Sometimes returning to a track where you won at the year before can always bestow some pressure to perform in order to repeat the past results, but for Andy Loden and his R & L Motorsports team, who currently sits fourth the PASS South championship standings, the pressure may very well be on those ahead of him in the standings after finishing no worse than sixth in the last four PASS South events.

Andy Loden Notes and Quotes

Car: #29 Chevy Impala SS

Engine: Hamner Super Late Model Spec Engine

Sponsor(s): Monroe Roadways / Red Mango

Series: PASS South

Event: Orange Blossom Special 125

Standings: 4th

Venue: Orange County Speedway-Rougemont, NC

Track Size: 3/8th mile (.375)

Event Schedule: Saturday June 4th: Practice- 2PM

Saturday June 4th: Qualifying- 5:15PM

Saturday June 4th: Race- 7PM

-Visit www.proallstarsseries.com for PASS South series race results

QUOTES:

-You won at Orange County Speedway a year ago in PASS South competition winning the Southern Sizzler 150; what’s it going to take to win again there?

“Last year at that race we had a real good car and ended up battling hard with (Jay) Fogleman at the end for the win. We are going back with the same setup we had last year that worked so I think we should unload off the trailer pretty fast. I guess the biggest key with trying to win at Orange County is passing patience. Sometimes especially when you’re racing someone that’s close to the same speed as you it takes several laps to pass them. So you really have to be patient, not get frustrated if they don’t give you much room and just focus on completing the pass.”

Comparing the Numbers:

-Unlike a majority of the races on the PASS South schedule this race is 125 laps long instead of the normal 150; do you make any changes on how you race the shorter distance?

“I think if we were use to racing 100 or 125 lap races and now this race we are racing a 150 lap event it would be a lot bigger issue because a 150 lap race really, really test your ability to save your tires and equipment. This weekend’s race will really cater to those guys that have trouble saving their stuff. As far as how I’m going to approach the race is to be a bit more aggressive early on to ensure I’m up to the front with the leaders so when its time to go your aren’t playing catch up. There’s probably going to be a few more guys than usual that are going to have a shot at the win because they didn’t fall off in that last twenty-five laps that they usually would.”

Traditionally Good:

-The Orange County Speedway is known for putting on great side-by-side racing; where does it rank in your book as far as favorite tracks go?

“It’s not my number one but it’s up there on my list, but why wouldn’t it be if you won there, right? Orange County always does put on a good show when we (PASS) race there. I was fortunate enough to win last year when the place was packed and I’m hoping with the $20 per car load that PASS is doing this weekend the place will be full again.”

For more information on driver Andy Loden and his R & L Motorsports including news, results, and merchandise visit his all new website at www.andyloden.net.

- R & L Motorsports Press Release

Ricky Carmichael - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

Ricky Carmichael

No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado

Event Preview Fact Sheet

Event / Date: Kroger 250 – April 2, 2011

Venue: Martinsville Speedway – Martinsville, Va.

This Week’s Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado … Ricky Carmichael will pilot chassis TMS-018 from the Turner Motorsports NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) stable in Saturday’s Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway. This is the same Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado he raced last October at Martinsville where he started sixth and finished ninth. Most recently, Carmichael raced this truck in February at Phoenix International Raceway where he finished 31st after a late race incident with another competitor sent him to the garage area 18 laps before the checkered flag.

Martinsville Minutes … Carmichael has three NCWTS starts at Martinsville Speedway. He has notched a pair of top 10s and calls a ninth-place finish a career-best at the tricky .526-mile southern Virginia race track. The 15-time AMA National Champion has logged a 15.7 starting average, a 16th-place average finish and has completed 696 of the 707 (98.4 percent) total laps run over those three events.

Darlington Details … Three weeks ago, at Darlington Raceway, Carmichael started 22nd and finished 30th. The 31-year-old driver spent most of the 147-lap event racing inside the top 15, and just outside the top 10, but he lost the handle on his No. 4 Chevrolet and spun exiting Turn 4. To add insult to injury, another competitor couldn’t get slowed down in time to avoid the Monster Energy machine, consequently ending Carmichael’s day just shy of the race’s two-thirds mark. While Carmichael slipped from 13th to 19th in points, he is currently just seven points out of 15th and a slim 12 markers outside the top 12.

In a Nutshell … The 2011 season marks Carmichael’s second year competing on a full-time basis in the NCWTS. Since making his series debut 46 races ago, the father of twins has gone on to earn three top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Over those same 46 races, Carmichael has logged a 14.2 average start, a 17.1 average finish, completed 91.4 percent of the laps run and earned just over $617,000 in purse money.

Welcome Aboard … Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy are pleased to welcome Kroger and Apple Market to the lower-rear quarter panels of the No. 4 Monster Energy Silverado. The Kroger Co., (NYSE:KR) headquartered in Cincinnati, is one of the nation’s largest grocery retailers, with fiscal 2010 sales of $82.2 billion. The Kroger Co. spans many states with store formats that include grocery and multi-department stores, convenience stores and mall jewelry stores. Kroger operates under nearly two dozen banners, all of which share the same belief in building strong local ties and brand loyalty with our customers. Workman Oil Company is the operator of 45 convenience stores under the “Apple Market” banner in central and southwest Virginia and Eastern Kentucky. The company also operates as a franchisee for Subway, Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken, Krystal, and Blimpie. Workman Oil Company also has a proprietary food service operation in 13 Apple Market convenience stores under the Granny Smith’s name.

Testing One, Two, Three. Testing … In preparation for this weekend’s Kroger 250, Carmichael along with Turner Motorsports teammate James Buescher tested at Motor Mile Speedway on Tues., March 29. Motor Mile Speedway is a flat, four tenths-mile paved oval located near Radford, Va.

Lights, Camera, Action … On Wed., March 30, Carmichael will participate in a commercial shoot for the 2011 NCWTS national advertising campaign. The spots will be shot on location in Monroe, N.C. and will be prominently featured during NASCAR programming throughout the year. The commercials are scheduled to begin airing later this spring.
See the Monster Energy Silverado … The Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado show truck will make four stops in the Martinsville area this week. The No. 4 machine will visit two Kroger stores in Martinsville on Thursday. From 11 a.m.-1 p.m. race fans can see Carmichael’s truck at the Kroger located at 240 Commonwealth Blvd. The truck is scheduled to visit the Kroger on Greensboro Road later that afternoon from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. On Friday, the Monster Energy Chevy will venture north to Rocky Mount for a noon – 4 p.m. appearance at Kroger Store No. 347 located at 400 Old Franklin Turnpike. On Saturday morning, the truck will be back in Martinsville for a pit stop at Wal-Mart on Commonwealth Blvd.

Up to Speed … Live coverage of the Kroger 250 from Martinsville Speedway will be televised live on SPEED Sat., April 2 beginning at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio Channel 128. Qualifying for the fourth of 25 races on the 2011 NCWTS schedule will be televised on SPEED the same day at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

RICKY CARMICHAEL QUOTES

Talk about your thoughts heading into Martinsville this weekend.

2011 NCWTS No. 4 Monster Eneregy Chevrolet (Ricky Carmichael) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR

I’m pretty patient most of the time and that helps a lot at that place. I’m ready to get back there, no doubt. We need to go ahead and knock down a result that our No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet is deserving of. We need to pick up where we left off at Daytona and forget about these last two races. I think I have the discipline to hit my marks and put myself in a great position to be there at the end.”

Does Martinsville feel like kind of a hybrid between and beat-and-bang-style race track and a finesse-type of track?

“I’ve learned that when you’re by yourself at Martinsville, it’s very important to not over drive it and hit your marks. You have to pay very close attention to the places on the race track where you lift out of the throttle and where to get back in the gas. It’s finesse. But, on those restarts when everyone is all bunched together, you have to keep your elbows out and stand your ground. At the end of the day, you have to be there with 20 (laps) to go. That’s our goal for this whole Monster Energy Chevrolet team. We have to get to the end of these races and start building some points back up.”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

Bryan Ortiz

Bryan Ortiz was one of thirty-five drivers who competed in the 2011 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine October 17th through 19th. The seventh annual Combine presented by Sunoco was held at Revolution Racing in Mooresville, North Carolina and the Motor Mile Speedway in Redford, Virginia.

The Drive for Diversity is the industry’s leading developmental program for minority and female drivers and crew members. The program currently supports drivers in two major developmental series of NASCAR – the K&N Pro Series and the Whelen All-American Series. The thirty-five hopefuls come from 18 states, Mexico, and Puerto Rico to showcase their talents hoping to earn an opportunity to race for Revolution Racing in 2011. Bryan Ortiz was selected to be one of the thirty-five drivers ranging in age from 16 to 26 who were evaluated on multiple skills including on-track performance, marketing and media aptitude, physical fitness, personality, and more.

The 21-year old native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico has raced in the Sunoco National Tour this season and leads the rookie standings entering the final race of the year at North Wilkesboro Speedway this weekend. However, the Drive for Diversity Combine has been the primary focus for Ortiz since he received the invitation to compete.

“My focus the last couple months was getting prepared for the Combine,” Ortiz stated. “I wanted to make sure that I did everything that I could to reach the level required for this program.”

The Combine began at Revolution Racing on Sunday, October 17th where the drivers were briefed on the schedule and began their evaluation with physical fitness and other tests of their skills. Then, Ortiz and his fellow competitors were bused to the Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Virginia for two days of on-track performance and marketing and media interviews. After the three days of assessment, the results will be evaluated by a committee who will select the participants for the 2011 Drive for Diversity program.

“From the fitness to media to on-track testing, I really feel that I did my best,” Ortiz commented. “The Combine is a great event and a tremendous opportunity for me. It was great to meet new drivers and other people in the sport. I want to thank Revolution Racing, Max Seigel, John Story, and everyone from NASCAR for making the Drive for Diversity Combine a great experience.”

“Obviously, I don’t know the results of the Combine yet, but I really feel like everything went well,” Ortiz added. “I was honored to receive the invitation and have the opportunity to compete in the Drive for Diversity Combine.”
This weekend, Bryan Ortiz and his BD Racing with Sterling Marlin team will race at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway in the Kings Ransom 300, the final race of the 2010 season for the Sunoco National Tour.

“With the Drive for Diversity Combine behind me, my focus is on the last race of the season at North Wilkesboro Speedway,” Ortiz concluded. “I’d really like to get my first win this weekend after so many close finishes. It’s tough competing with the ABC cars, but we do the best that we can each and every race. Everybody on the BD racing with Sterling Marlin team has done an awesome job this year, and I really want to win for them.”

Practice for the Sunoco National Tour Kings Ransom 300 begins on Saturday, October 30th. Qualifying for the final SNT event of the season will be Sunday morning, October 31st, with the race set for a 2 PM ET green flag.

- BD Racing with Sterling Marlin Press Release

Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR)

No. 29 BKR Ram in 2010… Keselowski will make his fourth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) start of 2010 this Wednesday nigh at Bristol Motor Speedway (GIR). In his three other starts Keselowski has recorded finishes of 18th (4/2 – Nashville Superspeedway), 28th (5/21 – Charlotte Motor Speedway) and second (7/17 – Gateway International Raceway), respectively.

Exclusive Win… If Keselowski can find his way to Victory Lane on Wednesday night, he will join two exclusive driver groups. 19 drivers have won a race in all three touring series and Keselowski could join that group with a win. However, a smaller group awaits the 26-year-old. Keselowski can also join his father, Bob Keselowski, as the only father-son duo to win a NCWTS race.

Home Race for Ruby Tuesday… Ruby Tuesday will make their Camping World Truck Series debut with Brad Keselowski Racing on Wednesday night. Ruby Tuesday considers this their home track as they are based in Maryville, Tenn.

Follow Me on Twitter… Fans can now follow Keselowski on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/keselowski. Fans can get a glimpse inside his everyday life while keeping up-to-date on the latest news for the driver.

Brad Keselowski

“Not only would winning a truck race put me in a select group of drivers that have won a race in all three national series, but I would also join my father as a truck series winner. We would be the first father-son duo to win a truck race. That would be very cool and it would mean a lot to me. My father was my hero and, unfortunately, I missed his truck series win at Richmond (1997). Joining him as a truck series winner would take a little of that disappointment away, I guess. We’re bringing a brand-new truck this weekend and we feel really good about it.

My Penske Racing teammate, Parker Kligerman, shook it down for us at Motor Mile Speedway on Monday. We’re coming off a great run at Gateway last month and I love racing at Bristol, so we are hoping for good things to happen.”

Crew chief Wayne Setterington on preparing a new truck for Bristol Motor Speedway

“All of the guys at BKR have worked extremely hard to get this new truck ready for Brad. We’re all proud of it and we’re anxious to see how it races. Brad does a great job each time he gets behind the wheel of his own truck. We’ve been giving him better trucks each race and I think it showed at Gateway that we can be competitive. Anything can happen at Bristol, but Brad loves the track and that confidence definitely spills over to the rest of the team. We’re going up there to win.”

- Brad Keselowski Racing Press Release

“I have to say thank you to Mark Gibson for giving me the opportunity to drive for him last weekend,” said John. “I just wish we could have brought home a better finish for him. We had tested on Friday and had a pretty decent car going into qualifying. We were able to qualify 7th for the event, and I thought we’d be in a good position for a good strong finish. Unfortunately when the race started we developed rear end problems, some of which we were able to repair, but ultimately the gear let go, forcing us out of the race.”

“I just hate it for Mark,” said John. “I was really hoping we could bring home a top 5 finish for him.”

John Gibson will be back in the MitiGator Ford Fusion for the Iowa Speedway race on July 30th. MitiGator is planning a web-cast from their pits which can be viewed, complete with audio, by going to www.Mitigatorinc.com.

MitiGator is an engineered cushioning system designed to protect people from hi-speed, hi-impact assaults and to allow them to continue to perform their jobs or enjoy their leisure time. The MitiGator uses patented air control technology working with 4,044 surfaces per square foot to dissipate energy before it is transmitted to the body and thus help alleviate problems. You can learn more about MitiGator by going to www.mitigatorinc.com

Spray Paint & Equipment is located in Kansas City, Missouri where they are DuPont’s largest distributor in the Kansas City area. There are two Spray Paint & Equipment Kansas City locations, one at 1908 Truman Road, and one at 1919 Northeast Vivion Road. Spray Paint and Equipment ships paint and supplies nationwide and they can be reached at (816) 221-9664.

RF85 is a friction reducing treatment that can be applied to various racing components. RF85 treatment is available at Better Than New in Chattanooga, TN. You can learn more about RF85 by visiting their website at: www.rf85.com.

- John Gibson Press Release

Turner Motorsports

CIRCUIT: USARACING PRO CUP SERIES

RACE: HERITAGE TRUCK CENTERS 250 (RACE 7 OF 14)

DATE: JULY 17, 2010 (250 LAPS)

START: 15th

FINISH: 5th

RACE RECAP:

· Logan Ruffin and his No. 31 Turner Motorsports Chevrolet team entered Motor Mile (Va.) Speedway ready to continue their string of three top-five efforts, prior to the month long break in the USARacing Pro Cup Series schedule. But the day at the Radford, Virginia short track wouldn’t be easy for the 16-year-old. After unloading, motor issues hindered the team and allowed Ruffin to only complete one full-speed lap on the track during two separate practice sessions.

· The Turner Motorsports team worked feverishly to repair the issues before qualifying. Ruffin laid down a solid lap during Saturday afternoon’s time trials, placing the No. 31 Impala in the 15th starting position for the Heritage Truck Centers 250. Unfortunately due to unapproved adjustments that needed to be made, Ruffin had to start the 250-lap event from the rear of the field.

· Starting from the last row on the grid, Ruffin began working his way through the field as the leaders quickly caught up to the young gun. On lap 44, Ruffin went a lap down to the leaders, but the second caution waved on lap 56, allowing the teenager to receive the free pass award. Ruffin restarted on lap 66 from 10th-place on the lead lap.

· Ruffin made his first pit stop of the night on lap 86 for fuel only. After making his stop under the night’s second caution, Ruffin remained in the 10th position. By lap 142, the Tennessee native had fallen one lap down to the leaders, while running in ninth-place. The caution was displayed once again on lap 181, as Ruffin was scored in the eighth position and continued to overcome his issues. Ruffin was awarded the free pass award once again, but the Turner Motorsports team declined as Ruffin came to pit road for four fresh tires.

· By lap 200, Ruffin was still one lap down to the leaders but was the first car in line to receive the free pass award when the next caution slowed the pace. That needed caution came on lap 229 for debris, with Ruffin scored in the seventh position.

· Ruffin restarted on lap 235 from fifth-place and over the final 15 laps, the youngster held his ground to capture another top-five finish. This was Ruffin’s third consecutive top-five finish, dating back to Langley Speedway in May and fourth overall top-five finish of the 2010 season.

Clay Rogers won the Heritage Truck Centers 250. Brandon Ward, AJ Frank, Mark McFarland, and Ruffin rounded out the top-five finishing positions.

FAST FACTS:

· Ruffin was also the highest finishing Raybestos Rookie for the fourth time this year, helping to extend his lead in the Rookie of the Year point standings.

· Ruffin now finds himself second in the Championship Point Standings, behind leader Clay Rogers.

· Also, Ruffin was the Hard Charger Award winner for the fourth time this season.

· Ruffin and his Turner Motorsports team will take a one-week break before returning to racing action at Iowa Speedway on Friday, July 30th.

LOGAN RUFFIN QUOTE:

“We had problems since we unloaded this weekend and still aren’t completely sure what was causing the issues. My Turner Motorsports team worked really hard all day and gave me a good Chevrolet. The race had a lot of ups and downs but we will head back to the shop and figure out what happened this weekend. I’m excited to head back to Iowa in two weeks and hopefully we can continue our run of top-five finishes.”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

Dylan Presnell

Dylan will be piloting the AmericanMountainRentals.com / Food Country USA Chevrolet fielded by Henderson Motorsports, along with Caleb Holman serving as his mentor.

“This will be a great learning experience for me, and it will be great to have Caleb as my teammate to help me out in my first Pro Cup race,” said Presnell.

Presnell, only 15 years old, began racing at the age of 7, competing in quarter midgets and began to climb the ranks. He’s won various championships and doesn’t plan on slowing down now.

“I met Dylan a couple years ago, when he was just starting to come into the late model scene. I’ve been watching him ever since and I feel that he has progressed a ton,” said Caleb Holman. “When we first decided that we wanted to field a second car I knew we needed a younger driver, someone that has a good head on their shoulders and most of all, a driver that wants to learn and will listen to you. And I have always seen that in Dylan. He’s very eager to succeed.”

The Heritage Truck Centers 250 is set to begin at 7 p.m. Saturday July 17 at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, VA. along with a 150 lap late model stock car race following.

- Henderson Motorsports Press Release

USARacing Pro Cup Series

“He’s been like a teammate to me. I can’t thank him enough,” Ruffin said about Morgan, a Charlotte, N.C., native, who sometimes grabs lunch with the teenager in addition to discussing racing’s technical side with him.

Since Ruffin made his USAR Pro Cup Series debut at Iowa Speedway last fall at age 14, Morgan has seen Ruffin improve tremendously week-to-week. He now sees Ruffin racing aggressively but clean, which is the way one gains respect.

“He’s gun-ho and hard on the throttle,” Morgan noted.

Morgan decided to take Ruffin under his wing after watching the young racer on-and-off the track.

“To see him excited to race, it gets me excited and helps me out,” Morgan commented.

Morgan’s advice for Ruffin is to “keep your mind focused and to stay dedicated to racing”. In five years, Morgan wants to see Ruffin competing in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series with Sprint Cup team owners eying him for a ride.

“If he comes back and thanks me, that makes me feel good. I just want to help,” Morgan said.

Ruffin’s debut at Iowa Speedway made the state-of-the-art, seventh-eighths-mile track his favorite, despite finishing 13th after his car smacked the wall and caught fire. Kevin Cywinski was Ruffin’s crew chief for that race and nothing has changed. Cywinski began racing at age 15 and possesses a good understanding of the issues his young driver faces.

Ruffin competed in only three USAR Pro Cup races last year before joining the series full-time this season. Running the limited schedule last year allowed Ruffin to become acquainted with his team and the tracks.

“It helped me learn the team and what I like,” Ruffin said about the abbreviated schedule.

Cywinksi is confident in Ruffin, noting he has matured and is more responsible as a driver.

“No matter what we throw at him, he has no problem doing it,” Cywinksi said. “The speed is in the car and in him.”

Since Ruffin began his racing career his family has always been at his side. It started with Ruffin, his dad and his uncle Dan working on his car in their garage.

“Their moral support has been a big deal,” said Ruffin, who signed with Turner Motorsports last year.

Earlier this year, the family decided to move closer to the North Carolina-based shop. They settled in Huntersville, a Charlotte bedroom community, because “there’s no better place for racing” than the Tar Heel state. Being closer to the shop eliminated the seven-hour commute between Mooresville, N.C., and Brentwood, Tenn., just outside Nashville where the family lived. Their new residence now affords Ruffin the opportunity to “try and do it all”. He believes it is important to know the mechanics of the car, as it will help him with his career.

With the season’s progression, Ruffin looks forward to the Sept. 11 race at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he once competed with ASA. Naturally, he’s “hoping for a win” at the fast, high-banked half-mile track.

To date, Rockingham Speedway has proven to be Ruffin’s most challenging track since he’s still learning to drive the bigger speedways and his team is learning what he likes on those facilities.

Moral support from both his immediate family and his racing family have helped Ruffin become the driver he is today. Heading into the season’s seventh race, Ruffin has three top-5s and is knocking on victory lane’s door. Ruffin enters the July 17 race at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va., fourth in the driver standings.

The USAR Pro Cup Series, formerly Hooters Pro Cup, is owned by Interstate Investment Group (IIG) and is based in Concord, N.C. For more information on USARacing, visit www.usarprocup.com.

- USAR Pro Cup Series Press Release

Cory Joyce

Joyce’s last outing was at Motor Mile Speedway in April, where an unfortunate mechanical failure set them back in qualifying. He was able to overcome early trouble however and came home with a solid 13th place finish. During the brief stint away from competition, Cory and his team have acquired a new chassis from Hess Racing and worked hard for the past couple of weeks to get everything ready for the first race of the SLLMS five race championship series.
With a brand new racecar to debut at Florence and a brand new touring series to compete in, Joyce is optimistic about the path his career is taking.

“It seems like forever since I was last on the track, and I’m definitely ready to be back,” the young driver commented. “The time off was great for our program and we definitely worked hard on improving what we’ve got. We should be fast right out of the gate and I’m looking forward to what we can accomplish the rest of this summer.”

The preparation list for this weekend’s event is much larger than any normal weekend, as the team received the new chassis in bare form near the end of last week. With a lot of help from Hess Racing, Crew Chief Kevin Caldwell and Performance Vehicle Works, Cory will be ready to test his new wheels on the track for Saturday’s practice session.

“I want to thank Billy Hess for all of the help he’s given me to get back out onto the track, and everyone at Hess Racing for all the hard work they put into this new race car. PVW also pulled through for us and did a great job putting the car together in such a short amount of time. I know it’s going to be really fast and I can’t wait to get it out there for its first laps,” Joyce exclaimed.

The weekend begins with practice at 1 PM on Saturday afternoon, followed by qualifying at 5 PM. The limited late models will then return to the track on Sunday, July 4th for a 100-lap feature event set to begin shortly after 4 PM. Live coverage of the race can be found on RacersReunionRadio.com on Sunday with a one hour pre-race show, and Race22.com is also planning coverage of the event. You can also check updates on Cory and the team by following him on Twitter, @CoryJoyceRacing.

For more information on Cory Joyce Racing, please visit CoryJoyce.com.

- Cory Joyce Racing Press Release

Twice this year, Jeff Agnew has shown his Ford Fusion has the power to displace Rogers from victory lane. Last month at Langley [Va.] Speedway, the 44-year-old Floyd, Va., driver sank his teeth into Rogers’ bumper and wouldn’t let go as they sped around the 0.395-mile track. It was a pit stop that ultimately allowed Rogers to shake Agnew, who’s now second in the driver standings.

Two weeks later at South Boston, Va., it was a mechanical problem that sidelined the pole winning Agnew in the race’s second half. Even Rogers admitted in victory lane that he felt sorry for Agnew who “probably had the best car” that night.

Two other drivers who could end Rogers’ victory lane reign are Caleb Holman and Logan Ruffin. Holman, who is fourth in the standings, is the only other driver who has been victorious this year, capturing two straight. Meanwhile, Ruffin is knocking on the victory lane door. The 15-year-old Memphis, Tenn., native is third in the driver standings and is leading in the battle for Raybestos Rookie of the Year. He finished second to Holman at Hickory [N.C.] Motor Speedway by a mere 0.567 second and, again, at Langley Speedway to Rogers.

When it comes to the series records, Agnew has produced more top-5s and top-10s than the 29-year-old Rogers. Agnew is second on the all-time top-5 chart, four ahead of Rogers – 83 to 79. Bobby Gill, who isn’t competing in the Pro Cup Series this year, leads that category with 113 top-5s. In top-10s, Agnew and Gill are tied for first with 139 each. Rogers is a distant fourth with 105. Agnew also leads in USAR Pro Cup Series starts with 216. Rogers is sixth with 154.

However, there are several other categories that Rogers either leads or is closing in on the records. The Troutman, N.C., resident leads in poles with 30 and in laps led with 7,555. No current driver is close to catching him in those categories. Shane Huffman is second in poles with 24, while Gill trails Rogers in laps led with 7,141.

Rogers is one victory away from tying Shane Huffman with 28 for third on the all-time victory list. Four more victories and the defending series champion will tie Benny Gordon, with 31, for second in that coveted category. Gill leads with 46 victories.

Rogers also is only nine races away from tying Gill for the No. 1 position in the number of races led. Gill has led 100 and Rogers 91.

Mark McFarland owns the best average start with 4.09, but Rogers is second with 5.73. Gordon, who’s sixth in the driver standings, possesses the best average finish, 7.88. Despite Rogers’ four victories this year, he’s fourth in that category with 9.69.

In race winnings, Gill is ahead of Rogers by $187,975. Gill has won $945,521, while Rogers has pocketed $757,546.

The USAR Pro Cup Series next race is July 17 at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va.

The USARacing Pro Cup Series, formerly Hooters Pro Cup, is owned by Interstate Investment Group and is based in Concord, N.C. For more information on the USARacing Pro Cup Series, go to www.usarprocup.com.

- USARacing Pro Cup Series Press Release

USARacing Pro Cup Series

Gates open at 11:30 a.m. with testing on the 0.625-mile track scheduled until 4 p.m. The grandstands will then be cleared and reopened at 6 p.m. for the Southern Truck and Tractor Pullers.

The USAR Pro Cup Series will sponsor a North Wilkesboro Speedway test for its competitors on Sept. 18 in preparation for its 250-lap race on Oct. 3. The event is the third in the USAR’s five-race Championship Series that begins Aug. 28 at Concord [N.C.] Speedway. The Championship Series also has events scheduled for Sept. 11 at Bristol [Tenn.] Motor Speedway, Oct. 23 at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga., and Nov. 6 at South Boston [Va.] Speedway.

However, before the USAR Pro Cup teams are seeded for the Championship Series, they will compete at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va., on July 17; Iowa Speedway on July 30 as a companion event to the NASCAR Nationwide Series; and Aug. 14 at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va.

The USARacing Pro Cup Series, formerly Hooters Pro Cup, is owned by Interstate Investment Group and is based in Concord, N.C. For more information on the USARacing Pro Cup Series, go to www.usarprocup.com.

- USARacing Pro Cup Series Press Release

Brandon Sweet

With the struggling economy, USAR Pro Cup Series director Jimmy Wilson announced today that the next two races on the schedule have been canceled. The next event will be at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Virginia on July 17th.

“This is a decision we wrestled with for some time,” Wilson said. “We truly didn’t want to cancel these races. We were extremely excited about returning to these tracks and giving the fans the type of wonderful racing they have come to expect from the USAR Pro Cup Series. However, the expenditures our teams would have to make to compete in these two events is a paramount concern of ours. The nation’s economy hasn’t rebounded as quickly as we expected and, therefore, we are reluctantly having to make these changes.”

While the Freeman Racing Enterprises team, and their driver Brandon Sweet certainly understands the decision that was made by the USAR officials, they are not going to wait around. The team has a test session coming up next Wednesday at Thunder Alley Speed Park, in nearby Evans Mills, New York as well as a race there in a Super Late Model this coming weekend.

Once the USAR Pro Cup Series resumes, the FRE Clarence Henry Coach, Schaeffer’s Oil, Suburban Extended Stay of Concord Ford Fusion will be ready for action.

With a month before the next race, Brandon will spend his time racing at the local Speedways. As diverse as a driver that Sweet has become, he will be running both pavement and DIRT in the weeks ahead, piloting a Freeman Racing Enterprises prepared Late Model to run at Thunder Alley, and driving a DIRTcar Big Block Modified owned by Jason Potter and his family.

“It is disappointing that our USAR Pro Cup Schedule has been cut back, but I am looking forward to spending some time back at home and running the local short tracks again. It will be exciting”, commented Brandon Sweet.

Sweet has already had some seat time in the DIRTcar Big Block Modified, posting seat time in the aforementioned Potter backup ride a couple of weeks ago.

- Freeman Racing Enterprises Press Release

Cory Joyce

Joyce participated in the Race City Pit Stop last year and chose to be a part of the festivities once again.

“Anytime I can get out and be a part of something that supports a good cause, I’m all for it,” said the young driver. “Interacting with the fans is always fun and I’m glad I can be a part of all the festivities.”

After his season debut at Motor Mile Speedway in April, Cory has taken a few weeks off to recharge his batteries and prepare the team and car for the summer months of racing. Among the summer racing plans are races all over the southeast in his No. 20 limited late model.

Activities at the Race City Pit Stop will include driver appearances and autograph signings, show cars and a live auction of racing memorabilia at 1 pm. The festivities will run from 10 am to 7 pm on the streets and sidewalks of Downtown Mooresville. All race fans are invited to attend and admission is free.

- Cory Joyce Racing Press Release

Cory Joyce

A cut tire during the second practice session set the team back and sent them scrambling to piece everything back together before qualifying. With not a moment to spare, the crew pinned up the hood and sent Cory on his way. Putting the accident in practice behind him, the young driver was able to lay down a lap good enough for the 17th starting position.

Mired with several close calls and accidents, the first half of the race was very tense for the No. 20 team. Eight laps after the drop of the green, the caution came out for a severely damaged racecar on the front stretch. Unfortunately, some debris from the accident went through the nose of Joyce’s machine, causing extensive damage to the front valence and duct work. Once again, the crew was put to the test as they feverishly worked to get the car back in shape and onto the track.

Without losing a lap, Cory was able to rejoin the field and restart from the tail end of the line. Though his car didn’t look the same as when it rolled off the trailer, Caldwell reassured his driver before sending him back out into competition that he’d have something to race with.

“We had to raise the front end of the car quite a bit to fix the damage Cory, so it’s going to drive totally different. We’re here to learn. I know it’s not fun for you having a torn up racecar, but I know you’re learning right now,” explained the crew chief.

After a few more caution periods, Joyce found himself in the top 15 with less than ten laps remaining. Compensating for the new changes on his racecar, Cory was able to find a new line to make the car turn through the corner and he was able to pick off a few more positions to finish the main event in the 13th spot.

Cory Joyce

“I loved working with Kevin (Caldwell), and my whole crew did a great job putting the car back together to get me out on the track. I can’t thank everyone enough for the hard work they put forth this weekend. Hopefully we’ll come back here and get a win or at least a top five finish.”

- Cory Joye Racing Press Release

Cory Joyce

Not only will the team see changes in personnel, but a fresh, new look will grace the CJR stable. Switching gears for the new year, Cory and the team will unveil a black paint scheme on his machine at Motor Mile. To complete the new look, Cory is reverting back to the number he ran with in his very first go kart races at age eight, sporting the No. 20 once again.

“Bringing back my old number 20 reminds me of when I first started racing, and I’m really pumped to have it back. The new paint scheme looks great and I can’t wait to see it at the track,” Cory said.

Joyce’s last event in November 2009 at Myrtle Beach Speedway ended in disappointment, after leading the way in practice with a quick racecar. Though the event didn’t end as planned, Cory learned some valuable lessons through the struggles. Hungry to get back behind the wheel, the 18-year-old hot shoe anticipates tight racing among a stout field of limited late model competitors.

“After a long off season, I’m definitely ready to show off the new car and get back to work,” an excited Joyce claimed. “Motor Mile is a tough racetrack, but I’m ready to take on the challenge and I know it’ll be a great experience. Kevin (Caldwell) has been a huge help preparing this car, and I know that we have a great setup and the potential to do very well.”

Cory and the No. 20 team will head to Motor Mile Speedway for the 50 lap Limited Late Model Event this Saturday, April 3rd. Debuting the new number and black paint scheme, Joyce is looking for a strong finish to begin the year on the right foot.

For more information and updates on Cory and the team, please visit www.CoryJoyce.com.

- Cory Joyce Racing Press Release