to what the remainder of the 2012 season has in store.”

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards in their 60th Anniversary season will be the first of two stops in the state of Alabama with the sanctions first ever visit to Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway for the running of the Mobile ARCA 200 on Saturday, March 10.

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 http://www.modspace.com.

 

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.

 


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Tom Hessert Gathers Top-10 Finish In Wild Daytona Finish

 

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (February 20, 2012) - - Tom Hessert III earned his first top-10 finish at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway  (DIS) since 2008 Saturday in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season-opener, however Hessert’s car returned to the garage area mangled after being collected in an accident coming to the checkered flag in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.

 

 

 

Hessert under the direction of veteran crew chief Donnie Richeson were excited about their chances heading into “The World Center of Racing” and it was clear why. In the first practice session of the weekend on Thursday afternoon, Hessert posted the fourth fastest time overall giving the Ken Schrader Racing (KSR) good vibes about their No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Toyota Camry.

 

The good morale of the team continued into Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell when Hessert posted a time of 49.449 seconds at 182.006 miles per hour, which at the time was good enough for sixth, but when two cars failed post qualifying inspection, Hessert was lifted to fourth for the starting grid of the 49th annual ARCA event at DIS.

 

43 cars took the green flag with Hessert maintaining his presence inside the top-five. Hessert would find himself locked with outside pole sitter Ryan Reed on the high side but drifting back in the running order to 10th with the first caution flag waived on lap seven. It was then that Richeson elected to bring his protégé down pit road for a fuel only with Hessert returning to the track in the 19th position.

 

The former CARS Pro Cup Series (formally known as the USARacing Pro Cup Series) run back to the front though would be stalled when the No. 12 spun on the backstretch ultimately bringing out the second yellow flag of the day thus giving Richeson the opportunity to bring his driver to pit road for another splash of fuel.

 

Returning to the racetrack in the 33rd position, the veteran would have to show extreme patience in a field full of rookies to climb his No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Toyota Camry back towards the front.

 

By the half-way mark, Hessert found himself still clutched onto the lead draft but hovering in the 22nd position and surrounded by a gaggle full of racecars. Still, Hessert continued to march forward. By lap 63, Hessert had climbed the ladder and found himself in the 16th position.

 

A multi-car accident ensued on lap 79, bringing out the yellow flag and allowing the former NASCAR Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car driver to mentally prepare for the final laps of the race. Richeson though during the yellow informed his driver to bring his Japanese nameplate to pit road for a gas-‘n-go putting the Cherry Hill, New Jersey native 18th in the line-up.

 

With five laps remaining, Hessert immediately began trying to blast his way to the front utilizing the bumper of Chad Hackenbracht and Frank Kimmel to get there, Hessert moving forward would be halted with two laps to go when the No. 17 was spun bringing out the event’s final caution.

 

A green-white-checkered would be placed in the lap of Hessert. On the restart, Hessert continued to craft his way to the front but found himself taking abrasive actions coming to the checkered flag as the two leaders at the front of the pack ran out of fuel; contact from the chaos unraveled with Hessert being collected in the wreck and initially crossing the line 13th. Three drivers ahead of Hessert though were penalized for passing below the yellow line which raised Hessert into the top-10.

 

“It was an interesting race,” offered Hessert. “Our No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Toyota Camry was strong, and I have to give it all to these guys on the Ken Schrader Racing team. The outside line didn’t go at the start of the race, so we tried to use the cautions to our advantage. We were making headway to come back to the front and we stalled out there near the end of the race. We came down during the last stop just making sure we were good to go to the finish. Coming to the finish, the leaders ran out of gas and it sent everyone scattering to dodge them and it really just screwed everyone up and some cars got together and unfortunately we were collected. It doesn’t matter where you finish, you hate to bring home a wrecked racecar when you can see the checkered flag.”

 

Still with mixed feelings on the finish, Hessert was offering his thoughts on the upcoming superspeedway race at Talladega in May. “I’m looking forward to Talladega,” he added. “This (rule) package works a lot better at Talladega than it does at Daytona, so I think you’ll see a more exciting race there. Hopefully this car is salvageable and we can get it ready for Talladega, because I would love to take it back there.”

 

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will be the first of two stops in the state of Alabama with the sanctions first ever visit to Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway for the running of the Mobile ARCA 200 on Saturday, March 10.

 

Exiting Daytona, Hessert has 84 career ARCA Racing Series starts. In those outings, he has maneuvered two poles, one win, 19 top-fives and 44 top-10s.

 

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

 

Hessert has joined the Twitter crave. Follow and connect with him @TomHessert.

 


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