Catchfence

“Rookie Driver Todd Peck has Five Starts at Loudon Oval”

(Hanover, Penn.) September 19, 2011- With just two races left on their schedule in 2011, Peck Motorsports and their No. 96 Arthritis Foundation / Kids Get Arthritis Too Chevrolet team is ready for their best run of the season this weekend during the F.W. Webb 175 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway located in the city of Loudon. The track, one-mile in length, will be the largest the team competes on this season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS), but will also be the one where rookie driver Todd Peck has the most experience.

Peck has five previous starts at the flat New Hampshire Motor Speedway competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East division. The team has a best finish of 23rd at the track and will be looking to improve on that this weekend. They are coming off a four week break from their last truck series start and are well prepared for Saturday’s race.

The teams collaboration with the Arthritis Foundation and its Kids Get Arthritis Too campaign has provided kids with juvenile arthritis (JA) and their families the opportunity to attend the team’s races in 2011. The families are able to see the action up close and interact with Todd on race day, including touring the race hauler, getting an insider’s view of the garage and cheering on Todd in the grandstands during the race. Peck was diagnosed with JA at the age of 15 and is joined by more than 300,000 kids across the country who suffer from the condition.

The team hopes to compete in the NCWTS full-time in 2012 and is currently seeking sponsors.

Comments from the driver of the No. 96 Arthritis Foundation / Kids Get Arthritis Too truck going into New Hampshire:

“Well, we’ve been to New Hampshire in the past. Looking at our schedule so far, I had never raced at Iowa, Indy or Bristol. So, going into this weekend, at least we’ve got some notes and a little bit of familiarity with the track. It’s still going to be different for us, making our first attempt there in the truck series, but we feel pretty good about it. We had some time off before this race and we know we’re ready.

“Our last time out at Bristol was disappointing, but we’re moving forward. Our last two races are here and then at Martinsville. We just feel really good about these two races because they are tracks that are similar to the ones where we have the most experience. They are flat tracks and you really have to drive them carefully. I just feel that we can run well these last two races.

“I’m really looking forward to hosting the families again. It’s always great to host kids with juvenile arthritis at the track. I love that we can provide them with such a great opportunity, and the expression on their faces throughout the whole experience is priceless. It is kind of a humbling for me too. It just puts things in perspective during the race weekend when things can get so crazy.

“It has also been a pleasure to spread that word about a condition that many people are not aware of. Before I was diagnosed, I thought of arthritis as something my grandparents had. I never imagined that I could have this condition or kids across the country were already dealing with this condition. Again, it’s just been fun to work with the Arthritis Foundation and having the kids at the track. It’s been great and we’re hoping to continue this next season.”

About Peck Motorsports

Peck Motorsports is the only professional NASCAR race team headquartered in central Pennsylvania. Founded in 1988, Peck Motorsports is a family operation. Brothers Dr. Mike Peck and Tom Peck operated the team with success throughout the 90s. Today the team is still led by Dr. Mike Peck, but this time with son Todd Peck behind the wheel.

The family has a long, trusted history in the sport. Tom Peck has numerous top-10 and top-five finishes in the highest ranks of NASCAR. Todd Peck is the next generation of Peck Motorsports hoping to carry on the legacy of proud Pennsylvania racers. The team is currently looking for primary sponsorship in 2012 to support their collaboration with the Arthritis Foundation.

About the Arthritis Foundation

Striking one in every five adults and 300,000 children, arthritis is the nation’s leading cause of disability. The Arthritis Foundation (www.arthritis.org) is committed to raising awareness and reducing the impact of this serious, painful and unacceptable disease, which can severely damage joints and rob people of living life to its fullest. The Foundation funds life-changing research that has restored mobility in patients for more than six decades; fights for health care policies that improve the lives of the millions who live with arthritis; and partners with families to provide empowering programs and information.

Juvenile Arthritis (JA) affects more than 300,000 children in the U.S. JA is a term to describe the many autoimmune and inflammatory conditions that can develop in children ages 16 and younger. There are several different types of JA.

- Breaking Limits Press Release