ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards

The ARCA prides itself on the diversity of the tracks it selects for its races. In addition to its national championship, it awards a championship for the driver who best handles the diversity. That title is the Bill France Four Crown.

This year’s Bill France Four Crown will also test durability, as it will be awarded based on how drivers perform on diverse tracks over the next four weeks. The event begins this weekend on the Berlin Raceway Short Track before moving to NJMP’s road course on Aug. 15.

The Illinois State Fairgrounds mile dirt course (Aug. 22) and the Chicagoland Speedway 1.5 mile oval (Aug. 27) round out the Crown races.

This Saturday, NJMP and the Red Cross will host a blood drive from 7 a.m-3 p.m. Anyone who donates blood at this weekend’s blood drive will receive a collectible die cast car and two tickets to next weekend’s race.

- The Bridgeton News – NJ.com

Campbell cut his teeth at Berlin Raceway; he started racing in the Super Stock division ten years ago, then moved up to Late Models and then he started racing in traveling series. He has competed within the CRA Super Series and ASA Late Model Series throughout the entire country and he is currently the driver for Perfect Circle Racecars in both of those series. He has one previous start in the ARCA Series in which he placed third at Toledo.

Berlin Raceway will be the site of Campbell’s debut in the #24 Chevrolet, owned by Holland’s Don DeWitt of D&B Motorsports and sponsored by the Hantz Group out of Grand Rapids. The Hantz Group has been involved in multiple capacities with ARCA Racing and will debut their logos on a new car this weekend.

D & B Motorsports second entry in the ARCA race will be series regular Michael Simko in the #27 Brann’s Sizzling Steaks and Sports Grille Chevrolet. The Hantz Group, as well as Wolverine Power Systems, will serve as associate sponsors.

Legendary driver and former ARCA Racing Series winner at Berlin Raceway, Fred Campbell, will be close to his son’s side to help try to guide the team to victory lane. Brian has collected multiple victories in the CRA Super Series and ASA Late Model Series events in the past several seasons at Berlin, and will look to add an ARCA race to the win column this weekend.

- WhoWon.com

No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry

A victim of several incidents – the last one coming on the final lap – Gresham and his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Toyota Camry limped to a 16th-place finish in the motorized slugfest.

“It was just crazy out there, real crazy,” Gresham stated after the race. “Guys were just driving out of their minds.”

Gresham’s struggles started early Friday turning in just the 22nd-fastest time out of 24 cars in the final practice session. In qualifying, it was a different story as the 17-year-old Griffin, GA driver grabbed the third spot on the race grid with a lap of 15.591 seconds (86.588 miles per hour average).

Gresham’s qualifying lap was nearly a full second faster than he had practiced in the final session.

At the drop of the green flag, Gresham settled into the third spot behind leaders Kevin Swindell and Eddie MacDonald and stayed there through the first caution flag of the race on Lap 33. All wasn’t well with Gresham’s Toyota, however, as his car had developed a handling problem in the corners. That caused the Woodward Academy senior student to fall back in the field to seventh before the second yellow flag of the race waived on Lap 47.

Max Gresham

Now in 17th- place and mired back in the pack, Gresham had trouble trying to break free of the congestion on the tight .375-mile Lee USA Speedway oval. Additional caution flags on Laps 74 and 88 also made it tough to gain spots as the race quickly wound down to its conclusion.

Over the final 30 circuits, Gresham did his best to move up in the field. Another wreck – this one on Lap 108 – involved several of the leaders as they battled through Turn 2. That allowed Gresham to slide back into the 10th position with just over 15 laps remaining.

Yet another fender bender – this one a six-car tangle – brought the race to a halt with a red flag on Lap 116. When the race finally went back to green-flag conditions after a 17-minute delay, Gresham saw any chances of salvaging a good finish get crushed when he got spun out coming off of Turn 4 on the final lap.

“The car is pretty messed up,” said Gresham. “We battled really hard to get a good finish and I think we were going to finish sixth. Then I get dumped coming to the checkered flag. It was a totally frustrating race, but I just have to put it behind me.”

Next up for Max Gresham will be his fourth career ARCA start – this one coming in the Berlin ARCA 200 at Berlin Speedway in Marne, MI on Sunday, August 8. The last time Gresham competed in an ARCA race, he wheeled his No. 71 Gresham Motorsports Toyota to a win in the Tim Richmond Memorial 200 at Mansfield (OH) Speedway on July 17.

Gresham’s next NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race will be at Gresham Motorsports Park on Saturday, August 28. The event at his family-owned track will mark the first time NASCAR has visited the Jefferson, GA half-mile oval since 1987.

For more information about Max Gresham, please visit www.MaxGresham.com.

- Gresham Motorsports Press Release

Baker Curb Racing

· Started ninth in the NASCAR Nationwide Series New England 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway; was his highest qualifying effort to date in NASCAR (6/26/10)

· Ran 78 laps of the New England 200 in the top 10; went on to finish 17th (6/26/10)

· Third-place finish in the Dover 200 was a career best in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (5/14/10)

· Ranks 12th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series point standings

· Stands seconds in the Raybestos® Rookie of the Year standings in the CWTS, trailing Austin Dillon by 16 points

JUSTIN LOFTON 2009

· 2009 ARCA Racing Series Champion impressively finishing in the top 10 in 19 of the 21 races

· Had six ARCA Series wins conquering everything from a 2.66-mile superspeedway to a .4375-mile short track with wins at Talladega, Berlin, Pocono, Chicagoland, Toledo and Salem

· Captured five ARCA Racing Series pole awards

· Finished 16th in his first career NASCAR Nationwide Series start at Michigan International Speedway (8/15/09)

BAKER CURB RACING NO. 27 2010

· Rank eighth in the NASCAR Nationwide Series owner point standings

· Two runner-up finishes with Greg Biffle (Auto Club Speedway 2/20/10 and Richmond 4/30/10)

· The No. 27 has led at least one lap in nine of the 17 races this season, totaling 81 laps

· In just 17 races in 2010 the team has already surpassed their 2009 total with nine top-10 finishes

· Three different drivers (Biffle, Wimmer, Kelly) have registered top-10 finishes in the No. 27 this season

· Has qualified in the top 10 in six of the last nine races

JUSTIN LOFTON ON CHICAGOLAND

“I am really excited to get back in Baker Curb Racing’s No. 27 this weekend. Despite it being my first time with the team and first time on the track at New Hampshire we had a solid weekend. The Weekend Warriors TV.com Ford Fusion was one of the fastest cars in both practices, qualified well and we ran half of the race in the top 10. Chicagoland is a track where I have had great runs in the ARCA cars and I really enjoy racing there. Baker Curb has had a lot of success on the mile and a half tracks this year with Greg Biffle and I’m confident that we’ll have another strong run this weekend!”

CREW CHIEF JOHN REESE ON NEW HAMPSHIRE

“Chicagoland is a fast mile and a half track that is similar to Texas, but just a little bumpier. The tire for this weekend is the same one that we ran at Texas so our set-up for this weekend will be very similar. Justin ran the Nationwide race at Texas, so he’ll have a good feel for this tire. This weekend will be the third race for our newest chassis, car 86. Greg Biffle was running in the top 5 in it at Charlotte before being put in the wall on the last lap and Scott Wimmer led some laps and had a top-10 finish in it at Kentucky. Justin did a great job in our car a few weekends ago at New Hampshire; especially for being his first time at that track. With him having a win at Chicagoland in the ARCA Series and being the second race with our team, I think we’ll be one of the cars to watch out for this weekend!”

- Baker Curb Racing Press Release

Dakoda Armstrong

As the green flag flew, Armstrong had a view of most of the field from his 28th position. He had moved to 20th by lap 26, but had lost a lap to the leaders who were running blazing fast lap times. During the first caution on lap 28, Dakoda brought the Dodge to the attention of the crew for four tires and an air pressure adjustment, after telling crew chief, Paul Andrews that his car was, “good getting in (the corners) and free getting off.” The #22 had worked his way to 19th by halfway in the 100 lap event. When the next caution came out on lap 75, Dakoda told Andrews, “the car is real tight…I can’t get back in the gas.” With the adjustments made and only five cars on the lead lap, Armstrong drove up to finish in the 11th position, gaining one spot, to 7th in championship points.

After racing at MIS, Armstrong headed to Berlin Raceway to take on his younger brother, Dalton, Saturday evening in the USAC Regional Midget race. After starting from the 3rd spot, Dakoda led for 12 laps, before giving up the lead and settling for third behind brother Dalton, who finished second. Dalton is currently leading the regional championship. The third place finisher stated, “Berlin is a tricky track. Turn 4 is tough corner. I can’t imagine 34 stock cars on that track, making pit stops on their pit road!” The rookie will experience the Berlin Raceway in a stock car when the ARCA Series takes on the speedway for the Berlin ARCA 200 in August.

The next event for the Cunningham Motorsports teams is the Prairie Meadows 200 at the Iowa Speedway, July 10. The first practice takes place Saturday 10:00-11:35am, with final practice from 1:00-1:50pm. Qualifying is scheduled for 5:15pm with racing action beginning at 8:00pm. All action will be covered live at www.arcaracing.com

For more information on Ferrellgas, please visit: www.ferrellgas.com

For more information on Dakoda, please visit: www.dakodaarmstrong.com

For photos and more on Cunningham Motorsports, please visit: www.cunninghammotorsports.net

- Cunningham Motorsports Press Release

Johnny Benson

The Marne fairgrounds are where Benson cut his teeth in auto racing, following in the footsteps of his father, John Benson. He went on to claim the 1989 Outlaw Late Model track championship at Berlin before being called up to the big leagues of NASCAR, driving for Jack Roush. Benson went on to win one Sprint Cup race during his time in the nation’s top series, before moving to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and winning the 2008 series Championship.

The Grand Rapids native driver will again return home to compete in the CRA Super Series sanctioned event, which is presented by Keyser’s Port City Racing. The last time Benson saw racing action at Berlin was when he was severely injured in his own ISMA SuperModified.

Benson will be looking to help dial in the setup for 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion Kyle Busch. Busch will return to the driver’s seat of his Camry in an attempt to capture the checkered flag in his second attempt at the track in his template car, in a race named Rowdy’s Revenge.

Local favorites are also anticipated to be strong for both of the two races, including Johnny VanDoorn, Brian Campbell, and Chris Anthony. Bill Elliott’s son Chase will also compete on June 15 for the large payout.

Tickets are on sale now and more information for both events can be found by calling 616-677-5000 or visiting www.berlinraceway.com

- Berlin Raceway Press Release

Justin Lofton

Last race review… Justin Lofton was well on his way to a solid top-10 finish the last time out at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 6th, before contact with another truck hampered the effort. Lofton started 22nd for the 200-mile race but skillfully maneuvered his way into the top 10, running as high as sixth before the run-in on lap 77. The No. 7 team repaired damage to the truck, salvaging a 20th place finish. After the first two events, Lofton shows 18th in the point standings.

Lofton and Rette, Sirius racers.. Despite the downtime the last two weekends, both driver Justin Lofton and crew chief Mark Rette kept busy, appearing on numerous radio shows. Lofton called in to six separate shows including Speed Freaks, ABC and Fox networks, and Sirius Satellite Radio. Lofton, who is a regular on Fridays with host Steve Post on Sirius, leant some of his airtime to Rette, as he too appeared as a guest on Sirius this past Saturday. Lofton is next scheduled to talk about Martinsville live from the racetrack this Friday, following the final practice session.

Off road and on track… Lofton used the two-week break in the schedule to focus on his off-track hobby of video production. The 24-year-old honed his racing skills early on racing off-road machines and returned to his roots, but only as a spectator, after trekking to Mexico for the MasterCraft Safety Tecate Score San Felipe 250. The event is featured on the next episode of Weekend Warriors TV.

Following the trip, Lofton returned to the Southeast and got back to business with his team, testing the .416-mile Motor Mile Speedway in preparation for this weekend’s running of the Kroger 250 at Martinsville. “It went very well. I was very pleased,” Rette said of the test. “The truck was good right off of the truck. We played with a few different things and ended up right back where we were. I believe between us and Timothy (Peters, teammate), we were one of the best trucks there.”

Successful short tracker… Though this week will mark Lofton’s first race on the .526-mile paperclip-shaped Martinsville Speedway, Lofton is a proven, successful short track racer. Of his six race wins last season within the ARCA Racing Series, three were on short tracks. Lofton took the checkered flag at Toledo Speedway, Salem Speedway, and Berlin Raceway. All three tracks measure approximately a half-mile in length.

Justin Lofton on racing at Martinsville Speedway “I am really looking forward to getting back on a short track and doing some close racing. I know when we unload, our setup won’t be far off which will help me get up to speed quick. I’ve tested this truck twice and feel really comfortable in it and how it reacts to the changes that Mark makes. I know that if we can get this monkey off of our back, we will be competing in the front of the field.”

Crew Chief Mark Rette on Martinsville Speedway “It’s going to be a learning curve. He is a great short track racer and he has great car control. We’re going to take some time and watch both races from last year to learn everything we can about conservation through the race. We’ve had two really good trucks in both races but failed to close the door due to racing circumstance that we couldn’t control. Our plan for Martinsville is to qualify up front and race up front. I think we have a truck capable of that.”

Equipment Information Lofton will race chassis RHR93 at Martinsville. The truck previously ran in 2009 at Martinsville, Nashville, Kentucky, Kansas, and California.

- Justin Lofton Media Relations Press Release

ARCA Logo

“We’re extremely proud of the depth of quality of the venues on the 2010 schedule, each of which is very important to the identity and industry position of the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX,” said ARCA President Ron Drager. “The number of scheduled events remains stable at a level we’ve found to be appropriate, and we’re pleased with the geographic coverage represented by the markets we’ll be racing in.”

Daytona Int’l Speedway will host the season opener for the 47th consecutive season. The Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 will follow pole qualifying for the Daytona 500, and serve as the preamble for the same-day NASCAR Sprint Cup Budweiser Shootout on Saturday, February 6th. The 2010 tour will conclude with championship weekend at Rockingham Speedway on October 9th. In between, the series will appear at a wide variety of venues making up the most versatile mix in all of motorsports.

A return to Texas Motor Speedway, and the addition of a second road course venue highlight the 2010 calendar.

Palm Beach Int’l Raceway, a 2.034-mile, 11-turn road course in Jupiter, Florida, will host the ARCA tour on February 27th. The addition of PBIR marks the first of two road course venues on the ARCA schedule, joining New Jersey Motorsports Park.

The return to Texas Motor Speedway is set for April 16th alongside the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. The ARCA Series made one other appearance at the Texas track in 1998, a race won by series veteran Mark Gibson.

Superspeedway events returning in 2010 include Kansas Speedway, Michigan Int’l Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway, in addition to the season opener at Daytona. The 2010 Talladega event is the 49th ARCA Series appearance at the renowned 2.66-mile Alabama speedplant since 1969, and the upcoming events at Pocono mark the 50th and 51st appearances of the ARCA Series at Pocono since 1983.

Short-tracks hosting events include Salem Speedway in Indiana, Toledo Speedway and Mansfield Motorsports Park in Ohio, Berlin Raceway in Michigan, Iowa Speedway, the annual mile-dirt races at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, and Rockingham.

Companion events in 2010 include races with the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series as well as with the IZOD IndyCar Series.

2010 ARCA RACING SERIES SCHEDULE

DATE, TRACK, LOCATION, TRACK

2-6: Daytona Int’l Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL, 2.5 paved

2-27: Palm Beach Int’l Raceway, Jupiter, FL, 2.034 roadcourse

4-11: Salem Speedway, Salem, IN, .555 paved

4-16: Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX, 1.5 paved

4-23: Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, AL, 2.66 paved

5-23: Toledo Speedway, Toledo, OH, .5 paved

6-5: Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, PA, 2.5 paved

6-11: Michigan Int’l Speedway, Brooklyn, MI, 2 paved

7-10: Iowa Speedway, Newton, IA, .875 paved

7-17: Mansfield Motorsports Park, Mansfield, OH, .5 paved

7-31: Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, PA, 2.5 paved

8-7: Berlin Raceway, Marne, MI, .4 paved

8-15: New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ, 2.25 roadcourse

8-22: Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL, 1 clay

8-27: Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, IL, 1.5 paved

9-6: DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, DuQuoin, IL, 1 clay

9-12: Toledo Speedway, Toledo, OH, .5 paved

9-18: Salem Speedway, Salem, IN, .555 paved

9-30: Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, KS, 1.5 paved

10-9: Rockingham Speedway, Rockingham, NC, 1 paved

- ARCA Press Release

Justin Lloyd

Justin Lloyd is not your typical senior.

Although Justin just finished his cross-country season and is busy applying to colleges, he has a lot more on his plate than others in his graduating class.

After he finishes his homework or that looming term paper, his time is filled with trying to secure a sponsor for next year.

Justin Lloyd Racing moved to the ARCA RE/MAX Series this past season, competing in races at Berlin Raceway, Toledo Speedway and the ARCA season finale in Rockingham.

Off the track, he is busy keeping his straight-A average, getting recommendation letters and finalizing his applications to several colleges across the country. Schools on his list include U of Michigan, U of Miami, U of Southern California, North Carolina State and UNC-Charlotte.

“Of course my sights are set on racing,” Justin said. “If I get a sponsor for my racecar, I would love to stay in North Carolina and go to either NC State or UNC-Charlotte. Both are great schools.”

To help further his future in racing, Justin hopes to major in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Sports Marketing.

College admissions officials won’t have to worry about reading a ho-hum essay from Justin. He hopes writing about his experiences and challenges on the race track will give him an extra boost to set him apart from other high school seniors. With more than 150 Feature wins in his young career thus far, he has plenty to write about.

This holiday season, Justin will be giving thanks with his family, friends and girlfriend for a safe, hopeful season. Next year, Justin hopes to be giving thanks for a great full season in the ARCA series.

About Justin Lloyd

17-year-old Barrington, Illinois native Justin Lloyd made his ARCA RE/MAX Series debut at Berlin Raceway in July 2009 and finished eighth. He also made starts at Toledo and Rockingham, gaining valuable on-track experience he hopes to take with him to a full-time ride in ARCA for 2010. Lloyd was the 2008 Concord Motorsports Park Legends Champion and graces the radar screens of many NASCAR notables.

- Activ8 Communications Press Release

Tiffany Daniels

“I was really excited,” Daniels said when she got the invitation. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to go over to South Africa and run a race. I think its going to be so much fun. It will be really great racing with drivers from the U.S. and South Africa and that is something that we normally don’t get to do in our racing careers and I am looking forward to it.”

Daniels will be teaming up with Marc Davis for this event. The two grew up at the racetracks together and he is excited to have Daniels as his teammate, “She is more than a competitor and teammate, Tiffany is a friend,” Davis said. “We grew up racing together on the short tracks of Virginia and North Carolina over the last 10 years. We are both excited to represent Team USA in the ‘ASA Free State 500.’ We will be the youngest team and hopefully the fastest. Our goals are to make new friends, see a wonderful country South Africa is and finish first and second.”

She is excited about the enthusiasm the Davis’s are bringing to this event, “They are really involved in promoting this race, and they know more about South Africa than I do. So going over there with them will be really interesting and I will probably learn a lot from them,” Daniels exclaimed. “Just catching on to their excitement is awesome. Every time I talk to Harry (Marc’s father) I get more and more excited about going over there and we are all looking forward to the trip and a lot of the things they are working on just sounds so really exciting. It will be a real good experience. We have been friends with the Davis’s for a long time.”

Finishing first is on everyone’s mind especially for Daniels, its who finishes behind her that she is perplexed about. “That would be great to have the girls show up the guys over in South Africa,” Daniels said when asked about her and Tony McCray battling for the win. “But really, as long as I am finishing first I don’t care what the rest of the field looks like. I am going to be completely honest about it. It would be great for the girls to get a one-two finish and also going as a teammate to Marc Davis, I am also hoping our cars finish one-two as well.”

A native of Smithfield, VA, she currently lives in Davidson, NC. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina – Charlotte with a Mechanical Engineering degree, she went to work for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates as a support engineer. Today, she works under Earnhardt Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates where she works with both of the Sprint Cup teams which includes drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Martin Truex Jr.

Her racing career started by competing in the Legend cars where she finished third at Lowe’s Motor Speedway Summer Shootout Series and third in the Winter Heat Series points. She moved up to limited late models where she had six top-five and nine top-ten finishes in 2007. In 2008, she participated in the Lyn St. James Driver Development Program where she received the Kara Hendrick Memorial Award for displaying outstanding spirit and talent. This past season she competed in the final five Camping World East Series events where her best finish came in the final event at Dover with a 14th place finish.

She is also very familiar with the American Speed Association through another friend, Sprint Cup Driver Reed Sorenson. “I raced with Reed in Legends and our families became very good friends. There was a group of us that would come down from Virginia and another group would come up from Georgia and we usually stayed in the same hotel together,” Daniels recalled. “I remember going to watch him race at the ASA events at Concord and Berlin and learned a lot about the ASA from that. There have been some huge changes in the ASA program and they have done so much to expand especially to come up with a race over in South Africa. That is really impressive and its definitely a good series to be a part of and looking forward to the race.”

“Tiff has a great personality and talent, we are excited to have her as part of this event,” Dennis Huth, ASA President said. “Her enthusiasm shows every time I talk to her. I think she will be a great role model for the young females in South Africa who may have dreamed of becoming a motorsports driver someday. Both her and Toni McCray will make a very favorable impression on and off the track.”

Prior to leaving for South Africa, Daniels will be celebrating her 25th birthday on January 6th.

- ASA Press Release

Justin Lofton (L) and Mark Rette (R)

“To me, next to winning the championship, it’s the biggest thing I’ve accomplished,” 31-year-old Rette said of the honor.

Rette joined Eddie Sharp Racing with a wealth of experience spanning NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series competition. He’s visited victory lane with some of the sport’s best, including Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Casey Mears, and Reed Sorenson. Before teaming up with Sharp and Lofton, he spent over three seasons serving as car chief at Ganassi Racing in the Nationwide Series.

With all of that experience behind him, it was time for Rette to step up as crew chief. He joined ESR in the eleventh hour, just after Christmas, but with plenty of time to prepare before the season-opening race in Daytona.

“Mark and Justin developed a friendship and had chemistry before we even got it going. When Bob (Lofton, Justin’s Dad) called me at Christmas, we had a 30-minute conversation. We had the people. We had a plan. There wasn’t a contract. It was, ‘This is what we’re going to do. This is who we’re going to do it with,” explained car owner Sharp.

“Mark came in from working at Ganassi from a very high profile type of place. It would be easy for him to come into this deal thinking ‘This is beneath me.’ But he came into this fully committed and believing that we were going to do this. He deserves all of the credit for the team that he put below him and the foundation that was poured. The credit for the team goes to Mark Rette one hundred percent.”

It didn’t take long for Lofton and Rette to prove that they were the right pairing. Lofton nabbed his first of five poles out of the gate at Daytona. Three races later, the duo claimed their first win of the season at Talladega.

Two minor hiccups throughout the season by way of uncontrollable mechanical gremlins weren’t enough to halt Lofton and Rette’s dominance. Throughout the season they earned an impressive five pole awards, six race wins, and led the series with 15 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes spanning the 21-race schedule.

“We sat down at the beginning of the year and said, ‘We’re going to win this championship.’ There were a couple of times throughout the year that I got a little nervous. But the next week, we recovered and we were right back on that path,” Rette said.

Throughout the year, Rette notched the Cometic Crew Chief of the Race honors nine times; Daytona, Talladega, both Salem events, both Toledo events, Berlin, Pocono, and Chicagoland. Of those races, the No. 6 Lofton Cattle Toyota team took home the race win at Talladega, Pocono, Chicagoland, Berlin, Toledo and Salem.

Added Lofton, “I’m really happy that Mark was able to be recognized for what he did this year. We’ve developed a good relationship. We work really well together and I’m hoping we can turn that into many more race wins and championships for years to come.”

In addition to being named the top crew chief of 2009, Rette also earned the Klotz Engine Mechanic award.

“It means a lot to win the Cometic Crew Chief of the Year award. The championship meant everything to me. After all of the long hours and time away from my family, it all paid off,” he added.

- Activ8 Communications Press Release

Chad Finley

Finley, whose part of the Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR) Driver Development program, was just looking to close out his limited 2009 ARCA schedule with a solid finish on Sunday, October 12th. Little did he know that the day before would turn out to be pivotal and career changing for the DeWitt, Michigan teenager.

Finley’s Rockingham weekend couldn’t have started any better as he won his first career Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell on Saturday afternoon, October 11th on Qualifying Day for the ARCA American 200 over the 46-car field as he posted a new track record of a 24.494 around the one-mile oval, which measured out to 146.975 mph.

“What a weekend. Never been here before or even seen this place. We unloaded and got on the track and this place is real slippery. Made a few adjustments and got a ton better,” He explained. “(Crew Chief) Wayne Setterington is just awesome, we made a long run in practice and he talked me through the car just getting so loose because this place just eats up your tires.”

As Finley was preparing to head out for one more practice session, Mother Nature intervened and forced cancellation of the rest of Practice. “Before the rains hit, Wayne just kept fine tuning it and we were getting ready to make a sticker run to see what we had and the rain came in, so to sit on the pole was huge for us and just shows what everyone at BKR is capable of.” Finley remarked.

In his three previous ARCA appearances in 2009, his last start prior to Rockingham, was way back on July 25th at the famed Berlin Raceway, located West of Grand Rapids in Marne, Michigan for the Wolverine Power Systems 200 Presented by Generac, Finley proved he belonged with an impressive third place finish.

His podium finish came on the heels of a sixth place showing in his ARCA debut at Toledo Speedway in Toledo, Ohio back on May 17th and a ninth place showing at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa on July 11th. Now he was going to be leading the field to the green in only his fourth career start and at Rockingham no less!

“I didn’t think we had enough to get the pole, but it was definitely a pleasant surprise.” He continued. “I finished ninth in an ARCA race at Iowa earlier this year and that is the biggest track I’ve been too so far other than Rockingham in ARCA. I ran the Milwaukee Mile and Bristol Motor Speedway last season though in an ASA Late Model Series race.”

Finley started on the pole next to 2009 ARCA title contender, Parker Kligerman, who’s been the man to beat this season in ARCA competition and was in a fight of his own for the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series Championship with Justin Lofton, who was scheduled to start second, but went to the rear of the field at the start due to an engine change.

After Kligerman paced the field for the first two laps, Finley drove around the eight-time race winner on the outside coming out of turn four to complete lap three and retook the point. From their, Finley set a torrid pace around the Tar Heel State oval and would lead the next 42 laps until Steve Arpin took the lead using lapped traffic on lap 45.

Throughout the afternoon and even after pit stops, Finley maintained a top five standing during the first 3/4s of the 200-lap feature. Then a chain reaction incident on a late restart forced Finley into the back of nine-time ARCA Series Champion, Frank Kimmel, who was trying to avoid a slowing Arpin, who broke a transmission on lap 161.

Finley fought an ill handling race car the rest of the day and finished 15th. “To lead that many laps and run as well as we did all day is great. That last restart something happened up front that caused a chain reaction and we got into the back of Kimmel and hurt the front down force on the car.” Finley explained.

“The car just wouldn’t turn those last 25 laps or so, so we were just hanging on there to get to the end of the race. I honestly thought we had a chance at it or at least a Top Three finish. I am not disappointed though just heart broken for every one at BKR.”

As for the race itself, Kligerman won the ARCA American 200, his ninth victory of the year, but it would be Lofton who would clinch the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series Championships after starting 41st and finishing in third!

Finley’s impressive showing throughout the weekend didn’t go unnoticed as Car Owner, Brad Keselowski himself made the trip to North Carolina after finishing fifth the night before in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. “It was great to have him here and have him talk to me a little bit on the radio.” The appreciative Great Lakes State driver added. “It meant a lot to me.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity presented to me this year with these guys. Hopefully we can find some sponsorship to carry on next year. I believe we have showed that we can do it with this race team, we just need some financial backing to make it happen.” Finley ended.

Throughout the 2009 racing season, all of Finley’s cars carried sponsorship from Auto Value / Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores and Certified Service Centers as well as AutoParts2020.com on his #29 Chevrolet in the ARCA RE/MAX Series as well as his #42 Outlaw Bodied Super Late Model.

In addition, more sponsorship comes from; NorthsideTowing.net, PassTimeUSA.com, Neal’s Truck Parts of Grand Rapids Michigan, Bayside Inn of Key Largo Florida, Nalett Trucking, Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil, Velocity Graphix, M.P.H. Promotions, and Howe Racing Enterprises

To learn more about Chad Finley and to inquire about sponsorship opportunities for the 2010 racing season, log onto the teams website at: www.chadfinleyracing.com

- M.P.H. Promotions Press Release

Win-Tron Racing Logo

For Win-Tron Racing, the task of working with a new driver is nothing new but the group led by Car Owner Kevin Cywinski and Crew Chief Mike Chaffee is hoping to bring Moffitt to ARCA stardom much like they’ve done with drivers James Buescher, Matt Merrell, Kelly Bires, Bradley Riethmeyer, Beau Slocumb and Justin Marks this year.

In his first full-season of NCWES competition, Moffitt shined. In 11 races, the Grimes, Iowa native boasted two wins, six top-fives and nine top-10 finishes. He also claimed one pole and finished third in the point standings driving a full season Andy Santerre Motorsports (ASM).

The former ASA Late Model Series driver now turns to the ARCA RE/MAX Series and is hoping for a similar one-race showing like he had in the NASCAR Camping World West Series (NCWWS) at Iowa Speedway where he wheeled the No. 4 Karl Chevrolet machine to a stout fourth place effort at his home track.

Rockingham Speedway can’t be compared to Iowa Speedway but many on the Win-Tron Racing team expect Moffitt to literally explode in his inaugural ARCA debut.

“This kid (Brett Moffitt) has a lot of talent,” said Win-Tron Racing Co-Owner and General Manager Nate Thiesse. “His resume in the NASCAR Camping World East Series this year has been absolutely impressive on a limited budget. We are just thrilled to have the opportunity to work with him this weekend at Rockingham.”

Moffitt expressed a similar feeling towards his ARCA debut in the season finale.

“This is a great opportunity for me,” said Moffitt. “Win-Tron Racing has a very respectable name in the ARCA RE/MAX Series and has some of the best equipment out there. I’m just thankful to have the opportunity to drive for them in probably one of the biggest races of the year.”

Thiesse explained what the team’s overall goals were for the weekend.

“We know Brett is capable of winning and while we strive to win on a weekly basis, if we can leave Rockingham with a good finish on the lead lap, then it’s been a good day. Brett doesn’t have any experience at Rockingham, so the odds are against him this weekend but I think with our success at the track in the past, we can erase that deficit.”

Indeed, Win-Tron Racing surged Matt Merrell to a then career-best third place finish at Rockingham Speedway in April securing the Portland, Texas native with his very first top-five run in ARCA. He went on to record back-to-back career best finishes of second at Berlin Raceway and Pocono Raceway respectively.

Entering Rockingham, Win-Tron Racing holds the fourth position in the ARCA RE/MAX Series owner’s standings after 20 races. Car owner Kevin Cywinski is 600 markers from moving back to the top spot held by fellow car owner Jessica Sharp (No. 6). 210 markers keep Cywinski from the third position controlled by car owner Frank Kimmel (No. 44). The team maintained their position after Beau Slocumb recorded his career best finish of fifth in the most recent ARS event at Kansas Speedway last week.

Further information and driving opportunities with Win-Tron Racing is available by visiting win-tronracing.com or contacting Nate Thiesse at 952.469.1839.

For more on Brett Moffitt please visit, BrettMoffitt.com.

The ARCA RE/MAX American 200 (200 laps / 200 miles) is the 21st of 21 events on the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. The fourth ARCA race held at Rockingham is a two-day show. Practice begins Saturday, October 10 with an hour and a half practice session planned from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m. The event will take the green flag on Sunday, October 11 shortly after 1:00 p.m. The race will be tape-delayed on SPEED. The event will be aired at 10:00 p.m. Sunday night. Live flag-to-flag weekend coverage will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local.

- Win-Tron Racing Press Release

Sheltra Motorsports Logo

Race Information: Event: Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic, Saturday, September 19 at 7:15 p.m. Local Time Track: Salem Speedway Qualifying: Saturday, September 19 at 4:00 p.m. Local Time; Track Length: .5-mile paved-oval.

New Jersey Recap: Patrick Sheltra notched his eighth top-10 finish of the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series season at New Jersey Motorsports Park last Sunday despite a few off-road excursions. The finish is a career-best for Sheltra on a road course and betters the team’s 11th place run from New Jersey Motorsports Park in 2008.

Last Time Out: In the ARCA RE/MAX Series most recent visit to Salem Speedway, Patrick Sheltra climbed out as a first-time winner in victory lane in April’s Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 by Federated Car Care. The victory was practically a Cinderella story for the Indiantown, Florida native who climbed back behind the wheel of his Grace Sheltra owned machine since surviving a horrific accident in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in February. The victory was also the first for primary marketing partner Buffalo Wings & Rings, who joined the team for the second event of the season.

Russelburg To The Extreme; Makeover That Is: Sheltra Motorsports employee Shane Russelburg took time out of his hectic schedule last week to participate in ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover thanks to a referral from long-time friend Chris Buskill who works for Thompson Homes builders who was responsible for the construction and building of the Mattingly’s new home outside Owensboro in Maceo, Kentucky. Russelburg, who’s full-time job is a fabricator in the shop and tire changer at the race track was designated to the “Art World” portion of the family’s new palace. The show is scheduled to be aired on ABC in November.

The Coach Still Coaching: 2005 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) champion Ted Musgrave will make a long-awaited return to Salem Speedway this weekend as the driving coach for the 23-year old phenom. Musgrave is familiar with Salem Speedway wrath’s after Musgrave experienced the track first hand back in his earlier years of competition in the American Speed Association (ASA). Musgrave is serving as Sheltra’s driving coach for the remainder of the ARCA RE/MAX Series season and for Sheltra’s upcoming NASCAR Nationwide Series races.

Off To Texas Again…: Following Saturday night’s race, Sheltra will board a plane and head to Del Rio, Texas where he will spend three days participating in the opening of Buffalo Wings & Rings newest restaurant in Del Rio, Texas (3600 Veterans Blvd, Del Rio, Texas, 78840; 830.778.1BWR). Sheltra will sign autographs for the Grand Opening on Wednesday, September 23 starting at 11:00 a.m. Sheltra will then head to his Texas ranch in Dryden where the population remains a stunning 11 without the presence of the Sheltra clan.

NASCAR Nationwide Series Plans To Be Announced Soon: Sheltra Motorsports will announce their plans for the remainder of the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) season in the near future. Sheltra made his third career NNS start and first of the season last month at Daytona International Speedway driving the No. 81 D.H. Griffin-Quality Turf Dodge Charger for MacDonald Motorsports.

Points Check: After round 18 on the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule, Patrick Sheltra sits seventh in the championship standings accumulating 3620 points. Just 135 points separate Sheltra from the fifth position. Car owner Grace Sheltra remains solidly in the top-10 in the car owner standings.

Patrick Sheltra ARCA Career At-A-Glance: Entering Salem, Sheltra has 64 ARCA RE/MAX Series starts to his credit with one career victory at Salem Speedway (April 2009). During his ARCA tenure, Sheltra has accumulated 10 top-fives and posted 22 top-10 finishes. A third place qualifying effort at Rockingham Speedway (April 2009) is Sheltra’s best time trials efforts to date. He has controlled the ARCA field five times for 109 laps.

No. 60 Buffalo Wings & Rings Dodge Charger

Autographs Anyone?: Patrick Sheltra will sign autographs for race fans on Saturday September 19 from 4:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. local time. Race fans will be permitted to the frontstretch of Salem Speedway where they will be able to meet the starting grid for Saturday’s night anticipated thriller.

You Can Be Apart Of The Ultimate Hunting Experience: Sheltra Motorsports wants to give a race fan an ultimate opportunity to join Patrick Sheltra or Sheltra Motorsports dirt driver Shannon Babb a chance at a paramount moment to hunt with either driver at Patrick Sheltra’s hunting ranch in Dryden, Texas. The best part, all expenses paid! Race fans will have the entire ARCA season to enter the contest with the winner being announced in the ARCA RE/MAX Series finale at Rockingham Speedway in October. Visit HuntingExtravangza.com for more details.

THE WINNER ANNOUNCED THIS WEEKEND FOR The People’s Car: In an effort to bring race fans closer to the Sheltra Motorsports team, the team is full throttle with their Peoples Car promotion. Race fans will have the opportunity to have their name plastered on the No. 60 for the rest of the ARCA RE/MAX Series season. In addition, each time a fan joins the People’s Car their name will be tossed into a drawing for an-all expensed paid trip (minus lodging expenses) to the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series season finale at Rockingham Speedway. The lucky fan will be an honorary member of the Sheltra Motorsports team plus enjoy a few little surprises the team has spiced up for the lucky winner. Browse PatrickSheltra.com or ThePeoplesCars.com for all the details. The Sheltra Motorsports team will draw the winner this weekend at Salem Speedway with the winner being notified early next week.

Vote Him Your Favorite Driver: Race fans can vote Patrick Sheltra as the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series most popular driver by visiting ARCANation.com. From now until the end of the season, race fans can click on to ARCA’s official fan-related web site and vote once a day for their favorite ARCA RE/MAX Series driver. The winner will be announced at the ARCA RE/MAX Series Championship Awards Banquet in Covington, Kentucky this December. If you’re an ARCA Nation member your vote counts twice per day for one driver. If you’re a non-ARCA Nation member, your vote counts only once. Sign up today at ARCANation.com and vote for Patrick Sheltra!

Patrick Sheltra

On New Jersey Motorsports Park: “I was pretty satisfied with our run despite going off the track a couple times. Ultimately that probably hurt us from finishing on the lead lap but to leave New Jersey with a top-10 finish in only my second road course racing start, I’ll take it.”

On Salem Speedway: “Salem Speedway is such an incredible place. It’s a very unique race track. Nothing on this earth probably can compare the track to any other short track other than Bristol Motor Speedway, but Salem’s still a monster. It’s a monster though I like.”

On Winning The Most Recent ARCA Event At Salem Speedway: “To win after everything that happened at Daytona was just awesome. The team wanted to prove that we could bounce back from something awful like Daytona and I wanted to prove to everyone that I still could drive a racecar. That was then though and this is now. I’m ready to win again.”

On The Key To Winning At Salem Speedway: “Keeping your nose clean, having fresh tires and a little bit of patience is what took the Sheltra Motorsports team to victory lane in April. We can easily do it again Saturday night.”

On The Goals For The Final Three Races: “Obviously our main goal is to try and win but I really have my eyes set on finishing inside the top-five in the ARCA RE/MAX Series point standings. We’ve had a season that has been filled with highs and lows but to finish fifth after everything we’ve gone through would be a great ending to a crazy year not only for us but our great marketing partners too.”

Sheltra Motorsports, Salem Speedway Pre-Race Quotes: Grace Sheltra, owner of the No. 60 Buffalo Wings & Rings Dodge Charger:

On New Jersey Motorsports Park: “I would have been happy with another 11th place finish last weekend but the boys pulled off a great run last Sunday and I couldn’t be more proud. I think Patrick proved a lot about his road course racing skills. He gets it. A little patience and a little more track time will only further improve his road racing skills for the future.”

On Winning The Most Recent ARCA Event At Salem Speedway: “It was an indescribable feeling. After the lowest of lows at Daytona to go to Salem and do what we did was the icing on the cake. I was and still am proud of everyone on the Sheltra Motorsports team for what we accomplished in April. We’re going to try and do it again Saturday night.”

On Being A Winning Mom & Owner In The ARCA RE/MAX Series: “As an owner I was proud for our guys and our marketing partners. As a mother, it was one of the best moments of my life. I don’t think there was a person at the track that wasn’t happy for or proud of Patrick. And as a mother that is an incredible feeling.”

PRIOR RESULTS:

Date Event Start Finish Laps Status

04/07 Kentuckiana Ford 200 14 11 200/200 Running

09/07 Eddie Gilstrap Motors 200 21 14 197/200 Running

04/08 Kentuckiana Ford 200 20 11 200/204 Running

09/08 Eddie Gilstrap Motors 200 20 11 200/200 Running

04/09 Kentuckiana Ford 200 4 1 200/200 WON

The Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic (200 laps/111 miles) is the 19th of 21 events on the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. The 83rd ARCA race held at Salem is a one-day show. Practice begins Saturday, September 19 with an hour and a half practice session planned from 1:05 p.m. – 2:35 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is set for later in the day slated to begin at 4:00 p.m. The event will take the green flag shortly after 7:15 p.m. Saturday night. The race will be broadcasted live through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local.

Fast Links:

Driver / Team: Patrick Sheltra on the web: PatrickSheltra.com

Marketing Partner: Buffalo Wings & Rings on the web: BuffaloWingsandRings.com

Sanction: ARCA RE/MAX Series: ARCARacing.com

About Sheltra Motorsports:

Sheltra Motorsports (sheltramotorsports.com) is a three-tier Motorsports operation consisting of dirt and asphalt competition. Patrick Sheltra, a 22-year old native of Indiantown, Florida competes in the UMP and WoO (Dirt) Series; while also running a full schedule in the ARCA RE/MAX Series (No. 60) and a limited schedule in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Sheltra Motorsports ownership is combined of Richard, Grace and Patrick Sheltra. The team is headquartered in Indiantown, Florida with additional operations in Richmond, Indiana and Whitesville, Kentucky.

- Sheltra Motorsports Press Release

No. 60 Buffalo Wings & Rings Dodge Charger

And with the ARCA RE/MAX Series returning to the half-mile short track for it’s annual fall retreat, Sheltra is aiming high and preparing to conquer the Salem sweep and put his No. 60 Buffalo Wings & Rings Dodge Charger back in victory circle.

“Salem Speedway was always one of my favorite race tracks but after the win at Salem, it will forevermore be a place that I will never forget. While it’s great going back to the track this weekend knowing that I’m the most recent winner; I’m focused on proving that we can win again – and I think we can do it easily on Saturday night.”

Oddly enough, you would think that the Whitesville, Kentucky team would want to race the same Dodge Charger that propelled the team to stardom but the John Hayden led organization hasn’t raced the car since the second event of the season despite utilizing the machine as a back-up car for several races this year.

Patrick Sheltra

The 23-year old continued, “Salem was our first race with Buffalo Wings & Rings and we were able to celebrate with them in one of the greatest places in racing, victory lane. Since then, we’ve been honored to hoist their logo and make all the wonderful people there apart of our family all year. The support we’ll have from them this weekend will be tremendous and I hope we’re able to complete the Salem sweep Saturday night.”

The Indiantown, Florida native will make his sixth career Salem Speedway start Saturday night and look for not only his second victory but look to tie his record for the number of top-10 finishes in a single season. With three races left including Saturday night’s anticipated thriller – Sheltra should easily match that record and then some.

“Always improving your record is good but that’s not primarily our focus. Right now, we want to win Salem. I want to win again for a bunch of reasons. I know John (Hayden, crew chief) and the guys are pumped up about going back – so I’m just ready to get the party started again.”

After finishing seventh in last weekend’s Road Course event at New Jersey Motorsports Park, Sheltra has moved back into the seventh position in the ARCA RE/MAX Series championship standings and still has an arms reach of claiming fifth. With just three events remaining, 135 points separate Sheltra from marching into the top-five. “It’s not going to be a easy but we are definitely capable of finishing strong at Salem, Kansas and Rockingham and if we give nothing less than 150 percent we should be able to walk away from another year of ARCA racing with our best point’s finish ever,” concluded Sheltra.

Crew Chief John Hayden has elected to bring Sheltra Motorsports Chassis No. 5 this weekend at Salem Speedway. This is the same piece the team roared to victory lane at Salem in April. It’s also the same automobile the team finished 11th with last Spring. The former Joe Gibbs Racing chassis will be run for ninth time in Sheltra’s career. Chassis No. 4 will serve as the team’s back-up automobile. This is the same piece the team competed with at Berlin Raceway and Toledo Speedway this year. It’s also responsible for Sheltra’s first career top-five run, a fourth at Berlin Raceway in 2007.

Entering Salem, Sheltra has 64 ARCA RE/MAX Series starts to his credit with one career victory at Salem Speedway (April 2009). During his ARCA tenure, Sheltra has accumulated 10 top-fives and posted 22 top-10 finishes. A third place qualifying effort at Rockingham Speedway (April 2009) is Sheltra’s best time trials efforts to date. He has controlled the ARCA field five times for 109 laps.

The Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic (200 laps/111 miles) is the 19th of 21 events on the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. The 83rd ARCA race held at Salem is a one-day show. Practice begins Saturday, September 19 with an hour and a half practice session planned from 1:05 p.m. – 2:35 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is set for later in the day slated to begin at 4:00 p.m. The event will take the green flag shortly after 7:15 p.m. Saturday night. The race will be broadcasted live through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local.

For more on Patrick Sheltra, the Sheltra Motorsports team and marketing partnership opportunities please visit PatrickSheltra.com.

For additional input on Buffalo Wings & Rings, please connect to Buffalowingsandrings.com or call 513.831.WING.

About Sheltra Motorsports:

Sheltra Motorsports (sheltramotorsports.com) is a three-tier Motorsports operation consisting of dirt and asphalt competition. Patrick Sheltra, a 23-year old native of Indiantown, Florida competes in the UMP and WoO (Dirt) Series; while also running a full schedule in the ARCA RE/MAX Series (No. 60) and a limited schedule in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Sheltra Motorsports ownership is combined of Richard, Grace and Patrick Sheltra. The team is headquartered in Indiantown, Florida with additional operations in Richmond, Indiana and Whitesville, Kentucky.

About Buffalo Wings & Rings:

Buffalo Wings & Rings is the fastest-growing privately owned franchised chain of restaurants in the nation serving Buffalo-style chicken wings, onion rings, burgers, chicken and salads. Founded in 1988 in Cincinnati, OH, Buffalo Wings & Rings operates 52 franchised restaurants in the United States. Buffalo Wings & Rings was ranked the #1 fastest growing restaurant chain nationwide in the July 2008 issue of Restaurant Business, and ranked in the top 500 franchises in the January 2009 issue of Entrepreneur. For more information, visit www.buffalowingsandrings.com or call 513-831-WING.

- Sheltra Motorsports Press Release