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

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

No. 88 Menards / Tarkett Chevrolet Silverado

Hoping to end the season on a high note, Crafton took the green flag from the 11th position after rain canceled qualifying. He fought his way through the pack into the top five by the time the competition yellow waved on lap 20. Relaying to crew chief Bud Haefele that the No. 88 was bouncing off the splitter, he brought his truck down pit road for four tires, fuel and an air-pressure adjustment.

Crafton took the green flag from the eighth spot after a quick stop, and muscled back into the top five once more. However, the Menards/Tarkett Silverado was now snapping loose center off, causing him to lose track position. A caution on lap 31 gave Crafton the opportunity to bring his truck down pit road, and the team adjusted the front springs and topped the No. 88 off with fuel. Making a second stop under yellow to further top-off on fuel in the event of a long green-flag run, Crafton returned to the track 27th for the restart.

As expected, a long green-flag run followed, but the adjustments to the truck only hurt its handling. Crafton said that his truck was “wrecking loose,” claiming it was a 15 out of 10 loose. With enough fuel to run a little longer than his competitors, Crafton led two laps as green-flag pit stops cycled through before bringing his truck down pit road for four tires, fuel, a wedge adjustment and an air-pressure adjustment on lap 76.

Crafton was 14th when the next yellow flag waved on lap 98, and the driver was baffled by how incredibly loose his truck was. The team took one final swing at the truck under caution, providing Crafton with four tires, fuel and another wedge adjustment. Unfortunately, another truck bumped Crafton while exiting the pits, so Crafton made a second stop to pull out the left-rear fender to ensure it wouldn’t cause a tire rub. When the field went green on lap 101, Crafton restarted in 21st. Although Crafton’s laps were now as fast as the leaders, he was only able to improve to 19th before rain began to fall, bringing out the yellow flag, followed by the red flag. With no end to the rain in sight, the race was called, ultimately scoring Crafton in 19th.

Matt Crafton

Crafton finishes the season eighth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series point standings after leading the championship standings for three weeks (after races two, three and six). Crafton ultimately scored one win (Iowa Speedway), two pole awards (Michigan International Speedway and Martinsville Speedway II), five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. He led 90 laps , had an average start of 9.8 and an average finish of 13.0.

Race Recap:

Date: November 18, 2011

Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway

Race: 25 of 25

Started: 11th

Finished: 19th

Driver’s Point Standings: 8th

- 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

No. 88 Menards / Tarkett Chevrolet Silverado

SUM IT UP: With 24 out of 25 races in the books, Crafton can look back at 2011 with a long list of positive season statistics. Crafton led the championship standings for three weeks (after races two, three and six), has one win (Iowa Speedway), two pole awards (Michigan International Speedway and Martinsville Speedway II), five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. He has led 88 laps, earned an average start of 9.8 and an average finish of 12.8.

COMING UP: After making the announcement in September that he would be returning to ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 truck in 2012, Crafton’s off-season will be less silly season and more wedding season. Crafton and fiancée Ashley Greer will tie the knot in a January ceremony in Mexico before returning to the garage in February as Mr. and Mrs. Crafton.

BUY IT UP: Matt Crafton 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 Crafton all of the ThorSport Racing drivers.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 88 team will utilize chassis No. 41 this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This is the chassis Crafton drove to the pole earlier in the season at Michigan International Speedway. More recently, Crafton drove this truck to a second-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October and a fifth-place finish in this month’s event at Texas Motor Speedway.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Crafton earned a fifth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway after handling issues plagued the No. 88 Menards/Fisher Nuts team for a majority of the evening. Falling as far back as 18th, Crafton rallied back from outside the top 10 in the closing laps, bringing home his fifth top-five of 2011.

Matt Crafton

How do you feel about Homestead-Miami Speedway?

“I really like Homestead and we’ve been really good there the last two years. I love that you can run right down on the white line or right up on the wall. Our team does really well on the mile-and-a-half tracks and we’ve had great finishes with the chassis we’re bringing in the last two intermediate races. I’d really like to finish up this season on a positive note with a win.”

What are your thoughts on the 2011 season?

“This season has had a lot of ups and downs, but overall I think we can look at 2011 as a good year. It certainly isn’t exactly what we wanted, we’d much rather be up there fighting for the championship with our teammate, but we had some really good moments. Winning the race at Iowa earlier this season was huge for me and my guys, and the poles we won at Michigan and Martinsville were big too. We had a few stretches where we had some really bad luck, and we’d definitely be in the fight if we hadn’t had those issues. But we led the points for a while there at the beginning of the season and we’ve got a lot to show for this season. I’m really hoping that we can leave Homestead with a championship for ThorSport Racing and hopefully next year it will be our turn.”

What are your off-season plans?

“Every year after Thanksgiving my fiancée Ashley and I head out to the desert to play with the sand rail. I’m really looking forward to that, especially since I just got my brand new buggy last month and I didn’t get a lot of time to drive it when we were out in Las Vegas. Then after the holidays we’ve got our wedding down in Mexico and our honeymoon. By the time we get back, it will practically be time to start racing again.”

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: 7th

Crew Chief: Bud Haefele

Chassis: 41

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)

Matt Crafton NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results at Homestead-Miami Speedway:

Starts: 10

Wins: 0

Poles: 2

Top 5: 2

Top 10: 15

Laps Led: 24

Average Start: 14.3

Average Finish: 11.4

- 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

NO LIMITS, TEXAS-STYLE…RETURNING TO THE SCENE: Sauter isn’t skittish to return to Texas, scene of an unfortunate black flag which ended his Victory Lane run back in April – after leading the last 56 laps of the race. Out of his appearances with ThorSport Racing, statistically Sauter shows Texas as one of his best tracks on the circuit – starting out of the top seven only once, and finishing out of the top six only once due to the penalty. In 2010, both appearances at the fast intermediate track resulted in second-place finishes for the driver.

SHOWING HIS ‘WOLFISH’ SIDE TO TEAMMATE CRAFTON: Sauter and wife Cortney, along with the Bodine and Kyle Busch families, hosted a Halloween-themed wedding shower Monday for teammate Matt Crafton in his late model shop. The driver, known for a spry sense of humor, got to show his “wolfish” side to Crafton and fiancée Ashley Greer by dressing up as the Big Bad Wolf to wife Cortney’s Little Red Riding Hood. Straight from the driver: no comment!

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 13 team will utilize chassis No. 039 this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Considered one of the most successful chassis in the 13 fleet, it showed its speed at Texas in the year’s spring race. Its last appearance was in September in Atlanta, where it finished 29th after contact with a competitor and tire woes.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Sauter drove the No. 13 home to a 4th place finish at Martinsville Speedway after starting in the 4th spot for the day. Sauter led 36 laps of 200 and heavily raced in the top four most of the day. The top five finish, tenth of his 2011 season, also preserved his championship points position – but tied him at third with Ron Hornaday going into Texas.

Johnny Sauter

So what’s with the ‘Kulwicki Path to glory?’

“I’m going to use the Alan Kulwicki approach to his championship run in ’92. No one even considered him to have a chance but by the end of the day, he was champion. You can’t listen to everybody and what they say. We just have to keep racing hard. Probably some things are going to have to happen, but you never know what will happen. That’s what makes racing so great. I wouldn’t want it to be a situation where somebody’s ahead by 30. That’s just not interesting.”

So do you think it’s going to come down to Homestead, based on that answer?

“I sure hope so. That’s what I’ve been saying all year – that you can’t focus on the points, and it’s going to come down to the last race. It’s been a hairy year for a lot of us. So I’m planning on the championship being decided just like Kulwicki’s run – right there at the final race, lots of action. We’ve had top 10 finishes for the last few races and just had a little trouble in the pits last year. That’s how I want to win and how I’d want anyone to win, you’ve got to earn this.”

So you’re liking the underdog status going back into Texas?

“That’s fine with me. Most people who know me, know I don’t really want the attention. We’ve just got to get out there, lead laps, fly under the radar and execute and do our thing. Everyone is focused on Hornaday and Dillon right now, and that’s okay, they’ve both had great performances lately. To pull this off would be amazing and probably the biggest moment of my career – I can’t even imagine what it would be like. It would mean so much to all of the Sauter family, Wisconsin and North Carolina. A lot of validation there for years of racing.”

What would a win mean to you in Texas?

“It would mean a lot to my grandma! She’s 92 and lives not too far from the racetrack, and I always stay with her when I come to Texas. I spend as much time as I can with her. She’d be over the moon if I won – she was when I almost did it last year, and back in April. It would just be really special.”

Safe Auto / Curb Chevrolet Silverado Race Info:

Friday, November 4th, 2011

Texas Motor Speedway

1.5-Mile D-shaped Oval

Winstar World Casino 350k

147 laps/220.5 Miles

Broadcast Info:

TV: SPEED will broadcast live at 7:30pm CST

Radio: MRN & Sirius XM NASCAR Radio will broadcast live at 8pm CST

Team Facts:

Current Point Standings: 3rd (-15)

Crew Chief: Joe Shear, Jr.

Chassis: 039

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)

Johnny Sauter NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results at Texas Motor Speedway:

Starts: 6 (5 w/TSR)

Wins: 0

Poles: 1

Top 5: 12

Top 10: 4

Average TSR Start: 4 (best p1)

Average TSR Finish: 7 (best p2)

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

EVENT: Kroger 200 (NASCAR Camping World Truck Series)

DATE: Saturday, October 29, 2011

TRACK: Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.

RESULT: Start 19 / Finish 27

Cole Whitt, driver of the No. 60 Fuel Doctor / Red Bull Toyota Tundra - Photo Credit: Tom Whitmore / Getty Images for NASCAR

The 20-year-old Whitt qualified 19th earlier Saturday and jumped into the top 10 courtesy of a two-tire stop under the first caution. Seven laps later, White’s No. 23 nearly turned around Whitt’s No. 60 truck exiting turn four. Whitt skated sideways, somehow kept it straight and continued on.

As Whitt exited turns one and two at the other end of the track, Piquet’s No. 8 drifted up from the inside lane and sent Whitt spinning. His truck sat motionless — rear end first — for a moment before retreating to pit road for left-front repairs. As the field quickly circled around NASCAR’s shortest track, Whitt went from ninth to three laps down in 34th.

And that’s how the rookie’s chilly, but finally sunny, afternoon went in southern Virginia. He was outside the top 30 for much of the race before finishing 27th — only his fourth finish outside the top 20 in the season’s 23 races.

“Just Martinsville, I guess,” Whitt said. “We had a good truck. We were really fast. We were fast even with it torn up trying to come back up through the field, just kind of riding around out there three laps down. We could drive through the field before every caution. There’s nothing you can really do. The 23 basically ruined it. We never should have been back there with the 8. Yeah, the 23 ruined and the 8 finished us off.”

Whitt dropped two positions in the driver standings to ninth. With two races remaining, he’s four points behind eighth place Joey Coulter and five behind Matt Crafton in seventh.

UP NEXT: WinStar World Casino 350k, Friday, November 4, Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas

- Red Bull Racing Press Release

Matt Crafton Wins the NCWTS Keystone Light Pole - Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

This was Crafton’s second series pole of the 2011 season, his sixth series career pole and his first series pole at Martinsville Speedway.

Starting second and on the outside pole with a lap speed of 96.224 mph, will be Ron Hornaday, Jr., followed by Denny Hamlin (96.200) starting third, Johnny Sauter (96.161) fourth and James Buescher (96.136) will start fifth.

Rounding out the top-ten starting positions will be Kevin Harvick (95.835) starting sixth, Todd Bodine (95.521) seventh, Justin Lofton (95.439) eighth,  Timothy Peters (95.299) ninth and Austin Dillon (95.290) will start from the tenth position.

Failing to make the starting lineup were the #10 driven by Jennifer Jo Cobb and the #99 driven by Charlie Vest.

The Kroger 200 is scheduled to start around 2:20 PM (ET) this afternoon, and SPEED will begin their (pre-race) television coverage at 1:30 PM (ET).

2011 NCWTS Kroger 200 Starting Lineup

(i) Ineligible for Points in this Series
# Denotes Rookie
* Required to Qualify on Time

No. 88 Menards / Roto-Rooter Chevrolet Silverado

HOT DIGGITY DOG: Crafton has 19 previous starts at the home of the “Famous Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog,” more than nearly every driver in the field. David Starr is the only current full-time NCWTS driver with more starts at Martinsville Speedway, having taken the green flag 20 times. In his 19 starts, Crafton has earned two top-five and 10 top-10 finishes, with an average finish of 12.4. Crafton has completed 4200 laps around the half-mile circuit, but has only been scored as the leader for one of them. Crafton hopes to be leading the lap that counts when the checkered flag waves in the Kroger 200.

GET YOUR CRAFTON GEAR HERE: The ThorSport Racing online store is open for business and is now accepting credit cards. Head over to http://store.thorsport.com or click the Merchandise tab on ThorSport.com to find gear for all of the ThorSport Racing drivers.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 88 team will utilize chassis No. 34 this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. This will be the chassis’ fifth appearance of 2011. No. 34 is the same chassis Crafton drove to an 11th-place finish in April. Crafton also drove the truck to top-10 finishes at Phoenix International Raceway, Lucas Oil Raceway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway earlier this season.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Crafton and the No. 88 Menards / CertainTeed team experienced an early disappointment in the Coca-Cola 250 at Talladega when superspeedway strategy backfired. While running faster than the leaders a safe distance behind the rest of the field, Crafton proved to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when a competitor blew a tire in front of him, resulting in a race-ending wreck which relegated him to a 31st-place finish.

Matt Crafton

What is the key to success at Martinsville Speedway?

“If there’s one phrase that describes how to do well at Martinsville, it’s ‘track position.’ Qualifying is key because you want to get that track position right from the start, and once you’re up there, you want to keep it. Even if you’re leading, you can never get that far away from the other trucks, and everyone just wants to get to the bottom, so it’s a big struggle for space on such a small track. It’s a lot harder to pass than on the big sweeping tracks, so every position is crucial.”

Race Info:

October 29, 2011

Martinsville Speedway II

0.526-Mile Oval

Kroger 200

200 Laps / 105.2 Miles

Broadcast Info:

TV: SPEED will broadcast live at 2:00 p.m. EST

Radio: MRN will broadcast live at 1:45 p.m. EST

Team Facts:

Current Point Standings: 8th

Crew Chief: Bud Haefele

Chassis: 34

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)

Matt Crafton NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results at Martinsville Speedway:

Starts: 19

Wins: 0

Poles: 0

Top 5: 2

Top 10: 10

Laps Led: 1

Average Start: 15.0

Average Finish: 12.4

About Menards:

With 263 stores in 13 Midwestern states, Menards has the tools, materials and supplies for all your home improvement needs whether just needing a light bulb or can of paint to building a deck or new home. Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader; it’s no wonder their famous slogan – “SAVE BIG MONEY” – is so widely known and easy to remember. Menards does things right – the company’s strength and success can be seen in the well-stocked and maintained stores, the lowest prices in town and the way guests are always treated like family in a hometown hardware store atmosphere.

About Roto-Rooter:

Roto-Rooter, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chemed Corporation, was established in 1935 and is the largest provider of plumbing and drain cleaning services in North America. Roto-Rooter operates businesses in more than 116 company-owned territories and more than 500 independent franchise territories, serving 91 percent of the U.S. population and 44 percent of Canada.

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records / Carrier Chevrolet Silverado

Sauter, who started the race in 20th position after experiencing transmission challenges during the end of the sole practice session, immediately dropped to the back of the pack with Crafton as the green flag fell. Successfully drafting, they proved to be the only other team than KHI to run fastest tandem laps of any NCWTS team for several laps. At lap 30, the 16 truck just ahead of the team cut a tire, leaving Crafton no choice but to lift & dive, heading him into the wall; and Sauter nowhere to go himself. After smart repair strategy from crew chief Joe Shear brought the truck down pit road during caution runs, the hammers came out & truck put back on track to run up to 2 tenths faster laps than the leaders – as he was three laps down.

Johnny Sauter

Sauter paired up with the 62 truck of Brendan Gaughan late in the race to run blistering-fast laps, bringing him back slowly but surely to the lead lap after a late caution brought him the Lucky Dog award. With 10 to go, Sauter charged 10 spots through the pack to end up 15th and on the lead lap at the checkered flag.

In a post-race interview with Hermie Sadler, upon being asked if he’s “got the moxxy” for the final three races, Sauter again displayed his signature “never quit” determination. “Now it’s time to go – I’m going to make that decision for our team. We’ve got to give it everything these last three races and never quit. That’s how championships are won, just look at how Hornaday is charging here at the end of the season. It’s how you’ve got to race right now. We’re going to be taking some chances from here on out and going aggressive. Martinsville, we won earlier this year; Texas, we had one of the strongest trucks in the field; and Homestead last year, we about won. So three very strong racetracks for us. We’ve got to race every single one of them hard and try to win.”

Sauter sits in third position in driver points after Talladega – just fourteen points out of the lead in the heavy battle for the 2011 championship title. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to the site of Sauter’s sentimental April Victory Lane visit – Martinsville Speedway – next week as the points battle continues.

Race Recap:

Date: October 22, 2011

Track: Talladega Superspeedway

Race: 22 of 25

Started: 20th

Finished: 15th

Championship Point Standings: 3rd (-14)

Up Next on the Truck Series Schedule:

Date: October 29, 2011

Track: Martinsville Speedway

Event Name: Kroger 200

Broadcast: SPEED at 4:00 pm

- 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

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