ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards

As at Pocono, the Racing for Wildlife 200 at Michigan International Speedway saw just two caution periods Friday. Pocono’s 200-miler was green for 68 of 80 laps; Michigan experienced an even higher rate of full racing, with 87 of 100 laps under the green flag.

The two cautions Friday were for a cut right front tire on Josh Richards’ No. 99 Ford, and for a spin from Chase Mattioli’s No. 17 Ford. The limited caution periods resulted in green flag pit stops at both events, once viewed as a rarity in the ARCA Racing Series.

“I think people are using their heads more, and it’s just better equipment than they’ve had in the past. Everybody’s racing smarter,” said Mikey Kile, winner of the Racing for Wildlife 200. “The ARCA Series has come a long way. The more races we have like this, the better the series is going to be, from an overall racing standpoint. Only two cautions today? It’s a major step forward for the series, for drivers and everybody.”

The low caution count is in a sharp contrast and shows a marked improvement when compared to earlier superspeedway races this season. The season opener at Daytona slowed for 36 laps on six cautions, while Texas was yellow eight times for 43 laps. Improvement began in late April, when the Talladega event produced just four cautions for 26 laps.

In 28 previous races at Michigan International Speedway, only two races had seen the yellow flag just twice.

Sealed with a Kiss: The Victory Lane celebration for Mikey Kile’s first career ARCA Racing Series Presented by RE/MAX and Menards win was filled with some very traditional elements: high-fives, a Gatorade bath, and the “Big Bill Kiss.”

Bill Venturini Sr., the team patriarch and a two-time ARCA Racing Series champion, planted a big, wet smack on Kile after he exited the No. 25 Sears Auto Center / DieHard Toyota. A national viewing audience witnessed the emotional embrace on SPEED, and “Big Bill” explained it soon after.

“Just like Andy Granatelli at Indy,” said the senior Venturini, “I kiss every one of my drivers who wins. Just like Andy Granatelli kissed Mario Andretti at Indy!”

Granatelli made his reputation as a car owner at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, winning two Indy 500s – with Mario Andretti in 1969 and Gordon Johncock in 1973. When Andretti won – the driver’s only Indy 500 victory – Granatelli planted a big kiss on his cheek, much to photographers’ delight.

Kile Not a Full Rookie: Although 2010 marks Mikey Kile’s first season as a full-time driver in the ARCA Racing Series, the Louisiana native is not eligible for the RE/MAX Rookie of the Year title.

In Chevrolets fielded by Brad Keselowski Racing, Kile made 8 ARCA Racing Series starts in 2009, one more than the maximum allowed in a season while retaining rookie eligibility. One of those 8 starts in 2009 was at Michigan, where Kile finished sixth.

Another First-Time Winner: Mikey Kile’s first career ARCA Racing Series victory marked the seventh different winner in eight ARCA Racing Series events this year, and the sixth different first-time winner in 2010. 2010 winners include Bobby Gerhart (Daytona), Justin Marks (Palm Beach), Steve Arpin (Salem and Texas), Dakoda Armstrong (Talladega), Chris Buescher (Toledo), Craig Goess (Pocono), and Kile (Michigan). Marks, Arpin, Armstrong, Buescher, Goess and Kile were all first-time winners.

Large numbers of different winners are not uncommon in the ARCA Racing Series, nor are large numbers of first-time winners in a given season.

In 2007, 15 different drivers posted ARCA Racing Series victories in 22 total events, 10 of whom were first-time series winners, including James Buescher (USA International Speedway), Chad McCumbee (Nashville and Pocono), Scott Lagasse Jr. (Kansas), Billy Leslie (Winchester), Erik Darnell (Kentucky and Michigan), Ken Butler III (Toledo), Michael McDowell (Kentucky, Pocono, Chicagoland, and Toledo), Jeremy Clements (Nashville), Bryan Clauson (Gateway), and Michael Annett (Talladega).

Pole Award Sees Early Variety: Just as Victory Lane has welcomed seven different winners in eight ARCA Racing Series races this season, the Menards Pole Award Presented by Ansell has also been awarded to a variety of drivers.

In eight races in 2010, pole qualifying has taken place seven times, with the only outlier being for a weather cancellation at Texas in April. Seven different drivers have won in the seven qualifying sessions, with five of those drivers achieving their first career pole.

Casey Roderick (Palm Beach), Max Gresham (Salem), Dakoda Armstrong (Talladega), Mikey Kile (Pocono), and Craig Goess (Michigan) each became first-time top qualifiers, with James Buescher (Daytona) and Chris Buescher (Toledo) having each taken a second career pole this season.

Youth is served, as well. The two Bueschers, Roderick, Gresham, and Armstrong – five drivers in all – were all born in the 1990s.

Consistency Builds Champions: Patrick Sheltra has not been one of the seven winners in eight events in 2010. However, the Indiantown, Fla. driver has managed to earn top-10 finishes in every race so far this season. Sheltra, whose one career victory came at Salem in 2009, is leading the championship standings by 35 points over Justin Marks. Frank Kimmel (fifth in points), Tom Hessert (sixth), Tim George Jr. (ninth), and Robb Brent (10th) are also looking for their first win in 2010. Despite being 11th in championship points, second-year driver Joey Coulter could be considered a strong candidate to become the next first-time winner on tour, having earned runner-up runs at Toledo and Michigan already this season.

The ARCA Racing Series Presented by RE/MAX and Menards features 20 events at 17 tracks on its 2010 schedule. The series has crowned an ARCA national champion each year since its inaugural season in 1953, and has toured over 200 racetracks 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 left- and right-turn street and road courses.

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

CONCORD, NC (November 20, 2009) – A successful and winning weekend for any racecar driver normally means having a strong engine, a good car and the right set up underneath it. But equally important is a strong, knowledgeable and happy crew. And what is one thing that keeps a crew happy? Keeping them fed with good food all weekend long so they can stay focused.

The Stroupe Brothers Racing crew knows that food gets no better than what is found at Chili’s Grill and Bar Restaurant.

That is why Washington-driver Zach Niessner and the Stroupe Brothers Racing team have teamed with Chili’s Grill and Bar Restaurants of Pensacola as a primary sponsor for this year’s running of the Snowflake 100 on December 2-5 at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL, part of the Snowball Derby weekend.

“I’m excited to be associated with Chili’s for the Snowball weekend,” said Niessner, who will drive the #2 Chili’s Grill and Bar/2 Dudes Designs Chevrolet in his third Snowflake 100. “Having their help over the weekend will make things a lot better for me and for the entire team. When you are hard at work at the track for hours and hours, the last thing you are thinking about is eating. But when it comes time to leave the track, the first thing you think about it going somewhere together and getting a good meal. And at Chili’s, there are no bad meals. So to have them come on board with us for the weekend will be huge. Hopefully, we can pay them back with spreading the word about the restaurant and getting them into victory lane on Saturday night.”

Snowball Derby fans and teams can find four local Chili’s restaurants to dine at while in town for the Snowball Derby weekend, including 4781 Bayou Blvd in Pensacola, 4480 Mobile Hwy in Pensacola, 529 W. Nine Mile Road in Pensacola or 4701 Highway 90 in Pace.

Chili’s is one of the most recognized restaurants in the entire county, with over 1,400 casual dining establishments, mostly located in the United States and Canada. Chili’s has restaurants in all 50 states and 24 international locations.

Chili’s is best known for their American food menu that has a Tex-Mex influence. The restaurant has everything from their famous “Big Mouth Burgers” to fajitas and quesadillas, baby back ribs and steaks to seafood and Buffalo wings. The menu also contains a large number of appetizers, including the ever-popular homemade salsa, as well as several mouth-watering desserts. Chili’s also offers a full bar that serves a variety of alcoholic drinks.

“There is something for everyone at Chili’s, but my favorites are definitely the burgers, the steaks or the quesadillas,” added Niessner. “But really, there isn’t anything on the menu that isn’t good. That is why we are going to encourage everyone we know to go to Chili’s and eat either before or after the races. When you come into a town that you don’t really know for a weekend like we do so often, you always try and figure out where to go eat. But almost everyone has been to a Chili’s somewhere before, so when you see a Chili’s Restaurant, you know what you are going to get. You don’t have to worry about the quality of the food, because you know you are going to go there and get a good meal and get it at a great price.

“On top of everything else, people in the racing community have always liked to support the sponsors that support local racing. So we are going to do our best to hand out some coupons and get people into the restaurant. They are supporting short track racing, so race fans need to support them. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

Like many drivers, Niessner’s career started in Go-Karts. Zach competed in the NASCAR ranks around the Pacific Northwest and became the youngest driver to qualify for a NASCAR Elite Northwest Series race. Niessner also ran the ASA National Tour, moved to Indianapolis, signed with SS Racing and ran a part-time schedule as a teammate to three-time ASA National Champion Butch Miller. In 2004, Niessner started his own Zach Niessner Racing. An ASA pole at USA International Speedway and pole and third-place finish in the NASCAR Southwest Series event at Irwindale led up to a race win at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, where Zach came in and beat the regulars of the NASCAR Southeast Series, picking up the legendary guitar that goes with winning at the famed high-banked half-mile.

Niessner has had an up and down history at the Snowflake 100. In 2005, Niessner qualified third for the event while racing for SS Racing and ran in the top-five all night long before falling victim to a mid-race accident. In 2008, Niessner ran the event for 5K Motorsports and found himself as high as third late in the race before having to pit under green for tires. He finished 14th.

Niessner will also have sponsorship from Victory Circle Communications, 2 Dudes Designs, Short Track Enterprises and The Decal Source for his Snowflake run.

“I’ve got a lot of great sponsors that are going to help us out. Victory Circle Communications and their association with Racing Radios is an easy fit with me, because I’ve always run Racing Radios in the past. They do such great work. And The Decal Source has made this #2 look really good. I’m pretty sure the car even won the best appearing car award its first time out at the PASS South event in Hickory.

“This year, I feel like we will have the best shot to win. I’m with the best team I’ve been with yet. And I’ve got some of my closest friends who have been working with me for years in racing here to help me. I feel like I have more freedom to do what I want to do and that will mean things should go much better. The competition is always tough, but we’ll do alright.”

When not behind the wheel, Niessner co-owns and runs Short Track Enterprises, in Ellensburg, Washington. STE is a one-stop shop for all a driver’s and team’s racing needs in the Pacific Northwest. Headed by racers Travis Bennett and Niessner, STE performs a variety of services for racers who are in need of a little “help,” from car setup to full vehicle maintenance and preparation. STE can build a new car from the ground up, help get the correct setup for a specific track, repair a wrecked car and fabricate any parts that will help give an added advantage. With knowledge that spans decades and plenty of wins and championships between the owners, STE is becoming the source for running up front and winning in the Northwest and beyond. STE can be found on the web at www.shorttrackenterprises.com.

- 2 Dudes Designs Press Release

James Buescher

Buescher’s passion for racing started at an early age and the youngster has achieved success at every level that he has competed. In his first ARCA RE/MAX Series race at USA International Speedway, Buescher claimed the victory and became the youngest winner in ARCA history, a title that he still holds today.

In 2008, the Texas native competed in six NNS races, claiming a career-best finish of seventh and one pole position at Memphis Motorsports Park. This season, Buescher has participated in four ARCA RE/MAX Series races, where he has collected two wins and three top-five finishes. His first 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series win came in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway (February 2009), which he followed by winning his second race of the season at Kentucky Speedway (May 2009). Buescher currently pilots the No. 10 Circle Bar Racing entry in the NCWTS, where the young gun has established himself as a contender for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award.

“I’m very excited about my plans for the 2010 season to run in the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series,” said Buescher. “Both series provide young drivers a place to learn and compete at the highest level. I would like to thank James Finch, Marc Reno, and Miccosukee from Phoenix Racing and Steve and Sandra Turner from Turner Motorsports for giving me the opportunity to have as much seat time as possible next year. Mr. Finch has proven that his organization can compete up front in contention for wins every week and I’m honored that I get to drive the Miccosukee Resort & Gaming Chevrolet full-time. Also, to be a part of an organization like Turner Motorsports, who is just starting out in the NASCAR garage, is something that I’m looking forward to. Hopefully next season, I will take both Chevrolets to Victory Lane.”

Phoenix Racing continues to be a staple in the Nationwide Series, as the James Finch-owned team has recorded one win at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and 14 top-10 finishes so far this season. Newly to the NASCAR garage, Turner Motorsports, owned and operated by Steve and Sandra Turner, will make its debut this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway in the NCWTS.

“Everyone at Phoenix Racing is really excited about teaming up with James (Buescher) for the 2010 season,” said James Finch. “Our No. 1 Miccosukee Chevrolet runs competitively every week and we are confident that James can achieve a lot of success and contend for wins every time we get to the racetrack. The Nationwide Series needs more drivers like James, because these young talents need to have a chance to develop before moving to the next level. Furthermore, we are looking forward to working with Turner Motorsports next season.”

Buescher will make his 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series debut this Saturday, November 7th at Texas Motor Speedway, driving the No. 1 Miccosukee Resort & Gaming Chevrolet. The green-flag will wave on the O’Reilly Challenge shortly after 12 P.M. Eastern, with live television coverage on ESPN2. For more information about Buescher, visit www.jamesbuescher.com.

For more information about Miccosukee Resort & Gaming, visit www.miccosukeeresort.com.

- James Buescher Racing Press Release

VENUE: IOWA SPEEDWAY (0.875-MILE PAVED OVAL)

CIRCUIT: ARCA RE/MAX SERIES (RACE 10 OF 21)

DATE: JULY 11, 2009 (200 LAPS, 175 MILES)

BUESCHER AT IOWA: Buescher has made two career starts at Iowa Speedway, both of which came last year in 2008. In his only ARCA RE/MAX Series start at the Newton, Iowa track, Buescher drove the No. 32 Win-Tron Racing car for a total of 118 laps before the engine expired, forcing the team to cut their day short and relegating Buescher to a 29th-place finish. In addition, Buescher has competed in one NASCAR Camping World East Series race at the Midwestern short-track. The Texas native qualified in the ninth position and came home in 13th-place.

NUMBER CHANGE: For this weekend’s race, Buescher will sport a new number on the side of his Win-Tron Racing Toyota. Instead of the familiar No. 32, Buescher will pilot the No. 9 Wolfpack Rentals Toyota, as the Minnesota-based race team will field two cars for the 200-mile event. Matt Merrell will be behind the wheel of the No. 32 as Buescher’s teammate for the Prairie Meadows 200.

LUCKY NUMBER THREE?: Buescher will be looking for his third win of the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series season this weekend at Iowa Speedway. During the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway, the Plano, Texas native led a total of 44 out of 80 laps, to cross the finish line first and win at the legendary superspeedway. Buescher returned to the driver’s seat in Kentucky Speedway for his second race of the 2009 ARCA season and had the same result. The teenager led the field for 57 of 100 laps and captured the checkered flag once again in his Wolfpack Rentals Toyota. In his third and most recent ARCA race at Michigan International Speedway, Buescher started from the second position and came home in fourth-place, after being caught a lap down as a result of a green-flag pit stop.

TESTING 1, 2, 3: The ARCA RE/MAX Series held an open test last Tuesday, June 30th, at Iowa Speedway for the teams to get acquainted with the .875-mile oval. Buescher tested his Wolfpack Rentals Toyota Camry in preparation for this week’s race. In addition, Buescher and the Win-Tron Racing team tested at an open ARCA test at Kentucky Speedway on Monday, July 6th.

ARCA SUCCESS: Buescher has obtained a great amount of success in his short ARCA career, which began in 2007. In a total of 17 races, the 19-year-old has captured three wins (Lakeland – ’07; Daytona – ’09; Kentucky – ’09), seven top-five finishes, along with 11 top-10 finishes. Buescher has also led a total of 266 laps in ARCA competition.

SMILES FOR EVERYONE: Last Thursday, July 2nd, Buescher visited Texas Children’s Hospital for an afternoon of signing autographs, taking pictures, and spending time with ill-children, who are faced with numerous surgeries and treatments instead of enjoying life like normal children. Buescher was able to put smiles on the faces of these courageous children and their parents in the Houston hospital, as everyone was excited to see a racecar driver in person. *Pictures and more information are available upon request.*

STAY UP TO SPEED: To stay up to speed with all of the racing action from Iowa Speedway, make sure to visit the ARCA Racing Network to listen and watch coverage of the Prairie Meadows 200 on arcaracing.com. Practice for the 10th race of the 2009 season will be held on Friday, July 10th, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Central Time. Qualifying will begin at 4:00 p.m. Central Time on Saturday, July 11th, with the green flag dropping on the 200-lap race at 8:00 p.m. Central Time.

QUOTES FROM BEHIND THE WHEEL:

BUESCHER (On returning to racing action in the ARCA RE/MAX Series): “I always enjoy racing in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. I’ve had quite a bit of success in this series, so its fun to come back and go for the win. To already have two wins this year is an accomplishment not only for me, but for this team. They put good equipment under me and we seem to be a contender every week that we are together, no matter what track we go to.”

BUESCHER (On racing at Iowa Speedway): “Iowa is a great track to race at. I raced there a couple of times last year, so I have some experience heading into this weekend. We also had a test session last week, which definitely gave us some time to work on our car and we should have a good setup when we get on the track. Any seat time that I can spend at a track that I have a Truck Series race at is a huge plus. I come into the weekend looking to win and gain some information that will hopefully help my team when we come back here in September.”

BUESCHER (On his visit to the Texas Children’s Hospital): “I have been to Texas Children’s Hospital many times in the past and I always enjoy going back there and seeing the kids. In my life, I have been blessed with a healthy body and to see these kids who aren’t as lucky is really sad. I can’t imagine being their age and having to go through all of the surgeries and treatments. These kids are unbelievably strong and all of them have great families who stand by them no matter what. For me to take a couple hours out of my life to go spend with them is nothing. If I can go sign some autographs, take some pictures and put a smile on their faces, then it is well worth every moment I was there.”

- James Buescher Racing Press Release