Gettin’ Loose, A blog series from Rev Racing Crew Members, Drivers & Leadership

gettin Loose A LITTLE PILLOW TALK – Daytona at a glance
As much time as a crew and race team spends at the track, we equally spend as much time in hotels, local restaurants/bars and tourist attractions as we journey through the season. From the changes in climate to a must-visit Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives location, we enjoy, conquer and leave our mark in almost every race market we visit.  Our trip to Daytona was no different.
Coming to Florida in February is generally a welcomed change from the 30 degree days in NC, but as we head home from the season opener, I 95 north was equally as welcoming. The way our crew driver Morris is driving, this won’t be a long trip. I think he might have got the interstate marker and the speed limit signs mixed up. As I reflect on my time in Daytona, I’m ready to get home, rest up for the week and sleep in my own bed.
Speaking of sleeping on the road, race team budgets have brought some interesting accommodation experiences along the way. Have you ever slept in a hotel on pillows that are not full-grown human size? I arrived to Daytona to a room that had three throw pillows. I thought perhaps, they were in the closet, I was wrong. I stacked them, repositioned them and finally gave up. If you’re in Daytona and staying beachside, be prepared. Do yourself a favor and bring your own pillow or a cinder block – either one is a better alternative.
The bed/pillow combo might not have been the greatest, but Aunt Catfish’s on the River and The Deck Down Under did not disappoint on the food end. Both places have some awesome seafood and extremely cold beverages to wash it down with, so that’s a win-win. If you follow this blog, you’ll soon recognize that we love to race, but we also love to eat. Keep up with us to read our reviews.
Now, on to the races. Our season opener was not exactly what we all wanted, but we all recognized the drivers and crew combinations are an excellent foundation for a successful year to come. It’s always tough leaving the race track and not getting the finishes that you want or the finishes you believe you deserve, but ‘That’s Racin’ as they say. The only team that is happy leaving is the one taking the trophy with them. We all are headed in a direction where we will be that team very soon, so I think that’s something all of us can be proud of. We bring four cars to the track with four separate groups of guys to work on them, but when one of us has a problem we all have a problem, and if one of has a good run we all have a good run. Together, as a team, we all ran a solid race.
Next on the schedule is Mobile, Alabama on March 12th. A track test is scheduled on the 5th so we will actually be there to get our drivers some additional seat time prior to race day.
Sponsor Plug: BTW, our new7000 Watt Eu Series Honda Generator ran flawlessly this weekend. And a big shout out to Kelly @ImpactbyMCS, we got a ton of compliments on the driver and crew uniforms. Thanks for helping us look the part, even if sometimes we don’t act like it. Till the next time.

Post by the No. 2 Car Crew Chief, Matt Bucher

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Gettin’ Loose, A blog series from Rev Racing Crew Members, Drivers & Leadership

gettin Loose OFF SEASON AT A GLANCE, From Crossbows to Chassis Do you ever wonder what a race team does between the last race of a season and the first race of the next? The answer is, there is no off season. As soon as the checkered flag flies from the last race, we are already thinking about and working on next season’s strategies. I am sure anyone in a sports-relating industry will claim they work tirelessly to improve performance year-round, but what exactly does that mean? Stick with me, as I walk you through a journey of the off season, race prep and the nitty-gritty of the Rev Racing pit crew team. Each team in the racing business handles their “off season” quite differently. Whether it be building off of momentum from the previous season or starting over with fresh faces, the goal is to continue to find those sparks that ignite. This year, at Rev Racing, we get to do a little bit of both. We have one returning driver, Collin Cabre, that collected a win in his last race and a group of four very talented newcomers. These new drivers are from all over the country and world. Ruben Garcia Jr., the NASCAR Mexico Series Champion, comes from Mexico City, Mexico. Ali Kern comes from Fremont, Ohio. J.A. Junior Avila comes from Alhambra, California and Enrique Baca from Monterrey, Mexico. Accompanying these new drivers, we’ve also added some new crew and car chiefs, all with very versatile skill sets. Our program is unique; we must collaborate and strategize communication and processes with drivers from different driving series and different ethnic backgrounds. If we can’t communicate properly, we can’t put a car on the track. At the end of the day, we all love what we do, and speaking the same language of racing just comes naturally. I can honestly say, all of our drivers will be in very good hands this year. “So, you guys just fix the dents from the last race, clean the cars and sweep the floors and you’re ready for next year, right?” If only that were the case. From the physical side of things, the first order of business this year was to clean up the mess in our shop that 17 grown men can create over the course of a season. Scary thought, I know. There also may or may not have been a few fireworks shot off, a 1990 big screen TV destroyed by the fork lift and a crossbow sighted in the process. We worked day-after-day to get tools and equipment organized and cleaned. The floors were polished, lists were made and walls were painted. All in an effort to make our race team not only function, but look better. Finally, our shop was ready for the the white glove evaluation. Next, we do a little grocery shopping. I don’t mean food, even though I am pretty hungry. This process involves our inventory. We check to see what we need, and place orders for the season to come. We stock the shelves and talk with partners about new product launches and promotions. Now, on to the most important thing, the cars. A makeover and a diet were in order for every car. Bodies were mounted, chassis were fixed, and new parts were installed (the guys at the shop however skipped out on the makeover and diet thing). As we loaded up to head to New Smyrna I can honestly say this is the most prepared we had ever been. All of the efforts made during this off season were directed toward making sure we represent our sponsors, our fans, our owner and ourselves in the best and most competitive way possible. All that’s left is to go racing. Post by the No. 2 Car Crew Chief, Matt Bucher matt

Rev Racing Announces 2016 Youth Legend Drivers

legend             Concord, NC (Feb. 16, 2016) Each year Rev Racing seeks to obtain the highest quality applicants representing diverse backgrounds and develop them into successful NASCAR drivers. Started by Max Siegel in 2009, Rev Racing also manages a youth racing initiative for kids 8-14 who want to compete in the INEX Bandolero and INEX Legend cars. Youth applicants are evaluated by submission and invited to participate in a driver combine. Due to inclement weather, the 2016 drivers were unable to be assessed using the traditional method. Through a several week evaluation process, youth drivers were chosen by recommendation, historical success, and overall driving performance.  “As it remains a goal of ours to focus on the growth and development of both our academy-style program and youth participants, we want to connect with these drivers as early as possible,” said Max Siegel, owner of Rev Racing. “The sooner we can start providing the proper guidance to these individuals, the more prepared they are to grow into different series.” This year, Rev Racing will offer a Legend Car ride to returning youth driver Austin Geer and new-comer Hailie Deegan. Geer returns for his third season as the youngest member of the Rev Racing team. Geer was the recipient of the NASCAR Young Racer Award in 2014. During the 2015 season he scored two Top 3s and five Top 5s for the Rev Racing team. Austin spent his 13th birthday testing a Legend Car preparing for his move up to the bigger, faster cars. In his first Legends race in December at the Charlotte 5th mile, Austin scored a Top-10 finish. During the Winter break Austin has been training on racing simulators to help prepare him as he has his eyes set on Rookie of the Year honors in the Legends series. Geer one day wants to see his name among notable alumni Kyle Larson, Daniel Suarez, and Darrell Wallace Jr. Hailie Deegan, daughter of famed X Games and off road phenomenon racer Brian Deegan, has been racing since she was eight years old – and has found success from the start. At just 13 years old, Deegan competed on the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series in the Modified Kart class. She was the first female to the podium, taking first place at Glen Helen Raceway. A few short weeks later, Deegan again found her way to the podium, this time scoring a third place finish at Lake Elsinore. In 2015, Deegan collected a series Regional Championship, seven Regional podium finishes and five Mod Class National series podium finishes. Deegan has since found her way to other racing series, committing to each opportunity and aggressively looking for the next chance to take the track. Both drivers will compete in the 2016 Summer Shootout, located in Charlotte NC.        

Season Opener at New Smyrna

16624909935_9972d29cba_k Concord, NC (Feb. 12, 2016) – When K&N drivers take the green flag at New Smyrna for the inaugural race of the 2016 season, it will mark a new era for Rev Racing. With three fresh faces competing in the NKNPSE for Rev Racing in 2016, we welcome new talent to continue the momentum from last season’s finisher victory at Dover International Speedway. Leading the charge for Rev Racing will be Collin Cabre, the sole returnee from last year’s NKNPSE roster. Collin Cabre (No. 2 UTI/NTI Toyota): After an impressive first year with D4D, finishing the season with a win at Dover International Speedway and multiple finishes in the top-10, the 22-year-old from Tampa will again compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Rubén Garcia Jr. (No. 6 NTI/Special Smiles Toyota): At age 20, the Mexico City native won four races in the NASCAR Mexico Series en route to his first NASCAR championship. He brings his talents to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East for his rookie season with Rev Racing. Jairo Avila (No. 42 Brialle Battery Toyota): The 20-year-old Colombian-American from Alhambra, Calif. made his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West debut in 2014 and achieved four top-10 finishes in five starts with his family-run team. He will compete in the K&N Pro Series East.   Ali Kern (No. 4 MSI Toyota): The 22-year-old from Fremont, Ohio had her best NASCAR D4D Combine last year after turning in strong performances in previous combine events. A second-place finisher in the ARCA/CRA Super Series, Kern will compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Under Rev Racing owner and CEO Max Siegel’s leadership, NASCAR D4D aligns drivers with a team of executives, athletic directors, crew chiefs and mentors tasked with helping drivers achieve career successes. “This year’s NASCAR Drive for Diversity class is extremely talented. We are excited to get the season started at New Smyrna,” said Siegel. “Our ultimate goal is to prepare these minority and female drivers for success at the K&N level and eventually the national series. Every year presents new opportunities for growth and we look forward to carrying over last season’s momentum into 2016.” From the Drive for Diversity Program’s start, Rev Racing has had 17 wins, 63 top-5, and 120 top-10 finishes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, with drivers finishing in the top-10 in points in every season. Rev Racing will get back to the track on Sunday, February 14th, 2016 at New Smyrna Speedway. Qualifying will begin at 6:00pm, followed by the autograph session at 7:00 pm and the Jet Tools 150 at 8:00 pm EST.