Catchfence

“Louisiana Native Hoping for Big Things Out of First Late Model Stock Car Season”

CONCORD, NC (March 2, 2011) – Sixteen-year-old Joey Herques is poised and ready to get rolling with his 2011 racing season. The Louisiana native is stepping out of his 2010 Limited Late Model season and into his 2011 run at the UARA-Stars Late Model Stock Car tour’s Rookie of the Year title with a full head of steam.

“It’s really great that we get to run the full season and for the Rookie of the Year Award,” explained Herques. “Not a lot of people have that opportunity. I know there were only maybe 16 cars that ran the full season in UARA last year, so it’s really something special to us that we get to run a full year and actually get to fill in some races on the off weekends as well.”

Herques’ 2010 season consisted of a game plan of merely getting his feet wet with some seat time in a Limited Late Model. However, Herques and his team were pleasantly surprised by their successes and immediately began setting higher goals.

“Last year was great for us. We did really well; we finished second in only our fourth race. Then, there at the end of the year we went down to Pensacola (FL) and ran the Snowflake, which was definitely a big step. With those successes behind us I’m looking forward to seeing what we can actually do in a full stock car this year instead of just a Limited. I’m really looking forward to it.”

With a schedule that takes them to historic venues such as Hickory Motor Speedway, Rockingham Speedway, and North Wilkesboro Speedway, Joey Herques is ready to meet the challenge of these tough tracks and ready to learn.

“There are a good amount of races I’m really looking forward to,” said Herques. “Especially Rockingham, I’ve heard from a couple of different people who went there and they say it’s something special. You hear a lot about Rockingham so that’s the one that stands out the most to me that I’m really excited about getting to.”

With the successes of their previous season pushing them, Joey Herques and his #26 team are motivated to keep up their momentum and continue posting the finishes they need to secure their spot as the 2011 UARA-Stars Rookie of the Year. Doing so would etch Herques’ name in the history books alongside previous Rookies of the Year such as Danny O’Quinn, Steven Wallace and Matt DiBenedetto, who have all since found success in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

“With running the full season we’ve got the great opportunity to run for Rookie of the Year,” explained Herques. “A lot of people can’t do that and it’s really special to be able to say that you get to run for Rookie of the Year in a prestigious racing series like this. It’s just another step in the right direction getting us to where we want to be. Looking at all of those guys that actually did get Rookie of the Year, and knowing what a great opportunity we have this season and knowing it could be me, really makes me look up to them.”

“This past season our goal was just to stay out of the wall, and then by our third race we were looking to finish in the top-3 and in our fourth race we finished second. It was a really big step for us and after that we were disappointed in finishing fourth or fifth, knowing we could do better. When you go back week after week finishing second or third and getting so close to the win, you just have to keep pushing and that’s what we’re going to do this year. We’re going to go out there looking to get hooked up with some guys that can help us and start looking forward to getting back up to that top spot.”

Herques will kick off his 2011 UARA-Stars Rookie of the Year campaign on March 12th at Hickory Motor Speedway.

For more information on Joey Herques, be sure to check out the all-new JoeyHerques.com.

- 51 Sports Press Release