Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR)

“Daytona is a bit like a homecoming for me,” commented Mike Skinner, driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet. “Angie and I lived here for 15 years, so we still have a lot of friends and family in the area. I love coming here to race, and I know the equipment at ESR is good. If everything goes according to our plan, at the end of the night we’ll be up front and competing for the win.”

After purchasing assets from Kevin Harvick Inc. following the conclusion of the 2011 season, ESR expected to run three full-time teams throughout the 2012 season. Having Skinner in the No. 8 Chevrolet entry at Daytona International Speedway moves the organization closer to that goal.

“ESR has made a significant investment over the winter and the vision is to have three full-time teams,” commented Eddie Sharp, owner of Eddie Sharp Racing. “We have two down [with Justin Lofton in the No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet and Cale Gale in the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet] and one to go, and now with the opportunity to race Daytona with Mike, we’re inching closer to that happening. The goal is to keep Mike in the truck all year and run for a championship. If you miss Daytona winning a championship is no longer possible—you have to be there.”

“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to drive for Eddie again this year at Daytona,” Skinner continued. “We’ve been in heavy negotiations with a sponsor who has signed an agreement to sponsor our truck the entire season. We’re waiting for the funding to be put in place, which would allow us to race every week and compete for the championship. If the funding doesn’t come through, then Daytona will probably be our only race unless some other sponsorship comes along. In the event that the sponsorship does come through, we can’t afford to miss Daytona—you can make up for hiccups here and there, but you can’t just give up a whole race on the front side of the year.”

Eddie Sharp Racing and Mike Skinner are still searching for sponsorship opportunities to continue competing in the No. 8 Chevrolet for the remainder of the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.

The NextEra Energy Resources 250 from Daytona International Speedway will be broadcast live on SPEED at 7:00 p.m. EST on Friday, February 24. Radio coverage of the 250-mile event will be available on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90, beginning at 7:15 p.m. Fans can also tune into SPEED to watch practice sessions at 12:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, February 23, and qualifying just prior to the race at 4:00 p.m. EST, on Friday, February 24.

About Eddie Sharp Racing

Eddie Sharp Racing (TeamESR.com) is a championship winning race team housed in a 40,000 square-foot facility in Denver, N.C. After just four short years of competition within the ARCA Racing Series, the team impressively accumulated upwards of 20 race wins. 2009 was a pivotal year for ESR, as they dominated the series with six race wins, 15 top-fives and 19 top-10s en route to the series championship with driver Justin Lofton. In 2010, ESR made the transition to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In 2011, Sharp and Lofton were reunited within truck competition. In 2012, ESR expands to three teams, as Lofton returns to the No. 6 Chevrolet Silverado, Cale Gale joins the team behind the wheel of the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Silverado, and for Daytona, Mike Skinner drives the No. 8 Chevrolet Silverado.

- Eddie Sharp Racing Press Release

Justin Lofton Inc.

The last time he raced his Class 1500 entry in December, he dominated the field after scoring the top qualifying spot and the TransWest Ford Henderson 250 event win. Lofton crossed the finish line with over a 13-minute lead over the rest of the competition.

Justin Lofton

Jorge Lameda will serve as the navigator during Lofton’s drive through the course, which is a 136-mile loop run three times, with additional miles at the beginning and end of the event.

In between his off-road racing ventures over the last two months, Lofton hosted the Second Annual Justin Lofton Charity Golf Tournament in his native California. All proceeds from the tournament and auction benefited the Boys and Girls Clubs of Imperial Valley. For the second straight year, Lofton, who hails from nearby Westmorland, raised over $40,000 for his hometown charity. Following the event, he headed east and spent some time with his Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) No. 6 College Complete Chevrolet Silverado team in North Carolina, prepping for the 2012 NASCAR season. After adding a few local appearances to his schedule and participating in photo shoots, and other pre-season duties, he returned to the west coast to ready for this weekend’s off-road event.

The BlueWater Parker 425 is the first of six BITD off-road events Lofton has scheduled through the 2012 season in addition to the full NCWTS schedule. Following this weekend’s run, Lofton will shift his focus to his No. 6 College Complete Chevrolet Silverado for the season-opening NCWTS race at Daytona International Speedway on February 24th.

Lofton’s first run in his Class 1500 unlimited buggy will be on Thursday, February 2nd during time trials.

About Eddie Sharp Racing:

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

About College Complete:

CollegeComplete.com helps the public navigate the ever-changing and highly complex landscape of higher education, connecting students with the institutions whose offering maximizes the likelihood of success. Partnered with hundreds of educational institutions and across all types of education goals, including traditional college degrees, trade and vocational certifications, and professional licensure, College Complete helps students assess all of the information that exists in the public domain, allowing them to understand and make sense of their educational opportunities. CollegeComplete.com is the student facing subsidiary of Ed Ideas, Inc.

About JoinAPS:

At APS, we find the best processing solution for your business. We are your first stop for Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover along with other value-added merchant services like your own gift card program. We also work with check services; cash advance options and other value-added services to help your business succeed. APS can provide many of the services needed to help you build your business. APS understands that running a business requires various aspects such as supply vendors, day-to-day operations, and customers to succeed. Acceptance of credit card, debit, gift cards, and check payment options is essential in any business. APS provides tailored merchant solutions specific to different types of businesses. With APS, we show you the best options by industry type to handle your payment needs from beginning to end. Visa/MasterCard, Amex, Discover, EBT services along with terminals that handle multiple other services including your gift cards and check payment solutions needs. All of these services can be customized to fit your business. APS offers a complete solution for all types of businesses that need to process credit card related transactions. Our “INDUSTRY SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS” provide the best options for your business model. We have experienced client service representative who understand what your processing needs are.

- Justin Lofton Media Relations Press Release

Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR)

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

Brandon Jones

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

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

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

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

About Eddie Sharp Racing

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

- Eddie Sharp Racing Press Release

Justin Lofton Charity Golf Tournament

“I am so excited about this year’s event. We knew it was going to be bigger than last year because we got a lot of support from other teams and drivers with their donations for the auction. It just kept growing from there,” Lofton said.

All proceeds from the event benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Imperial Valley, near Lofton’s hometown of Westmorland, California.

The tournament will take place at the Del Rio Country Club, with over 100 golfers entered and divided into teams for the Saturday morning event.

CollegeComplete.com, who sponsors Lofton’s Truck Series endeavors, is signed on as the tournament’s presenting sponsor. J.D. Heiskell & Co., Rogers and Rogers Toyota, and Eddie and Theresa Wiest are also presenting sponsors for the event.

Last season the Inaugural Justin Lofton Charity Golf Tournament raised over $40,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Imperial Valley. This season, the event has grown, with Lofton set to participate in two separate meet and greet appearances the night before the tournament, including a visit to the Boys and Girls Club.

Currently, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Imperial Valley serve over 600 Imperial Valley youth, providing kids a safe, supervised, and affordable place to go every day after school. Nearly 200 kids are greeted daily by caring adult staff and participate in character-building, educational and recreational programs all while making friends and having fun. Concentrating on youth who need the most support, the Club provides programs in four key areas: health and fitness, education, the arts, and most importantly, in character development.

Through support of the Second Annual Justin Lofton Charity Golf Tournament, supporters are broadening the opportunities for children through tutoring programs, sports programs, arts and crafts, computer labs, and mentoring.

As the tournament kicks off on Saturday, Lofton will join his fellow golfers on the green before celebrating post tournament festivities at the Stockmen’s Club where the awards ceremony, dinner, benefit auction, and live concert will take place. Lofton’s long-time friend, Curb recording artist Tim Dugger, will provide the live entertainment.

Tickets for the post tournament event are still available via https://secureonlinegiving.com/events/site/index.asp?eventID=768.

In addition to the presenting sponsors, a special thanks also goes out to patron and tee sponsors: Accelerex, Accu Data Corp., AdMax, Advanced Payment Services, All American Grain, BackToLearn.com, Benson Farms, Brandt Company, Burnett Farms, Butterspur Cattle Feeders, Cal Energy Operating Corporation, Cameiro Heifer Ranch, Debbie and Paul Cameron, Community Valley Bank, Coni Stokely Insurance, Consuasor Insurance Advisors, Cosmetic Gasket, Crusader Staffing Associates, Curl Up ‘N Dye, Debbie Davis, El Toro Export, Equine Veterinary Services, Farmers Land Leveling, Fred Eady Insurance, Higher Ed Growth, Hutchinson & Bloodgood, Patrick Hutchinson, Lidco, McNeece Brothers Oil Company, Mesquite Cattle, Jill Newcomb, Phillips Cattle Company, Primo Construction, Rabobank, Richard Laughrin, Spreadco, Superior Cattle Feeders, Superior Export, Steve Dahm Ranches, Stiff Equipment, Team Onion, The Elmore Company, Troy Caston Farms, VHM Network/JobDiagnosis, Viejas Casino, Wells Fargo Commercial Bank, Westway Feed Products.

For more information on the Second Annual Justin Lofton Charity Golf Tournament, check out LoftonRacing.com, or visit the “Justin Lofton’s Charity Golf Tournament” page on Facebook. Or to donate, please visit https://secureonlinegiving.com/events/site/index.asp?eventID=768.

About Eddie Sharp Racing:

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

About College Complete:

CollegeComplete.com helps the public navigate the ever-changing and highly complex landscape of higher education, connecting students with the institutions whose offering maximizes the likelihood of success. Partnered with hundreds of educational institutions and across all types of education goals, including traditional college degrees, trade and vocational certifications, and professional licensure, College Complete helps students assess all of the information that exists in the public domain, allowing them to understand and make sense of their educational opportunities. CollegeComplete.com is the student facing subsidiary of Ed Ideas, Inc.

About ed ideas:

Ed Ideas, Inc. helps institutions of higher education optimize their admissions pipeline – from initial inquiry to graduate, and everything in between. Ed Ideas has 50 years of success in student outreach, application, and enrollment generation for the world’s leading public, private, for-profit, and traditional institutions. Outsource your needs to Ed Ideas, or let us help you improve your existing processes and practices. Whether your need is large or small, Ed Ideas is your higher education resource. For additional information contact: info@edideas.com.

About JoinAPS:

At APS, we find the best processing solution for your business. We are your first stop for Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover along with other value-added merchant services like your own gift card program. We also work with check services; cash advance options and other value-added services to help your business succeed. APS can provide many of the services needed to help you build your business. APS understands that running a business requires various aspects such as supply vendors, day-to-day operations, and customers to succeed. Acceptance of credit card, debit, gift cards, and check payment options is essential in any business. APS provides tailored merchant solutions specific to different types of businesses. With APS, we show you the best options by industry type to handle your payment needs from beginning to end. Visa/MasterCard, Amex, Discover, EBT services along with terminals that handle multiple other services including your gift cards and check payment solutions needs. All of these services can be customized to fit your business. APS offers a complete solution for all types of businesses that need to process credit card related transactions. Our “INDUSTRY SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS” provide the best options for your business model. We have experienced client service representative who understand what your processing needs are.

- Justin Lofton Inc. Media Relations Press Release

Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

- SPEEDtv.com

No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet Silverado

After a season where College Complete sponsored many different drivers in the truck series, the stars aligned as the season went on and as Justin Lofton (http://www.loftonracing.com) rejoined Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) College Complete came over with him.

Since coming together and making the mid-season shift to Chevrolet the No.6 CollegeComplete.com Silverado came through with two top-10 finishes and seven top-15 finishes. The Eddie Sharp Racing (http://www.teamesr.com) team improved its performance at the end of the year through hard work, dedication and the purchase of the assets of Kevin Harvick, Inc.’s truck program.

“We were very impressed with Justin both on and off the track and are proud to have him as our spokesperson” said College Complete co-founder Daniel Haim, “We are looking forward to a strong season in 2012 topped off with a number of visits to victory lane.”

College Complete helps potential students understand all of their various school and program options, making sure that they’re choosing the right ones to help them achieve their personal and career goals. With more opportunities available in higher education than ever before, it is easy for students to become overwhelmed with choice. This is where College Complete aims to serve, ensuring that these students get started on their educational journey the right way, whether it is for a traditional Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s degree, or whether it be a shorter term skilled trade certificate.

Perhaps the most exciting thing about the partnership with CollegeComplete.com is what it means to the sport of NASCAR, and to its fans. The traditional NASCAR audience has been, to a large extent, overlooked by higher education. With the continuation of the partnership, and with Lofton as their vehicle, CollegeComplete.com will continue driving their message to the public, inviting those who are considering a college degree or trade program to utilize their service to fully understand their various educational options.

Justin Lofton

APS was a sponsor alongside CollegeComplete.com throughout the 2011 season and will be taking on a larger presence in the 2012 season including some co-primary placements.

“There are tough times right now and it is really special to have sponsors and partners as great as CollegeComplete.com. They are a great service to adult learners, providing education advancement and career advice,” Lofton said. “I am really looking forward to the 2012 season with the No. 6 CollegeComplete.com team.”

Added team owner Eddie Sharp, “I am really glad College Complete has chosen Justin as their spokesperson and with all the exiting things happening at ESR for 2012 having College Complete on board completes the package. College Complete, Justin Lofton and ESR are going to be a winning combination.”

Look for CollegeComplete.com, Eddie Sharp Racing, and Justin Lofton to make another leap forward in 2012, and to make a big impact in NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series both on and off the track!

About Eddie Sharp Racing:

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

About College Complete:

CollegeComplete.com helps the public navigate the ever-changing and highly complex landscape of higher education, connecting students with the institutions whose offering maximizes the likelihood of success. Partnered with hundreds of educational institutions and across all types of education goals, including traditional college degrees, trade and vocational certifications, and professional licensure, College Complete helps students assess all of the information that exists in the public domain, allowing them to understand and make sense of their educational opportunities. CollegeComplete.com is the student facing subsidiary of Ed Ideas, Inc.

About ed ideas:

Ed Ideas, Inc. helps institutions of higher education optimize their admissions pipeline – from initial inquiry to graduate, and everything in between. Ed Ideas has 50 years of success in student outreach, application, and enrollment generation for the world’s leading public, private, for-profit, and traditional institutions. Outsource your needs to Ed Ideas, or let us help you improve your existing processes and practices. Whether your need is large or small, Ed Ideas is your higher education resource. For additional information contact: info@edideas.com.

- Justin Lofton Media Relations Press Release

Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR)

“I’m excited to join the team at Eddie Sharp Racing and have the chance to work with Cale Gale,” commented Jerry Baxter, crew chief of the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Silverado. “Cale has a tremendous desire to be a good driver, the team is keyed up for a new season, and everyone at Rheem seems great—to have that kind of enthusiasm surround our entire program makes me excited to walk in the shop every day.”

After spending the last few years working with young drivers helping to guide and develop their skills, Baxter will join Eddie Sharp Racing on January 1, 2012. Baxter was most recently at Michael Waltrip Racing where he worked with up-and-coming drivers before they reached the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ranks, including David Reutimann, Scott Speed, Trevor Bayne, and Ryan Truex.

“I’m really looking forward to this season,” continued Baxter. “It’s another challenge with another young driver, and I think it will be a lot of fun. Cale is a great guy.”

“I’m very excited to have Jerry Baxter on-board for the 2012 season,” commented Eddie Sharp, team owner. “He’s a veteran crew chief and has the ability to bring a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience to our team. His enthusiasm for the job has everyone else excited for the upcoming season, and I can’t wait to see what he and Cale are able to achieve in the No. 33 Rheem Chevy Silverado.”

About Eddie Sharp Racing

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

- Eddie Sharp Racing Press Release

Larry (L) and Brandon McReynolds (R) talk during Friday’s ARCA test session at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway

“Brandon McReynolds eyes first start at Daytona in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200″

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Two-time Daytona 500 winning crew chief Larry McReynolds, who serves as an analyst on the NASCAR broadcast team for FOX Sports, watched over his son Brandon as the annual three-day ARCA Racing Series test session kicked off on Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

Approximately 60 drivers are participating in the test session in advance of the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season opener on Saturday, Feb. 18, the kick-off event to the stock car portion of Speedweeks 2012.

The 20-year-old McReynolds is turning laps at the “World Center of Racing” in the No. 4 Chevrolet for Turner Motorsports as he prepares for his first start on the 31-degree high banks of Daytona International Speedway.

McReynolds participated in the ARCA test two years ago with Eddie Sharp Racing, but didn’t have plans at the time to compete at Daytona. This year’s test is different. He knows he’s preparing for his Daytona debut in the upcoming 80-lap, 200-mile event.

“It’s a little more serious,” McReynolds said. “We’re always looking for speed. I think you got some guys out here laying down some PR laps. That’s not what Turner Motorsports is about. We’re down here for a legit test to see how fast we can go with what we’re going to be racing. I think we got a good piece.”

In background of the test is Brandon’s father Larry McReynolds, who won the Daytona 500 serving as the crew chief for Davey Allison in 1992 and Dale Earnhardt in 1998.

“When we won the 500 here with Davey in 1992, Brandon was not even a year old,” Larry McReynolds said. “He was Davey’s godson. I’ve got pictures of him in Victory Lane wrapped up in a baby’s blanket. It’s pretty cool to see him make laps here.”

During this week’s test, McReynolds stays at a distance but is always ready to offer advice to his son.

“He’s been racing since he was seven,” McReynolds said. “I’ve always played a huge role in his racing whether it was paying the bills or running the race team. We did that for a number of years with our own stuff. But Steve Turner and Turner Motorsports are giving him a great opportunity with great people.

“It’s actually kind of neat just being down here and being dad and just listening on the radio. At the end of the day, I can look at him and tell him things that I heard or saw or this is something you might want to think about. I do not want to be a meddling dad. I want to be here and support him and the race team and enjoy watching his career grow.”

Brandon McReynolds is unsure of his 2012 plans but hopes it will be at Turner Motorsports.

“We’re still working on it. I hope to be over at Turner Motorsports. I really enjoy working with those guys. They’ve let me do some testing over the offseason and I ran Talladega with those guys. I feel like I’ve got a really good home over there. We’re working away on it. It takes sponsorship to make race cars go around these days and we’re working on it. We’ll see what happens.”

Alli Owens

The 23-year-old Owens, who attempted to qualify for the February NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at DIS, sat out the majority of the 2011 season to have a baby. After giving birth to a daughter in October, Owens is ready to return to the track.

“It’s huge,” Owens said. “I just had a baby a couple of months ago. To be able to come back out here after everybody pretty much wrote me off . . . it seems like if you’re a mom, you’re done.”

During the test, Owens is driving the No. 1 Ford for Andy Belmont Racing and is planning on making her fourth career start in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.

Her husband Paul Chodora, who works for a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team, is serving as her crew chief for the test.

Owens, with sponsorship from Baby Jock, is only scheduled to compete in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 but is exploring opportunities in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series for 2012.

“I was nervous,” Owens said of having a baby and then returning to racing. “It’s never been done before. You never see females who decide to have a family come back and be successful in the sport. We’re trying to do something that hasn’t been done before.

“To be back out here this year, it’s been even more special because I am a mom and now I’m getting the respect of being a parent and a driver.”

ARCA testing continues on Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A section of the Oldfield Grandstands will be open free to the public with access available through the lobby of the Daytona International Speedway ticket office.

Tickets for the 54th running of the Daytona 500 and other Speedweeks 2012 events are available online to www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

- Daytona International Speedway Press Release

Pastrana-Waltrip-Racing Thumbnail

Norris revealed that PWR is contractually committed to run seven NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2012 with Pastrana and sponsor Boost Mobile, saying the team “will absolutely honor that commitment. The plan was to run the full K&N Pro Series East schedule with Travis, then use the personnel from the K&N team to support our Nationwide effort,” said Norris. “But we simply don’t have the funding to do the K&N East Series right now. We’ve been hanging onto those (employees) since September because we don’t want to break up a championship team. The question is, how long do we wait when the funding is not there?” Norris doubles as MWR’s Executive Vice President of Business Development, and said there are three companies talking about expanding Pastrana’s 2012 schedule. As of now, however, seven Nationwide races are all the team has sold.

- Jayski.com

No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet Silverado

Veterans Across America (http://www.veteransacrossamerica.org) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping veterans transition back to civilian life. For them, this partnership strengthens their offering for those veterans who view education as an important step towards that transition, and also helps bolster their new initiative to prepare veterans with the well rounded business skills required to be an entrepreneur and run their own small business.

“This partnership means a lot to us,” said Dan Haim, co-founder of College Complete, “We work with hundreds of students – civilians and veterans – every day who are looking to build a future for themselves and their families. The partnership with Veterans Across America will help us get the word out about our service, and its availability to those who can benefit from it.”

Based in Deerfield Beach, FL, College Complete helps prospective students understand their various school and program options, making sure that they’re choosing the right ones to help them achieve their personal and career goals. With more opportunities available in higher education than ever before, it is easy for students to become overwhelmed with choice. This is where College Complete aims to serve, ensuring that these students get started on their educational journey the right way, whether it be for a traditional Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s degree, or whether it be a shorter term skilled trade certificate.

For our active and former servicemen and women – and their families – this decision can become even more complex, as some schools are much better suited than others to award credits for military experience, as well as tuition discounts and scholarships for their time served. The goal of the partnership is to provide the guidance to these veterans to ensure they’re working with military friendly institutions, and hopefully reduce both the time it takes to complete their degree, and also the cost.

“All of us at Veterans Across America are pleased to partner with College Complete. We believe all transitioning soldiers should take advantage of the GI Bill and the associated educational benefits if at all possible. It’s just common sense that employment or entrepreneurial opportunities would be better with an advanced education. It’s easy to become confused during the transition process as to what to do and where to go………College Complete helps eliminate that confusion when it comes to choosing an education.”

- College Complete Press Release

Justin Lofton

Lofton, who just closed out the NCWTS season 14th in the driver point standings, will pilot a Class 1500 Buggy in Henderson, Nevada this Saturday, December 3rd, in the Best in the Desert (BITD) Racing Association’s season finale.

“I’m really looking forward to the race this weekend,” Lofton said. “We’ve had a few good runs over the last year but something has gone wrong late. Hopefully we can turn it around this week.”

On Saturday, Lofton’s class will compete on an 80-mile loop three times, totaling 240 miles. He will have a new navigator on board for this event, as Justin Santz will strap in for the ride. Santz usually navigates for Robbie Pierce, driver of the No. 30 Trophy Truck.

The Lofton entry will have support from Mastercraft, BF Goodrich, Fox Racing Shocks, Fortin Racing Inc., Dougan Racing Engines, and Rusty’s Motor Car Inc.

Though he now races full-time within NASCAR competition, Lofton’s early racing career saw him earn the BITD Rookie of the Year honors (2004), along with three wins in the Desert Buggy Class, and the Class 1000 championship.

And although the NASCAR season is over and Lofton will be focusing on his desert run this weekend, he will still have support from his crew chief at ESR, as Dan Bormann is making the trip to be on hand for the event.

Following his desert run, the 25-year-old will head back to North Carolina where he will begin making preparations for the 2012 racing season with ESR. After a short break to celebrate the holiday season, he will return to California and shift his focus to the Justin Lofton Charity Golf Tournament presented by CollegeComplete.com, which is set for January 7th in Brawley, California. More information can be found online at Facebook.com under “Justin Lofton’s Charity Golf Tournament.” Interested parties looking to donate or register for the event can do so online at https://secureonlinegiving.com/events/site/index.asp?eventID=768.

About Eddie Sharp Racing:

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

- Justin Lofton Media Relations Press Release

No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet Silverado

After rain canceled qualifying, the team took the green flag in the finale from the ninth position. Just as the weather played a role in the starting spot, it also affected the outcome, with a heavy downpour forcing NASCAR to shorten the event on lap 119 of 134. The condensed race took away from a final run to the front following a final pit stop, leaving Lofton and team 18th.

“I wish we could have finished the race, but it would have taken a while to dry the track for the last 15 laps. I am so proud of my crew chief Dan (Bormann) and all of the guys. They have worked really hard the last few months. From rejoining Eddie to switching to Chevrolets, we’ve got a lot accomplished,” Lofton said.

Just as the teams were preparing to hit the track for the first time on Friday morning for practice, a pop-up rain shower soaked the track, postponing the session. Once underway, rain forced a yellow flag in the closing minutes. Once the yellow was lifted, a final two-lap run at the end of the session boosted Lofton, as he drove his CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet up the speed chart from 21st to ninth.

Re-occuring rain showers fell throughout the afternoon, forcing the cancelation of qualifying. With the field set based on practice speeds, Lofton was given the ninth starting position for the start of the race.

Since the rain washed all of the rubber off of the racing surface, Lofton noted early in the race that the track was slick, with little grip. With a competition caution waving on lap 20, crew chief Dan Bormann called Lofton to the pits for the team’s first stop of the day. After swapping out right side tires, Lofton rejoined the race in the fifth position.

Justin Lofton

The California racer dug in, picking up one more position before the rain came less than 18 laps later. The track condition and amount of time needed to dry the track forced NASCAR to end the race shy of the scheduled distance, leaving the team in 18th as the season came to a close.

Lofton ended the season with three top-10 finishes with a best finish of seventh. He also closed out the year 14th in the driver point standings. Team owner Eddie Sharp closed out the season 16th in the owner point standings.

With the 2011 NCWTS season behind him, Lofton will now focus on an off-road event in two weeks in the desert, followed by his charity golf tournament in January, which benefits the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Imperial Valley. More information, as well as registration and donation information, can be found on the tournament’s Facebook page found under “Justin Lofton Charity Golf Tournament.”

- Justin Lofton Media Relations Press Release

No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet Silverado

Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway

Event: Ford 200 – 134 laps / 201 miles

When: Friday November 18th, 8 PM (Eastern)

Broadcast information: 8:00 PM (Eastern) SPEED, SIRIUSXM, MRN Radio

Last race review: During the last stop for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) at Texas Motor Speedway, Justin Lofton and the No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) team overcame early troubles to come home with a solid 10th place finish. After starting the event sixth, crew chief Dan Bormann coached Lofton through the night, as some issues in the pits and pit strategy shook up the complexity of the race. The team worked together and Lofton wheeled his way to 10th at the drop of the checkered flag.

Lofton at Homestead-Miami: Last season Lofton started the season finale at the Homestead-Miami Speedway from the sixth position, battled back from a flat tire, and closed out his rookie season of NASCAR competition in the seventh spot.

One and done: This Friday’s event at Homestead-Miami Speedway marks the season finale for the NCWTS. Sophomore driver Justin Lofton currently sits in the 14th position in the driver point standings after accumulating three top-10s (with a best finish of seventh) throughout the season. Team owner Eddie Sharp shows 16th in the owner point standings with a team total of four top-10s.

Justin Lofton

For a good cause: On Friday before heading to Homestead, the staff at College Complete will be visited by a representative from the Community Blood Centers of South Florida in order to take more than 40 cheek swabs for registry in the National Marrow Donor Program. Dan Haim, co-founder of CollegeComplete.com knows all too well the importance of donor testing. His mother Eve was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow disorder, Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), which can transform into Leukemia, in March of 2010. Eve received a transplant via the National Marrow Donor Program that November. Sadly, Eve passed away in June. Since then, Lofton’s No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet Silverado has donned an orange ribbon on the B-post in her honor in recognition of leukemia awareness. For more information on the registration drive at College Complete, please visit http://www.collegecomplete.com/collegecomplete-com-registers-staff-for-national-marrow-donor-program.html.

Lofton on Homestead-Miami: “I’m excited about Homestead because we’ve had a lot of success on intermediate tracks this year. I’m really looking forward to it because it is a fun track, and a lot of folks from CollegeComplete.com will be joining us. It means a lot to have their support.”

Truck information: Lofton will race chassis 004 this weekend in Miami. It will be the first time Lofton has raced the truck since the team acquired it from Kevin Harvick Inc.

Tournament time:

Plans for the Second Annual Justin Lofton Charity Golf Tournament are beginning to take shape, with dates being set for January 6th and 7th, 2012. The tournament, as it was last year, will take place in Lofton’s native California, at the Del Rio Country Club in Brawley, California. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of the Imperial Valley. Registration and donation information is available via www.BGCImperialValley.org. The two-day event includes autograph sessions, golfing, a dinner, live concert with Curb recording artist Tim Dugger, and a charity auction. Last year Lofton raised $40,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs.

- Justin Lofton Media Relations Press Release

No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet Silverado

“The race definitely didn’t play out like we planned, but it ended up working out just fine. The truck got better as we went through the day on Thursday. We weren’t that high on the practice speed charts, but we qualified up there and it ran pretty good,” Lofton said. “It feels good to get another top-10 in Texas. I really like racing here.”

After taking the green flag from the sixth spot on Friday night, Lofton kept his No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet Silverado within the top-10 before dropping down pit road to top off on fuel under a yellow flag on lap 15. As Lofton slowed to pull into his stall, he had trouble seeing his pit sign because of the track lights and slid his tires. Crew chief Dan Bormann then opted to swap out left side tires. One lap later, Lofton returned to pit road for fresh right sides.

At the time of the restart on lap 20, Lofton’s Chevrolet was scored in the 28th position.

Another caution flag waved on lap 34 and by that time, Lofton had already begun his climb back towards the front, as he showed in 17th.

Justin Lofton

A caution on lap 57 allowed the California native to make another trip down pit road. The team swapped out all four tires, added fuel, and adjusted the track bar. With other teams taking on just two tires, Lofton lined up from 13th for the restart on lap 63. Four laps later, he was back within the top-10.

With just under 50 laps remaining, Lofton made his final pit stop of the night. Citing a slightly tight condition, Lofton and Bormann decided on track bar and air pressure adjustments on the black, green, and white CollegeComplete.com entry. He took the restart from the 10th spot.

The race stayed green until lap 142, which set the field up for a race-extending green-white-checkered flag finish. Under the yellow, Lofton explained the handling of his truck, and how he had a handful with the drive off the corners lacking as the laps wound down.

Despite the challenge behind the wheel, Lofton muscled his way around the 1.5-mile Texas track for the final laps, holding on to 10th at the finish.

Lofton and the entire No. 6 CollegeComplete.com ESR team will observe a week off from NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition next week before heading to the Homestead-Miami Speedway for the season finale on November 18th.

About College Complete:

CollegeComplete.com helps the public navigate the ever-changing and highly complex landscape of higher education, connecting students with the institutions whose offering maximizes the likelihood of success. Partnered with hundreds of educational institutions and across all types of education goals, including traditional college degrees, trade and vocational certifications, and professional licensure, College Complete helps students assess all of the information that exists in the public domain, allowing them to understand and make sense of their educational opportunities. CollegeComplete.com is the student facing subsidiary of Ed Ideas, Inc.

About ed ideas:

Ed Ideas, Inc. helps institutions of higher education optimize their admissions pipeline – from initial inquiry to graduate, and everything in between. Ed Ideas has 50 years of success in student outreach, application, and enrollment generation for the world’s leading public, private, for-profit, and traditional institutions. Outsource your needs to Ed Ideas, or let us help you improve your existing processes and practices. Whether your need is large or small, Ed Ideas is your higher education resource. For additional information contact: info@edideas.com.

- Justin Lofton Media Relations Press Release

No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet Silverado

Track: Texas Motor Speedway

Event: WinStar World Casino 350k – 147 laps / 220.5 miles

When: Friday, November 4th at 8:00 PM (Eastern)

Broadcast information: 8:00 PM (Eastern) SPEED, SIRIUSXM, MRN Radio

Last race review: Last week during the tour’s stop at Martinsville Speedway, Lofton and the No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) started out with a strong effort on Saturday after qualifying in the top-10 for the Kroger 200. As the race played out however, Lofton seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, narrowly avoiding multiple on-track incidents. With minor cosmetic damage to his CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet, the California native pressed on, but as the laps wound down, he was forced to pit road in order to exchange his ailing Goodyear tires for four fresh tires in order to complete the final run. With 22 laps remaining, he maneuvered his machine from 22nd to 17th picking up as many positions as he could before time ran out.

Lofton at Texas: This week’s run in Texas will mark Lofton’s fifth visit to the 1.5-mile track. In his previous starts there, he has a best finish of 10th, notched during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) stop in June. He has one Nationwide Series start there as well, where he was forced to qualify in on time. But contact from another car ended his day early. He also suffered a similar fate during his first two Truck Series events. Last spring he started the race a solid 16th but ended the day 24th after getting caught up in a wreck in the middle of the race and during his return visit last November, he fell victim to a flat tire under green flag conditions, which dropped him outside of the top-20. All of the troubles however were erased in June, when he started the race 25th, drove his way through the field, and ended 10th. Lofton flexed his competitive muscle after a green-white-checkered flag finish allowed him to pick up three positions, moving him from 13th to 10th over the final two laps.

Justin Lofton

Going the distance: Rather than taking the easy way via airplane, Lofton will drive across the country to Texas. As if the two-day schedule at Texas weren’t enough time behind the wheel, Lofton will add 18 hours and over 1,000 miles from the ESR team shop in Denver, NC to the track outside of Fort Worth.

Lofton on Texas: “I really like racing at Texas because it is fast and fun. You can run wide open there. I’ve always had speed and good runs going there, but track position and luck bit us a few times. It was nice to leave there with a top-10 in June, and we plan on doing it again this week.”

Truck information: Lofton will race chassis ESR008 this week at Texas. He has previously raced the truck at Kentucky, Nashville, and Pocono, scoring two top-15 finishes.

Tournament time: Plans for the Second Annual Justin Lofton Charity Golf Tournament are beginning to take shape, with dates being set for January 6th and 7th, 2012. The tournament, as it was last year, will take place in Lofton’s native California, at the Del Rio Country Club in Brawley, California. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of the Imperial Valley. The two-day event includes autograph sessions, golfing, a dinner, live concert with Curb recording artist Tim Dugger, and a charity auction. Last year Lofton raised $40,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs.　

- Justin Lofton Media Relations Press Release