Frank Kimmel

To add to the stats pile going into Daytona, Kimmel is the all-time leading superspeedway lap leader with 2,645 laps led in 80 races, and the all-time leading superspeedway pole winner with 20. Kimmel finished as the second-place driver in the ARCA Racing Series in 1994, 1997, and 1999. In 2011, Kimmel finished third in driver points.

One distinct goal Kimmel always walks around with in the back of his mind as a veteran driver: the all-time career victories holder, currently Iggy Katona, with 79. Going into Daytona in a few weeks, Kimmel sits just five victories away from eclipsing the record – at 74. Can he do it this year? He sure hopes so. In his past, 66 of those 74 victories came with a successful partnership with owner Larry Clement. This season, he looks to seasoned veterans at ThorSport Racing – new to the ARCA Racing Series but the longest-tenured team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – to hopefully conjure the same magic.

“Every year I get asked what’s important to me to achieve for the season,” said Kimmel. “Winning Daytona is first on the list for me, and it’s important for my entire family. Being the first race for ThorSport Racing, everyone’s working REALLY hard to achieve some wins- period. Daytona would be great and such an accomplishment, but we all know what can happen there. I can honestly remember racing for two years without ever winning at all, and that’s why it means a lot to have 74 wins under my belt now. The first time at Toledo was such a big thing for us. I have a lot to prove this year to win again, since it has been three years since I’ve been to Victory Lane. Iggy Katona is a huge hero of mine; he raced against my dad for years. He’s the man. It’s a privilege to be in the same class of driver as such an ARCA Racing legend as Iggy.”

No stranger to accepting pole awards, Kimmel is excited to see his sponsor, Ansell, as a partnership with Menards; present the pole trophies once again this year. His 42 career Menards Pole Awards comprises just one fewer than again, Iggy Katona – at 43; and he has finished in the top 10 in points in the ARCA Racing Series for an unprecedented 20 consecutive seasons. With 233 top-five finishes and 300 top-10 finishes, he is no slouch to records – those statistics both standing as the records for active drivers.

“Getting the first win is the most amazing achievement. I raced many years with Terry Shirley in the 02 car, and we only won one. When Terry left to be a crew chief, I didn’t have a team to drive for at all. I thought I’d be driving late models. Then I was picked up by Dan Faldorf and got with Larry Clement. We ended up putting a hodge-podge of races together
-MORE-

by the skin of our teeth, and with blood, sweat and tears; we ended up 5th in drivers points and didn’t even go to every race. When we came back the next year and ran full-time for Larry, being manager, driver and everything, we were second in the points, so we kept climbing. Then the following year, in 1998, we won our first championship. It just goes to show that the competition is always so fierce, it takes a lot to get there and it means so much. Every one of my nine championship trophies have people and a great story behind them. In my tenure of ARCA Racing Series driving, every year is a great battle. It’s going to be a lot of fun competition in 2012.”

In a historic 60th season of ARCA Racing, nothing could be more special for Kimmel than driving through the tunnel to Daytona International Speedway as one of the most recognized faces in ARCA Racing Series history. In a year of “star power,” he hopes to not only give the fans a great show, but have some record-breaking moments as he does it. Yet the “star” himself would love to say, he would do it, then enjoy just going home to the farm to work in the barn and be around his wife Donna.

ABOUT ANSELL:

Ansell is a global leader in protection solutions, with operations in North America, LAC, EMEA and Asia-Pacific. Ansell designs, develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of surgical, examination, industrial and household gloves, protective clothing and condoms. People in over 100 countries around the world put their trust in Ansell’s innovative, high-quality solutions to offer superior protection, combined with high levels of comfort and performance.

Ansell holds its operational headquarters in Red Bank, NJ, USA and its parent, Ansell Limited, is registered in Melbourne, Australia. Worldwide, the group employs over 10,000 people in 33 countries. In its Fiscal Year 2011, Ansell achieved sales of USD 1.2 bn. For more information visit www.ansell.com, www.safetypro.com, www.activarmr.com and www.ansellconstruction.com.

ABOUT THORSPORT RACING

ThorSport Racing, based in Sandusky, Ohio, is the longest tenured active NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. NASCAR’s only Ohio-based team, which has run full season schedules annually beginning in 1998, will run in 2012 the No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra driven by Matt Crafton; the No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records Toyota Tundra driven by Johnny Sauter; the No. 98 Ferrell Gas / Agrisure Toyota Tundra driven by Dakoda Armstrong; and the No. 44 Ansell / Menards Toyota Camry driven by Frank Kimmel in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. ThorSport Racing operates in a state-of-the-art, world-class 100,000 square foot racing facility in Sandusky. For more information, visit us on Facebook: Facebook/ThorSportRacing or Twitter: Twitter.com/ThorSportRacing.

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

Ansell Protective Products Inc.

“Since Toyota opened their first plant in North America, Ansell was there, protecting their employees with Ansell gloves. As a company, we’re proud to have such a strong relationship of protection and safety with such an esteemed organization both inside and outside of motorsports,” said Steve York, Director of Channel and Vertical Development at Ansell. “We’re encouraged that while Toyota keeps Frank Kimmel safe while driving upwards of 190mph on the racetrack, we’re also keeping Toyota’s associates safe as they enter the workplace to provide for their families.”

ThorSport Racing

“I couldn’t be happier with the change to Toyota Camrys for my No. 44 Ansell/Menards team,” said Frank Kimmel. “With the pre-existing relationship between Ansell and Toyota, it seems to marry the sport and the manufacturing world perfectly. Ansell has such a proud tradition of safety and messaging in safety awareness – and we’re hoping to build on that success this year, both on and off the racetrack. We’re also hoping to visit several Toyota locations to help celebrate that strong partnership of protection onsite – by meeting the employees and staff on the front lines.”

“ThorSport Racing is a first-class organization and a championship-caliber race team, as well as one of the most respected teams in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series,” said Lee White, president and general manager of TRD, U.S.A.(Toyota Racing Development). “We look forward to working together with the entire ThorSport race team and are confident that it will raise the level of our entire Toyota racing program.”

“We’re always on the forefront of competition in whatever series we are competing in,” said Matt LaNeve, Vice President of Motorsports Partnerships for ThorSport Racing. “We’re looking forward to forging ahead with Toyota in the competition arena in 2012. Toyota and Ansell have a strong industry bond in the industrial solutions arena, and we hope to celebrate that through Frank Kimmel, the No. 44 team, and awareness campaigns throughout the motorsports community on how Ansell engages a reputation of protecting workers in many different arenas – from first responders to the military to auto workers.”

ABOUT ANSELL:

Ansell is a global leader in protection solutions, with operations in North America, LAC, EMEA and Asia-Pacific. Ansell designs, develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of surgical, examination, industrial and household gloves, protective clothing and condoms. People in over 100 countries around the world put their trust in Ansell’s innovative, high-quality solutions to offer superior protection, combined with high levels of comfort and performance.

Ansell holds its operational headquarters in Red Bank, NJ, USA and its parent, Ansell Limited, is registered in Melbourne, Australia. Worldwide, the group employs over 10,000 people in 33 countries. In its Fiscal Year 2011, Ansell achieved sales of USD 1.2 bn. For more information visit www.ansell.com, www.safetypro.com, www.activarmr.com and www.ansellconstruction.com.

ABOUT THORSPORT RACING

ThorSport Racing, based in Sandusky, Ohio, is the longest tenured active NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. NASCAR’s only Ohio-based team, which has run full season schedules annually beginning in 1998, will run in 2012 the No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra driven by Matt Crafton; the No. 13 Safe Auto/Curb Records Toyota Tundra driven by Johnny Sauter; the No. 98 Ferrell Gas/Agrisure Toyota Tundra driven by Dakoda Armstrong; and the No. 44 Ansell/Menards Toyota Camry driven by Frank Kimmel in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. ThorSport Racing operates in a state-of-the-art, world-class 100,000 square foot racing facility in Sandusky. For more information, visit us on Facebook: Facebook/ThorSportRacing or Twitter: Twitter.com/ThorSportRacing.

Toyota Logo

TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) Powering all of Toyota’s American racing programs is TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) in Costa Mesa, Calif., and Salisbury, N.C. A subsidiary of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., TRD serves as the North American racing arm for design, development and assembly of Toyota’s factory racing engines.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of nearly 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers which sold more than 1.76 million vehicles in 2010. Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion. For more information

- Girl Friday PR Press Release

Dakoda Armstrong

“I’ve been to a few hockey games before, but this will be my first time watching the Checkers,” Armstrong said. “Hockey and racing are both about action and everything moves fast, so I’m sure all the hockey and race fans that come will have a great time.”

Checkers players will be donning special jerseys for Race Night that will be auctioned off live following the game, with proceeds going to the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte and Hyundai Hope on Wheels.

Armstrong is slated to run his first full-season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this year for ThorSport, behind the wheel of the No. 98 Toyota Tundra. Competing for Rookie of the Year honors, his first contest will be the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 24th.

Charlotte Checkers Race Night Details:

When: Friday, January 27, 2011

Where: Time Warner Cable Arena, 333 E. Trade St, Charlotte, NC

Timeline: Dakoda Armstrong greeting fans and signing autographs from 6-6:45 pm prior to Checkers game

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

ThorSport Racing

At the Winter Fancy Food Show this weekend in San Francisco (www.SpecialtyFood.com), attendees will have the opportunity to not only see the No. 13 “Hot Honeys” Toyota Tundra and take photos; they will also get a chance to find out private label, wholesale and fundraising opportunities with the Peanut Roaster company. Started in 1949 by Larry Monahan, Sr., the Peanut Roaster has a tradition of pioneering processes, offerings and opportunities in gourmet gift products both wholesale and to the public via www.Peanut.com; as well as operating three (3) retail stores with specialty gourmet peanuts, gifts and accessories.

No. 13 The Peanut Roaster / Peanut.com Toyota Tundra driven by Johnny Sauter

“We’re excited to have the Hot Honey brand, and the Peanut Roaster company, on board with us at ThorSport Racing in 2012,” said Matt LaNeve, vice president of motorsports partnerships for ThorSport Racing. “ThorSport Racing has a history of not only innovating in what they do – but also in finding the products and companies that work well with the market. We’re looking forward to the debut of the ‘Hot Honey’ line and racing component at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco.”

After a successful 2011 season in the NCWTS, with two wins and two poles under his belt – Johnny Sauter is ready to race again in 2012. “I couldn’t be happier to have the ‘Hot Honeys’ and Peanut.com on my truck this year,” he said candidly. “All kidding aside, I’m an avid peanut eater! So selfishly, now I get to eat all the gourmet peanuts I want. Seriously though, I am really looking forward to working with them, and hopefully we’ll see them in Victory Lane soon.”

ABOUT PEANUT ROASTER / HOT HONEYS PEANUTS:

The Peanut Roaster was started by Larry Monahan Sr., considered a pioneer in the development of frying water-blanched peanuts in the 1940s. In 1949, he began roasting and selling peanuts to passing tourists from his family-owned restaurant, and a beloved brand was born. Today, the peanut tradition continues with president and son, John S. Monahan – using the same recipes developed by his father in the late Forties. Our peanuts are enjoyed in all 50 states and many foreign countries, and we continue to innovate in the 21st Century with new brands, processes and partnerships to bring the best quality peanuts to our customers. For more information, visit Peanut.com, Facebook: Facebook/PeanutRoaster or YouTube: user/PeanutRoaster.

ABOUT THORSPORT RACING:

ThorSport Racing, based in Sandusky, Ohio, is the longest tenured active NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. NASCAR’s only Ohio-based team, which has run full season schedules annually beginning in 1998, will run in 2012 the No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra driven by Matt Crafton; the No. 13 Safe Auto/Curb Records Toyota Tundra driven by Johnny Sauter; the No. 98 Ferrell Gas / Agrisure Toyota Tundra driven by Dakoda Armstrong; and the No. 44 Ansell / Menards Toyota Camry driven by Frank Kimmel in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

ThorSport Racing has wheeled into Victory Lane with Terry Cook, Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter since its inception and has finished a dominating eight times within the top 10 in points with both trucks. ThorSport Racing operates in a state-of-the-art, world-class 100,000 square foot racing facility in Sandusky. For more information, visit us on Facebook: Facebook/ThorSportRacing or Twitter: Twitter.com/ThorSportRacing

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

ThorSport Racing

“We’d like to thank everyone at Chevrolet for all the support over the last 16 years,” said Matt LaNeve, vice president of motorsports partnerships for ThorSport Racing. “ThorSport Racing, along with dedicated owners Duke and Rhonda Thorson, have a long-standing history and commitment to conservative, steady growth within NASCAR. Toyota’s business and competitive philosophies are in line with our 2012 goals for both Frank Kimmel, as he pursues his 10th ARCA Racing Series Championship; and our NCWTS teams of the 13, 88 and 98, as we further look to increase competition. We are aggressively chasing not only wins in our two respective series, but championship trophies for our drivers and sponsors.”

ThorSport Racing currently operates three NCWTS teams – the No. 13 of Johnny Sauter; the No. 88 of Matt Crafton; and the No. 98 of Dakoda Armstrong. The organization will also field the No. 44 Ansell / Menards Toyota Camry during the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season. The No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records entry finished second in driver championship points in 2011, matching the organization’s highest previous finish by the No. 88 Menards entry and Matt Crafton in 2009 – narrowly missing the championship by six points but capping the year off with a win at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18th; adding to driver Sauter’s win list, shared with a trophy clock at Martinsville earlier in the year. The No. 88 Menards entry, piloted by Matt Crafton, finished 8th in overall driver championship points, earned two poles and wheeled into Victory Lane at Iowa Speedway during the 2011 season.

“ThorSport Racing is a first-class organization and a championship-caliber race team, as well as one of the most respected teams in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series,” said Lee White, president and general manager of TRD, U.S.A.(Toyota Racing Development). “We look forward to working together with the entire ThorSport race team and are confident that it will raise the level of our entire Toyota Tundra racing program.”

“We’re always on the forefront of competition in whatever series we are competing in,” said David Pepper, Director of Competition and Team Manager for ThorSport Racing. “We’re looking forward to forging ahead with Toyota in the competition arena in 2012. We’re actively hiring top talent to our existing crew members on our championship-caliber teams. We’re encouraged, during a down economy in both the country and in racing, to be hiring and adding jobs back into our industry.”

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, will run in 2012 the No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra driven by Matt Crafton; the No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records Toyota Tundra driven by Johnny Sauter; the No. 98 Ferrell Gas / Agrisure Toyota Tundra driven by Dakoda Armstrong; and the No. 44 Ansell / Menards Toyota Camry driven by Frank Kimmel in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

ThorSport Racing has wheeled into Victory Lane with Terry Cook, Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter since its inception and has finished a dominating eight times within the top 10 in points with both trucks. Sauter wheeled into Victory Lane twice in 2011 – Martinsville and Homestead-Miami; Crafton in Iowa. Both earned two poles, respectively. In 2011, ThorSport Racing matched its highest previous driver points finish by Matt Crafton and the No. 88 in 2009 – with the No. 13 of Johnny Sauter. In 2009 and 2010, both Crafton and Sauter finished in the top five in driver points. ThorSport Racing operates in a state-of-the-art, world-class 100,000 square foot racing facility in Sandusky. For more information, visit us on Facebook: Facebook/ThorSportRacing or Twitter: Twitter.com/ThorSportRacing

ABOUT TOYOTA:

TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development)

Powering all of Toyota’s American racing programs is TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) in Costa Mesa, Calif., and Salisbury, N.C. A subsidiary of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., TRD serves as the North American racing arm for design, development and assembly of Toyota’s factory racing engines.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of nearly 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers which sold more than 1.76 million vehicles in 2010. Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com, www.lexus.com, www.scion.com or www.toyotanewsroom.com.

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Thumbnail

Adding to 11 races previously announced for next year’s schedule, ARCA officials released four more event dates as the unveiling of 2012′s entire race slate approaches.

The series will return to Winchester Speedway, the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile,” on Sunday, June 24. The race will be the 22nd for ARCA at the track 75 miles northeast of Indianapolis; the first ARCA race at Winchester took place in 1957, just the fifth season of ARCA competition. Dakoda Armstrong lifted Cunningham Motorsports to victory at Winchester in June.

“Winchester is exactly the type of Midwestern facility where the ARCA brand is well-known and has the chance to be successful,” said ARCA president Ron Drager. “Winchester is big enough and fast enough to play to the very nature of our cars.”

ARCA will make its seventh visit to the 0.875-mile Iowa Speedway on Friday, July 13 – one day before a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at the track. Ty Dillon and Richard Childress Racing earned a dominating win at Iowa in July on his way to the 2011 series championship.

“Racing at Iowa Speedway is important from a market and venue perspective, as we reach a number of fans from several major areas there,” Drager said. “Being as recently built as it is, Iowa Speedway is one of those tracks that has the luxury of incorporating so many amenities – sightlines and facilities among them – to be fan-friendly and competitor-friendly. Iowa Speedway fans have strongly supported ARCA.”

The 25th appearance for the ARCA Racing Series at Berlin Raceway will occur on Saturday, August 11. The 0.4375-mile oval near Grand Rapids, Mich. hosted ARCA for the first time in 1958, and Matt Merrell won this July to take his first victory with Win-Tron Racing.

“Berlin Raceway is unlike any of the short tracks we go to in terms of its unique layout and pit road,” said Drager. “It’s been a staple of the tour for a number of years, and it seems that everyone from local guys like 2002 winner Fred Campbell to multi-time champions like three-time winner Frank Kimmel has a chance to be successful.”

Madison International Speedway will host ARCA for the second consecutive year and the fifth time since 1970 on Sunday, August 26. Alex Bowman drove Venturini Motorsports to the winner’s circle on the half-mile this season. The race is the year’s only event in Wisconsin, home to series presenting sponsor Menards. After taking place as a one-day Friday event in 2011, on-track activities will spread over two days – a Saturday and Sunday combination.

“The state of Wisconsin is renowned for the quality of its racing – teams and facilities – so it’s an important state from that perspective,” said Drager. “In addition, Wisconsin race fans are well-educated about the sport, and Terry Kunes and his staff at Madison provide a great venue at which our series can perform and compete.

“We consider every one of these race tracks important challenges to our racers, and there is a true advantage to racing within the Menards footprint. As Menards continues as our highest-profile marketing partner, racing in these Midwestern and Central states takes on added significance.”

More detailed schedule information for the season will be available shortly. The following race dates for the 2012 ARCA Racing Series schedule have been announced:

February 18 – Daytona International Speedway

March 10 – Mobile International Speedway

May 4 – Talladega Superspeedway

June 9 – Pocono Raceway

June 15 – Michigan International Speedway

June 24 – Winchester Speedway

July 1 – New Jersey Motorsports Park

July 13 – Iowa Speedway

July 21 – Chicagoland Speedway

August 4 – Pocono Raceway

August 11 – Berlin Raceway

August 19 – Illinois State Fairgrounds

August 26 – Madison International Speedway

September 3 – DuQuoin State Fairgrounds

October 19 – Kansas Speedway

The ARCA Racing Series will wrap up the 2011 season with the Championship Awards Banquet at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington, Ky., near Cincinnati, on Saturday, December 10.

The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards featured 19 events at 16 tracks on its 2011 schedule. The series has crowned an ARCA national champion each year since its inaugural season in 1953, and has toured over 200 race tracks in 28 states since its inception. In 2011, the series has tested the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, visiting tracks ranging from 0.4 mile to 2.66 miles in length, on both paved and dirt surfaces as well as a left- and right-turn road course.

Founded by John Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in two professional touring series and local weekly events.

- Automobile Racing Club of America Press Release

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

Representing a new partnership with EverFi and a cause close to his family, the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (UMDF) this weekend, Armstrong was optimistic to give both organizations a solid finish. Precipitation delayed the day’s lone practice session and eventually cancelled qualifying. Since the team wasn’t able to make a mock qualifying run due to the rain-shortened practice, Armstrong started in the 20th position based on practice speeds.

Handling issues rose within the first three laps of the 200 mile event as Armstrong radioed to his crew that the truck was super loose on entry. Sliding back further into the field, the Indiana-native rode around the back of the pack until the competition caution on lap 20. The crew made the first of many adjustments under the yellow and sent their driver back out into battle. Unfortunately, the Ferrellgas/EverFi/Drive For Savings machine was still loose, and Armstrong reported he felt like he was doing a “four wheel slide” through the turns. Stillman brought his driver back down pit road just 10 laps later under the next caution for some more major adjustments, hoping this round would do the trick.

Dakoda Armstrong

“It wasn’t easy to get a feel for the truck during practice because the tires lost grip so fast, and I had a hard time adjusting between old and new tires with the changes we made. Then when the rain came and washed what rubber we had laid down during practice off the track, it just made conditions worse.

“We were really loose for the first half of the race and that put us too far behind to come back from once we got it right. I’m proud of Dan and my guys for sticking with it though and making all of the adjustments they did to get it feeling better. I just wish we hadn’t lost that initial track position at the beginning because we would’ve really had something to race with there at the end.”

“We were really fast for about 10 laps, but we needed to be fast for 134 laps tonight,” Stillman said. “But this is why we competed in these races this season, so we’re more prepared for the full season next year. We’ll work hard in the off season so we’re ready for Daytona and just keep making improvements.”

Armstrong and the No. 98 ThorSport Racing crew will return to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series full-time in 2012 to compete for Rookie of the Year honors. During the off season, Armstrong plans on returning to his roots to run select USAC open wheel races across the country, including the Irwindale Speedway Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix over Thanksgiving. For updates leading up to Daytona on Dakoda Armstrong and ThorSport Racing, follow us on Twitter and Facebook (@ThorSportRacing), and visit our website ThorSport.com.

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 44 Ansell / Menards Chevrolet Silverado

SUM IT UP: Kimmel has 12 overall starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series since 1995; plus the added bonus of 341 starts over 16 years in the ARCA Racing Series. Three of his NCWTS starts included Homestead-Miami Speedway, with his best finish coming in 1996 in the ninth position. Kimmel is just five victory lane appearances away from all-time winningest driver in the ARCA Racing Series – Iggy Katona – and hopes to eclipse the record in 2012 with ThorSport Racing.

TAKING THE TEST: After running the NCWTS race, Kimmel gets a quick holiday break with his family, then returns to the racetrack. He will be accompanying the No. 44 Ansell/Menards entry to Daytona for the annual tire test in the ARCA Racing Series in December.

BUY IT UP: ThorSport Racing merchandise makes a great Christmas present for the race fans in your life. Even though the season is over, there’s still plenty of time to head over to http://store.thorsport.com or click the Merchandise tab on ThorSport.com to find gear for Matt Crafton, Johnny Sauter and Dakoda Armstrong – all of the ThorSport Racing drivers. Frank Kimmel gear is forthcoming!

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 44 team will utilize chassis No. 33 this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This is the chassis Matt Crafton drove to a podium-earning third place finish earlier in the season at Dover Motor Speedway. It has been used four times in its existence in the ThorSport Racing fleet – all to top ten finishes.

Frank Kimmel

AFTER EVERYTHING IN THE ARCA RACING SERIES…TRUCKS?

Yes, Trucks! Can you believe it? I’m actually not new to the Truck Series – I’ve raced a few in the last 15 years. This really boiled down to sheer opportunity. We’re focused on racing for my 10th ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards Championship in 2012. When Duke and Rhonda Thorson, team owners, asked if I would help drive for them in a fourth truck in Homestead, I said absolutely! So it’s a great way to race with my new teammates and get to know them – Johnny and I have known each other through the late model world for years; and Matt and Dakoda and I have raced ARCA together for some time. It’s a great fit overall, but my heart is in the ARCA Racing Series for 2012.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THORSPORT RACING SO FAR?

It’s awesome to be in an organization that really takes running for championships so seriously. Just being up at the shop in Sandusky the last two weeks, I’m really blown away. The shop boys are there until all hours of the night preparing these trucks; and the facility is just unreal – 100,000 square feet of space ready for a fleet. Duke and Rhonda have achieved excellence over the last 16 years slowly and steadily – and it’s really paying off. I couldn’t be more excited to add a new “arm” to the program and show some muscle on track.

ARE YOU READY FOR HOMESTEAD THIS WEEKEND?

I was actually on the original configuration and did a truck race in ’96. They then went back and did the intermediate configuration. It’s just the prettiest racetrack, now that it’s not a rectangle, and it’s a lot of fun. I’m not a stranger to trucks, even though they have more downforce and better turn speed than Sprint Cup cars – those things are serious weapons on track. It takes a little more getting used to, going through corners with such throttle. I’m excited though – that’s my kind of racing. I think Johnny calls it “beatin’ and bangin’ racing” – bring it on!

ANYTHING YOU’RE CONCERNED ABOUT RIGHT NOW?

The only thing I’m concerned about is that it’s the last race of the year in the NCWTS, and we’ve got a lot of guys gunning for serious position in the points. I don’t want to be the guy that makes the difference in where someone finishes for the year. So I’ll be pretty respectful on track and know who I’m running around, for sure. I know and have raced around 99% of these guys anyway. This weekend is a great opportunity to have the first start ever for Ansell in the NCWTS, and a great way to kick off the relationship with ThorSport Racing for 2012. Hey, you never know – we might just sneak into Victory Lane!

Race Info:

November 18, 2011

Homestead-Miami Speedway

1.5-Mile Oval

Ford 200

134 Laps / 201 Miles

Broadcast Info:

TV: SPEED will broadcast live at 8:00 p.m. EST

Radio: MRN will broadcast live at 7:45 p.m. EST

Team Facts:

Current Point Standings: N/A

Chassis: 33

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)

Frank Kimmel NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results at Homestead-Miami Speedway:

Starts: 3

Wins: 0

Poles: 0

Top 5: 0

Top 10: 1

Average Start: 24

Average Finish: 15.3

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

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

No. 13 Safe Auto Insurance / Curb Records Chevrolet Silverado

GREEN CLOVERS, BLUE DIAMONDS…OR OTHER LUCKY CHARMS: Sauter will have a little lucky charm or two on his side at Martinsville this weekend. At his first appearance this year, he had to rush home post-race for the birth of his daughter Paige. This time around, he’ll have the support of wife Cortney and son Penn on the pit box, as they watch dad run for the win.

NEVER, EVER GIVE UP – SUPPORTING SCRUGGS: Sauter and teammate Dakoda Armstrong will be the honored guests at the 2011 Scruggs Foundation Award Dinner for Scholarship Recipients at GR Chevrolet in Martinsville on Friday evening post-practice. Bobby Scruggs was a NASCAR Official for almost 40 years. He lost his thirteen-year battle with Cancer on January 22, 2005. His motto was “Never Give Up, Go Over, Go Under, Go Around or Go Through, but NEVER GIVE UP!” Continuing his legacy through fundraising, the foundation offers scholarships to students seeking a career in the Motorsport Industry as well as interns with Motor Racing Outreach and Wake Forest University Cancer Research Center.Forty- four Scholarships have been awarded to students from 17 high schools in Southwest Virginia.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 13 team will utilize chassis No. 011 this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. A proven short track chassis for the team, it brought a successful podium finish at Martinsville earlier this year. Its last appearance was in September in New Hampshire, where Sauter powered home in fifth position.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Sauter drove the No. 13 home to a 15th place finish at Talladega Superspeedway after starting in the 20th spot for the day. After an unavoidable incident on lap 30, Sauter rallied from three laps down to a lead lap p15. The effort not only helped preserve precious championship points, but also earned a “shout out” from Dodge – the Guts & Glory Award.

Johnny Sauter

Martinsville – are you confident, or is it a percentage of luck?

“It’s a piece of cake! Okay, maybe not THAT easy, but it really is either you finish first, or you have trouble. Until April, I was part of the second bunch. I don’t feel any pressure, being the previous race winner. It’s just another day at the office for me and the guys. So I guess that makes us confident!”

Is there really a “checkers or wreckers” attitude on the 13 for these last three races? Go for broke?

“We don’t have a choice but to win if we’re going to pull off this championship. Being behind, you have no other option but to race aggressively. So yes, that’s the general attitude with our team going into Martinsville – we’re going to do whatever it takes to win, within reason. I don’t look out for anybody but us – especially now with just three to go.”

Daughter Paige born in Martinsville just days after your win. Sentimental track for you?

“Anytime you win at a track, it has some sentimental feel to it. Add in the birth of your second child, and it makes it that much more sentimental. Last time, Cortney was in the hospital about to give birth – this time, she and Penn will be with me in Martinsville. I’m excited to have them with me.”

Safe Auto / Curb Chevrolet Silverado Race Info:

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

Martinsville Speedway

.566-Mile “Paperclip” Shaped Oval

Kroger 200

200 laps/105.2 Miles

Broadcast Info:

TV: SPEED will broadcast live at 1:30pm EST

Radio: MRN & Sirius XM NASCAR Radio will broadcast live at 2:00pm EST

Team Facts:

Current Point Standings: 3rd (-14)

Crew Chief: Joe Shear Jr.

Chassis: 011

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)

Johnny Sauter NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results at Martinsville Speedway:

Starts: 7

Wins: 1

Poles: 1

Top 5: 1

Average Start: 9 (best p1)

Average Finish: 12 (best p1)

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 88 Menards / CertainTeed Chevrolet Silverado

After qualifying in the 12th position, Crafton and his ThorSport Racing teammates Johnny Sauter and Dakoda Armstrong headed to the back of the pack for the green flag in an effort to remain far away from the dicey racing at the front of the field. Crafton and Sauter joined into a two-truck tandem running 33rd and 34th on lap 4.

The ThorSport strategy worked to their advantage when the first yellow flag of the day waved for a multi-truck incident on lap 14, with Crafton and Sauter safely behind the six-truck carnage. While Sauter headed into the pits immediately when pit road opened, Crafton opted to stay on the track and lead a lap. Coming into the pits the following lap, Crafton took four tires and fuel, then made one more trip to the pits to top off on fuel before taking the green on lap 18.

Crafton and Sauter once again joined up in the back of the field, and the two were running faster lap times than the leaders in 25th and 26th when trouble struck the pair. Seemingly on their own at the back of the pack, a truck off the lead lap blew a tire in front of the teammates, forcing Crafton to lift as he quickly closed on the limping vehicle. With Sauter behind him and unable to see the truck Crafton was avoiding, he turned the No. 88 Menards/CertainTeed Chevy, sending Crafton into the wall and then sliding down the steeply-banked track. Coming to a stop on the apron, the heavily damaged truck was unable to continue and was retired from the race after a tow to the garage. Completing only 35 of the 94 scheduled laps, Crafton was ultimately scored in 31st when the checkered flag waved.

Matt Crafton

Crafton lost two spots in the driver’s point race, now sitting in eighth place, 82 points behind the championship leader and 40 points behind fifth place. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Martinsville Speedway next Saturday, October 29th for a 2:00 p.m. start to the Kroger 200.

Race Recap:

Date: October 22, 2011

Track: Talladega Superspeedway

Race: 22 of 25

Started: 12th

Finished: 31st

Driver’s Point Standings: 8th (-82)

Up Next On The Truck Series Schedule:

Date: October 29, 2011

Track: Martinsville Speedway

Event Name: Kroger 200

Broadcast: SPEED at 2:00 p.m.

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

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

A somewhat tame afternoon at Talladega served some misfortune in the early stages, first for a multi-car incident in turn three on lap 14. This gave the Ferrellgas/Agrisure/Drive For Savings pit crew their first opportunity to service the No. 98 Silverado. With four fresh tires and a chassis adjustment, Armstrong left pit road in 21st and went back to riding cautiously, just behind the lead pack for the next portion of the race.

Trouble would soon find Armstrong’s ThorSport Racing teammates Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter as the two were tangled in an incident with the No. 16 on lap 37. Under the caution period that ensued, crew chief Dan Stillman called Armstrong to pit road for four tires, one can of fuel and no adjustments. After restarting in the 16th position, the 20-year-old rookie dodged another bullet less than ten laps later and relayed to his crew that the trucks weren’t lining up well in the draft and it was getting “pretty wild out here”.

Just past the halfway point, Armstrong decided to test the waters in the middle of the front pack and pushed his way towards the front for several laps until the fourth caution of the afternoon on lap 60. Pitting for the final time for fuel only, Stillman informed his driver they were good to go through the finish on fuel, and provided words of encouragement for the final portion of the race.

“A lot of crazy things are still bound to happen out there, just keep doing what you’re doing and run your race,” Stillman instructed.

Armstrong rode quietly near the rear of the front pack for the remaining laps while continuing to search for a dancing partner and found himself in the top 15 on the final restart with two laps remaining. He quickly maneuvered his way towards the front of the outside lane and moved inside the top ten on the final lap until the pack completely spread out and broke the draft coming out of turn four, pushing Armstrong back to 17th.

Dakoda Armstrong

“I know we were capable of a better finish, but I learned a lot about the draft with the trucks and had some fun running up to the front the couple of times we were able to find a drafting partner. But we finished and we’re not torn up. Anytime you can leave a restrictor plate race without any damage is a good day.”

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.

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

Patrick Sheltra

The 25-year old Sheltra will drive the No. 99 Bucked Up Apparel / PatrickSheltra.com Ford F-150 for T3R. The Indiantown, Florida native will make just his second NASCAR appearance of 2011 on Saturday. In February, the driver nicknamed “Mr. Showtime” competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

It’s only fitting for Sheltra, also considered a dirt ace to return to action on a superspeedway where the fearless driver has impressed immensely at both restrictor plate tracks including last April at the 2.66-mile oval where Sheltra led his first career Nationwide laps driving for RAB Racing with Brack Maggard. He also finished second in the Talladega ARCA 250 after pushing fellow truck competitor Dakoda Armstrong to his first career ARCA Racing Series win last April en route to the championship.

Set to make just his eighth NASCAR start overall, the Floridian driver wants to draft his way to the front, stay there and rightfully earn his growing team some exposure in hopes of grasping his first ever NASCAR top-10 finish. Sheltra, also wouldn’t mind to attract some attention to himself in hopes of returning to action on a permanent basis in 2012.

“I’m looking forward to racing at Talladega again,” said Sheltra. “I cannot thank everyone at T3R and the Silas family enough for the opportunity. I think we’ll have a decent truck in qualifying but something to bolt into contention during the race.”

42 trucks have filed an entry for the 22nd race of the 2011 NCWTS season, meaning Sheltra and Co. will have to better six other teams in order to make the starting field on Saturday afternoon.

“Yeah, it’s nail-biting when you’re a go-or-go-homer, but we really can’t worry about that until qualifying,” he offered. “I think even with the big field, we’ll still have a pretty good truck that should qualify decent and put us somewhere mid-pack. From there, it will be finding the right drafting partner and riding until its go time.”

Sheltra added, “I haven’t raced a lot this season, but that doesn’t mean I have forgotten how to race. I know Talladega is a mental game and it’s about being at the right place at the right time. We’ll be smart when we race on Saturday and try to avoid the “Big One”, if it should develop. The main goal though is to be around for the final 15 laps when the action will peg and it will be game on and every driver for themselves.”

Motorsports veteran Cal Boprey will call the shots as crew chief for the three-time ARCA winner on Saturday afternoon. It will be the first time the duo has worked together. Additionally, like he did in 2009, Sheltra’s racecar will sport a pink-based paint scheme in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

The Coca-Cola 250 Powered By fred’s 250 (94 laps / 250.04 miles) is the 22nd of 25 races on the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series tour. The lone practice session of the weekend is set for Friday, October 21st from 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Qualifying is set for later in the day set to launch at 4:10 p.m. The field will take the green flag on Saturday, October 22nd shortly after 3:00 p.m. with live coverage on SPEED, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite, Channel 90). Pre-race coverage of the contest lifts off at 2:30 p.m. also on SPEED. All times are local (Central).

For additional input on Patrick Sheltra, please connect to PatrickSheltra.com.

- T3R Press Release

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

Talladega Superspeedway Advance

No. 98 Ferrellgas / Agrisure / Drive For Savings Chevrolet Silverado

Armstrong Not Spooked at Talladega: Though some fellow drivers may have mixed feelings about restrictor plate racing, re-visiting Talladega Superspeedway is a thrill for Dakoda Armstrong. With roots in open wheel racing on short tracks, competing on the enormous 2.66-mile oval is a whole new world for the 20-year-old rookie driver, who won his first ever contest at the track in the ARCA Racing Series in 2010. As the site of his first stock car victory, Talladega will always hold a special place in Armstrong’s heart. He’ll be the first person to tell you however, it’s a giant chess game out there.

“I grew up watching races at Talladega as a child so the excitement of getting to run at such a prestigious track is a thrill for me, but you never know what to expect during a restrictor plate race. It’s pretty hard to have any kind of strategy because really anything goes once you get out there,” Armstrong explained.

“At Talladega it’s just about putting yourself in the right spot at the end because once you’re in the draft; all of the trucks are the same speed. You just have to stay out of trouble and just be there at the end to even have a chance.”

Drive For Savings, Armstrong and the National FFA Convention: Armstrong will be visiting the Drive For Savings booth during the opening day of events at the 84th National FFA Convention on Wednesday, October 19th from 1 to 5 pm. He will be on hand to sign autographs and greet fans next at the Drive For Savings (DFS) display. The area will contain Armstrong’s No. 98 Ferrellgas/Agrisure/Drive For Savings Chevrolet, as well as information about the DFS discount card program that benefits organizations like FFA.

Held each October, the national FFA convention is one of the largest annual student conventions in the country, providing educational sessions, hands-on activities, leadership workshops, information about numerous careers and much more. Drive For Savings, sponsor of Dakoda Armstrong and his No. 98 ThorSport Racing team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS), will participate in AutoWorld, an area of the convention career show originated to give students a path who are seeking careers in the automotive, motorsport, and racing industries. AutoWorld spans over an 8,000 square foot section of the show and displays automotive, racing, motorsports and classic industries, combined with technical schools and colleges involved in these respected categories.

Godspeed, Dan Wheldon: All members of the ThorSport Racing family were affected by of Dan Wheldon’s passing in last weekend’s IZOD IndyCar Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. As a Curb Records teammate, Wheldon was a member of the ThorSport Racing family, and the entire organization will honor him with special decals on all three TSR entries in addition to apparel to be worn by all of the team’s drivers and crew members.

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: Armstrong will pilot chassis No. 24 at Talladega this weekend. Prepared by his Ferrellgas/Agrisure/Drive For Savings team, this truck was last seen on track under the direction of Matt Crafton at Daytona in February and finished 10th.

Dakoda Armstrong

What is your mindset headed into a mentally tough race like Talladega provides?

“The biggest thing is to remind yourself to be patient, especially there, anything can happen because everyone races in a tight pack. You have to be able to last until the final ten laps and that’s when you really start racing hard. To set yourself up for that final run, you need to figure out what other trucks your truck works best with, be calm and not get into any trouble early on.”

Did you have any special strategy that helped you get the ARCA Racing Series win here last year?

“ARCA was a little different than the truck series; you don’t have as many cars all in the same big draft. I tried to stay close to the top ten and waited for the second lane to get moving when it was time to go. It was kind of one of those deals where you help other people out and hope that they help you out. Definitely a chess game.”

Race Info:

October 22, 2011

Talladega Superspeedway

Coca-Cola 250 presented by Fred’s

2.66-mile Tri-oval

94 laps/250 Miles

Broadcast Info:

TV: SPEED- 4:00 pm EST

Radio: MRN- 3:45 pm EST

Team Facts:

Crew Chief: Dan Stillman

Chassis: 24

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)

Dakoda Armstrong

Career Highlights- Talladega

Starts: 2 (ARCA, 2010-11)

Poles: 1 (2010)

Wins: 1 (2010)

Top 5- 1

Top 10- 1

Laps Led: 42

Avg. Start: 7

Avg. Finish: 7.5

- ThorSport Racing Press Release