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Ty Dillon Crowned 29th ARCA Racing Series Champion at Annual Championship Awards Banquet

Press Release — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 03:58:44 +0000

Ty Dillon (L) and car owner and grandather Richard Childress (R) celebrate the ARCA Racing Series championship during the annual awards banquet at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center (Photo Credit: ARCA)

(COVINGTON, Ky.) – Richard Childress Racing’s Ty Dillon finished the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season as the champion 55 days ago, but has since watched brother Austin win and celebrate a title of his own. This evening was Ty’s time to shine, with his brother, parents, grandparents, and a wealth of team members at his side.

Dillon and his No. 41 Chevrolet team were officially crowned ARCA champions at the series’ annual Championship Awards Banquet at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. The 19-year-old from Lewisville, N.C. was among 15 drivers from the top 20 in the final point standings to be honored on stage, and left with more than $100,000 in point fund and special award earnings, as awarded by the numerous series partners at the ceremony.

To honor Dillon’s position as the 29th ARCA Racing Series champion in 59 seasons, ARCA president Ron Drager presented the driver a letter signed by North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue, as well as a series championship ring and a leather championship jacket featuring the series logo.

As is the custom, a video tribute featured photographs from the champion’s youth and ascent to championship status; special additions to this season’s video included special messages from Richard Childress Racing drivers Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton, as well as a collection of footage showcasing Dillon’s use of the word “awesome” in Victory Lane interviews.

Joining Dillon on stage were his grandfather and team owner, Richard Childress, grandmother Judy Childress, and crew chief Scott “Flash” Naset, who was joined by his wife Stephanie.

“It doesn’t really hit you, how special it is to do something like this, until you’re up on the stage like this and all these people you’ve worked so hard against all year are staring up at you and you’re getting crowned the champion,” said Dillon, who finished the season with seven wins, 13 top-fives, and 16 top-10 finishes. “It hit me pretty hard, and I’m just proud to be with the group of guys I’m with. It’s almost just surreal, to finally take it in. This experience right here has changed me a lot.”

Among the top awards Dillon and his team received were: $10,000 for winning the Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell after securing seven poles in 2011; $6,000 from Sunoco Race Fuel; $5,000 for winning the Aaron’s Lap Leader of the Year Award; $5,000 from Messina Wildlife Management; $5,000 from Hoosier for most wins by a car owner; $2,500 from the University of Northwestern Ohio; and the Fast Track High Performance Driving School Award. Jeff Abbott of Menards presented Dillon a check representing his winnings from the series points fund.

Naset also visited the stage on his own to accept the Cometic Crew Chief of the Year Award.

David Ragan, a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and ARCA Racing Series race winner, served as the Guest of Honor. SPEED television analyst Phil Parsons acted as the banquet host for the third consecutive year.

Chris Buescher, who drove to second place in the final standings for Roulo Brothers Racing, received the $10,000 ARCA Rookie of the Year Award, as well as $2,500 in cash and product certificates from Print Resources and $500 from JRI. Buescher also accepted the $15,000 Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge Award and the R.E. Lightning Challenge Award, among other prizes.

Buescher won three of the season’s last four races, and the team’s Russell Roulo won the Klotz Engine Mechanic of the Year Award. Gary Roulo joined Buescher on stage when he was introduced for finishing in second place.

The team left with more than $100,000 in point fund and special award earnings after a season in which Buescher drove to three wins, 14 top-fives, and 16 top-10s.

Frank Kimmel was recognized on stage for finishing third in the series standings, as well as for winning the CGS Imaging Hard Charger of the Year Award and the S&S Volvo Laps Completed Award. He was joined for a final time on stage by brother and crew chief Bill Kimmel; the two will separate for the 2012 season with Frank Kimmel moving to ThorSport Racing.

Chad McCumbee, who finished fifth in the final series standings, joined owner Jennifer Belmont on stage to accept the Bill France Four Crown Award for his combined performances at New Jersey, Michigan, Springfield, and Salem.

Fourth-place driver Grant Enfinger and owner Mike Allgaier were introduced, as were fellow pairs from the top 10 in the final standings: Tom Hessert and team owner Ken Schrader (sixth); Tim George Jr. and crew chief Gere Kennon (seventh); Chad Hackenbracht and team owner Greg Hackenbracht (eighth); Sean Corr and team owner John Corr (ninth); and Darrell Basham (10th).

The top-10 honor – Basham’s first since 1976 – turned out to be the second recognition of the night for Basham. Earlier, he was honored with his second Spirit Award, following the same honor in 2003. The Spirit Award is given to a person for dedication and support of ARCA, uplifting spirit by way of example, perseverance, and positive attitude. Despite a late 2010 garage fire that destroyed nearly all his race equipment, Basham displayed all of those characteristics in driving to his best season finish in 35 years.

Nick Ramey accepted the Crane Cams Engine Builder of the Year Award on behalf of Roush Yates Engines, and Ramey himself was presented the H.G. Adcox Sportsman of the Year Award for his consistent willingness to assist any team in the garage.

In addition to stepping to the stage with Hessert, Schrader appeared to accept the Marcum Award, annually presented to an individual or entity whose positive efforts have elevated ARCA’s motorsports stature to the benefit of all associated. Schrader is a 15-time winner in the ARCA Racing Series, and continues to promote the series today as a team owner and television broadcaster.

Cathy Venturini and Nate Thiesse, the fourth and 10th-place owners, respectively, both spoke on stage.

To complete the honoring of the top 20 drivers, James Hylton (11th), Brad Smith (12th), Levi Youster (14th), Will Kimmel (15th), and Maryeve Dufault (16th) visited the stage to receive congratulations.

Jeff Kettman accepted the Manufacturer Championship on behalf of Chevrolet.

Andy O’Neal, dean of the College of Technology of the University of Northwestern Ohio – ARCA’s Official High Performance Education University – awarded a group of ARCA scholarships on behalf of the university.

Likewise, Parsons announced the winners of the Bob Loga Memorial ARCA Scholarships. Brianna Peterson – granddaughter of ARCA competitor Wayne Peterson – won $1,500. Peterson, of Hoover, Ala., holds a 4.23 grade point average as a sophomore veterinary student at Auburn University. Brittany Gaddis of Romulus, Mich. won $500. She is the daughter of ARCA Figure 8 driver Danny Gaddis, attends Romulus High School, and plans to study nursing at Wayne State University in Detroit.

The ceremony concluded just after 10 p.m. with a special video featuring an interview with Mildred Marcum, known widely as an ARCA founder. The interview led into a short mention of ARCA’s 60th Anniversary Season and the surrounding celebrations that will occur throughout 2012. A press conference in the afternoon included major series and team announcements.

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

The 2012 ARCA Racing Series schedule is currently available at ARCARacing.com. Testing for ARCA’s 60th Anniversary Season will begin Friday, December 16 at Daytona International Speedway. The season’s first race is scheduled for Saturday, February 18 at Daytona.

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

- Automobile Racing Club of America Press Release

Chrissy Wallace Survives Weather, Wrecks and Traffic at Toledo Speedway to Finish 11th

Press Release — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:50:19 +0000

Cunningham Motorsports

October 18, 2011 – (Mooresville, NC) - The final race of the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards took place Sunday, October 16 at Toledo Speedway. The Federated Car Care 200 was only the 8th race—out of the 19 race season—for Cunningham Motorsports. Chrissy Wallace drove the #22 Dodge to a finish of 11th, after a 5th place qualifying effort. Sponsorship from Althoff Trucking, who sponsored Chrissy’s ASA track championship run at I-44 Speedway in Lebanon, MO, and Jeg’s Performance, allowed Wallace the opportunity to work with the Cunningham organization.

The team tested at Caraway Speedway last week in an effort to reacquaint Wallace with the ARCA Series cars. She last raced with the ARCA organization in 2008, competing at Talladega and Pocono—a definite change in track configuration to the .5 mile Toledo Speedway. When the #22 rolled off of the trailer, Wallace hit the track for the first practice session very comfortable, as she told crew chief Paul Andrews, “Everything is handling really, really well.” After the crew made many adjustments throughout the first 45 minute practice, Wallace showed 15th on the speed chart. She found the car more to her liking in the final practice, posting the 8th quickest time, picking up .5 seconds, with a 16.390. After finding another .25 seconds, Wallace posted the 5th fastest qualifying time.

After a two and a half hour rain delay on Sunday, the green/yellow flag flew for the 200 lap event. The first 41 laps were run behind the pace car, in order to continue the drying process after continuous rain. After multiple cautions over the first 30 laps under green flag conditions, Wallace maintained the 6th spot. Wallace ran the fastest lap, turned by all cars, during the race on lap 51.

Chrissy Wallace

As the race hit the halfway point, Wallace remained in the top 10, in spite of having difficulty on the restarts with the lapped cars getting bunched up. When the caution came out on lap 118, Andrews called the #22 to pit road for right side tires, fuel, track bar and air pressure adjustments. With the majority of the lead lap cars pitting during this yellow flag, Wallace took the green in 13th. As Wallace was coming out of turn 2, on lap 136, the 02, of Josh Williams, clipped the left rear corner of the Cunningham Dodge, spinning Wallace on the backstretch, causing her to lose a lap. Wallace brought the car to the pit crew’s attention for a track bar adjustment and lined up for the restart on lap 141 in 21st, one lap down.

A few laps later the caution flew again, awarding Wallace the Aaron’s Lucky Dog award, since she was the first car not on the lead lap. During this caution Wallace brought the car in for 4 fresh Hoosiers. One more pit stop for the Cunningham crew occurred on lap 159, to repair some cosmetic damage which happened during the previous spin, with Wallace restarting in 20th. From this point until the checkered flag flew, Wallace picked up one spot at a time. The final caution flag waved on lap 198 when the second place car of Ty Dillon spun out then-leader, Brandon Poole. The green flag flew for the final time on lap 205, with Wallace earning the 11th spot.

The top 5 finishers in the Federated Car Care 200 were Chris Buescher, Ty Dillon, Chad McCumbee, Tom Hessert and Grant Enfinger. Dillon won the season-long championship, with Buescher finishing second.

Cunningham Motorsports is looking forward to 2012, with many potential prospects for next season. Look for updates on the 2012 season on twitter @cunningham_race.

- Cunningham Motorsports Press Release

Chad Hackenbracht Recovers Masterfully For Top-10 Finish In ARCA Season Finale

Press Release — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:13:11 +0000

No. 58 Tastee Caramel Apple Chevrolet Impala

TOLEDO, Ohio (October 18, 2011) – - After a late race spin in Sunday’s Federated Car Care 200 at Toledo Speedway, 19-year old Chad Hackenbracht and his CGH Motorsports team were able to close out the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards with their 10th top-10 finish of the year.

The Mooresville, North Carolina-based team led by crew chief Kevin Reed were among the list of pre-race contenders for the 19th event of the season, especially after a private test session earlier in the week boosted the team’s confidence level for their second tango with the Northern Ohio short track.

With the United States Auto Club (USAC) sharing Saturday with the ARCA Racing Series at Toledo Speedway, practice which was normally run as one session would now be combined into two forty minute-efforts. Mounting the seventh and third quickest laps in each practice respectively, the CGH Motorsports team was looking forward to qualifying.

The New Philadelphia, Ohio native whipped his No. 58 Tastee Caramel Apple Chevrolet around the half-mile oval to post the ninth fastest lap overall to start on the inside of row number five. After a long day, the team was ready to recharge their batteries and prepare for action on Sunday afternoon.

Unfortunately, teams returned to the ARCA-owned racetrack on Sunday under gloomy skies and consistent rain showers. Ultimately, the start of the contest would be pushed-back nearly two hours before the command to fire engines was given. ARCA would choose to utilize the 35-car starting field to finish the track drying process throwing both the green and yellow flags simultaneously for the first 40 circuits of the contest. With the yellow flag retracted and the green “officially” given to the field, Hackenbracht quickly tried to filter his way through traffic and mix himself into the lead pack.

Patiently working his way up through the field, Hackenbracht had guided his No. 58 Tastee Caramel Apple machine up to the sixth position by lap 92 where he remained until lap 118, when the yellow flag waived offering Reed the opportunity to bring his driver to pit lane.

The 2010 ARCA crew chief of the year made a gutsy call for just two right side tires and fuel which propelled Hackenbracht to become the leader off pit road but find himself fifth overall on the track as several automobiles elected to stay on the racetrack.

Restarting fifth, Hackenbracht attempted to saw his way to the lead but would find himself hung up in a wad of racecars which consumed of both lead lap and lap down machines, forcing Hackenbracht to back off and regroup and settle into the eighth position just three laps later.

Again showing patience from a rookie driver allowed the opportunity to climb back into the top-five by lap 144 where the No. 58 Tastee Caramel Apple car found itself behind the No. 52 of Tom Hessert. Hackenbracht would stalk his fellow competitor for several laps before using a nudge in traffic on lap 177 to maneuver around the No. 52. By the time the two cars returned to the frontstretch the next lap, Hessert retaliated by spinning the No. 58 on lap 178 and making light contact with the wall.

Hackenbracht was able to drive away from the scene of the incident under his own power but would have to come to pit road where four tires and damage control were on the agenda for the family-owned team. While the CGH Motorsports organization remained on the lead lap, they found themselves mired in the 16th position for the lap 183 restart.

Quickly slicing and dicing his way through traffic, Hackenbracht would hover in the 11th position but with laps quickly running out. A caution on the final lap threw the event into overtime which allowed Hackenbracht to tag onto the back bumpers of the lead-lap contenders for a green-white-checkered restart.

A man on a mission when the green and white flags flew together, Hackenbracht craftily maneuvered around the cars of Charles Evans Jr., Jared Marks and Chrissy Wallace knocking off three cars in one lap and propelling from 11th to eighth where he took the checkered flag, six laps after the scheduled distance of 200 circuits.

Chad Hackenbracht

“Overall, it was a great effort by the CGH Motorsports team again,” the No. 58 pilot said. “Kevin (Reed) made a great call when he suggested two tires for track position. The car still hooked to the track and we had the leaders in our sight. Then, we had the incident with Hessert and we had to fight our way back to a top-10. Under the circumstances, there’s momentum to gain to get back next year and be there at Daytona.”

When asked about the incident with the No. 52 of Hessert, he remarked, “We were running fifth all day and we go into Turn three (on Lap 168) and a lapped car was in front of the 52 (Hessert) and I was behind the 52,” he said. “He blocked (Hessert) coming up out of Turn two, and we go down into three, and the 52 just straight turned the lapped car. It wrecked me; it wrecked the No. 52, and so I went up beside the car on caution and let him know I didn’t like it. There on the next start, we were faster anyway and I moved him. I got by him, he got loose and shuffled it up. We come around, and I don’t know if he tried to move me and didn’t know how, but he just flat out wrecked us. I really didn’t like it at all, so I went up and let him know again. We’ll live and learn from this and move on.”

With his eighth place run, Hackenbracht was able to unofficially secure eighth in the final 2011 ARCA Racing Series championship standings tallying 19 starts, three top-fives, 10 top-10, 67 laps led in four races (Chicagoland, Winchester, Berlin and DuQuoin) and accumulating 4,145 points.

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series is the 2011 championship banquet which is set for Saturday, December 10th at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington, Ky., near Cincinnati. The top-20 drivers and top-10 owners and drivers will be recognized for their participation in the series this year.

CGH Motorsports still has marketing partnerships available for the 2012 ARCA Racing Series season. Interested parties can contact Jordan Dahl at Jordan@cghmotorsports.com or 570.234.5449.

For more information on Chad Hackenbracht and CGH Motorsports, please visit ChadHackenbracht.com and CGHMotorsports.com.

To purchase the popular “What’s A Chad Hacken-Something” tee-shirt, please log on to store.cghmotorsports.com or CGHMotorsports.com.

Connect with Chad Hackenbracht and CGH Motorsports through Facebook by clicking here.

Tweet with Chad Hackenbracht through Twitter at @ChadH58 or CGH Motorsports @CGH5858.

About CGH Motorsports:

CGH Motorsports (CGHMotorsports.com), established in 2007 by Ohio entrepreneur Greg Hackenbracht is located in a 10,000 sq. foot facility located in Mooresville, North Carolina. CGH Motorsports is home of rising sensation Chad Hackenbracht, who competed in nine ARCA Racing Series races in 2010 after an aggressive ARCA testing schedule in 2009. Chad Hackenbracht is the 2008 National Asphalt Legends champion, winning 33 percent of his races and finishing in the top-10, 85 percent of the events he competed in. The team has stepped up their commitment from a partial schedule in 2010 and ran a full-effort in 2011, with the prospects of a potential two-car operation in 2012.

- CGH Motorsports Press Release

Strong 11th Place Finish At Kansas Speedway For Ryan Wilson; Win-Tron Racing

Press Release — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 04:15:02 +0000

Win-Tron Racing

KANSAS CITY, Kansas (October 10, 2011) – - NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (NWAAS) driver Ryan Wilson narrowly missed his second consecutive top-10 finish in a row Friday night when the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards tackled Kansas Speedway under the lights for the Kansas Lottery 98.9.

Returning to the cockpit for the Lakeville, Minnesota for the first time in two months, Wilson was antsy to get behind the wheel of his No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry on Friday morning to get his fourth career ARCA start wrenched up.

Under the leadership of Mike Chaffee, considered a wizard by many in the ARCA Racing Series garage, the team spent practice getting Wilson comfortable with the track and improving their No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry from the open-test at the 1.5-mile speedway last month. Mounting the 13th quickest lap overall at a lap of 32.591 seconds at 165.690 miles per hour, Wilson was content but ready to confer with his team in order to find more speed for Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying.

No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry

Wilson was the 10th car to make a time trials attempt at Kansas Speedway Friday evening with the Randleman, North Carolina native negotiating a lap of 32.178 seconds or 167.817 miles per hour, four tenths of a second improvement from his quickest practice lap earlier in the day.

Despite a quicker lap, Wilson advised the team that his car was a little tighter than practice but also had some looseness as well.

From the drop of the green flag, Wilson hovered comfortably in the top-15 being advised by Chaffee that his lap times were very consistent. The 19-year old driver noted to his team that his left front of the car was hooking the apron and he was backing up his corners in turn three and four in order to and improve the handling of his Japanese nameplate.

When the first caution flag of the day waived on lap 24, Wilson sat 13th. While the other 12 cars ahead of him in the field elected to take the trip down pit road, Chaffee made a bold move and kept his rookie on the racetrack which allowed the driver of the No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry to inherit the lead on lap 26.

Wilson, winner of last Fall’s Richard Petty Driver Search II would lead the field back to green but quickly be swallowed by his competition of fresher tires but he continued to fight for respect and a place inside the top-10.

Slipping back to 11th by lap 31, Wilson would hunker down and remain there until a caution on lap 36 allowed Chaffee to bring his protégé to pit road for tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment to battle a loose condition that Wilson was battling.

Restarting in the 19th position on lap 39, Wilson picked up four positions on the race track to lock the 15th spot when the third yellow of the night waived. Under the caution, the rising phenom advised his team that his car was free up off but extremely loose in traffic. The team acknowledged their driver’s explanation and would make another adjustment on their final pit stop.

Racing resumed with Wilson focused on motoring his, No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry back towards the top-10. From laps 64 to 85, Wilson would flirt between 12th and 13th before the caution flag flew on lap 88 allowing Chafee to bring his young pilot to pit road for the final stop of the night.

Loaded with four tires, a splash of fuel and a wedge adjustment, Wilson restarted the race in the 12th position but immediately found himself moving forward and battling with Tom Hessert, Chad Hackenbracht and John Blankenship. Coming to the white flag, Wilson attempted to pass Hackenbracht for a spot inside the top-10 but a lousy move by a lap-machine trapped Wilson from completing the pass. Instead, he would have to duck behind Hackenbracht coming to the checkered flag and be forced to settle for 11th.

Ryan Wilson

“I’m happy that we finished the race in one piece, but I really wanted a top-10 for everyone at Win-Tron Racing and Champion Oil,” Wilson explained after the race. “The car was good. I learned a lot. I experienced things that I never had before, especially with the wind. I’m disappointed in the lap car there at the end of the race. He had no reason to be where he was and it cost us in the end.”

He added, “On the bright side, we had a solid night and we’ll go to Toledo next and see if we can’t put our No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry back in the top-10.”

Nate Thiesse, co-car owner of Win-Tron Racing offered his sentiments on the outcome of the 18th race of the season.

“We could not be more proud of Ryan,” Thiesse sounded. “We utilized some strategy and he led some laps and found himself in a lot of situations he had never experienced before in an ARCA car. He is a good kid with a tremendous amount of talent. His feedback was very impressive, especially with his inexperience in these heavier type of stock cars. All in all, we’re more than satisfied with the run and extremely proud of Ryan and we’re all anxious to get to Toledo Speedway, a type of track that is ideal to him.”

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series is the 19th and final race of the 2011 season. The ARCA Toledo 200 presented by Federated Car Care is set for Sunday, October 16th set to launch at 2:00 p.m. local live on SPEED. Earlier in the year driver Matt Merrell started fifth before rising to a podium finish of third.

Further information including driver opportunities with Win-Tron Racing is available by visiting win-tronracing.com or contacting Nate Thiesse at 612.306.1641

For more on Champion Brands LLC and their extensive line of products, please log on to championbrands.com or championsusechampion.com.

Additional input on Ryan Wilson is available by logging on the web at RyanWilsonMotorsports.com.

- Win-Tron Racing Press Release

Grant Enfinger; Allgaier Motorsports Down But Not Out Following Salem Finish

Press Release — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 02:01:40 +0000

Allgaier Motorsports Logo Thumbnail

SALEM, Indiana (September 19, 2011) – - Undoubtedly, Grant Enfinger’s performance Saturday night for Allgaier Motorsports in the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic at Salem (Ind.) Speedway was worthy of a strong finish. However, a mechanical failure just before the half-way mark left the team with their worst finish of the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season. Still, the finish wasn’t as detrimental as it could have been.

After taking two races to trade his radio for a driver’s uniform, Kelly Kovski returned to the role as crew chief of the No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger for the 17th race of the season.

With a plan of attack for Enfinger’s second tango with the intimidating half-mile oval, following the lone practice session of the day, the team owned by ARCA veteran and 2008 champion owner Mike Allgaier were pleased with their direction.

No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger

After clocking in the eighth fastest time in practice, the Fairhope, Alabama native would step it up in Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying producing the fifth quickest lap overall, easily surpassing his 13th place starting spot at the Southern Indiana short track in the spring.

Comfortable with the racecar after conquering a little bit of tight condition in practice, the team shifted their concentration towards the next-to-last short track battle of the season.

The green flag waived for the 90th ARCA race at Salem Speedway with the No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger holding its ground safely inside the top-five.

A caution inside the race’s first 10 laps of competition would keep Enfinger on the bumper of the lead pack. When racing resumed, leader Chris Buescher would stretch his lead with Enfinger left having to battle the No. 52 of Tom Hessert for fourth.

Despite a gallant effort, Enfinger would give-way to his fellow racer, quickly dipping behind Hessert but remaining in the fifth position. With the field stretched out by the completion of the first quarter, Enfinger hovered in fifth while also strategizing with Kovski on what to do with their racecar during their mandatory pit stop.

The team’s opportunity to come to pit road came to life when the yellow flag flew on lap 65 when second-place runner Chad Hackenbracht cut down a tire. Subsequently, Hessert also suffered misfortune which quickly rose the team up in the running order. Though, Kovski would bring his driver in where he granted Enfinger two new tires and fuel exiting pit road in second place behind the No. 68 of Will Kimmel.

The duo though would be in the treks of new leader Frank Kimmel II who elected to stay out during the caution. When racing resumed, Enfinger held his own inside the podium standings and in the clutches of second-place runner Kimmel II before the team’s night took a sudden turn on lap 96 when the No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger began to slow on the backstretch.

Slowly making his way to his pit stall, Enfinger would advise his team that he thought the problem was mechanical. After inspecting their Chrysler nameplate, the team identified their problem with the rear gear. Unable to successfully repair their automobile, the team would be forced to withdraw from the event and be credited with completing 99 of the scheduled 200 laps and a disappointing 23rd place finish.

Grant Enfinger

“We had a pretty good car,” stated the 26-year old. “We could not predict a malfunction like we had with the rear gear. We haven’t had a problem like that all year around. It stinks that we finished outside the top-15, but I guess that’s just the nature of the game. I think our performance up until then was an indicator to the field just how hard this team is trying.”

He added, “Kelly (Kovski, crew chief) and my Allgaier crew deserve a lot more credit than they have been receiving. Every week, we’ve put solid racecars on the track and most of the year have been able to turn those into top-10 finishes. I still would like to get a win for them by the end of the year and we have two races to do it. So we’ll go to Kansas next and see what we can do.”

With two races remaining on the ARCA Racing Series schedule, Enfinger sits fourth in the championship standings sitting 155 markers behind third place holder Frank Kimmel and a 105-point cushion on Chad McCumbee who controls fifth. To prepare the family-owned team for the final speedway race of the year, the team will participate in an open-test at the 1.5-mile oval of Kansas Speedway on Tuesday, September 20th in preparation for the Kansas Lottery 98.9 which is set to launch on Friday, October 7 live on SPEED.

For more on Grant Enfinger, please visit grantenfinger.com.

Additional input on Allgaier Motorsports is available by logging on to AllgaierMotorsports.com.

- Allgaier Motorsports Press Release

Southern Illinois 100 Takes ARCA Racing Series Back to Dirt at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds

Press Release — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 22:24:17 +0000

DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Logo

(TOLEDO, Ohio) – One race has been in existence longer than any other on the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards tour, and though ARCA cars have only been a part of the event for half of that era, nearly three decades of history promise another good show on Monday afternoon.

The Southern Illinois 100 presented by Federated Auto Parts at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds has existed since 1950 and been run in consecutive years every year since 1954, meaning that Monday’s event will be the 59th over a history that includes winners like Fred Lorenzen, Jack Bowsher, A.J. Foyt, and Rusty Wallace, not to mention recent ARCA stars like Frank Kimmel, Parker Kligerman, and 2010 winner Steve Arpin.

Practice for the 16th race of the 19-event 2011 ARCA Racing Series season will begin at 9 a.m. Monday, with Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell following at 11 a.m. and the 100-lap, 100-mile race going off at 1 p.m. The Southern Illinois 200 is the second of two dirt mile events on this season’s schedule. All times are Central Daylight, and ARCARacing.com will feature live timing and scoring coverage and live audio coverage of all on-track events.

ARCA began its affiliation with the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds and the Southern Illinois 100 in 1983, and the event has taken place on Labor Day for each of the past 10 years, dating back to 2001.

Kimmel, driver of the No. 44 Ansell / Menards Ford and a nine-time ARCA champion, is the all-time win leader at the dirt oval with five victories (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008). The Southern Illinois 100 will be his 60th start since his last win, which came at Salem Speedway in September 2008, only days after his most recent DuQuoin win.

In all, Kimmel has 13 dirt victories – including five at DuQuoin – and finished seventh on the similar Springfield, Ill. mile nine days ago. With a series-high 14 top-10 finishes in 15 races, Kimmel is undoubtedly a driver to watch at DuQuoin.

Only two drivers stand above Kimmel in driver points: Ty Dillon (No. 41 Hemelgarn / CIPT Chevrolet) leads Chris Buescher (No. 17 Reliance Tool / David Ragan Ford) by exactly 400 points, and both have reason to believe a trip to Victory Lane could be in store following a rare Monday afternoon event.

Dillon finished a career-worst 13th at Springfield, but will carry a series-high seven wins and a wealth of dirt racing experience into the event. Buescher, meanwhile, finished eighth at Springfield but has five runner-up finishes this season, including one Friday at Madison International Speedway in Wisconsin. A two-time winner last season, Buescher is still looking for a breakthrough victory in 2011.

Chad McCumbee (No. 1 ModSpace Ford) certainly figures to be a contender, having just won at Springfield. Tom Hessert (No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet) will enter DuQuoin with second-place finishes in each of his last two dirt starts.

Will Kimmel (No. 68 Messina Wildlife Management / Menards Ford) is the nephew of Frank Kimmel, and he will aim to improve on a sixth-place finish at DuQuoin in 2010 and a fourth-place run at Springfield earlier this month.

Another dirt specialist entered is Kelly Kovski (No. 39 Central Illinois Security / Schluckebier Farms Chevrolet), who finished ninth last season at DuQuoin and sixth at Springfield this year. Kovski is typically the crew chief at Allgaier Motorsports for top-five contender Grant Enfinger (No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / RaceTires.com Dodge), making his entry as a driver even more appealing.

Other notable entries include two-time World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Josh Richards (No. 25 Joy Mining Machinery Chevrolet), who is often regarded as one of the world’s finest dirt drivers, and Andrew Ranger (No. 53 Van Dyke Baler / Bollegraaf Ford), a road course ace who won at New Jersey Motorsports Park earlier this season.

Thirty-five cars are currently entered.

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

- Automobile Racing Club of America Press Release

Tom Hessert; Ken Schrader Racing Hot Entering Madison Showdown

Press Release — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:42:14 +0000

No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala

OREGON, Wisconsin (August 24, 2011) – - After a topsy-turvy first half of the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season, Tom Hessert III and his Ken Schrader Racing (KSR) team have really lifted their presence at the front of the pack which includes four top-fives and six top-10s in the last half of dozen races. With the tour reuniting with Madison International Speedway for Friday’s running of the Herr’s Live Life With Flavor 200, the team wouldn’t mind hoisting the checkered flag for the first time in nearly 40 years.

On the heels of a runner-up and season best finish last Sunday afternoon at the Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield), Hessert, driver of the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala, the desire, will and “want” that the Cherry Hill, New Jersey native has been displaying signals that his second career victory is sitting on the horizon.

“I’ve been more than pleased with the way the team has really gelled over the last couple of months or so,” said Hessert. “I knew our No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet was fast from the moment we unloaded at Springfield and that’s a benefit to any driver right off the bat. I know that John (Monsam) is well in-tuned for these last five races and I really feel we have a chance at winning between now and October.”

Even though Hessert has never been to the half-mile of Madison International Speedway, the former NASCAR Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series navigator, he knows that having a veteran leader like Monsam calling the shots; there isn’t much to worry about.

“I’m not worried about getting acquainted with Madison,” sounded Hessert. “John (Monsam) is one of the best in the business and I’ll take that to the bank. He’s been around racing more than I’ve been alive,” he continued jokingly. “His background on the short tracks is as thick as a dictionary but that’s a good thing. I know that he has a comfort for what he wants in the car and he knows what I like behind the wheel, so I’m confident that when our Federated Auto Parts Racing machine hits the track, we’ll be right where we want to be.”

Tom Hessert III

Just five races remain before the curtain falls on the 2011 ARCA season. Entering Madison, Hessert has maneuvered five top-fives and 11 top-10s and has finished outside the top-10 only once since May. That’s comforting for anyone entering Friday night’s festivities.

“You know, I haven’t really looked at our stats lately, but that’s really impressive,” Hessert mentioned. “We were running good at Michigan (the only finish outside the top-10) too but endured some tough luck otherwise, we might be in a better position points wise. Right now though, we can’t worry about that. We’re just focused on keeping the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet upfront and contending.”

Currently locking the fifth position in the championship standings and sitting 210 points behind third and fourth place runners Chris Buescher and Grant Enfinger, Hessert knows that it might come down to the last lap at Toledo in October that will determine the final rundown in the point standings.

“Unfortunately, I think we’re out of the hunt for the championship title, but we still can get a piece of the top-three and maybe even second,” added the former USARacing Pro Cup Series star. “Anything can happen these next fives races and we’ll be prepared for that. If we have to use strategy to gain positions on the race track, we’ll do that. We did it at Pocono a few weeks ago and it paid off. I also know that it could the other way just as fast. As a driver though you can’t be worried about that, you just have to strap into that seat and give it all you have.”

Before making the hike to Wisconsin this week, Hessert had the opportunity to hang out with fellow driver and friend Grant Enfinger where the two represented the series Wednesday night at the Twenty Third Annual Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Induction Ceremony in Detroit.

“Man, what an honor and invitation that was from ARCA,” Hessert said. “I really enjoy the ARCA Racing Series and when I was asked to represent the series for an event of this magnitude. The drivers that attended the induction were some I considered idols throughout my racing career. I cannot thank ARCA enough for the invitation; it was something that you’ll remember for a very long time.”

The Herr’s Live Life With Flavor 200 (200 laps / 100 miles) is the 15th of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The fourth-ever ARCA event held at Madison International Speedway is a one-day show. Practice begins Friday, August 26 with an hour and a half practice session planned from 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. An on-track autograph session has been etched into the schedule from 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 8:30 p.m. that evening. The event will not be televised but race coverage including live timing and scoring throughout the 1,327th race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards since it was formed in 1953 will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com presented by ARCANation.com. All times are local.

In addition to Federated Auto Parts, Cherry Hill Classic Cars will serve as an associate marketing partner for Hessert’s 79th career ARCA start. In his previous 78 outings, he has maneuvered one win, 17 top-fives and 41 top-10s.

For more on Tom Hessert III, please visit tomhessert.com.

- Tom Hessert Racing Press Release

Grant Enfinger; Allgaier Motorsports Hope Testing Pays Its Dividends At Madison

Press Release — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:34:19 +0000

Allgaier Motorsports Logo Thumbnail

OREGON, Wisconsin (August 24, 2011) – - With the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards poised for its welcomed return to Madison International Speedway for Friday night’s Herr’s Live Life With Flavor 200, Allgaier Motorsports and driver Grant Enfinger hope a recent test session will pay off and allow the team to keep a season of consistency alive.

Enfinger, driver of the No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger wouldn’t mind being the first car to take the checkered flag in Friday night’s thrill; as the Fairhope, Alabama native has found himself on the verge of his inaugural ARCA victory but has fallen short several times this season including top-five finishes in two recent short tracks at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway and Iowa Speedway respectively.

“We’ve been extremely strong on the short tracks lately and the test session really well, so I’m looking forward to Friday night,” said Enfinger, who currently sits tied for third in the ARCA Racing Series championship standings. “The track reminds me a lot of Montgomery Speedway in Alabama where it has tight corners and drag race type straightaways. I’m hoping that on top of the testing and my experience at Montgomery Speedway will pay off.”

When asked if racing under the light raises the intensity for the drivers and teams, Enfinger paused and then responded, “I don’t know if it is necessarily raises the intensity but I do enjoy racing under the lights. Its cooler for us racecar drivers and the fans seem to love it better compared to day racing. I think we’ve seen this season both in the day and at night that the competition has been tough; yet also aggressive near the end of the race. I don’t expect any different at Madison, but I do know it will be a lot of fun for everyone.”

After racing with crew chief Kelly Kovski last Sunday at the Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield) in the Allen Crowe 100, Enfinger is glad that Kovski is hanging up his helmet for a week to return to the top of the pit box for the 15th race of the season.

Grant Enfinger

“It was a blast to race with Kelly at Springfield,” sounded Enfinger. “He taught me a lot about dirt racing in the ARCA Racing Series and I now know why he enjoys racing on it so much. We were racing there hard together near the end of the race and I’m glad he had a good finish, but I even more glad to have him back as crew chief.”

With five races remaining on the 2011 ARCA schedule, Enfinger is currently tied for third place in the championship standings with Chris Buescher. Enfinger knows that one of the goals for Friday night is to break away from being glued with his fellow competitor while also retake second from nine-time champion Frank Kimmel who stands just a mere 10 points ahead of the No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger.

“Our group of second through fifth in the standings is really tight right now and we’re all trying to hunt Ty (Dillon) down. We just have to keep going to the track this week and keeping our No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger in line for Mike (Allgaier, car owner), Justin (Allgaier, 2008 ARCA Racing Series champion) and Ashley (Allgaier) so we can finish as high as we possibly can.”

Before making the hike to Wisconsin this week, Enfinger had the opportunity to hang out with fellow driver and friend Tom Hessert where the two represented the series Wednesday night at the Twenty Third Annual Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Induction Ceremony in Detroit.

“It was a humbling moment when I was asked to attend the induction ceremony,” offered Enfinger. “It’s not something that a driver has the chance to do often, so I wasn’t going to turn the offer down for anything. I was proud along with Tom (Hessert) to be the drivers that represented ARCA during the prestigious event and I just want to thank ARCA again for asking me to be a part of a very memorable night.”

Entering Madison, Enfinger has 32 ARCA Racing Series starts to his credit. In those events, he has maneuvered 12 top-fives and 21 top-10 finishes including a career-best finish of second three times at Kentucky Speedway (July 2009), Chicagoland Speedway (August 2009), and Toledo Speedway (May 2011). He has controlled the field nine times for 216 laps. His best qualifying run occurred at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway where Enfinger bolted to his first career pole.

For more on Grant Enfinger, please visit grantenfinger.com.

Additional input on Allgaier Motorsports is available by logging on to AllgaierMotorsports.com.

- Allgaier Motorsports Press Release

Chris Windom Impressive In ARCA Debut On The Dirt

Press Release — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:49:08 +0000

Win-Tron Racing

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (August 22, 2011) – - Many people in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards had never heard of Chris Windom before Sunday’s Allen Crowe 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield). However, upon the conclusion of the race, the driver of the No. 32 Champion Brands / Win-Tron Racing Dodge Charger had quickly earned a name for himself in the 14th race of the season.

On the heels of a top-10 performance the night before in the USAC event held at the historic one-mile oval, Windom was optimistic about climbing into his 3,400-pound race car Sunday morning. It was something he had yet to ever experience let alone tackle on what can be defined as a grueling dirt track.

Quickly, the rookie showed quality adaptation as he had placed the 11th fastest lap overall in the lone one-hour practice session of the day. With qualifying set for just an hour later, Windom and crew chief Mike Chaffee had some time to consult where they mutually agreed on minor tweaks to their No. 32 Champion Brands / Win-Tron Racing Dodge Charger.

Luckily for Windom, the team drew the final position in Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying allowing the avid dirt competitor to watch and learn from his competition during their one lap of qualifications. Windom exceeding the team’s expectations in qualifying, when he mounted the eighth fastest lap overall.

A solid starting position with a confident-rookie driver at the helm, the Lakeville, Minnesota-based team was ready for battle. Taking the green flag shortly after 1:00 p.m., it appeared that Windom was still in race mode from Saturday night as he quickly maneuvered his Dodge Charger into seventh inside the race’s first quarter.

When the race’s first caution flew on lap 36, Windom had maintained his No. 32 Champion Brands / Win-Tron Racing Dodge Charger well into the top-10. Under the yellow, Chaffee elected to bring his driver to pit road for a mandatory trip to pit road. Within seconds, the car returned to the track with a full tank of gas.

Still holding a presence safely inside the top-10, Windom would complete the first 50 laps of the race impressively. Just two laps later though, the team’s day could have taken a dramatic turn if not for the impressive car control by the West Lafayette, Indiana native. As the field exited turn one, contact between the No. 32 and No. 17 ensued with Windom going into a heavy 360-degree spin. Splendid throttle control kept the car off the outside wall but ultimately resulted in an unexpected trip to pit road.

With little damage done to the team’s automobile, Windom returned to racing conditions with four new tires and a mission. Restarting outside the top-10 in 11th, the Win-Tron Racing protégé sliced and diced his way through the strong field and rose to fifth within four laps of retaking the green.

After another competitor lost a motor and crashed in turn three on lap 63, yellow flag conditions once again yielded the competition with Windom showing he had one of the fastest cars in the field.

Restarting fifth inside the race’s final thirty circuits, he would find himself in a torrid battle with Grant Enfinger and Springfield native Kelly Kovski. After a few laps, the ARCA rookie would overtake the No.39 of Kovski and set his sights on third place runner and nine-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel. Easily passing the champ on lap 87 and rising to third, the team knew a caution would allow them a potential chance at their second victory of the season.

The yellow the team had hoped for would waive with 10 laps remaining when Brad Smith crashed on the backstretch. A four-lap shootout would allow Windom to flex his muscle and try and maneuver past ARCA pros Chad McCumbee and Tom Hessert. Despite a gallant effort which included another late-race caution, Windom would have to settle for third in his inaugural ARCA Racing Series debut, a finish the team wasn’t afraid to boast about.

“Chris did a superb job for us,” said Win-Tron Racing co-car owner Nate Thiesse. “He had zero experience in one of these ARCA cars and for him to conquer Springfield the way he did was impressive. No doubt that his experience and success on the dirt paid off for him in a stock-car, but I think he surprised a lot of guys out there.

The spin may have actually helped us a little bit. We had newer tires than much of the field, so we were able to easily maneuver past some of the guys on the bridge of the top-10 and find ourselves back where we were within two laps. From there, it was determination from Chris that soared us up to third. Everyone was pretty happy at the end of the race.”

Chris Windom

Still gleaming from his effort Windom offered, “It was a good day. I cannot thank Nate (Thiesse) and the Win-Tron Racing team enough for the opportunity. I was worried about getting comfortable in the racecar but once I put that out of my mind, everything really came together. I also want to thank Kurt (Smith, Rising Star Management) and Nate again for allowing me to make my ARCA debut at Springfield.”

When asked about the contact with Buescher, Windom replied, “Man, I didn’t think we would recover from that as well as we did. I knew that we had better tires than some of the other guys at the end, but I also knew we lost a lot of track position. Thankfully, the stout car the Win-Tron bunch put underneath me allowed us to recover from it.”

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series is an overdue return to Madison International Speedway for the running of the Herr’s Live Life With Flavor 200. The one-day show is set for Friday, August 26 with the green flag scheduled to waive just after 8:30 p.m. local. The series returns to the half-mile short track for the first time since 1973.

Further information including driver opportunities with Win-Tron Racing is available by visiting win-tronracing.com or contacting Nate Thiesse at 612.306.1641

For more on Champion Brands LLC and their extensive line of products, please log on to championbrands.com or championsusechampion.com.

- Win-Tron Racing Press Release

Chad Hackenbracht; CGH Motorsports A Threat Again At Lucas Oil Raceway

Press Release — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 20:46:44 +0000

The No. 58 Hampton Farms Chevrolet Impala SS driven by Chad Hackenbracht in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards for CGH Motorsports at Lucas Oil Raceway

CLERMONT, Indiana (July 29, 2011) – - CGH Motorsports with driver Chad Hackenbracht found themselves in contention for their sixth consecutive top-10 finish with the No. 58 Hampton Farms Chevrolet Impala in Thursday night’s Ansell Protective Gloves 200 but a deflated tire in the latter stages of the race relegated them to a 16th place finish.

The New Philadelphia, Ohio native had to endure more than just heat at Lucas Oil Raceway (LOR) at Indianapolis; he also had to face adversity.

With just one practice setting the tone for qualifying and the race, the CGH Motorsports team led by crew chief Rob Torrey and director of competition Kevin Reed had their game plan. Unfortunately, their strategy would be defaulted as on the opening lap of practice for the No. 58 Hampton Farms Chevrolet Impala, the motor seized forcing the team to alter their plans.

Unable to compete in any practice on Thursday afternoon, the CGH Motorsports gallantly worked towards putting the back-up engine in their automobile in time for qualifying which was set for just an hour and a half later. Without any laps on the race track, Hackenbracht raised eyebrows when he powered his No. 58 Hampton Farms Chevrolet Impala to an impressive 14th quickest time.

The team however would be forced to relinquish their starting spot because of the engine change which sent the 19-year old to the rear of the 35-car starting field. When the green flag dropped, Hackenbracht’s green and white machine was on the move. Using patience and talent, the rising star quickly began inching up the leader board.

Staying on the lead lap in the ultra-competitive race was crucial for Hackenbracht to have a shot at his first career ARCA victory. Climbing comfortably in the top-20 by lap 20, Hackenbracht would enter pit road on lap 29 when the yellow flag waived for fuel and a massive track bar adjustment.

Restarting in the top-15, Hackenbracht held his own despite battling a tight condition. When the yellow flag waived on lap 59, the team elected to keep their driver out on the race track which bolted the No. 58 Hampton Farms Chevrolet into the top-five.

Shortly after the race resumed, the yellow flag waived again with the team opting to bring their Chevrolet bowtie to pit road. Exiting the pits in the 16th position, Refreshed with four new tires, Hackenbracht set his sights on re-entering the top-10.

When the yellow flag waived again near the half-way mark, Hackenbracht stayed on the race track which once again advanced Hackenbracht into the fifth position. Holding his own while maneuvering a loose race car, the former Legends champion climbed up to the fourth position before the team’s night took an un-expectable turn.

On a lap 136 restart, Hackenbracht was involved in a massive melee when several cars collided after a jumble coming to the green. Able to slide through the incident, Hackenbracht would show damage to the right side of his No. 58 Hampton Farms Chevrolet Impala.

Electing to stay out, the team restarted in the fourth position but a tire rub would slide the Mooresville, North Carolina-based operation to seventh in the running order. The field was frozen once again on lap 147 which allowed a trip to pit road for fuel and damage control. He would restart the event in the 15th position.

On his march back to the front, the right front tire blew on lap 154 the No. 58 Hampton Farms Chevrolet Impala sending him into the wall on the backstretch. Able to leave the scene under his own power, the dejected driver would bring his machine to pit road for new tires. Ultimately, the misfortune fell them to three laps behind the leaders.

Returning to the track, their driver would solider on to take the checkered flag in the 16th position.

Chad Hackenbracht

“We had a really good car,” Hackenbracht said. “We were a little loose and tight at points during the race, but our Hampton Farms Chevrolet was drivable. On that restart, they started checking up for whatever reason and there was no where I could go. I thought we were going to be okay, but then the tire went and that just changed our day. All things considered with the engine and all, we’ll take the finish in stride and see if we can’t get another top-five or win next weekend at Pocono.”

He added, “I want to thank Hampton Farms for jumping on-board for the race, it really means a lot to this CGH Motorsports team to represent a great company like them. It was great to have some of their folks rooting for us in the stands.”

Hackenbracht advanced to eighth in the championship standings following the 12th race of the season. Just 90 points separate him from seventh place runner Tom Hessert.

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series is a return to trip to the “Tricky Triangle” at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway for the running of the Pennsylvania 125. The 50-lap shootout is set for Saturday, August 6 with live coverage on the SPEED channel beginning at 3:00 p.m. In June, the family-owned team finished seventh after starting eighth.

CGH Motorsports still has marketing partnerships available for the remaining 2011 ARCA Racing Series schedule. Interested parties can contact Jordan Dahl at Jordan@cghmotorsports.com or 570.234.5449.

For more information on Chad Hackenbracht and CGH Motorsports, please visit ChadHackenbracht.com and CGHMotorsports.com.

To purchase the popular “What’s A Chad Hacken-Something” tee-shirt, please log on to store.cghmotorsports.com or CGHMotorsports.com.

Connect with Chad Hackenbracht and CGH Motorsports through Facebook by clicking here.

Tweet with Chad Hackenbracht through Twitter at @ChadH58 or CGH Motorsports @CGH5858.

About CGH Motorsports:

CGH Motorsports (CGHMotorsports.com), established in 2007 by Ohio entrepreneur Greg Hackenbracht is located in a 10,000 sq. foot facility located in Mooresville, North Carolina. CGH Motorsports is home of rising sensation Chad Hackenbracht, who competed in nine ARCA Racing Series races in 2010 after an aggressive ARCA testing schedule in 2009. Chad Hackenbracht is the 2008 National Asphalt Legends champion, winning 33 percent of his races and finishing in the top-10, 85 percent of the events he competed in. The team will step up their commitment from a partial schedule and prepare for a hopeful full-season ARCA championship assault beginning in February 2011.

- CGH Motorsports Press Release

Chad Hackenbracht; CGH Motorsports Endure Heat; Engine Issues To Notch Top-10 At Iowa Speedway

Press Release — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 19:28:05 +0000

CGH Motorsports Thumbnail

NEWTON, Iowa (July 17, 2011) – - For the fifth consecutive ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race, CGH Motorsports with driver Chad Hackenbracht showed that they were capable of winning. Even though they weren’t the first to take the checkered flag Saturday afternoon in the Prairie Meadows 200 at Iowa Speedway, the team did tally their sixth top-10 run of the year.

The Newton, Iowa race track welcomed the teams on Saturday with steamy conditions which included soaring temperatures and heavy humidity. Despite the unbearable conditions, the show must still go on. In time trails, Hackenbracht impressed. Guiding his No. 58 Fast Fixin’ / On the Go PBJamwich Chevrolet Impala SS around the .875-mile paved oval, the rising phenom captured the seventh fastest time overall, a career best giving the freshman ARCA team strength heading towards the green flag.

With a heat index topping out at 124 degrees outside the car and a sweltering 150 degrees plus inside the car, the stars and cars of the ARCA Racing Series took the green flag shortly after 4:00 p.m. Hackenbracht’s attempt to gain position on the track would be stalled when the No. 63 spun in turn three.

Restarting the race on lap six, Hackenbracht would maintain his position in the first half-dozen before moving into the top-five on lap 20. Even though, Hackenbracht was reporting tight in the center and loose off condition to his team, the No. 58 Fast Fixin’ / On the Go PBJamwich Chevrolet Impala SS continued to plug some of the fastest laps on the track.

The New Philadelphia, Ohio native would hover inside the top-five until being passed approaching lap 35. Still dealing with the handling condition, the team advised their driver to hang on until they could bring him to pit road for changes.

The yellow that the team needed waived on lap 49 allowing the CGH Motorsports team to bring their driver down pit lane on lap 52 for four tires, fuel, a track bar and air pressure adjustments were delivered to try and correct the handling issue. Hackenbracht would have to return to pit road on lap 53 though, serving a pass-through penalty for speeding.

Restarting the race on lap 58, Hackenbracht rode in seventh before moving into sixth on lap 64. Flirting with fifth, sixth and seventh on the scoring pylon, the former Legends champion cleverly maneuvered into fifth on lap 69 and held it through lap 91 when the yellow flag waived again.

Topping off on pit road on lap 94, the team attempted to give their driver a boost with another track bar adjustment. The No. 58 Fast Fixin’ / On the Go PBJamwich Chevrolet Impala SS restarted the contest in eighth position. Climbing to seventh by halfway, Hackenbracht would endure a problem just three laps later. Advising his team from the cockpit, Hackenbracht stated that he had lost a cylinder in the motor, falling from eight to seven cylinders.

A caution on lap 110 allowed the team to bring their race car to pit road where they checked the spark plug wires. Unable to find anything, the team set their Hackenbracht back into competition on the lead lap holding steady in the seventh position.

Over the next 90 laps, Hackenbracht’s car would continue to utter an unhealthy sound but continue to dish out respectable lap times. Battling Tom Hessert, Jared Marks and Sean Corr for a finishing position inside the top-10, Hackenbracht was able to fend off Marks and despite a late race battle with Sean Corr for ninth, Hackenbracht would persevere through determination and hunker down in the 10th position where he would take the checkered flag.

Chad Hackenbracht

“It was hot,” offered Hackenbracht after the race. “I’ve never experienced anything like that in my racing career. It was brutal, especially without my KoolBox, which we never able to get it working. The car was good for most of the race. Just after halfway, we lost a cylinder. Still, we were able to hang on and finish 10th. All things considered, we’ll take that.

I know the heat affected everyone, not just me during the race, so I want to thank on the CGH Motorsports team for never giving up and delivering good pit stops against some very adverse conditions.”

He concluded by saying, “I also want to thank AdvancePierre™ Foods and Fast Fixin’ for sponsoring us this weekend. I appreciate them jumping on-board with us at a great race track like Iowa Speedway. I hate we weren’t able to take them to victory lane, but I’m happy we were still able to give them a good finish.”

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards is a welcomed trip back to Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, formally known as O’Reilly Raceway Park (ORP) for the running of the Ansell Protective Gloves 200 set for Thursday, July 28th. The iconic short track event will be aired live on SPEED beginning at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Hackenbracht will make his inaugural debut at the Clermont, Indiana-based track.

CGH Motorsports Iowa Speedway Weekend Notes:

· Chad Hackenbracht paced the 11th fastest time in the first practice session on Friday afternoon at Iowa Speedway. In final practice, the Mooresville, North Carolina-based team boosted themselves into the top-10 by placing 10th overall.

· In qualifying, Hackenbracht posted the seventh fastest time overall, a career best in 20 races. Previously, Hackenbracht had captured two eighth place starting positions at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and Michigan International Speedway respectively.

· Hackenbracht continues to receive advice and mentoring from former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday including at Iowa Speedway.

For more information on Chad Hackenbracht and CGH Motorsports, please visit ChadHackenbracht.com and CGHMotorsports.com.

To purchase the popular “What’s A Chad Hacken-Something” tee-shirt, please log on to store.cghmotorsports.com or CGHMotorsports.com.

Connect with Chad Hackenbracht and CGH Motorsports through Facebook by clicking here.

Tweet with Chad Hackenbracht through Twitter at @ChadH58 or CGH Motorsports @CGH5858.

About CGH Motorsports:

CGH Motorsports (CGHMotorsports.com), established in 2007 by Ohio entrepreneur Greg Hackenbracht is located in a 10,000 sq. foot facility located in Mooresville, North Carolina. CGH Motorsports is home of rising sensation Chad Hackenbracht, who competed in nine ARCA Racing Series races in 2010 after an aggressive ARCA testing schedule in 2009. Chad Hackenbracht is the 2008 National Asphalt Legends champion, winning 33 percent of his races and finishing in the top-10, 85 percent of the events he competed in. The team will step up their commitment from a partial schedule and prepare for a hopeful full-season ARCA championship assault beginning in February 2011.

- CGH Motorsports Press Release

Grant Enfinger; Allgaier Motorsports Have Stellar Weekend At Berlin Raceway

Press Release — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 18:01:22 +0000

Allgaier Motorsports Logo Thumbnail

MARNE, Michigan (July 11, 2011) – - The strong 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season continued for Grant Enfinger and his Allgaier Motorsports team with an exceptional weekend at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway for the Hantz Group 200.

Armed with the same No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger that the Springfield, Illinois team recorded a season-best effort of second at Toledo Speedway, Enfinger and his crew had high expectations for the 10th race of the season.

The one-day show at the Marne, Michigan-based track started off on the right foot for the Mike Allgaier-owned organization after the Kelly Kovski led team wheeled to the fastest lap in practice Saturday afternoon after posting a lap of 17.410 seconds at 103.389 miles per hour.

“The car is real good,” said the Fairhope, Alabama native. “I’m not sure where we will land in qualifying, but we’re definitely going to give it our all and try and get the pole.”

During time trials, all eyes were glued to the No. 36 Dodge Charger, as Enfinger quickly paced the .4-mile oval. When his lap of 17.205 seconds or 104.621 miles per hour was posted, many expected that time to hold which would award the veteran ARCA team to their first pole of the season.

Mission accomplished. In his 29th ARCA start, Enfinger would start the Hantz Group 200 from the inside of row number one; otherwise known as P-1.

Enfinger would lead the first 75 laps which included a brief yellow flag on lap one before resuming green flag action. Enfinger’s No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger would continue to hold the point until a pass by eventual race winner Matt Merrell would slip Enfinger back to second. Two laps later, Tim George Jr. made the move for the runner-up spot slipping the avid late model ace down to third.

Knowing that he still had a good car, Enfinger’s automobile became a little too loose for comfort offering Kovski to make a change during their only expected trip to pit road.

When the second yellow flag of the day waived on lap 117, Enfinger who just had been passed by 2010 ARCA champion Patrick Sheltra joined the rest of the field on pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment to correct his handling condition.

Restarting solidly in the top-10, Enfinger would find himself battling it out with Chad Hackenbracht, Sheltra, Tom Hessert and nine-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel for a positive in the top-five. As the laps clicked away, Enfinger was now dealing with an extremely tight race car despite heading in the right direction back towards the lead.

Hovering in third in the closing laps of the race, Enfinger was unable to fend off a hard-charging Kimmel but the event’s third caution flew on lap 189 setting up for a dash to the finish.

On the restart, Enfinger and Kimmel battled for the final podium spot, Kimmel’s luck though would turn south as he spun just after the restart safely moving the 26-year old back into the third spot. When the green and white flags waiving simultaneously on the restart, the No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger kept his competition at bay behind him but ran out of laps to do anything with Merrell and second-place finisher Tim George Jr. Enfinger would claim third, his best finish since notching that runner-up position at Toledo Speedway nearly two months ago.

Grant Enfinger

“I wish we could have won the race, but I’m not going to complain too much about third,” said Enfinger. “All of the boys on this Allgaier Motorsports team did a great job. The car was fast from the get go and it showed. It was nice to put ourselves up front for most of the first half of the race but as the race stayed green, the looser our car became. We came to pit road and tighten the car up, but we might have gone a little too far, because we just couldn’t get the car to hook to the track like it did earlier in the day. Still though, a great day for No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger and Allgaier Motorsports.”

The finish on Saturday continues a solid season for the 2008 championship team. After 10 races, the team has finished no worse than 14th at Michigan International Speedway and has mounted two top-fives and seven top-10s. Currently, he occupies fourth in the championship standings just 25 points behind third place driver Chris Buescher.

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards is a trip out West to Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa for the running of the Prairie Meadows 200 on Saturday, July 16th. The 11th race of the season will air live on SPEED and ARCARacing.com beginning at 4:00 p.m. Enfinger will make his third career start at the .875-mile race track and looks to better his third place performance from last year.

Exiting Berlin, Enfinger has 28 ARCA Racing Series starts to his credit. In those events, he has maneuvered 10 top-fives and 18 top-10 finishes including a career-best finish of second three times at Kentucky Speedway (July 2009), Chicagoland Speedway (August 2009), and Toledo Speedway (May 2011)). He has controlled the field nine times for 216 laps. Hi best qualifying run occurred at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway where Enfinger bolted to his first career pole.

For more on Grant Enfinger, please visit grantenfinger.com.

Additional input on Allgaier Motorsports is available by logging on to AllgaierMotorsports.com.

- Allgaier Motorsports Press Release

On A Roll; Chad Hackenbracht And CGH Motorsports Head To Berlin

Press Release — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:24:02 +0000

“New Philadelphia, Ohio Native Eyes First Career ARCA Victory Saturday Night”

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MARNE, Michigan (July 6, 2011) – - Continuing to wow the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards garage with a string of consecutive top-five finishes, Chad Hackenbracht and his family-owned CGH Motorsports team return to the Great Lakes State of Michigan eyeing victory in Saturday night’s Hantz Group 200 at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway.

It would be no surprise if 19-year old Hackenbracht was to wheel his No. 58 CGH Motorsports Chevrolet Impala SS to victory. On the heels of three straight top-10 finishes including back-to-back career best finishes of fourth at Michigan International Speedway and third in the most recent race at Winchester Speedway, Hackenbracht readies another weekend of short track racing with a strict agenda.

“I cannot say enough about this team,” said Hackenbracht. “We’ve shown lately that we aren’t playing around, we want to win. I’ve never been to Berlin, but I haven’t been to a lot of these short tracks before, I just need to stay focused and hope our momentum continues. This might just be our weekend”

In his first full season of ARCA competition, the CGH Motorsports team has seen a quick and tremendous growth. After some early-season setbacks including Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Salem (Ind.) Speedway, the team led by crew chief Rob Torrey and director of competition Kevin Reed have rebounded nicely to climb through the ARCA Racing Series championship standings currently sitting in the ninth position leaning into the 10th race of the season.

Hard work and determination have propelled the team within the last month. The bad news for the rest of the ARCA competitors; there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight. “It doesn’t take just one person,” added Hackenbracht. “Every single member of this team is important and everyone is treated like family. The atmosphere around the shop has been electrifying and our focus at the track is stricter than ever. Berlin won’t be easy this weekend; but we’re prepared and ready.”

A potential obstacle for the team at the .4-mile paved short track will be lack of track experience for the New Philadelphia, Ohio native. With the team electing not to test privately at the Marne, Michigan bull-ring, Hackenbracht’s first laps will be on Saturday during the short practice session.

Chad Hackenbracht

“We’re not looking at being able to test Berlin as a hindrance,” Hackenbracht added. “Kevin (Reed, director of competition) has been there before, so we have a good base-line setup and I’ve done as much homework as I can about the race track to ready myself. I’ve heard it’s a very unique track and I’ve been known to adapt to those types of places well, so I can’t wait to get there.”

Should Hackenbracht complete his mission by scoring his first career ARCA Racing Series victory Saturday night, one item on his “bucket list” will be checked off.

“We did a lot of testing in 2009 to prepare us to race in the ARCA Racing Series. Last year, we made some noise despite not getting the finishes maybe we ought to have,” he recalled. “This year, we’ve been able to make a statement on a shoe-string budget and show that with desire, almost anything is possible.”

After nine races, Hackenbracht secures ninth in the championship standings with a comfortable cushion over 10th place competitor Sean Corr and trails eighth place runner Tom Hessert by just 35 markers entering his fourth ever stock car short track race.

Entering Berlin, Hackenbracht has 19 career ARCA starts to his credit. In those races, he has delivered two top-fives at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway, a third (June 2011) and Michigan International Speedway (Fourth; June 2011) and four top-10 finishes at New Jersey Motorsports Park (May 2011) and Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (June 2011). The CGH Motorsports team has also delivered top-20 finishes in eight of the first nine races in 2011.

CGH Motorsports is actively seeking additional marketing partners for the full 2011 ARCA Racing Series schedule. Single, multi and full-season placements are available on the team’s No. 58 entries. Interested parties are urged to contact Jordan Dahl at 570.234.5449 or jordan@cghmotorsports.com.

The Hantz Group 200 (200 laps / 100 miles) is the 10th of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 24th ARCA race at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway is a one-day show. Practice begins Saturday, July 9 with a one hour and half practice session planned from 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin later in the day at 5:00 p.m. The field will take the green flag later that night shortly after 8:00 p.m. The race will not be televised but event coverage including live timing and scoring throughout the 1,322nd race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards since it was formed in 1953 will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com presented by ARCANation.com. All times are local.

For more information on Chad Hackenbracht and CGH Motorsports, please visit ChadHackenbracht.com and CGHMotorsports.com.

To purchase the popular “What’s A Chad Hacken-Something” tee-shirt, please log on to store.cghmotorsports.com or CGHMotorsports.com.

Connect with Chad Hackenbracht and CGH Motorsports through Facebook by clicking here.

Tweet with Chad Hackenbracht through Twitter at @ChadH58 or CGH Motorsports @CGH5858.

About CGH Motorsports:

CGH Motorsports (CGHMotorsports.com), established in 2007 by Ohio entrepreneur Greg Hackenbracht is located in a 10,000 sq. foot facility located in Mooresville, North Carolina. CGH Motorsports is home of rising sensation Chad Hackenbracht, who competed in nine ARCA Racing Series races in 2010 after an aggressive ARCA testing schedule in 2009. Chad Hackenbracht is the 2008 National Asphalt Legends champion, winning 33 percent of his races and finishing in the top-10, 85 percent of the events he competed in. The team will step up their commitment from a partial schedule and prepare for a hopeful full-season ARCA championship assault beginning in February 2011.

- CGH Motorsports Press Release

Dakoda Armstrong and Cunningham Motorsports Have Exciting Homecoming Weekend At Winchester Speedway

Press Release — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:37:55 +0000

Dakoda Armstrong Wins The Winchester ARCA 200 Presented by Federated Auto Parts

(June 26, 2011-Mooresville, NC) Dakoda Armstrong, who teamed up with Cunningham Motorsports in the 2010 season for two wins and Rookie of the Year honors, reunited to race in his home state of Indiana at Winchester Speedway Saturday. The homecoming was twofold. The soon-to-be 20 year old (his birthday is in July), from nearby New Castle, Indiana had moved to the NASCAR capital, Mooresville, North Carolina, after the 2010 season and was returning to race 35 miles from home. He was also running with his 2010 team, after running the first 4 races of the 2011 ARCA season with them and sitting out the last 3 in preparation for his debut in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in July at Iowa. The plan to race at the .5 mile track came to fruition Wednesday of this week when Cardinal Ethanol, ICM Inc. and Murex came on board to sponsor the Armstrong/Cunningham effort.

For Armstrong, the Winchester ARCA 200 presented by Federated Auto Parts would mark the first time he had a chance to race at Winchester in the ARCA Series. The last time that ARCA ran at the high-banked track was in 2007. Armstrong has run three Sprint car races within the last three years at the short track, with three top-10 finishes, including one front row start. Practice was a frustrating time for Armstrong and crew chief Paul Andrews. The #22 was hoping to pick up on the speeds that they ran when they tested at the track, but disappointingly posted the 11th quickest speed on the practice charts. The adjustments that Andrews made before qualifying helped Armstrong qualify 5th, starting the race on the inside of row 3.

As the green flag flew for the 200 lap event, Armstrong moved into the 4th spot by turn 2. He maintained 4th through the first 44 laps, which included four caution flags and a red flag for multiple spins. On the green flag to restart the race on lap 45, Armstrong got passed by Frank Kimmel, dropping the #22 Cardinal Ethanol/ICM/Murex Dodge to 5th. He retook the position on lap 81, with 10 cars on the lead lap. As the caution came out on lap 93, Andrews called Armstrong to the pits for 4 tires, fuel, a track bar adjustment, and to remove tape from the grill. With some of the teams bolting on only 2 tires, the pit crew sent Armstrong back on track in 6th. During the long green flag run, which ran from lap 97-168, the Dodge came to life, as the #22 picked off one position after the other. When the caution out for a spin in turn 1 on lap 168, Armstrong was in 3rd.

After telling Andrews, “The car is getting a little tight,” Andrews brought his driver in for right side tires only, making no other adjustments. With 5 cars on the lead lap when the green flew with 27 laps to go, Armstrong set sail for the 2nd spot. Four laps later he passed Tom Hessert on lap 177 and trained his eye on leader, Ty Dillon. Lap by lap Armstrong inched closer to Dillon, running lap times that were two to three tenths of a second quicker than Dillon. As fans in the “Dakoda Armstrong section” of the grandstand (many family and friends from his hometown) stood to cheer Armstrong on, he got to Dillon’s bumper and made the pass for the lead on lap 190. After taking the lead, Armstrong built up a .9-second lead when he took the checkered flag, capturing his third win in 32 ARCA Series races.

An elated Armstrong commented in victory lane, “I have to thank these guys. We didn’t know we were going to run until Monday. They struggled to get this car together. Gotta thank Cardinal Ethanol, Murex and ICM Inc. We wouldn’t have been here without them. Thanks to Paul Andrews-he gave me a great car. It came alive on that last run. It couldn’t have been better. This is a huge win for us.”

A great way to complete the homecoming—with a win!

- Cunningham Motorsports Press Release

Chad Hackenbracht Records Another Career-Best At Winchester Speedway

Press Release — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 20:54:05 +0000

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WINCHESTER, Indiana (June 26, 2011) – - There’s a chance if you didn’t know who Chad Hackenbracht was last month; you’ve surely become familiar with him now. After capturing his first career top-five at Michigan International Speedway last week, Hackenbracht continued his uphill climb towards his first career victory with a brilliant third place finish in Saturday night’s Winchester ARCA 200 presented by Federated Auto Parts at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway.

To make Saturday’s result even sweeter, the team bounced back from a parts failure in practice which sent the No. 58 Tastee Chocolate Apple Chevrolet Impala into the wall. At the time of the incident, Hackenbracht had the fourth fastest time overall.

Superb work by the CGH Motorsports team led by crew chief Rob Torrey and director of competition Kevin Reed had the car repaired in time for qualifying. Producing a lap comparable to practice, the team wasn’t fazed by their 15th place starting position.

Immediately from the drop of the green flag, the 2008 National Asphalt Legends champion quickly began motoring towards the front. Entering the top-10 by the time the first caution flag waived on lap 10, it was evident that despite the mishap in practice, the team’s bowtie was still a hot rod.

Hackenbracht had climbed to the eighth position before having to make a trip to pit road on lap 30 for an overheating issue. Quick work by the team placed Chad back on the track in the 15th position. When the green flag waived, the 19-year old made some daring moves which paid off allowing the No. 58 Tastee Chocolate Apple Chevrolet Impala to continue climbing the leader board.

The team avoided disaster on lap 37, when Hackenbracht was racing with a wad of cars when contact was made which sent the No. 12 around into the wall. Escaping the scene of the incident without any damage, the New Philadelphia, Ohio native climbed back into the top-10.

Routine pit stops near the half-way mark offered the prime opportunity for the CGH Motorsports team to shine when a two-tire call on pit road shot Hackenbracht from seventh into the lead. Gaining track position and saving his stuff for the final laps of the event, the No. 58 Tastee Chocolate Apple Chevrolet Impala controlled the field for six laps including the half-way mark before the No. 25 reassumed the control of the lead.

Holding his own on the two tires, Hackenbracht continued to ride in the top-five. A long-green flag run and blistering lap times by the No. 25 car saw the No. 58 fall off the lead circuit by lap 138, leaving at the time just five cars on the lead lap.

Fighting for the lucky dog position, Hackenbracht would get back on the lead lap during a caution with thirty circuits remaining. Under the yellow, the team elected to bring their driver down pit road where four Hoosier tires were bolted onto the No. 58 Tastee Chocolate Apple Chevrolet Impala starting from the rear of the lead lap cars in the fifth position.

Masterfully threading the needle, the rising star passed the No. 52 of Tom Hessert first, then points leader Ty Dillon putting the Mooresville, North Carolina-based team in the third position. Proving that he had one of the fastest automobiles on the track, laps simply ran out to catch race winner Dakoda Armstrong and second-place runner Chris Buescher thus taking the checkered flag in the third position, his fourth career-best finish in the last five races and boasting the highest finishing Chevrolet in the 200-lap slugfest.

“First, I want to apologize to Maryeve (Dufault, No. 12) for getting into her early in the race,” said Hackenbracht. “We all just stacked up there entering turn one and I had nowhere to go. I hate it for her; she was having a good night. On the other hand, what an awesome night for Tastee Apple and CGH Motorsports. To overcome the mishap in practice and to race like we did hopefully sent out a statement that we’re here to stay near the front in the ARCA Racing Series.”

Chad Hackenbracht

“I cannot thank Rob (Torrey), Kevin (Reed), Richie (Mason), David (Pepper, spotter), my mom and dad and everyone on this team for everything. I just wish we could have had a couple more laps, I think we would have had something for those two,” he replied when referring to Armstrong and Buescher.

The finish on Saturday definitely boosts the team’s momentum at the half-way point of the 2011 season making a bold statement to the other teams in the series’ that the family-owned organization doesn’t plan to relinquish their presence anytime soon.

“We’re going to win one of these races soon,” Hackenbracht added. “We keep getting closer and closer, it’s going to happen soon and it will be a huge accomplishment for this team when we’re finally able to seal the deal.”

Hackenbracht continues to hold ninth in the championship standings but padded his cushion over 10th place competitor Sean Corr and closed the gap on eighth place runner Tom Hessert whom he now trails by just 35 points after nine races.

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series is their final stop in the Great Lakes state with a stop at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway for the running of the Hantz Group 200 set for Saturday, July 9th. Hackenbracht will make his track debut at the extremely flat .4-mile oval.

Exiting Winchester, Hackenbracht has 19 career ARCA starts to his credit. In those races, he has delivered two top-fives at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway, a third (June 2011) and Michigan International Speedway (Fourth; June 2011) and four top-10 finishes at New Jersey Motorsports Park (May 2011) and Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (June 2011). The CGH Motorsports team has also delivered top-20 finishes in eight of the first nine races in 2011.

For more information on Chad Hackenbracht and CGH Motorsports, please visit ChadHackenbracht.com and CGHMotorsports.com.

To purchase the popular “What’s A Chad Hacken-Something” tee-shirt, please log on to store.cghmotorsports.com or CGHMotorsports.com.

Tweet with Chad Hackenbracht through Twitter at @ChadH58 or CGH Motorsports @CGH5858.

About CGH Motorsports:

CGH Motorsports (CGHMotorsports.com), established in 2007 by Ohio entrepreneur Greg Hackenbracht is located in a 10,000 sq. foot facility located in Mooresville, North Carolina. CGH Motorsports is home of rising sensation Chad Hackenbracht, who competed in nine ARCA Racing Series races in 2010 after an aggressive ARCA testing schedule in 2009. Chad Hackenbracht is the 2008 National Asphalt Legends champion, winning 33 percent of his races and finishing in the top-10, 85 percent of the events he competed in. The team will step up their commitment from a partial schedule and prepare for a hopeful full-season ARCA championship assault beginning in February 2011.

- CGH Motorsports Press Release