Ryan Gifford Archives

REV RACING GRADUATES FIND SUCCESS IN NATIONAL NASCAR SERIES

Posted on November 5, 2013 by matchbook

CONCORD, N.C. (November 5, 2013) – 2013 has been a historical year for Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity (#NASCARD4D) program. This season saw four past and current program participants make starts at the national level of the sport, with Paulie Harraka in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Kyle Larson and Ryan Gifford in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and Darrell Wallace Jr. in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In October, Wallace became the first African-American driver to win in a NASCAR national series in nearly 50 years with a victory in the Kroger 200 Camping World Truck Series race, a victory that was monumental for both the sport and the program. The success doesn’t stop there, Wallace and Larson are currently leading the Rookie of the Year race in their respective series with two races to go. “We want to continue to give women and minorities the best training possible in order to be successful as they move up in the sport.” said Max Siegel, Owner of Rev Racing. “I think the success that both Darrell and Kyle have had this season proves that our model is working.” Since opening its doors in 2010, Rev Racing has had 12 wins, 48 top-five, and 85 top-10 finishes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, with drivers finishing in the top-three in points every season. Last year, Kyle Larson won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Championship, making Siegel the first African-American owner in the history of the sport to win a championship. Siegel is proud of the success the program has had, but realizes that there is still plenty of work to be done. “We want to see more of our drivers graduate from the program and move up through the ranks.” said Siegel, “Our goal is for the field of drivers to represent the demographics of this country, which means having more minorities competing at every level of the sport.” This past season two Rev Racing drivers earned their first win in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Daniel Suarez and Ryan Gifford, and Suarez finished third in the series points standings. “Both of these drivers have what it takes to be competitive at the next level, and it’s our hope that they get that opportunity.” said Siegel. The team just wrapped up the annual NASCAR Drive for Diversity combine after screening a record 90 applicants. 20 drivers were selected to compete for a spot on the 2014 Rev Racing roster, and the increased talent pool at the combine this year means the future is bright for Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program.

REV RACING HEADED TO ATLANTA FOR THE NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES EAST SEASON FINALE

Posted on October 16, 2013 by matchbook

The Rev Racing NASCAR K&N Pro Series East drivers will take to the track for the final time this year at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA on Friday, Oct. 18. This will also mark the final race on the 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East schedule. It has been a season to remember for Rev Racing, with Daniel Suarez and Ryan Gifford both earning their first career win, and all four Rev Racing drivers heading into the final race inside the top-15 in points. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota) – Ortiz is looking forward to competing at Road Atlanta due to his experience racing road courses. He finished second at Virginia International Raceway earlier this season, the first of two road courses on the schedule, and is looking to capture his first career win this weekend. Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Visit Acapulco Toyota) – Suarez, who’s moved up to third in points after a string of top-five finishes, has found success at road courses. The Mexico native led over half the race at Virginia International Raceway before engine failure, but is confident he can come out ahead this time at Road Atlanta. Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota) – The race at Virginia International Raceway was Bell’s first time racing on a road course since 2010. She earned a 17th place and gained valuable seat time. She’s looking forward to racing at Road Atlanta with her first road course of the season behind her, and valuable experience to rely on. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 Sunoco/NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota) – Gifford had a great showing at Virginia International Raceway, where he led a lap and ran consistently in the top five. Unfortunately engine failure late in the race ended his day with a 21st place finish. Gifford is tied for 10th in points and is looking to gain a few spots this weekend. There will be two practice sessions on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 8 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. followed by qualifying at 4 p.m. The Road Atlanta 115 will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18. It will air on Fox Sports 2, Nov. 2 at 10 a.m. ET.

REV RACING LOOKING TO TAME THE MONSTER MILE

Posted on September 26, 2013 by matchbook

Rev Racing heads to Dover (Del.) International Speedway for the Drive Sober 150 on Friday, Sept. 27, race 13 out of 14 on the 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East schedule. The team is looking to tame the track historically known as “The Monster Mile”, and Daniel Suarez could be the driver to do it. Suarez has finished on the podium in five of the last six races, and is eager to capture his second win of the season after coming up short at New Hampshire Motor Speedway the last time out. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 Sunoco Racing Fuel Toyota) –Gifford currently ranks eighth in points with six top 10s in 12 outings, highlighted by his first career win at Richmond. Has an average finish of 11th and a best result of second (2009) in four career starts at Dover. He Led 32 laps there in 2009 and 43 in 2011. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota) – Ortiz has one top-five and five top-10 finishes this season. He has one previous start at Dover where he qualified sixth and finished ninth. His season is highlighted by a second place finish at Virginia International Raceway. Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Visit Acapulco Toyota) – Suarez currently Ranks fifth in points with seven top 10s in 12 outings, highlighted by his first career victory at Columbus Motor Speedway. He’s finished on the podium in five of the last six races, and this will be his first Dover race. Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota) – Bell is currently 12th in points with two top-five and four top-10 finishes this season. Her season is highlighted by top-five finishes at Richmond and Greenville, and a fourth place qualifying effort at Iowa. Qualifying for the Drive Sober 150 will be at 10am followed by the race at 4:45pm on Friday, Sept. 27.

TWO TOP-10 FINISHES FOR REV RACING AT NEW HAMPSHIRE

Posted on September 25, 2013 by matchbook

It was an eventful weekend in Loudon, NH for Rev Racing as they competed in the North American Power 100, race 12 of 14 on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East this season. Daniel Suarez and Mackena Bell both scored top-five qualifying spots, starting third and fifth respectively. Suarez made his way to the front and took over the lead on lap 47. He battled up front but wasn’t able to pass the race leader on a green-white-checkered finish and came home second. This was his fifth top three finish in his last six races. Bell was the highest qualifying female of the race, and put on an impressive show, running in the top-three for much of the race and coming home ninth. This was her fourth top-10 finish of the season. It was an unfortunate day for both Ryan Gifford and Bryan Ortiz. Gifford had to start at the rear of the pack after changing an engine that blew during his qualifying lap. He was making his way up the field when he was caught up in a multi-car wreck, ending his day early and finishing 23rd. Ortiz started 22nd but was penalized a lap for jumping the start. He was working on gaining positions when he was caught up in the same wreck as Gifford, ending his night early and coming home 28th. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota) – Gifford has one win, four top-five and six top-10 finishes this season. He’s currently eighth in points. His season is highlighted by his first career victory at Richmond International Raceway earlier this year. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota) – The Bayamon, Puerto Rico native has one top-five and five top-10 finishes this season. His best finish this season was a second place result at Virginia International Raceway. Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Visit Acapulco Toyota) – Suarez has one win, five top-five, and seven top-10 finishes this season. He’s moved up to fifth in points and has had five top-three finishes in his last six races. He’s in contention to capture a Championship in both the NASCAR Toyota Series Mexico and the NKNPS East. Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota) – Bell, competing in her rookie season in the NKNPS East, has four top-10 and two top-five finishes this season. She captured the best qualifying effort by a female in series history at Iowa Speedway earlier this year with a fourth place qualifying effort. The North American Power 100 will air on Fox Sports 1 on Friday, Oct. 4 The next race for the drivers in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will be the Drive Sober 150 at Dover international Speedway this Friday, Sept. 27.

REV RACING LOOKING TO RETURN TO VICTORY LANE AT NEW HAMPSHIRE

Posted on September 19, 2013 by matchbook

Rev Racing is headed to New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) to compete in the North American Power 100 on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 2:30 p.m. ET, where Kyle Larson took the team to victory lane last season. Bell and Suarez are ready to race after both earning top-five finishes the last time out at Greenville Pickens Speedway. The second place finish marked the fourth podium finish in the last five races for Suarez, and the fifth place finish by bell matched her best finish to date, previously at Richmond International Raceway. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 Universal Technical Institute/NTI Toyota) – Gifford who’s currently fifth in points has six top 10s in 11 starts. His season is highlighted by his first career win at Richmond. He has an average finish of 13th and a best result of fourth in six career starts at NHMS. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota) – Ortiz is anxious to return to NHMS where he finished sixth last season. The Bayamon, Puerto Rico native has one top-five and five top-10 finishes this season with a best finish of second at Virginia International Raceway. Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Visit Acapulco Toyota) – Suarez ranks sixth in points with six top 10s finishes in 11 races. He captured his first career victory at Columbus Motor Speedway and has finished on the podium in four of the last five races. He has a best result of seventh in three starts at NHMS. Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota) – Bell finished fifth the last time out at Greenville Pickens Speedway, matching her best effort to date, a fifth place finish at Richmond earlier this season. The rookie driver has two top-five, and three top-10 finishes this season. Our thoughts this week are with all those affected by the Tropical Storm Manuel which hit Acapulco, Mexico, as well as the victims of the Navy Yard shooting and floods in Colorado. Practice is from 8:30-10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 20 followed by qualifying at 2 p.m. The North American Power 100 will air on Fox Sports 1, Oct. 4, 11:30 a.m. The drivers will return to the track next Friday, Sept. 27 for the Drive Sober 150 at Dover International Speedway.

BELL AND SUAREZ SCORE TOP-FIVE FINISHES AT GREENVILLE

Posted on September 17, 2013 by matchbook

Rev Racing had high expectations for The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140 at Greenville Pickens Speedway, after all four teammates qualified in the top-10 for the first time this season. Daniel Suarez (@DnlSuarez) qualified second, Bryan Ortiz (@BryanORacing) sixth, Ryan Gifford (@RyanGifford2) eighth, and Mackena Bell (@MackenaBell) 10th, putting them in a great position to finish ahead.

Suarez, who led a race-high 64 laps, took over the lead on lap 3. He surrendered the lead to preserve his tires before making a late-race effort for the win. He didn’t have enough time to catch up to the race leader but was able to drive his No. 6 Visit Acapulco Toyota to a second place finish, his fourth top-five finish of the season.

Bell had an outstanding performance all day, qualifying 10th and racing in the top-five throughout the race. The rookie driver scored her second fifth place finish of the season, matching her best effort to date, a top five finish at Richmond earlier this year. She was the highest qualifying and highest finishing female of the day.

Gifford and Ortiz had fast cars at the start of the race but chose to drop towards the back in order to preserve tires. Unfortunately their strategy didn’t pan out as there was only one caution during the race and not enough time for either driver to rally back to the front. They finished the night 19th and 13th respectively.

The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140 will air on FS1 on Sunday, Sept. 22 at noon. The next race for Rev Racing will be the North American Power 100 this Saturday, Sept. 21 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

REV RACING READY FOR ROUND TWO AT GREENVILLE

Posted on August 30, 2013 by matchbook

CONCORD, NC (August 30, 2013) – Rev Racing returns to action this Monday, Sept. 2, for the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140 at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway (GPS). This is the second of two NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East races at the track on the 2013 schedule, and the team is looking forward to improving on their results from the last visit there. Mackena Bell (@MackenaBell) was the highest qualifier for the team, with a seventh place qualifying effort, and Daniel Suarez (@DnlSuarez) was the high finisher for the team, coming home eighth. Bryan Ortiz (@BryanORacing) is looking to carry momentum from his career best finish of second at VIR last weekend, with him to GPS. Ryan Gifford (@RyanGifford2) who is currently fifth in points, is looking to capture his second win of the season. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota Camry) – Gifford is currently fifth in series points with one win, four top-five, and six top-10 finishes. He scored his first series career victory at Richmond International Raceway earlier this season. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Ortiz had his career best finish of second the last time out at VIR. He has one top-five and five top-10 finishes this season, and is looking to capture his first career win. Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Visit Acapulco Toyota Camry) – Suarez is currently eighth in points with one win, three top-five, and five top-10 finishes this season. The Monterrey, Mexico native is also in contention to capture the NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series Championship this season. Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – Bell who is competing for Rookie of the Year honors has one top-five and two top-10 finishes this season. Her career best finish was at Richmond International Raceway earlier this season where she came home fifth. Qualifying will begin at 4 p.m. followed by an autograph session at 4:45 p.m. and the green flag at 6 p.m. ET. The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140 from Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway will air on Sunday, Sept. 22, at 12 p.m. on Fox Sports 1. Follow @RevRacin on twitter for live updates throughout the day.

ORTIZ SCORES CAREER BEST FINISH OF SECOND AT VIR

Posted on August 27, 2013 by matchbook

CONCORD, N.C. (August 26, 2013) – Bryan Ortiz (@BryanORacing) went into the race weekend at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) with confidence unmatched at any track he’s raced at in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East. The driver from Puerto Rico has experience racing at VIR in the Grand-AM series, and was looking forward to the first NKNPS East race at a road course since 2010. Ortiz ran near the front of the field all day, and relied on his road course background to bring his No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota Camry to a second place finish. It was a tough day for the other three Rev Racing drivers. Daniel Suarez (@DnlSuarez) took the lead on lap 10 and battled up front the rest of the race before engine failure ended his night early on lap 50. Ryan Gifford (@RyanGifford2) raced his way up front after qualifying 12th, he ran in the top-five and even led a lap before engine failure ended his day. This was Mackena Bell’s (@MackenaBell) first race on a road course. The rookie driver ran consistent all day and came home 17th. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota Camry) – It was an unfortunate night for Gifford who raced his way to the front after qualifying 12th. He ran in the top-five and even led a lap, before engine failure ended his night early. He’s currently fifth in points. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Ortiz ran near the front of the field all day after qualifying second, and relied on his road course background to bring his No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota Camry to a second place finish. This was his career best finish and qualifying effort. Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Visit Acapulco Toyota Camry) – Suarez was fast all weekend, and put himself in position to battle for the lead early on by qualifying third. He was able to pass the race leader on lap ten. Suarez led the next 17 laps and battled up front the rest of the race before his night ended early due to engine failure on lap 50. He’s currently eighth in points. Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – This was Bell’s first time competing on a road course. The rookie driver was patient throughout the race and valuable experience brining her car home with a 17th place finish. She is currently 13th in points. The next race for the drivers in the NKNPS East will be next Monday, September 2, at Greenville-Pickens Speedway.

Rev Racing to Compete in First of Two Road Course Races This Season

Posted on August 23, 2013 by matchbook

Concord, N.C. (August 23, 2013) – The Rev Racing drivers will gain experience turning both left and right this weekend, as they compete at the first of two road courses on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East schedule this season. The team is headed to Virginia International Raceway (VIR) on Saturday, August 24, for the Buiscuitville 125, the tracks inaugural NASCAR-sanctioned race. This is the first road course race for the series since 2010. The team will be looking to Bryan Ortiz (@BryanORacing) who has competed at VIR in the Grand-AM series, and Daniel Suarez (@DnlSuarez) who has a road course win this season in the NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series, for guidance. The drivers will be competing 55 laps on the 2.25-mile North Course of the track, and will be doing live pit stops for the first time this season.

Ryan Gifford (@RyanGifford2) (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota Camry) – Gifford, who scored his first series win at Richmond earlier this season, is currently fourth in points. He’s in contention to capture the championship with four top-five’s, six top-10s, and an average finish of 8.6 this season. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Ortiz has extensive road course experience and has competed at VIR in the Grand-AM series. The Bayamon, Puerto Rico native, who’s competing in his second full season in the NKNPS East, is looking to capitalize on that experience this weekend. He has four top-10 finishes this season. Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Visit Acapulco Toyota Camry) – Suarez who is currently eighth in NKNPS East points, scored a road course win at Monterrey in the NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series earlier this season. He’s had three top-three finishes in the last three NKNPS East races, and captured his first series win at Iowa earlier this year. Mackena Bell (@MackenaBell) (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – Bell who’s competing in her first full NKNPS East season is tied for 11th in points and in contention to capture Rookie of they Year honors. She has one top-five and two top-10 finishes this season. Practice for the Biscuitville 125 begins at 9:05 a.m. followed by qualifying at 1:20 p.m. and the green flag at 4:35 p.m. ET. For live updates throughout the weekend follow @RevRacin on twitter.

REV RACING RETURNS TO IOWA

Posted on July 31, 2013 by matchbook

CONCORD, N.C.(July 30, 2013) – Rev Racing returns to Iowa Speedway this Friday, Aug. 2, for the second East-West combination race of the season, The Pork Be Inspired 150. This is another monumental weekend for the team as Ryan Gifford becomes the third Rev Racing driver to make his NASCAR national series debut when he competes in the U.S. Cellular 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) event on Saturday.

Ryan Gifford (No. 2 Universal Technical Institute/NTI Toyota Camry) – Gifford will be doing double duty this weekend in the NKNPS East and NNS. He is currently fourth in the NKNPS East standings with one win, and four top-five finishes. His best finish in a K&N East-West combination race was of sixth in 2011.

Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 L&M Ethanol Maintenance and Contracting Toyota Camry) – Ortiz is currently 12th in the series standings, with a best finish of sixth this season and four top-10 finishes. He has an average finish of 13th in the K&N East-West combination races at Iowa.

Mackena Bell (No. 27 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – Bell who is competing in her rookie season is currently 11th in the point’s standings and a Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender. She has one top-five and two top-10 finishes this season, with a best finish of fifth at Richmond earlier this year.

Daniel Suarez (No. 69 Visit Acapulco Toyota Camry) – Suarez is headed to Iowa fresh off his first NKNPS East win, at Columbus Speedway the last time out. He’s currently ninth in the K&N East Championship standings, with one win, two top-five and four top-10 finishes this season. His best overall K&N East-West finish was 10th in 2012.

This weekend Bell and Suarez will be running with different numbers due to point standings in the K&N East-West combination race. Bell will be in the No. 27 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry and Suarez will be in the No. 69 Visit Acapulco Toyota Camry.

Qualifying for The Pork Be Inspired 150 from Iowa speedway will begin at 5 p.m. CT and the green flag will drop at 8 p.m. CT. The race will air on Fox Sports 1, Aug. 25, 1 p.m. ET.

Follow @RevRacin on twitter for updates throughout the race.

RYAN GIFFORD TO MAKE NATIONWIDE DEBUT IN IOWA

Posted on July 18, 2013 by matchbook

Ryan Gifford, a member of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity initiative who won for the first time on the K&N Pro Series earlier this season, will step up in class and make his national debut when he competes in next month’s Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway for Richard Childress Racing. The 23-year-old native of Winchester, Tenn., will pilot the No. 33 car backed by Menards and Rheem in the Aug. 3 event. In his fourth full season in the K&N Pro Series East, Gifford scored his first victory in April at Richmond. He also works in the shop and drives for Team Dillon Racing, the dirt late model program that spawned Austin and Ty Dillon and is located at the RCR complex in Welcome, N.C. “I’m thrilled that Menards and RCR are giving me the chance to race in my first Nationwide Series event,” Gifford said. “Menards has done so much for young racers over the years, and I’m proud to be able to represent them and their employees at Iowa Speedway. I can’t thank them enough for believing in me and giving me an opportunity to showcase my racing skills.” Gifford became the first African-American driver in Pro Series East history to earn a pole position when he competed in the circuit’s inaugural race at Martinsville Speedway in 2010. Last month at Iowa Speedway, the current Rev Racing driver was announced as a member of the 2013 NASCAR Next class, an industry initiative to help spotlight NASCAR’s rising stars. Gifford started racing go-karts at age 8, and competed in the World Karting Association from 2000-2004 before moving to dirt late models in 2005. It didn’t take long for Gifford to find success on dirt, earning three poles and four top-five finishes in his first season. Gifford made his debut for RCR in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2009 competing in four events. Since then, he has earned one win, one pole award, 15 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes in just 48 starts. “I have watched how hard Ryan has worked at the Team Dillon Racing shop and what he’s been doing on the track the past few years,” Childress said. “He had some good finishes racing in the K&N Series races for RCR a few years ago. I watched him race and win dirt track races with TDR, and I’ve always been impressed with a driver’s ability to race on dirt.” Gifford will become the eighth different driver this season to pilot RCR’s No. 33 Nationwide car, which is overseen by crew chief Ernie Cope. Tony Stewart drove it to victory in the season opener at Daytona, and since then Kevin Harvick, Ty Dillon, Max Papis, Paul Menard, Dakoda Armstrong and Matt Crafton have taken turns behind the wheel. Crafton, who finished third at Kentucky, is driving the vehicle Sunday at Chicagoland. But next month at Iowa, it will belong to Gifford. “This is a great opportunity for him to get in one of our Nationwide cars and be very competitive at Iowa,” Childress said.

SUAREZ CAPTURES THE CHECKERED FLAG AT COLUMBUS

Posted on July 15, 2013 by matchbook

CONCORD, N.C. (July 15, 2013) – Daniel Suarez, the 21-year old Monterrey Mexico native, came to Columbus Ohio ready to improve upon his previous fifth place results at the track and that’s exactly what he did Saturday night. Suarez took over the lead on lap 64 and dominated the rest of the NAPA 150, to capture the win in a green-white-checkered finish. “I’m so proud of my entire team, they worked really hard and gave me a car that allowed me to compete for the win.” said Suarez. This is the first win for Suarez in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East race, and the fifth first time winner for Rev Racing since the team started managing the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program in 2010. The team had strong cars all day, with three of the four cars in the top-five during practice, Suarez was third quickest, Bryan Ortiz fourth, and Mackena Bell fifth. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota Camry) – Gifford, who’s in contention to win the championship, came home with a fourth place finish after moving his way up the field from ninth. Gifford, who captured his first series win earlier this season, is currently fourth in points. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Ortiz had an outstanding qualifying effort, qualifying second and placing his Toyota Camry on the front row. He raced in the top-10 all night, and finished the night 10th. He’s currently 13th in points. Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Suarez captured his first career NKNPS east win after taking the lead on lap 64. This is the Monterrey Mexico native’s second straight touring series win after capturing a win in the Mexico Toyota Series on June 30. He’s currently ninth in NKNPS East points. Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – Bell had a fast car during practice, finishing fifth quickest, and finished 11th after a 13th place qualifying effort. She’s currently 11th in points, and third in Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings. The NAPA 150 will air on SPEED on July 25, at 3:00 p.m. ET. The next race for Rev Racing in the NKNPS East will be at Iowa Speedway on August 2.

REV RACING HEADS TO COLUMBUS WITH THREE DRIVERS IN THE TOP-10

Posted on July 11, 2013 by matchbook

CONCORD, N.C. (July 11, 2013) – Rev Racing is headed to Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 13 for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East race, the NAPA 150. The team currently has three drivers, Ryan Gifford, Mackena Bell, and Daniel Suarez in the top-10 in points, with Gifford in contention for a Championship, and Bell fighting for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. Suarez finished fifth in both of his previous starts at Columbus, his career best results before a second place finish at Langley the last time out. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota Camry) – Gifford heads into Columbus fourth in points, with one win, three top-five, and four top-10 finishes. He finished 14th and 13th in the two previous NKNPS East races at Columbus. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Ortiz has three top-10 finishes this season and is currently 13th in points. He returns to Columbus this weekend, where he had a sixth place qualifying effort and sixth place finish last season. Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Suarez heads into the weekend following a career best finish of second at Langley. He’s currently tenth in points, with one top-five and three top-10 finishes. He finished fifth in both of his previous starts at Columbus Motor Speedway. Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – Bell currently sits ninth in points, and third in Sunoco Rookie of the Year Standings. She has two top-10 finishes in seven starts, and a career best finish of fifth at Richmond earlier this season. This will be her first time racing in the NKNPS East at Columbus. Qualifying for The NAPA 150 from Columbus Motor Speedway will begin at 6 p.m. and the green flag will drop at 8:45 p.m. ET. The race will air on SPEED on Thursday, July 25, at 3 p.m. ET. Follow @RevRacin on twitter for updates throughout the race.

SUAREZ EARNS CAREER BEST FINISH AT LANGLEY

Posted on June 25, 2013 by matchbook

CONCORD, N.C. (June 24, 2013) – After a long day of waiting for the storms to pass, the sky cleared and 23 drivers hit the track for the Visit Hampton 175 at Langley Speedway. Qualifying was rained out, so drivers started based on their standing in the series points. Ryan Gifford started fifth, Bryan Ortiz 10th, Mackena Bell 11th, and Daniel Suarez 12th. Suarez fought hard throughout the race to position himself to battle for the lead. Unfortunately, there weren’t enough green flag runs at the end for him to catch up to the race leader, and he came home with a career best second place finish. Gifford who has had a strong season, drove hard all night to come home with a fifth place finish. It was a strong points night for the driver who moved up to fifth in points. Rev Racing finished the night with three top-15 finishes, and three drivers in the top-10 in points. Ryan Gifford (@RyanGifford2) (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota Camry) – Gifford, who earned his first career win earlier this season had a strong night at Langley. He ran in the top-10 throughout the night, and managed to position himself well in the last re-start of the race, earning a fifth place finish. Gifford moved up in points and is currently fourth. Bryan Ortiz (@BryanORacing) (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Ortiz suffered from the start of the race with a series of misfortunate events that left him with a 22nd place finish. His car was quick at practice, finishing fifth and seventh, and he started 10th based on points. Unfortunately, a flat tire early in the race caused him to loose laps, and a mechanical failure later in the night ended his race early.

Daniel Suarez fought hard all night to come home with a career best second place finish. Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR — Daniel Suarez fought hard all night to come home with a career best second place finish.
Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

Daniel Suarez (@DnlSuarez) (No. 6 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Suarez was the frontrunner for Rev Racing throughout the race. He started 12th but quickly moved his Toyota Camry through the field, and put himself in a position to battle for the lead. He fought hard to keep the third place driver off, but didn’t get enough green-flag runs at the end to catch-up to the leader. He moved up to ninth in points. Mackena Bell (@MackenaBell) (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – Bell, who came home 11th, was the highest finishing female of the night. Her car was fast and she ran in the top-10 for most of the night, proving her determination to win. She’s currently 10th in points. The Visit Hampton VA 175 will air on Thursday, June 27 at 3 p.m. ET on SPEED. Rev Racing will head to Columbus Motor Speedway on July 13 for the NAPA Auto Parts 150, the eighth NKNPS East race on the 2013 schedule.

REV RACING READY FOR ACTION AT LANGLEY SPEEDWAY

Posted on June 20, 2013 by matchbook

CONCORD, N.C. (June 20, 2013) – Rev Racing will return to action with the Visit Hampton VA 175 NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East race at Langley Speedway on Saturday, June 22 in Hampton, Va. The last time Bryan Ortiz, Daniel Suarez, Mackena Bell and Ryan Gifford hit the pavement at Langley Speedway was for the 2012 NASCAR Drive for Diversity combine, where their driving careers depended on how well they could find their way around the .396 mile oval. All four were selected for the 2013 Drive for Diversity class, and hope to find success once again at Langley this weekend. The Visit Hampton VA 175 marks the midway point of the 2013 season, one which has been memorable for Rev Racing. Gifford came home with his first series win at Richmond in April, and Bell set the record for highest qualifying by a female in series history at Iowa the last time out. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota Camry) – Gifford, who won his first NKNPS East race at Richmond earlier this year, is having a stellar season. He has three top-five finishes, 2 top-10s, and is currently sixth in points. This will be his third time racing at Langley, where he ran in 2011 and 2012 and qualified eighth and sixth respectively. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 L&M Toyota Camry) – Ortiz has three top-10s this season, with a best finish of sixth at Pensacola, and is currently 10th in points. This will be his second NKNPS East race at Langley, where he qualified 10th in 2012 and finished sixth. Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Suarez, who is racing in both the NKNPS East and NASCAR Toyota Series this season, will be competing at Langley for the first time. He has two top-10 finishes this season, with a best finish of seventh at Greenville, and is currently 12th in points. Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – Bell, who’s competing in her first full NKNPS East season, broke the record she had previously set, by becoming the highest qualifying female in series history with her fourth place qualifying effort at Iowa the last time out. She’s currently 11th in points and in contention to win Rookie of the Year honors. This will be her first NKNPS East race at Langley. There will be a an autograph session at 5:30 p.m. followed by the race at 8:30 p.m. ET. Follow @RevRacin on Twitter and Instagram for race updates. The Visit Hampton VA 175 will air on Thursday, June 27 at 3 p.m. ET on SPEED.

ROUGH NIGHT FOR REV RACING AT IOWA

Posted on June 10, 2013 by matchbook

CONCORD, NC. (June 10, 2013) – It was a disappointing weekend for Rev Racing at Iowa Speedway, where Ryan Gifford had hopes of a top-five finish but came home 33rd due to a flat tire late in the race. Gifford (@RyanGifford2) had the second fastest car in the final practice and qualified well. He was ready to have a strong night after his win at Richmond, a track with similarities to Iowa. Mackena Bell (@MackenaBell) was the highest qualifier for the team this weekend. Breaking a record which she had previously set, she once again became the highest qualifying female in K&N series history, with her fourth place qualifying effort. Bryan Ortiz (@BryanORacing) who qualified 19th and Daniel Suarez (@DnlSuarez) who qualified 33rd, were the highest finishers for the team, coming home 13th and 16th respectively. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota Camry) – Gifford’s Toyota Camry was the second fastest car during the final practice session, and he qualified just outside the top-10, starting 11th. Gifford was competitive all night, running as high as sixth when a flat tire brought him to pit road. Without enough laps left in the race to make up spots, he ended his night with a disappointing 33rd place finish. He’s currently sixth in points. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Ortiz had a frustrating weekend, dealing with a poor-handling car throughout the day, and he struggled to gain positions during the race. Despite his setbacks, he still managed the highest finish of the night for the team, coming home 13th, and is currently 10th in points. Mackena Bell (No. 27 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – Bell has continued to show improvement each weekend, and in her rookie season she’s had three top-15 and two top-10 finishes. She led the team this weekend with her fourth place qualifying effort, and ran in the top-15 all night. She finished her night 22nd after hitting the wall and bringing out a caution late in the race. She’s currently 11th in points. Daniel Suarez (No. 69 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Suarez battled a loose car throughout much of the day, qualifying 33rd. The team attempted to make adjustments during the midway point of the race which helped Suarez maneuver his way to a 16th place finish. He’s currently 12th in points. Mackena Bell and Daniel Suarez ran different numbers in Iowa due to point standings in the NKNPS East-West combination race. Bell was in the No. 27 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry and Suarez was in the No. 69 Rev Racing Toyota Camry. The Casey’s General Store 150 is scheduled to air on SPEED on Thursday, June 13, at 3 p.m. ET. The next NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race for Rev Racing will be on Saturday, June 22, at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va. Follow @RevRacin on twitter for updates.

REV RACING TO COMPETE IN EAST-WEST COMBINATION RACE AT IOWA

Posted on June 5, 2013 by matchbook

CONCORD, N.C.(June 5, 2013) – Rev Racing has had a strong start to the season, and is looking to continue that trend at Iowa Speedway this Friday, June 7, for the first of two NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East-West combination races on the Newton, Iowa track this year. Three of the four Rev Racing drivers had top-10 finishes at Bowman Gray Stadium the last time out, and all four currently sit within the top-15 in the series points standings. This season Rev Racing has continued its tradition of developing stars, as Ryan Gifford earned his first series career win at Richmond, and Mackena Bell became the highest female qualifier in series history with her seventh place qualifying effort at Greenville. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota Camry) – Gifford, who scored his first series win at Richmond earlier this season, is currently leading the Rev Racing stable, sitting fifth in points. His best finish in the NKNPS East-West combination race was at Iowa in 2011 where he came home sixth. Gifford has an average finish of 9.0 this season. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Ortiz, who’s racing in his second season in the NKNPS east, had an impressive race the last time out at Bowman Gray Stadium. The Bayamon, Puerto Rico native earned a second place qualifying effort and held his position for much of the race, finishing seventh. He’s currently 11th in points. Mackena Bell (No. 27 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – Bell heads to Iowa with two back to back top-10 finishes, coming home fifth at Richmond and sixth at Bowman Gray Stadium. The NKNPS East rookie of the year contender currently sits 10th in points. Earlier this season she became the highest qualifying female in series history with her seventh place qualifying effort at Greenville. Daniel Suarez (No. 69 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Suarez heads to Iowa with two top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 21 career series starts. The Monterrey, Mexico native is racing in both the NKNPS East and NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series this season. His best finish this season was at Greenville where he came home seventh. This weekend Mackena Bell and Daniel Suarez will be running with different numbers due to point standings in the NKNPS East-West combination race. Bell will be in the No. 27 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry and Suarez will be in the No. 69 Rev Racing Toyota Camry. Qualifying for The Casey’s General Stores 150 from Iowa speedway will begin at 5 p.m. CT and the green flag will drop at 8 p.m. CT. The race will air on SPEED on Thursday, June 13, at 3 p.m. ET. Follow @RevRacin on twitter for updates throughout the race.

THREE TOP-10 FINISHES FOR REV RACING AT BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM

Posted on June 3, 2013 by matchbook

CONCORD, N.C. (June 3, 2013) – Rev Racing had a successful night at historic Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday, for the NASCAR Hall of Fame 150. The team managed to bring home three top-10 finishes with Mackena Bell leading the group with her sixth place effort. Bryan Ortiz finished seventh, Daniel Suarez finished ninth, and Ryan Gifford came home 19th. The cars were fast throughout both practice sessions, and Ortiz barely missed the pole in qualifying, earning a second place start. He felt confident with his starting position, and was able to maintain his second place run for most of the night. Bell qualified eighth, making it her third top-10 qualifying effort in her rookie season. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota Camry) – Gifford started 12^th and ran a clean race throughout the night, managing to pass cars and run as high as seventh. Unfortunately, he was black flagged due to a tire rub and was forced to pit. This caused Gifford to lose his position and he finished 19th. He’s currently fifth in points. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Ortiz arrived at Bowman Gray Stadium this weekend ready to win. He qualified second and maintained his position until he was spun out on lap 117. He managed to maneuver his was back through the pack and bring home a seventh place finish. Ortiz is currently 11th in points. Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Suarez rolled off the grid 13th and scored his season-best finish of ninth. He now has eight top-10 finishes in 21 career NKNPS east starts, and is currently 12th in points.

Mackena Bell interviews with Fox Sports, prior to the NASCAR Hall of Fame 150 at Bowman Gray Stadium

Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – Bell followed up her career best finish of fifth at Richmond with an impressive sixth place result at Bowman Gray Stadium, her first time racing there. She currently sits 10th in the series points standings. The NASCAR Hall of Fame 150 will air on SPEED on June 6 at 3 p.m. ET. Rev Racing will return to action on Friday, June 7 for the Casey’s General Store 150 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, for a combination race where the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West will come together.

REV RACING HEADS TO BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM

Posted on May 31, 2013 by matchbook

CONCORD, N.C. (MAY 30, 2013) – Rev Racing is headed to Bowman Gray Stadium this Saturday to race in The NASCAR Hall of Fame 150 at the track more commonly referred to as “The Madhouse”. The team found success at Bowman Gray last season, where Kyle Larson captured the pole and Bryan Ortiz had a career best finish of third, and is anxious to follow up on those results once again. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota Camry) – Gifford earned his first career win in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East at Richmond the last time out, and is feeling confident going into Bowman Gray. He’s currently second in points, and has three top-10s in four races this season. Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Ortiz had a career best finish of third at Bowman Gray Stadium last season, his first time racing there, and also finished third at the Daytona International Speedway short track earlier this year. He’s currently 12th in points, with a season best result of sixth at Five Flags Speedway. Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Rev Racing Toyota Camry) – Suarez is running in both the NKNPS East and the NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series (NTMS) this season. He has seven top-10s in 20 career NKNPS East starts, and three wins, eight poles, and 26 top-10s in the NTMS. Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – Bell is having a spectacular rookie season, and is currently sitting 10th in points. She became she highest female qualifier in series history earlier this season with a seventh place qualifying effort at Greenville, and scored a career best fifth place finish at Richmond the last time out.

Mackena Bell No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota

Qualifying is at 6:15 p.m. and the race will begin at 8 p.m. Follow @RevRacin on twitter for updates throughout the day.

Darrell Wallace Jr Aims to Add to Historic Season

Posted on August 24, 2010 by matchbook

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 24, 2010) – While most drivers competing in Saturday’s American Fence Association 150 NASCAR K&N Series East race will be focused only on the fast half-mile Gresham Motorsports Park, championship-contender Darrell Wallace Jr. will be sitting in a classroom at Northwest Cabarrus High School in Concord, N.C. starting his senior year. The 16-year-old Revolution Racing driver is only 33 points behind defending NASCAR K&N Series East champion Ryan Truex, but he won’t be able to fully focus on the task until Friday afternoon when school lets out. “We start school Wednesday and maybe it will keep my mind off of the pressure of trying to run down Truex for the points lead,” Wallace said. “This has been a great season so far but to be honest it hasn’t been easy. We have had a few minor things go wrong that have caused us to start at the rear of the field three different times, but we’ve managed to get through traffic and end up with good results. I hope we can have a clean race at Gresham and then in the last two races at New Hampshire and Dover so that we can give Truex a good challenge. Even if he has trouble there are two Joe Gibbs Racing cars and the Red Bull car right behind us. Whoever wins the championship will be the team that makes the fewest mistakes.” Wallace made history in the first race of the season when he became the NASCAR K&N Series youngest and first African American to win a race. That win at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in March has propelled him to two wins, five top-fives and six top-10s in only seven starts. He leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year competition over Cole Whitt, Kevin Swindell and teammate Ryan Gifford. Wallace will be joined at the Jefferson, Ga. speedway by teammates and fellow Drive for Diversity program members Gifford, Sergio Pena and Michael Cherry, who will be making his series debut. Gifford, who has fallen to eighth in series standings, 221 points behind Truex, is looking at wins as the salvation of his season. “We have been beaten around quite a bit in the last two races and have lost a lot of points,” Gifford said. “We’re all going to Gresham for the first time and I’ve had success at both New Hampshire and Dover, so we’ll be looking to score wins rather than race for points. We’ve been fast enough to win every week and haven’t been able to make it work yet. We’ll get one before the season is over.” Gifford, 21, from Winchester, Tenn. became the first African American to win a pole in series history Martinsville Speedway June 6. Sergio Pena, who like Wallace is also splitting time between his senior year in high school and the race track, will look to turn his season around and improve upon his 12^th-place point’s position. Pena’s best finish of the season is 10^th at Lime Rock Park, but his consistency has allowed him to maintain a shot at the top 10 in season-ending points. He is currently 86 points out of the top 10. “We have to run better in our last three races and I’m confident we can get to the top 10,” said the 17-year-old Pena. “I have learned a lot this season and know that we’ll use that experience in the final three races. Our goal has gone from a championship to finishing the season strong and earning a spot on stage at the banquet.” Michael Cherry, from Valrico, Fla. and a season-long member of Revolution Racing’s Whelen All-American Series program, has earned an opportunity in one of the team’s NASCAR K&N Series cars. He will be making his series debut many strong runs in the Whelen All-American Series, including becoming the first African American driver to win a race at Tri-County Motor Speedway in Hudson, N.C. The American Fence Association 150 NASCAR K&N Series East race at Gresham Motorsports Park starts at 8:30 p.m. Practice starts Saturday morning at 11 a.m. and qualifying is scheduled for 4 p.m. The race will be broadcast on Speed Channel September 2 at 6 p.m. EDT.