Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR)

“I am very excited to be joining Eddie Sharp Racing as a development driver in 2012,” commented Jones. “I wouldn’t be getting this opportunity if it wasn’t for the success I had in 2011 from the coaching and car management of Bubba Gale, Cale Gale and everyone else at Gale Force.”

Brandon Jones

“Brandon is a talented young driver, and I’m very honored and excited to be able to play a part in developing his career,” commented Miller. “We have a full schedule planned this season with him racing between 32 and 34 races across the three series. It should be a lot of fun.”

Over the years, ESR has proven to be a top-team for developing young talent with drivers like Justin Lofton, Michael McDowell, Scott Speed and Craig Goess all finding success in ESR equipment in the form of championships, rookie of the year honors, and race wins.

“Having the opportunity to work with Brandon at such a young age, and at the beginning of his career, is not only exciting, but it’s also what we do,” commented Eddie Sharp, team owner. “It keeps us well-grounded and close to the principles that built Eddie Sharp Racing into a successful team, while at the same time we move in to the upper ranks of NASCAR. Watching everything come together as an owner this season is both exciting and rewarding—I’m looking forward to realizing our potential and experiencing success with each of our racing programs.”

Jones will make his debut with Eddie Sharp Racing at SpeedFest 2012, January 27-29, at Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele, Ga., where he will race the No. 33s Rheem Chevrolet in the Rheem 150.

About Eddie Sharp Racing

Eddie Sharp Racing (TeamESR.com) is a championship winning race team housed in a 40,000 square-foot facility in Denver, N.C. After just four short years of competition within the ARCA Racing Series, the team impressively accumulated upwards of 20 race wins. 2009 was a pivotal year for ESR, as they dominated the series with six race wins, 15 top-fives and 19 top-10s en route to the series championship with driver Justin Lofton. In 2010, ESR made the transition to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In 2011, Sharp and Lofton were reunited within truck competition. In 2012, ESR will expand to three teams, with Lofton set to return to the No. 6 Chevrolet Silverado, Cale Gale set to join the team behind the wheel of the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Silverado, and a third driver to be named later.

- Eddie Sharp Racing Press Release

Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR)

What he didn’t envision was perhaps a three-truck operation as soon as 2012.

But when team owners Kevin and DeLana Harvick opted to sell their organization’s equipment in June 2011, Sharp accelerated his plan, and as a result, Eddie Sharp Racing will field three trucks starting with the season-opening race in February.

“This is a huge jump and I have a tremendous amount of respect for that,” Sharp said after buying the assets to two KHI trucks in September. “But all of the lessons I’ve learned over the eight or nine years has been preparing me for this opportunity.

“This is an opportunity to do something positive, keep people working and put ourselves on the map where we need to be, where I fully intend to be. I’m not here just to be here. I want to make this a very successful, thriving team. I want to put ESR on the map and to utilize what KHI built is almost a no-brainer.”

Sharp hopes that his Eddie Sharp Racing will be talked about in the same conversations that included KHI and the likes of Kyle Busch Motorsports as far as the teams to beat in the trucks.

He will field three trucks in 2012 with Justin Lofton, Cale Gale and one other driver. Lofton won the 2009 ARCA title for Sharp and ended the 2011 season driving for Sharp after breaking away from Germain Racing.

“We’re here to compete for wins and compete for championships,” Sharp said. “I could have not made this big of a leap and we could have slowed everything down – and it would have been much more expensive and a much longer time frame to get where we want to be.”

- SPEEDtv.com

Alli Owens

The former South Daytona resident and new mother is scheduled to return to the ARCA Series and participate in today’s test session at Daytona International Speedway.

The 23-year-old driver missed most of the 2011 season to have a baby.

“It’s so weird when women get pregnant and people around them think, ‘OK, that’s her life now, as a mom,’ ” Owens said. “They forget we have careers.

“It’s a little unfair to think if a woman has a baby, that from that point forward, all she will be is a mother. Being a mom was part of the plan, and now I want to go back out and race.”

Alli and her husband, Paul Chodora, who live in Charlotte, were joined by Braelynn Chodora — 19 1/2 inches long; 6 pounds, 13 ounces — in October.

Now back to full strength, Owens — who has 32 career ARCA starts — will be driving Andy Belmont’s No. 1 Ford.

“The last time I was in a racecar was my attempt to make the Truck (Series) race at Daytona in February,” Owens said.

Owens raised the money to race with a grass-roots program, but she failed to qualify for the 100-lap season-opening event.

When Owens started sending out feelers for a 2012 NASCAR or ARCA ride, Belmont was one of the first people on the phone with the new mother.

- Daytona Beach News-Journal

The local law enforcement officer spent two days this past fall in NASCAR country and is getting a chance to chase his dream of becoming a professional NASCAR driver.

On Sept. 26, Johnson spent two days testing an ARCA car at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway where the likes of Richard Petty, Junior Johnson and Ned Jarrett once raced. This opportunity was given to him by Chris Lafferty, owner of Lafferty Motorsports. Lafferty Motorsports is well-known in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series and also has ties to late model and street stock divisions.

As a kid, Johnson always wanted to get into stock car racing and one day race in NASCAR. He raced in motocross for several years and loved competing with the other riders, but wanted to go elsewhere with his racing career. His passion has always been in NASCAR with hopes of one day racing in the Sprint Cup Series. But with stock car racing being such an expensive sport, he never thought that dream would become a reality. That is until he met with Lafferty.

On the first day at Hickory, Lafferty familiarized Johnson with the track and discussed his expectations of consistency, drive, dedication and a positive attitude. Johnson soon began running laps around the historic speedway.

- Gaston Gazette

Fain Skinner

“It is great to have the kind of support a community such as Live Oak offers,” the easygoing Skinner said. “In a larger town, people don’t know who you are.”

Although he races in one of NASCAR’s premiere series, the Nationwide Series, Skinner would much rather be recognized as the father of two from Live Oak, who happens to race cars than the Nationwide race car driver who happens to be from Live Oak.

Locally, Skinner can be seen with his wife, Hannah, and their 16-month-old twin sons, Cale and Cole. Hannah is the daughter of Andy and Cheryl Jackson.

“When not at the track, I am either working or spending time with my family,” Skinner said.

The Ford 300 will be the final race of the 2011 Nationwide season and is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. It can be viewed on ESPN2 and Skinner will be seen driving the black number 39 Carport Empire.com-Rimrock Design Ford.

According to Keen, the offseason will be busy, preparing for Daytona in February where Skinner will compete in both the ARCA and Nationwide races.

- Read More From The Suwannee Democrat

No. 98 Ferrellgas / Agrisure Viptera / Drive for Savings Chevrolet Silverado

“Even though I haven’t raced at Homestead before I’m not too worried. All tracks we go to have their differences but a lot of tracks have similarities, so I can apply some of what I have learned before. The thing I will work on the most is just the track’s differences and the line to run, which can be different from year to year anyway because of the way tracks age or just by how your truck is handling,” Armstrong noted.

New Partner in EverFi: The No. 98 will have a new sponsor donning the rear quarter panels this weekend at Homestead as EverFi joins ThorSport Racing. EverFi, Inc. is the leading education technology company to teach, assess, and certify students in critical skills. EverFi teams with major corporations and foundations to provide programs to schools at no cost and is spreading into new facilities in its national movement across the 50 states. EverFi enables students to learn using the latest technology, including rich media, high-definition video, diagrams and avatars.EverFi’s education learning platforms include Financial Literacy, Student Loan Management, Digital Literacy, Cyberbullying, Alcohol Abuse and Sexual Assault Awareness, and additional product areas to be announced in early 2012.

Drive For Savings and UMDF: Dakoda Armstrong will honor a foundation special to his family this weekend at Homestead with the help of Drive For Savings. The United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (UMDF) logo will ride on the No. 98 to raise awareness for this debilitating disease. Mitochondrial diseases result from the failure of the mitochondria, which are responsible for creating more than 90% of the energy needed to support growth and sustain life and are located in the cells of our bodies. When mitochondria fail, less energy is produced causing cell injury or cell death. There is no cure for mitochondrial disease. Armstrong’s cousins, Erikka and Seth, were both diagnosed with mitochondrial disorders.

“We are very delighted that Dakoda is helping us raise awareness for mitochondrial disease. This disease affects his family, and we are honored that he is supporting us in so many ways, including putting the logo on his truck,” said CEO/Executive Director of the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation Charles A. Mohan, Jr.

Prepped for 2012: With six starts prior to Homestead in the NCWTS, Armstrong and his No. 98 team lead by veteran crew chief Dan Stillman head into next season with some notes, ideas and real racing experience on their side. Armstrong feels his seat time this season, along with watching from his teammates’ pit boxes when he’s not competing, has helped prepare him for a solid run at the 2012 Rookie of the Year.

“It’s been hard sitting on the sidelines in between my races, but I’ve learned a lot from watching Johnny and Matt. I’ve learned that being very consistent is what’s going to win races and championships, and the more you can minimize your mistakes, the better your year is going to be. We really plan on using that strategy next year and just want to keep improving,” Armstrong said.

Gifts For The Holiday Season? ThorSport Has You Covered: Even though the season is coming to a close, you can still find that ThorSport Racing merchandise for the race fan in your family in our online store. We encourage everyone to check out our special deals at http://store.thorsport.com. If you can’t make it out to the new shop in Sandusky, you can now purchase merchandise online.

ThorSport Online Store Now Open: Long awaited by all, the ThorSport Racing online store is now open! We encourage everyone to check out our newest addition at http://store.thorsport.com. If you can’t make it out to the new shop in Sandusky, you can now purchase merchandise online.

Chassis History: The Ferrellgas/EverFi/Drive For Savings team has prepared “The Workhorse” chassis No. 23 for competition once again for the final event of the season. Armstrong has piloted this particular machine in three starts, including his best finish of the year (9th) at Kentucky Speedway in October.

Dakoda Armstrong

What kind of preparations have you made before heading to Homestead-Miami for the first time?

“I’ve played some NASCAR 2011 to see what Homestead is like, but I haven’t had a chance to talk to anyone who has experience there about it much yet. I plan on doing that once we get there and it’s fresher in everyone’s mind.”

You scored your best finish of the year at another 1.5-mile oval at Kentucky. Do you think there will be any similarities?

“We had a really great truck at Kentucky and I think some things will transfer. We’ve had a long break since that race at Kentucky and that might challenge us a little, but we’ll just have to continue to work on it and get more speed out of the truck right away during practice and adapt quicker.”

What do you think about having another teammate in Frank Kimmel?

“Obviously the more teammates you have, the more information you have available to you, and that’s helpful no matter where you go. But having someone like Frank Kimmel who has been racing longer than I have been alive means there is a lot of experience there and I’m looking forward to picking his brain on some things this weekend.”

About ThorSport Racing:

ThorSport Racing, based in Sandusky, Ohio, is the longest tenured active NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. ThorSport Racing’s first came at the Milwaukee Mile on July 6, 1996. NASCAR’s only Ohio-based team, which has run full season schedules annually beginning in 1998, currently runs the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado driven by Matt Crafton, and the No. 13 Safe Auto/Curb Records Chevrolet driven by Johnny Sauter.

ThorSport Racing has wheeled into Victory Lane with Terry Cook, Matt Crafton, and Johnny Sauter since its inception and has finished a dominating seven times within the top 10 in points with both trucks. In April 2011, Sauter wheeled into Victory Lane at Martinsville Speedway. In 2009 and 2010, both Crafton and Sauter finished in the top five in driver points. In 2011, ThorSport Racing has moved into a state-of-the-art, world-class, 100,000 square foot racing facility in Sandusky, and has also expanded its operations with the addition of a third NCWTS team, the No. 98. The team is set to run select races in 2011, and full-time in 2012 with Rookie of the Year contender Dakoda Armstrong.

Ferrellgas

Ferrellgas originated as a family-owned propane company, founded in 1939 in Atchison, Kansas. Now headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, Ferrellgas has grown through acquisitions and an unwavering dedication to customer service and safety, and is now the premier propane provider in the United States. It is also the largest provider of propane by branded propane tank exchange through its Blue Rhino brand and serves approximately 1 million Customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.Ferrellgas.com.

EverFi

EverFi, Inc. is the leading education technology company to teach, assess, and certify students in critical skills. EverFi’s education learning platforms include Financial Literacy, Student Loan Management, Digital Literacy, Cyberbullying, Alcohol Abuse and Sexual Assault Awareness, and additional product areas to be announced in early 2012. The company is powering a national movement in 50 states that enables adults and students to learn using the latest technology, including adaptive pathing, rich media, high-definition video, simulations, and avatars. To date, over 4 million students have been certified in EverFi’s online learning platforms, which not only track knowledge gains but also measure student attitudes on these important topics. Learn more at www.everfi.com

Drive For Savings

Drive For Savings, based in Middletown, Indiana, was founded as a fundraising company, providing solutions to the lack of funding issue that most organizations face on a daily basis. Honored to be a member of a network that has been built over the past 27 years and has served over 15 million members, Drive For Savings creates innovative fundraising programs that are designed to meet the specific needs of any organization through the sale of discount cards. The Drive For Savings (DFS) cards are linked to a nationwide discount program that offers discounts at over 260,000 locations and are sold for $25 each. Each card sale earns money for the specific organization that sells it. The goal of DFS is to help organizations succeed by earning necessary funds and will increase revenue without adding labor. Each program is 100% designed, managed and tracked by the DFS staff. Drive For Savings is proud to sponsor NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Dakoda Armstrong and the No. 98 ThorSport Racing team. For more information, please visit www.DriveForSavings.com.

ABOUT THE UMDF

Founded in 1996, the UMDF works to promote research and education for the diagnosis, treatment and cure of mitochondrial diseases and to provide support for affected individuals and families. Since its inception, the UMDF has funded nearly $8 million in research, making it the leading non-governmental contributor of grants focused solely on mitochondrial disease. The UMDF, based in Pittsburgh, PA., is a national organization, represented by 65 chapters, groups and ambassadors around the United States and thousands of members who participate in groups and as ambassadors around the world. For more information about mitochondrial disease or the UMDF, visit www.umdf.org.

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

ThorSport Racing

“This is an exciting move for ThorSport Racing, and we’re looking forward to growing together with the ARCA Racing Series and long-term with Frank Kimmel and his team,” said Matthew LaNeve, Vice President of Motorsports Partnerships for ThorSport Racing. “Frank obviously has a pedigree of success within the series, as well as a history of setting the bar high for the rest of the field. ThorSport has had a long-standing pattern of excellence & championship caliber teams in the NCWTS with Matt Crafton, Johnny Sauter and now rookie Dakoda Armstrong. We felt this was the right move at the right time.”

The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is an auto racing sanctioning body in the United States, founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The ARCA Racing Series races stock cars similar to those seen in past years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and indeed most cars used in the ARCA Racing Series were previously used in NASCAR. “The level of competition in the ARCA Racing Series has impressed us, and we felt this was a great opportunity with Frank,” said David Pepper, Team Manager & Competition Director for ThorSport Racing. “With our NASCAR resources and knowledge base, as well as being geographically close to many of the ARCA races, we felt it was a natural fit. This partnership not only forges a great relationship for competitive racing in our organization; it also encourages job growth in the North Coast as we continue to seek out exceptional talent in the area.”

“The ARCA Racing Series prides itself on being at the cusp of growth for its fans and teams each year, which makes this partnership an exciting one for our 2012 season,” said Mark Gundrum, Vice President of Marketing & Communications for ARCA. “”ThorSport Racing will provide a great opportunity for Frank to meet his goals, and should provide Ansell, Menards, and ARCA with additional business-to-business avenues and opportunities. We welcome ThorSport to ARCA with open arms. The organization is a first-class, proven contender and we’re thrilled to add their competitive experience to our top series. We look forward to watching not only the relationship grow, but also the competition intensify on track for our fans and SPEED viewers.”

“It has been a pleasure to have Frank Kimmel represent Ansell in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards the last three years,” said Steve York, Director of Channel and Vertical Development for Ansell. “As our representative, Frank reflects the qualities of Ansell’s employees worldwide – dedication, loyalty and a desire to be the best at what we do. We are thrilled to partner with Menards along with ThorSport Racing as they also exemplify these qualities as a proven winner on and off the track. Ansell looks forward to a very successful season and the presentation of Frank’s 10th ARCA Racing Series Championship trophy.”

Frank Kimmel

ABOUT THORSPORT RACING:

ThorSport Racing, based in Sandusky, Ohio, is the longest tenured active NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. ThorSport Racing’s first race came at the Milwaukee Mile on July 6, 1996. NASCAR’s only Ohio-based team, which has run full season schedules annually beginning in 1998, currently runs the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet driven by Matt Crafton; the No. 13 Safe Auto/Curb Records Chevrolet driven by Johnny Sauter; and the No. 98 Ferrell Gas / Agrisure Chevrolet driven by Dakoda Armstrong.

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

T3R Racing

In racing, it’s often said that winning isn’t easy. For Silas and his T3R team, that couldn’t have been farther from the truth. The weekend started off on a soggy note as persistent rain showers eventually forced the cancellation of all track activity on Friday.

With Friday washed out, Saturday would be a full deck. From the moment that the ARCA Racing Series veteran hit the pavement – it was evident that he was to be considered a factor.

In his sixth start of the season and fifth CARS start at the historic one-mile oval, Silas, in his No. 11 Richmond County Hospice / Rockingham Speedway Ford Fusion, qualified on the outside pole, a career-best for the rising star, driving the same car he made his debut in for this series five years ago.

When the green flag was thrown the battle was on. Driver strategy and tire conversation would ultimately play out to be a deciding factor in the overall outcome of the final race of the season. While Silas remained hovering solidly inside the top-five, the team led by crew chief Cal Boprey elected to make a gutsy call approaching lap 80.

While the leaders took tires and fuel, Boprey elected to keep his driver on the same tires he started the event on, sending Silas’s blue oval back out onto the race course with a fuel-only pit stop.

Hoping for a caution shortly after racing resumed, the team knew that having fresh rubber would be pivotal towards a strong finish. However, the plan nearly backfired on them as the racing turned into a long green flag run which allowed leader Jeff Agnew to strike within 1,000 feet of putting the Floridian a lap down before the yellow flag waived – yielding an immediate sense of relief from both the driver and team.

There wasn’t any time to rejoice though – as the T3R crew had to quickly prepare for their pilot to bring his Ford Fusion down pit road for some much needed tires and a full tank of gas to enable Silas to throttle hard to the end.

Restarting in 10th, Silas’s lap times were nearly two seconds quicker than the leaders and as the race came to a close, the eyes of the spotters and fans were glued on the No. 11 Richmond County Hospice / Rockingham Speedway Ford Fusion as he sliced and diced his way through the pack before finding himself on the back bumper of leader Agnew.

Without any resistance from the eventual champion, Silas was able to burst into the top-spot for the final 15 laps where he captured his first ever checkered flag in a National Touring Series.

Bryan Silas, driver of the No. 11 Richmond County Hospice / Rockingham Speedway Ford Fusion in CARS Pro Cup Series competition celebrates in victory lane at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway on Saturday, November 5.

He added, “This win is extra special to me, since my mentor Andy (Hillenburg), who is the president and promoter of Rockingham Speedway, was there. We couldn’t believe we were standing in victory lane. It felt great! I want to thank my team, my family and all those who have supported me and my racing career throughout the years. This win is for them.”

Silas’s first career triumph occurred in his 26th career CARS Pro Cup Series start. In six races this season, he recorded one win, three top-fives and five top-10 finishes.

While a 2012 racing schedule hasn’t been finalized for Bryan Silas, he made it crystal clear exiting “The Rock” that he will be back for more CARS Pro Cup Series competition next year.

“This series is such a blast to compete in,” Silas sounded. “It really is a stepping stone for someone moving up from a lower division of racing. The competition often resembles that of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) which proves to be a great stomping ground for any driver wishing to make that climb up to the big leagues. Whatever develops for next year, we’re going to make sure we come back and race in CARS, because the series means that much to me.”

The T3R team will now shift their concentration back to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) where Silas will return to the No. 09 Ford F-150 for the running of the Ford 200, the 25th and final race of their season at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway on Friday, November 18. Silas has made five starts already this year, most recently at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in October.

For more on Bryan Silas please visit, BryanSilasRacing.com.

- T3R Press Release

Mobile International Speedway

The ARCA-Mobile 200 at Alabama’s Fastest Half Mile will be the second stop on the 2012 ARCA Series schedule after starting the year at Daytona International Speedway. The ARCA series has developed a reputation as the most versatile driving series in the world, racing on superspeedways, speedways, road courses, short tracks and even on dirt. The ARCA-Mobile 200 will be the first stop at Mobile International Speedway in the series 60 year history.

Tickets are available on line at www.mobilespeedway.net, at local ticket outlets Bob’s Speed Shop and Praytor Realty or by phone at 251-957-2063.

- Mobile Speedway Press Release

Brad Keselowski Racing Logo Thumbnail

“This is a historic day for Brad Keselowski Racing and I have a great deal of personal pride in making this announcement,” said team owner Brad Keselowski. “To have both Cequent and Cooper Standard join our program in such a significant way provides us with the platform to compete for the championship in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Both companies have very specific business and marketing objectives for the program and everyone at BKR will work to exceed Cequent’s and Cooper Standard’s expectations at the race track and in the marketplace.”

Cequent’s sponsorship of Keselowski and BKR, which also includes primary sponsorship for 15 Truck Series races in 2013 and 18 Truck Series races in 2014, is designed to drive exposure for its brands such as Draw-Tite and Reese Towpower, strengthen relationships with retail partners, and generate new business opportunities.

“We see Brad Keselowski and his team as terrific marketing fits for our company, its brands, and products,” stated Tom Benson, President of Cequent Performance Products. “The NASCAR Truck Series audience is undoubtedly our target market and Brad extends Cequent’s reach to the NASCAR Cup and Nationwide audiences. This program also presents some meaningful business opportunities for both our Performance Products and Consumer Products divisions. The partnership has all the elements to be a complete success for Cequent and for Brad’s team. We very much look forward to seeing the No. 29 Truck take the track in 2012.”

Cooper Standard’s expanded relationship with Brad Keselowski’s No. 29 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry in 2012 mirrors its broader commitment to the automotive aftermarket as the company looks to widen its offering of innovative products to the aftermarket. The company first worked with BKR in 2011 for three races.

“Brad and his team continually seek innovative solutions to perform at the highest level,” said Jim McElya, chairman and CEO, Cooper Standard. “We feel that this commitment to innovation, combined with his Michigan heritage and dedication to helping the local community, make Brad and his team ideal partners to help Cooper Standard further expand in the aftermarket and specialty vehicle markets.”

For more information, please visit www.bradracing.com, www.cequentgroup.com, www.cequentconsumerproducts.com, and www.cooperstandard.com.

For an electronic media kit, please visit http://tiny.cc/tdazu

About Cequent

Cequent, a TriMas company, based out of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan is an operating group that is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of accessories for light trucks, sport utility vehicles, recreation vehicles, passenger cars and trailers of all types. Products include towing and hitch systems, trailer components and accessories, and electrical, brake, cargo carrying and rack systems. The group consists of 3 business units: Cequent Performance Products, Cequent Consumer Products and Cequent Australia. Cequent draws upon a 100-year old heritage of superior towing and trailer brands (Draw-Tite, Reese, Fulton, Wesbar, Bulldog, Highland, Hidden Hitch, Bargman, ROLA and Tekonsha). Cequent employs approximately 2,070 associates. For further information, contact Mark Gage mgage@cequentgroup.com or visit Cequent at www.cequentgroup.com and www.cequentconsumerproducts.com.

About Cooper Standard

Cooper Standard, headquartered in Novi, Mich., is a leading global supplier of systems and components for the automotive industry. Products include body sealing systems, fluid handling systems and anti-vibration systems. Cooper Standard employs more than 21,000 people globally and operates in 19 countries around the world. For further information, contact Sharon Wenzl sswenzl@cooperstandard.com or visit Cooper Standard at www.cooperstandard.com.

About Brad Keselowski Racing

Based in Mooresville, North Carolina and led by NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series driver Brad Keselowski, Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR) fields the No. 29 RAM in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. BKR, with the aim to provide young talented drivers the opportunity to improve their skills with a professional, competitive team, has also fielded entries in the ARCA Series and other developmental motorsport series. For more information, please visit www.bradracing.com.

- Brad Keselowski Racing Press Release

No. 32 Cyclone Anaya's Mexican Kitchen Chevrolet Silverado

Cyclone Anaya’s No. 32 Chevy Silverado… The No. 32 Chevy Silverado will have a new look on track this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Cyclone Anaya’s Mexican Kitchen will adorn the hood of Blake Feese’s No. 32 machine. Created by former Mexican professional wrestler Cyclone Anaya, the Mexican eatery has become a staple in the Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston areas. The restaurant serves up “Fine Mex,” a blend of the traditional and the modern. Items like Lobster Enchiladas in Chardonnay cream sauce, Lump Crab Nachos, or delicious Carolina’s Mixed Grill are the hallmarks of their exciting approach to food. They have a well-earned reputation for legendary margaritas and even make their own Agave Tequila.

Chassis TMS-020… The No. 32 Cyclone Anya’s Mexican Kitchen Chevrolet Silverado team will unload chassis TMS-020 for Friday evening’s 250-mile event. This chassis last saw action at Chicagoland Speedway, where Steve Arpin started from the pole position and brought home a 16th-place finish. TMS-020 also has a pair of starts earlier this season at Texas Motor Speedway where Arpin started fourth, led six laps and finished 23rd, as well as Kentucky Speedway where he started 13st and finished in the 12th position.

Turner Motorsports Texas Style… Turner Motorsports NCWTS and NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) stables head home to the Lone Star State this weekend. With the team’s original headquarters in Hallettsville, Texas, this is a special track for the organization. Turner’s youngest daughter, Kris, and current Turner Motorsports driver, James Buescher, have both won championships for the organization racing Bandolero cars at the 1.5-mile tri-oval. Buescher captured the organization’s first NASCAR pole award in the November 2010 NNS event. Buescher is in a heated battle for the NCWTS championship that is sure to come down to the wire at Homestead-Miami Speedway. So far in 2011 the Turner Motorsports NCWTS stable has earned four poles, 12 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes, while the NNS stable has captured three wins, 21 top-five and 60 top-10 finishes thus far in 2011.

About Blake… Feese got his start racing quarter midgets at the age of 10. He progressed through the winged sprint car ranks over the years winning championships and prestigious races including wins at Knoxville Speedway, Eldora Speedway and the Dirt Track at Charlotte. In 2003, Feese made the switch to stock cars, competing in the ARCA Racing Series. In 2004, he partnered with Hendrick Motorsports, winning his first ARS event at Nashville Superspeedway. He went on to earn two wins, two top-five and four top-10 finishes that year. The next year he competed in six NNS races and also made his NCWTS debut at Kentucky Speedway. Following a year running the sprint car circuit, he returned to the ARS in 2007, running a limited schedule and earning one top-five and four top-10 finishes in four starts. In 2009, he made his second NCWTS start at Nashville Superspeedway finishing in 12th place.

Live On The Airwaves & Radiowaves… Live coverage of the Winstar World Casio 350K will take place on Friday, Nov. 4th beginning at 8:00 p.m. EDT. The race will be televised live on SPEED and broadcast on the MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Blake Feese (Photo Credit: CIA Photo)

“I’m ready to get to Texas this weekend. We have a pretty good mile and a half program and the guys have been working hard for this weekend. We have been solid at different points throughout each weekend, but need to work on putting a full race together in order to get the results we deserve. I’m confident we’ll be able accomplish this goal in Texas. Last time there all three trucks were fast and qualified well, and if we keep our nose clean I’m confident we’ll give the Cyclone Anaya’s Mexican Kitchen Chevy a strong finish.”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

Coulter Motorsports Driver Development

MATT LOFTON

No. 97STRUTMASTERS.com Toyota Tundra

Race Advance

Date:October 29, 2011
Event: Kroger 200
Track: Martinsville Speedway
Team: Coulter Motorsports

Lofton Believes Third Times a Charm at Martinsville: Having competed in a vast array of racing series during his career, Matt Lofton has made two starts in the illustrious NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS), both at the historic Martinsville Speedway. While both races ended with less than anticipated results, Lofton fared well during his last attempt, running within the top-ten before being caught in a late race incident.

A Roxboro, NC native, Lofton often refers to Martinsville Speedway as one of his favorite tracks, not only due to the close proximity to his home (65 miles), but also because of the intricacy at traversing the half-mile paperclip. Lofton, who formerly competed in the NCWTS, ARCA and USAR Pro Cup under his own banner of Matt Lofton Motorsports, has since joined forces with Coulter Motorsports, christening the relationship earlier this summer at Iowa Speedway and later Kansas Speedway in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. Coulter Motorsports is owned by Joe Coulter, father to Richard Childress Racing NCWTS driver Joey Coulter (No. 22), who competed with the team in the ARCA Series several times throughout the 2011 season.

Lofton and Team at Martinsville: Lofton has competed twice at the famed facility, starting 21st and finishing 31st during the October 23, 2010 event and starting 25th before coming home 23rd in April 2, 2011. His Coulter Motorsports team, led by veteran crew chief and 2010 ARCA champion Jon Wolfe, has participated at Martinsville several times with Joey Coulter, running the Virginia is For Racing Lovers 300.

STRUTMASTERS.com Chassis Selection: Lofton will pilot chassis No. 030 this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Chassis No. 030 has a storied history, coming from the late Bobby Hamilton Racing. Lofton has piloted this Toyota Tundra during both of his NCWTS outings at Martinsville.

Previous Race Review: Lofton last competed in the Kansas Lottery 98.9 at Kansas Speedway in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. After a qualifying mishap forced the 26-year-old Lofton to start from the rear, he charged through the field in his No. 16 STRUTMASTERS.com Chevrolet Impala SS, to claim a 6th-place finish.

Matt Lofton on Martinsville Speedway:

Seeing how this is only your third NCWTS race, what are your thoughts / goals?

“I have been fortunate enough to be able to compete in various levels of racing with some really competitive series, which I believe have all helped prepare me for the tough grit competition of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Even though the results don’t show it, I’ve run really well at Martinsville before, and I look to build on that this weekend and run successfully in the top-15 and/or top-ten. I know my Coulter Motorsports crew has been hard at work on our Stutmasters.com Toyota Tundra and I look forward to working with them to earn a good finish.”

STRUTMASTERS.COM:

Strutmasters builds automotive struts and springs for cars and SUVs equipped with air suspension. They also provide both replacement air ride suspension parts, including air springs, air struts, compressors, air bag suspension and dryers, and conversion kits that, convert your car to high quality passive suspension systems. Air shocks, air springs, air struts and other air ride suspension parts wear out. Strutmasters give you the option of replacing them with top quality passive suspension parts engineered to fit your specific application. They have been designing and building suspension kits and conversions since 1999 when they produced their first Lincoln air suspension kit. Strutmasters also maintains a fleet of test cars that they try out new products on.

- Coulter Motorsports Press Release

No. 32 AccuDoc Solutions Chevrolet Silverado (Photo Credit: CIA Photo)

Waking Up in Vegas… This weekend will mark Blake Feese’s first visit to Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS). The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) competitor is looking to continue his solid run this season, which includes a career high fourth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway and an average finish of 14.6.

007… The No. 32 AccuDoc Solutions Chevrolet Silverado team will unload chassis TMS-007 for Saturday afternoon’s 146-lap event. This chassis last saw track action at Atlanta Motor Speedway where Feese brought home a fourth-place finish. Earlier this summer at Nashville Superspeedway, Feese started 18th and finished in the 17thspot. TMS-007 also has a pair of top-10 finishes with Brad Sweet behind the wheel. Sweet started fourth and finished 10th at Charlotte Motor Speedway and followed that up at Kansas Speedway, starting and finishing in the ninth spot.

Rolling The Dice in Vegas… LVMS is a special place for Turner Motorsports. The organization claimed their first ever NASCAR victory earlier this year at Sin City’s 1.5 mile track with Mark Martin behind the wheel of the No. 32 Dollar General Chevrolet. In dramatic fashion, Martin took the lead on the final lap to claim his 49th NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) victory.

AccuDoc Solutions… AccuDoc Solutions will serve as primary sponsor of the No. 32 Chevy Silverado this Saturday afternoon at LVMS. AccuDoc Solutions is based in Morrisville, N.C. and provides billing- statement printing and processing to hospitals and hospital-based physicians. The Turner Motorsports marketing partner also adorns the hood of Jason Leffler’s No. 30 machine in several NNS events in 2011.

About Blake… Feese got his start racing quarter midgets at the age of 10. He progressed through the winged sprint car ranks over the years winning championships and prestigious races including wins at Knoxville Speedway, Eldora Speedway and the Dirt Track at Charlotte. In 2003, he made the switch to stock cars, competing in the ARCA Racing Series (ARS). In 2004, he partnered with Hendrick Motorsports, winning his first ARS event at Nashville Superspeedway. He went on to earn two wins, two top-five and four top-10 finishes that year. The next year he competed in six NNS races and also made his NCWTS debut at Kentucky Speedway. Following a year running the sprint car circuit, he returned to the ARS in 2007, running a limited schedule and earning one top-five and four top-10 finishes in four starts. In 2009, he made his second NCWTS start at Nashville Superspeedway finishing in 12th place.

Live On The Airwaves & Radiowaves… Live coverage of the Smith’s 350 from LVMS will begin Saturday, Oct. 15 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be televised live on SPEED and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Blake Feese (Photo Credit: CIA Photo)

“I’m looking forward to Las Vegas this weekend. It’ll be my first time there, so I’ll rely on the experience of my teammates Ricky [Carmichael] and James [Buescher]. It will also give me the opportunity to continue building a relationship with my new crew chief, Mark Rette. We worked well together in Kentucky and we are looking to improve on that finish this weekend.”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

Win-Tron Racing

Returning to the cockpit for the Lakeville, Minnesota for the first time in two months, Wilson was antsy to get behind the wheel of his No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry on Friday morning to get his fourth career ARCA start wrenched up.

Under the leadership of Mike Chaffee, considered a wizard by many in the ARCA Racing Series garage, the team spent practice getting Wilson comfortable with the track and improving their No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry from the open-test at the 1.5-mile speedway last month. Mounting the 13th quickest lap overall at a lap of 32.591 seconds at 165.690 miles per hour, Wilson was content but ready to confer with his team in order to find more speed for Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying.

No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry

Despite a quicker lap, Wilson advised the team that his car was a little tighter than practice but also had some looseness as well.

From the drop of the green flag, Wilson hovered comfortably in the top-15 being advised by Chaffee that his lap times were very consistent. The 19-year old driver noted to his team that his left front of the car was hooking the apron and he was backing up his corners in turn three and four in order to and improve the handling of his Japanese nameplate.

When the first caution flag of the day waived on lap 24, Wilson sat 13th. While the other 12 cars ahead of him in the field elected to take the trip down pit road, Chaffee made a bold move and kept his rookie on the racetrack which allowed the driver of the No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry to inherit the lead on lap 26.

Wilson, winner of last Fall’s Richard Petty Driver Search II would lead the field back to green but quickly be swallowed by his competition of fresher tires but he continued to fight for respect and a place inside the top-10.

Slipping back to 11th by lap 31, Wilson would hunker down and remain there until a caution on lap 36 allowed Chaffee to bring his protégé to pit road for tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment to battle a loose condition that Wilson was battling.

Restarting in the 19th position on lap 39, Wilson picked up four positions on the race track to lock the 15th spot when the third yellow of the night waived. Under the caution, the rising phenom advised his team that his car was free up off but extremely loose in traffic. The team acknowledged their driver’s explanation and would make another adjustment on their final pit stop.

Racing resumed with Wilson focused on motoring his, No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry back towards the top-10. From laps 64 to 85, Wilson would flirt between 12th and 13th before the caution flag flew on lap 88 allowing Chafee to bring his young pilot to pit road for the final stop of the night.

Loaded with four tires, a splash of fuel and a wedge adjustment, Wilson restarted the race in the 12th position but immediately found himself moving forward and battling with Tom Hessert, Chad Hackenbracht and John Blankenship. Coming to the white flag, Wilson attempted to pass Hackenbracht for a spot inside the top-10 but a lousy move by a lap-machine trapped Wilson from completing the pass. Instead, he would have to duck behind Hackenbracht coming to the checkered flag and be forced to settle for 11th.

Ryan Wilson

He added, “On the bright side, we had a solid night and we’ll go to Toledo next and see if we can’t put our No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry back in the top-10.”

Nate Thiesse, co-car owner of Win-Tron Racing offered his sentiments on the outcome of the 18th race of the season.

“We could not be more proud of Ryan,” Thiesse sounded. “We utilized some strategy and he led some laps and found himself in a lot of situations he had never experienced before in an ARCA car. He is a good kid with a tremendous amount of talent. His feedback was very impressive, especially with his inexperience in these heavier type of stock cars. All in all, we’re more than satisfied with the run and extremely proud of Ryan and we’re all anxious to get to Toledo Speedway, a type of track that is ideal to him.”

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series is the 19th and final race of the 2011 season. The ARCA Toledo 200 presented by Federated Car Care is set for Sunday, October 16th set to launch at 2:00 p.m. local live on SPEED. Earlier in the year driver Matt Merrell started fifth before rising to a podium finish of third.

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 on Champion Brands LLC and their extensive line of products, please log on to championbrands.com or championsusechampion.com.

Additional input on Ryan Wilson is available by logging on the web at RyanWilsonMotorsports.com.

- Win-Tron Racing Press Release

Milka Duno

Now, the 39-year-old Venezuelan is trying to learn the ropes of stock car racing, a process that will continue in Friday night’s Kansas Lottery 98.9 ARCA Series event at Kansas Speedway.

‘I have a good memory for this place because this is where I did my rookie test when I was going to Indy,” Duno said during a Kansas Speedway test session last month. “It was very special.”

The first Hispanic woman to race in the Indy 500, Duno switched over to ARCA after struggling with inferior equipment for parts of four seasons in the IndyCar Series. Her best finish in that series was an 11th at Texas in 2007. Her best Indy 500 finish was a 19th in three starts.

“I like to do things in the right way,” Duno said. “I like to be a success in everything and I was a success in every car that I was driving before. With IndyCars I didn’t have the right conditions — I never had a good car.

- Topeka Capital Journal