Concord, NC (March 25, 2014) – Speed isn’t everything when it comes to racing. Strategy is equally as important, and the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 at Greenville Motor Speedway proved to be more of a chess match than checkers. After trailing for most of the race, Rev Racing finished with one driver in the top-5 and 3 in the top-10.
With Ryan Gifford as the only Rev Racing driver to qualify in the top-10, the rest of the group had their work cut out for them over the course of the 150-lap race. Once the green flag was issued, Gifford wasted little time improving his position to 8th. While this was occurring, Suarez, who had started 17th, was mercilessly passing competitor after competitor. By lap 50, Suarez had cracked the top-10 to join teammate Gifford. By the halfway mark Suarez, Gifford, and Peña were all in the top-15.
The next 75 laps were defined by strategy; one that ultimately paid dividends. Over the course of the next 25 laps, both Gifford and Peña dropped out of the top 15 in order to preserve their tires and prepare for one final push. Things started to look bleak as they fell all the way to 16th and 18th place. However with 40 laps to go, Peña and Gifford made their moves, ascending through the standings, passing one car after another. With 25 laps to go they were both challenging for a spot in the top-10, and after a restart with 13 laps to go, both were able to break through. Meanwhile, Suarez was neck and neck with P4 and P6, fighting to hold on to his 5th place standing. Another caution with 10 laps to go brought the action to a halt. The restart came with 6 laps to go and proved to be advantageous for Suarez, Gifford, and Peña as they solidified their 5th, 6th, and 9th place positions and held on until the checkered flag. Beasley and Bell finished the race 19th and 20th, respectively.
While Peña is please with his first top-10 of the season, he is far from content. In reference to his performance, Peña stated, “The start of the season has been pretty rough, so this was a nice relief. I want to thank my crew chief Wolfy and car chief Tanner for all of the hard work they’ve been putting in. We still have some work to do though. We need a 9th place finish to be a bad day, not a good day.”
The rest of the Rev Racing team shares this same mindset. After taking Sunday to rest and celebrate the impressive performances, the entire team was back at work early Monday morning to prepare for the next race.
Rev Racing returns to the track on April 25th for the Blue Ox 100 at Richmond International Speedway.
Unsung Hero of the Week
Mark Green (No. 2 Toyota Crew Chief/Shop Foreman) – Green returns to Rev Racing as Crew Chief of the No. 2 Rev Racing Toyota. In 2013, he helped Ryan Gifford earn his first career victory in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. That same year, the No. 2 Camry finished the season with four top-5 and six top-10 finishes. Green brings a wealth of racing knowledge with him to Rev Racing having competed in both the NASCAR Busch (currently Nationwide) and Sprint Cup Series.
In addition to his role as crew chief, Green is also the shop foreman. Under the direction of the Director of Competition, Green is responsible for the day-to-day management of the K&N Shop. Green works tirelessly with upper management to plan and develop company goals. He assists with optimizing department operations to ensure program efficiency and productivity, while implementing new procedures and policies as necessary. Lastly, Mark oversees the production and assembly of all the K&N race cars.
Green and Gifford just recently garnered their first top-10 finish of the 2014 season at Greenville Motor Speedway.
Now that the Rev Racing drivers have been battle tested at Bristol, they are more than prepared to take on Greenville Pickens Speedway. Historically, Greenville Pickens Speedway has been a track where Rev Racing drivers have found success, and they’re heading into Saturday’s race hoping to replicate the past. The half-mile asphalt track at Greenville isn’t built for as much speed as the track at Bristol. Hopefully the slight difference in speed will be enough for Rev Racing to end up in victory lane for the 3rd time this season. Peña and Suarez head into Greenville as the veterans of the Rev Racing team, having collectively garnered a win and 2nd place finish over the course of their careers.
Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Rev Racing Toyota) – After winning the first two races of the season, Suarez was slowed down in Bristol by mechanical issues and, for the first time this season, finished outside of the Top 10. However, Suarez has a history of competing well at Greenville, garnering a second place finish last season and three Top 10 finishes overall in his career. Suarez is currently 2nd in the point standings.
Sergio Peña (No. 4 Toyota) – Like Suarez, Peña is heading into Greenville with the confidence and stature of a champion. Having already garnered a win and three Top 10s in his career at Greenville, Peña and the No. 4 Toyota are looking to repeat history. Peña is currently 21st in the point standings.
Ryan Gifford (No. 2 UTI/NTI Toyota) – Gifford was another driver sidelined by mechanical issues at Bristol. However, after collaborating with his crew members and making the necessary modifications to his vehicle, Gifford heads into Greenville with renewed spirits. In his last two appearances at Bristol, Gifford finished 13th and 19th, respectively. Gifford is currently 25th in the point standings.
Jay Beasley (No. 42 Rev Racing Toyota) – Beasley will be making his first appearance at Greenville Pickens Speedway. Coming off of a hard-fought 15th place finish at Bristol, Beasley is looking to improve upon his last race and add a Top 10 to his K&N Series East resume. Beasley is currently 19th in the point standings.
Mackena Bell (No. 21 Special Smiles Toyota) – Bell was another Rev driver sidelined by mechanical issues at Bristol. However, her last appearances at Greenville resulted in a Top 5 finish and she heads in to Saturday’s race looking to garner another. Bell is currently 16th in the point standings.
Two-lap Qualifying for the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 will be Saturday, March 22 at 6:00pm followed by an autograph session at 7:00pm. The race begins at 8:00pm. Follow @RevRacin on twitter for live race updates.
The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 will air on Friday, March 28 at 11 a.m.
About Rev Racing: Headquartered in Concord, N.C., Rev Racing, owned by Max Siegel, operates the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, which is the industry’s leading developmental program for ethnic minorities and women drivers and drivers and pit crew members. For more information about Rev Racing visit https://revracing.net or follow us on Twitter @RevRacin.
Concord, NC (March 18, 2014) –Bristol Motor Speedway is the fastest and most difficult track that the K&N Series East drivers will compete on this season, and the track lived up to every facet of its reputation. Each of the Rev Racing drivers were pushed to their limit, and while none were able to place in the Top-10, they showed resilience in a race marred by so many accidents that only 22 of the original 35 cars were able to cross the finish line.
At the beginning of the race there was little action from Rev Racing drivers as they spent time jockeying back and forth for position. Unluckily, Gifford blew a tire on lap 19 and tagged the outside wall of turn four eliminating him from the race. Thankfully he did not sustain any injuries.
By lap 33, a few other drivers had gone down and both Peña and Bell had endured enough contact from other drivers that they needed to pit under a yellow flag. However, upon the return of the green flag the two Rev Racing drivers were back on the track and marched on.
Throughout all of the chaos, Suarez slowly made his way through the pack, jumping from 17th to 10th by lap 52. He continued to show the same toughness he exhibited in Daytona, and by lap 72 Suarez had increased his position to 8th. Unfortunately, by lap 84 Suarez suffered a flat front-right tire and was forced to give up his top-10 position and pit. Meanwhile, the rest of the Rev Racing drivers were fighting for position in the back, looking to crack the top-20.
By lap 100, Beasley was now the leading Rev Racing drivers having finally cracked the top-20. A wreck by Nick Drake on lap 102 drew a yellow flag from officials. The yellow flag gave Suarez’s crew just enough time to finish the necessary repairs to his vehicle, allowing him to return to the track. Officials reissued the green flag on lap 109, however as drivers fought for position after the restart, Peña became collateral damage of a big pile-up on turn four, sidelining the No. 4 Toyota for the remainder of the race.
As the race neared its end, Beasley, Bell, and Suarez were determined to finish the race, undeterred by the considerable damage to each of their vehicles. And with their heads held high, each of them crossed the finish line despite being out of contention for a top-10 finish. Final results illustrated that Beasley, Bell, Peña, Suarez, and Gifford finished the race 15th, 21st, 24th, 26th, and 34th.
Rev Racing will return to action on Saturday, March 22 for the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway.
ABOUT REV RACING: Headquartered in Concord, N.C., Rev Racing, owned by Max Siegel, operates the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, which is the industry’s leading developmental program for ethnic minorities and women drivers and drivers and pit crew members. For more information about Rev Racing visit https://revracing.net or follow us on Twitter @RevRacin.
Concord, NC (March 12, 2014) – Rev Racing returns to action on Saturday, March 15, for the PittLite 125 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Rev Racing has been in Victory Lane for the first two races of the season and our drivers are looking to continue this historic beginning to the 2014 season at the .533-mile concrete oval.
Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Rev Racing Toyota) – After two wins in Daytona to kick off the season, Suarez is the current points leader in the series standings with a discernable lead. He is looking to continue his dominance and bring home his third trophy in 3 races. Last season, Suarez finished 26th at Bristol after starting the race 24th.
Ryan Gifford (No. 2 UTI/NTI Toyota) – Gifford is currently 24th in the series standings. After competing in his back-up car for the first two races of the season, Gifford is eager to make up for lost ground now that he is reunited with his primary vehicle. Last year, Gifford garnered a 3rd place finish at Bristol after starting the race in 8th.
Sergio Peña (No. 4 Toyota) – Peña is currently 18th in the series point standings. Peña competed at Bristol Motor Speedway two years ago, but will be competing in Bristol for the first time as a member of Rev Racing.
Jay Beasley (No. 42 Rev Racing Toyota) – Beasley, who will be making his first appearance at Bristol Motor speedway, is currently 22nd in the series standings.
Mackena Bell (No. 21 Special Smiles Toyota) – Bell is currently 12th in the series point standings. After garnering a top 10 finish in her first outing of the 2014 season, she is eager for another with the hope of moving into the top 10 of the point standings after this weekend. In her last outing at Bristol, Bell started 25th and finished 29th.
Two-lap qualifying for the PittLite 125 will be on Thursday, March 13 at 5:00pm and the race will be on Saturday, March 15 at 4:45pm. Follow @RevRacin on twitter for live race updates.
ABOUT REV RACING: Headquartered in Concord, N.C., Rev Racing, owned by Max Siegel, operates the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, which is the industry’s leading developmental program for ethnic minorities and women drivers and drivers and pit crew members. For more information about Rev Racing visit https://revracing.net or follow us on Twitter @RevRacin.
Concord, NC (March 7, 2014) – The first race of the season cannot come quickly enough for Whelen All-American Series drivers Devon Amos and Paige Decker. After watching Rev Racing teammate Daniel Suarez win the first two races of the 2014 K&N Pro Series East season, Decker and Amos are eager to be the next Rev Racing driver to bring a trophy home to Concord. After months of training and preparation, both drivers are eager to make the necessary adjustments for the forthcoming season. Amos will be moving up to a more competitive series, having raced Legends last season. Decker, on the other hand, has previous experience racing Super Late Models, but will be getting acclimated to a new car and pit crew. Regardless, each driver is more than ready to accept the challenges ahead.
When asked about her thoughts on the upcoming race, Decker exclaimed, “I’m so excited for this opportunity that Rev Racing has given me. I can’t wait to get in the car and adjust from the driving style of my [previous] Super Late Model. I am excited for the new challenge and look forward to this 2014 season.”
Paige Decker (#2 Toyota Camry) – Paige Decker, 20, joins the Rev Racing team after racing Super Late Models last season for her family-owned race team. In 2013 Decker etched her name in the history books by winning the Super Late Tundra Feature Round Four at Golden Sands Speedway, making her the first female and first rookie to win a Tundra. Additionally, her historic season garnered her “Rookie Driver of the Year” honors in her division.
Devon Amos (#6 Toyota Camry) – Devon Amos, 22, joined Rev Racing and The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program in 2013. In his first season with the team, Amos accumulated two top 5 and four top 10 finishes in eight starts at the INEX Legends Series. He also made two starts in the NASCAR Whelen All-American series, where he finished 7th his first time out.
On Saturday, March 7, Amos and Decker will be competing in the 100-lap NWAAS Spring Classis Season Opener at Hickory Motor Speedway in Newton, NC. Qualifying begins at 5pm, followed by the race at 7pm.
ABOUT REV RACING: Headquartered in Concord, NC, Rev Racing, owned by Max Siegel, operates the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, which is the industry’s leading developmental program for ethnic minorities and women drivers and pit crew members. For more information about Rev Racing visit http://www.revracing.net or follow us on Twitter @RevRacin.
Concord, NC (March 7, 2014) – The first race of the season cannot come quickly enough for Whelen All-American Series drivers Devon Amos and Paige Decker. After watching Rev Racing teammate Daniel Suarez win the first two races of the 2014 K&N Pro Series East season, Decker and Amos are eager to be the next Rev Racing driver to bring a trophy home to Concord. After months of training and preparation, both drivers are eager to make the necessary adjustments for the forthcoming season. Amos will be moving up to a more competitive series, having raced Legends last season. Decker, on the other hand, has previous experience racing Super Late Models, but will be getting acclimated to a new car and pit crew. Regardless, each driver is more than ready to accept the challenges ahead.
When asked about her thoughts on the upcoming race, Decker exclaimed, “I’m so excited for this opportunity that Rev Racing has given me. I can’t wait to get in the car and adjust from the driving style of my [previous] Super Late Model. I am excited for the new challenge and look forward to this 2014 season.”
Paige Decker (#2 Toyota Camry) – Paige Decker, 20, joins the Rev Racing team after racing Super Late Models last season for her family-owned race team. In 2013 Decker etched her name in the history books by winning the Super Late Tundra Feature Round Four at Golden Sands Speedway, making her the first female and first rookie to win a Tundra. Additionally, her historic season garnered her “Rookie Driver of the Year” honors in her division.
Devon Amos (#6 Toyota Camry) – Devon Amos, 22, joined Rev Racing and The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program in 2013. In his first season with the team, Amos accumulated two top 5 and four top 10 finishes in eight starts in the INEX Legends Series. He also made two starts in the NASCAR Whelen All-American series, where he finished 7th his first time out.
On Saturday, March 7, Amos and Decker will be competing in the 100-lap NWAAS Spring Classic Season Opener at Hickory Motor Speedway in Newton, NC. Qualifying begins at 5pm, followed by the race at 7pm.
ABOUT REV RACING: Headquartered in Concord, NC, Rev Racing, owned by Max Siegel, operates the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, which is the industry’s leading developmental program for ethnic minorities and women drivers and pit crew members. For more information about Rev Racing visit http://www.revracing.net or follow us on Twitter @RevRacin.