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Statistical Advance: Analyzing The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 At Greenville Pickens

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By Jason Cunningham, NASCAR DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The second event of the 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season is set for this Saturday, March 31, at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway with the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150. Below is a statistical look at the performance of selected drivers in the series: Select Driver Highlights: Jorge Arteaga (No. 8 Rev Racing Toyota) • Has four career NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts with a best finish of 10th at Lee USA Speedway in 2010. • This will be his first career NKNPS East appearance at Greenville Pickens Speedway. • Has 12 top 10s in 49 career NASCAR Toyota Series starts in his native Mexico. Chase Elliott (No. 9 Aaron’s/HendrickCars.com Chevrolet) • Has seven top 10s in 13 career NKNPS East starts. • Recorded finishes of fourth and third in his two previous starts at Greenville – the two best results of his career. • Led 40 laps and finished 10th in the 2012 season opener at Bristol Motor Speedway. • Has three Late Model wins so far in 2012. Duarte Ferreira (No. 16 LS Sports/Sonagol Toyota) • Will attempt to make his NKNPS East debut at Greenville. It would also be his first career stock car race. • Would become the first driver from Angola to compete in a NKNPS East race. • Finished eighth in the 2011 Indy Lights season standings with 10 top 10s in 14 races and a best finish of third at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 UTI/NTI Toyota) • Has a pole and 12 top 10s in 27 career NKNPS East starts. • Will be the highest-raking championship contender heading to Greenville with the two drivers ahead of him in the standings not entered. • Has an average finish of ninth and a best finish of fourth in three previous starts at Greenville. Carlos Iaconelli (No. 15 Bienvenidos a NASCAR Toyota) • Finished 25th in his NKNPS East debut on March 17 at Bristol. • This will be his first career appearance at Greenville. • Competed in the NKNPS West 2011 finale and 2012 opener at Phoenix International Raceway and registered finishes of 12th and sixth, respectively. Ben Kennedy (No. 96 Ben Kennedy Racing Chevrolet) • Has a pair of top 10s in 14 career NKNPS East starts, including a best finish of third at Bowman Gray Stadium in 2011. • Has finishes of 11th and 22nd in two Greenville appearances. • Finished sixth in the 2012 opener at Bristol. Dylan Kwasniewski (No. 20 Toyota) • The 2011 NKNPS West Sunoco Rookie of the Year has two wins, two poles and nine top-five finishes in 14 starts in that series. • Will attempt to make his NKNPS East debut at Greenville in the first of a planned limited schedule in the series this year. Corey LaJoie (No. 07 Sims Metal Management Ford) • Has a pole and 10 top 10s in 20 career NKNPS East starts. The pole came at Greenville in September 2011. • Has finishes of 20th and 13th in his first two Greenville races. Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 Grimm Construction Chevrolet) • Has six wins, two poles and 63 top 10s in 145 career starts. • Has an average finish of 11th and a best finish of third – in 2009 – in six career starts at Greenville. • His six starts at Greenville are the most among active drivers. Brett Moffitt (No. 11 Kobe Toyopet Toyota) • Has seven wins, four poles and 24 top 10s in 34 career starts. • Is the defending winner of the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150, which he captured from the pole. • Has an average finish of eighth in four previous appearances at Greenville and is the only driver in NKNPS East history to earn two poles at the track. Travis Pastrana (No. 99 Boost Mobile Toyota) • Has an average finish of 22nd in four career NKNPS East appearances. • His best finish in those four starts was 12th, recorded in the 2012 opener at Bristol. • This will be his first career appearance at Greenville. • NASCAR schedule for 2012 includes 11 of 14 NKNPS East events and seven NASCAR Nationwide Series races. Sergio Peña (No. 1 JMS Toyota) • Has three wins and 10 top 10s in 23 career NKNPS East starts. • Won the last NKNPS East race in Greenville in September 2011, and has an average finish of 12th in three previous appearances at the track. Dylan Presnell (No. 26 American Mountain Rentals Toyota) • Has four top 10s in seven career starts. • Best career finish of seventh came in the September 2011 Greenville race. Dale Quarterley (No. 32 Van Dyk Baler Chevrolet) • Is the active career leader in starts (150), top fives (31) and top 10s (66). • Despite having more starts than any other active driver, this will be his first appearance at Greenville. Daniel Suárez (No. 14 Telcel/Finsa/Roca Acero Toyota) • Has three top 10s in eight career starts with a best finish of fifth at Columbus Motor Speedway in 2011. • This will be his first career appearance at Greenville. • Also competes in the NASCAR Toyota Series in his native Mexico. Darrell Wallace Jr. (No. 18 Coca-Cola Toyota) • Has five wins, three poles and 18 top 10s in 23 career starts. • Recorded a win and top 10s in all three of his previous appearances at Greenville and has the best average race finish – fourth – among active drivers with three or more starts at the track. • His win in the 2010 opener at Greenville marked the first series win by an African-American and also made him the youngest race winner in NKNPS East history. Up to Speed: • The 2012 season is the 26th for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. • The 2012 schedule features 14 races at 12 different tracks across 10 states. • The NKNPS East season opened with the inaugural series event Bristol Motor Speedway on March 17. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Nelson Piquet Jr. made a spot-start in the event and won from the pole. • Following the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 at Greenville Pickens Speedway, the NKNPS East will be idle until the Blue Ox 100 on April 26 at Richmond International Raceway. At Greenville Pickens Speedway: History • Opened on July 4, 1946 as a dirt track. The race surface was converted to asphalt in April, 1970. • Held 29 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races from 1951-71, including the first flag-to-flag televised event. • David Pearson (1959) and Ralph Earnhardt (1965, 66) are among the famed drivers that have won championships at the track. Notebook • The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East held its inaugural Greenville Pickens Speedway race on June 6, 2006 and has returned every year since. • There has yet to be a multi-time winner in the first seven NKNPS East events at Greenville, and Brett Moffitt is the only driver to capture two poles. • In the first seven events there have been two drivers that have won from the pole: Joey Logano (2007) and Moffitt (2011). Moffitt also set the track qualifying record in the first 2011 event. • Logano, Austin Dillon (2008) and Darrell Wallace Jr. (2010) earned their first career NKNPS East wins in events at Greenville. Greenville Pickens Speedway Data Race: #2 of 14 overall, #1 of 2 at GPS Track Layout: .5-mile asphalt oval • Race Length: 150 laps (75 miles) • Banking/Corners: 5 degrees EVENT SCHEDULE  |  ENTRY LIST Qualifying/Race Data 2011 pole winner: Brett Moffitt 2011 race winner: Brett Moffitt Track qualifying record: Brett Moffitt (87.659 mph, 20.534 seconds, 4/2/11) NKNPS East Race Winners at GPS June 6, 2006 … Sean Caisse April 28, 2007 … Joey Logano April 19, 2008 … Austin Dillon April 11, 2009 … Brian Ickler March 27, 2010 … Darrell Wallace Jr. April 2, 2011 … Brett Moffitt Sept. 10, 2011 … Sergio Peña NKNPS East Pole Winners at GPS June 6, 2006 … Mike Olsen April 28, 2007 … Joey Logano April 19, 2008 … Peyton Sellers April 11, 2009 … Brett Moffitt March 27, 2010 … Cole Whitt April 2, 2011 … Brett Moffitt Sept. 10, 2011 … Corey LaJoie Laps Led at GPS – Active Drivers Brett Moffitt … 150 Sergio Peña … 83 Corey LaJoie … 57 Darrell Wallace Jr. … 22 Eddie MacDonald … 4

Greenville Up Next For NASCAR K&N Pro Series East

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By Jason Cunningham, NASCAR DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The second event on the 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule will be at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway on Saturday, March 31 with the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150. After opening the current campaign with the inaugural visit to the high concrete banks of Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, the K&N Pro Series East will return to familiar territory at the historic half mile in Pickens County. The series has raced at GPS each year since 2006, which marks the third-longest association among the tracks on the 2012 slate and NASCAR’s top developmental series. While the veterans of the K&N Pro Series East have plenty of familiarity with the half mile at GPS, which is nearly flat, it will still be quite a change in driving style from the first race of the season on the 33-degree banks at Bristol. One of those veterans, Ryan Gifford, sees a definite challenge in transition from Race 1 to Race 2. “A place like Bristol you get in the corner with quite a bit of speed then you have to slow yourself down, where at Greenville you really have to back the corner way up and roll for a long ways,” Gifford said. “It’s going to be a challenge mentally to say ‘you’ve got to slow down to go faster’.” For all intents and purposes, Gifford is the season points leader heading to Greenville. Gifford finished third at Bristol behind Nelson Piquet Jr. and Ryan Blaney. Bristol was a one-off deal for Piquet while Blaney is running just five races this season and will not be in attendance at GPS. Now in his fourth season of competition in the series, Gifford has a pair of runner-up efforts in his career and carries an average finish of ninth in three previous starts at GPS, with a best finish of fourth in the 2010 opener. After a few near misses in his K&N Pro Series East career, Gifford hopes to break through for his first win in the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150. “After talking with my crew chief, Dennis [Connor], I think we’ve got a really good shot at it,” Gifford said. “They spent a couple days at TRD at the pulldown getting everything right – and [me] knowing how to save tires there plays into it a lot. “I want to go get my first win there, and if not, hopefully we can keep the car clean and come out of there with a top five,” Gifford said. Race Notes No multiple winners:  In seven previous K&N Pro Series East races at Greenville Pickens, there has yet to be a driver reach Victory Lane twice. This year three drivers will have a shot: Brett Moffitt and teammate Sergio Peña along with Darrell Wallace Jr. Two drivers have come as close as you can to a second win at GPS without ending up in the Winner’s Circle – Sean Caisse was the runner up in 2007 following his win the previous year while Moffitt finished second to Peña last September after his win in the 2011 opener. First-time winners: Greenville Pickens has a habit of producing first-time winners in its brief association with the K&N Pro Series East. Previous Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 race winners Joey Logano, Austin Dillon and Wallace all nabbed their first series win at the track. Kwasniewski to make East debut: NASCAR K&N Pro Series West sophomore Dylan Kwasniewski will attempt to make the first of a handful of K&N Pro Series East starts this weekend at GPS. Kwasniewski registered two wins, two poles and nine top 10s in 13 West races last year to capture Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. He will pilot the No. 20 Toyota for owner Steve deSouza, a vice president at Joe Gibbs Racing. The first of two:  Greenville Pickens is one of two tracks that will entertain the K&N Pro Series East for a pair of races in 2012 along with Iowa Speedway, which has added a second combination race with the K&N Pro Series West. GPS added a second date – which is on the Monday of Labor Day weekend – for the first time in 2011.

Bell and Gibson Continue To Improve At Hickory Motor Speedway

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HICKORY, NC. (MARCH 25, 2012) – In only their second race of the 2012 season, Rev Racing drivers Mackena Bell and Trey Gibson made another impressive showing at the famed .363 mile oval here last night.   After running strong during practice, both Bell and Gibson had difficulties finding their line during qualification and would start the night in 16th and 13th position, respectfully.   “I didn’t quite qualify where I would have liked,” said Bell, who started the night 5th in points.  “I couldn’t hit my line on the fresh tires but I knew I had a car to get me to the front during the race.”   With thunderstorms all around the track, the seventeen Late Model drivers and NASCAR officials were all concerned about even getting the race in.  Officials adjusted the race schedule and moved up the Bojangle’s Late Model race in an effort to avoid the approaching weather.   The first caution of the night occurred on lap 10 of the scheduled 50-lap event.  Bell had already moved up two spots to 14th.  After the restart, only two laps were completed before the night’s second caution flew.  With just twelve laps in the books, Bell was in 11th position and Gibson was solidly in 12th. By lap 15, both Gibson and Bell had cracked the top-10 and were holding their own in positions 9th and 10th.   For most of the night the two Rev Racing and NASCAR Drive for Diversity drivers showed they had the cars and ability to be contenders.  When a caution came out on lap 44, Gibson was in 7th and Bell in 8th.  With only six laps remaining, both drivers were poised for a strong finish in their Toyota Camry’s.   “I knew we had a top-5 car,” said Gibson. “I didn’t know if I could catch the leader, but I knew if I could get a few clean runs, I could move up a few positions.”   Those few clean runs would not materialize.  On the restart, Bell’s Toyota Camry lost pick-up in turn two and showed the first signs that the car might have a problem.  A caution on the restart allowed Bell the opportunity to drop into the pits for a quick check under the hood. With no visible issues, Bell was sent back out with hopes of holding on to her eight-place position for the final four laps.  However, as the green flag flew, Bell’s car came to a complete stop in turn four on Lap 47, with an apparent alternator issue.  Bell would end the night in 15th position.   On the final restart Gibson would get around Chandler LeVan and bring his Toyota Camry home for a sixth place finish, as 2011 Track Champion, Jesse LeFevers would win the night’s event. Gibson’s finish gives Rev Racing a top-5 and a top-10 finish in the first two NASCAR Whelen All-American Series races at Hickory Motor Speedway.   “Trey and Mackena have both started the year off strong,” said Jefferson Hodges, Rev Racing’s Director of Competition. “We’re going to work on improving their qualifying runs.  When we get them in a position to start the races at or near the front, look out!”   The next Rev Racing NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race at Hickory Motor Speedway is scheduled for April 14, 2012.

Bryan Ortiz Survives Wild NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Opener at Bristol

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“Puerto Rican rookie overcomes challenges to finish 14th”  
Bryan Ortiz
Bryan Ortiz
Bristol, TN. (March 17, 2012) … Bryan Ortiz made his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in the Widow Wax 125. The event marked the first race of the 2012 season for the NASCAR K&M Pro Series East.   The Bayamon, Puerto Rico native begins his second season in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program and Rev Racing. Last year, Ortiz competed in NASCAR Whelan All American Series Late Model Stocks before moving to the K&N Pro Series East for 2012. The 23-year old was making his first career start at the .533-mile high banked concrete oval and learned quickly just how fast this track can be. After two very good practice sessions on Friday, March 16, Ortiz and his Rev Racing Toyota team were set to qualify Saturday afternoon. However, Ortiz broke a sway bar mount exiting turn four as he came to take the green flag on his qualifying run. Fortunately, Ortiz did not make contact with the retaining wall and drove his Toyota to the pits. The Rev Racing crew quickly diagnosed the problem and began the repairing process. With very little time between qualifying and the 125-lap race, the crew had to race against the clock in order for Ortiz to race. Repairs were made and Ortiz would start 33rd. It didn’t take long for Ortiz to show that he had a very fast car as he raced his way to 26th in only ten laps. When caution waved on lap 14 for a spin on the front stretch, Ortiz commented that his car “was a little loose, but pretty good”. Restarting in 23rd on lap 19, Ortiz would work race traffic and move into 19th position at the halfway point of the race. During the 10-minute break, Ortiz told his crew that his Toyota was “still loose coming off the turns”. With fresh tires, Ortiz restarted 19th on lap 70 and began his march toward the top 15. With a very competitive field of cars in front of him, Ortiz moved to 18th by lap 100. “My car is starting to run hot,” Ortiz radioed to his crew on lap 107. Trying to “nurse” his car through the final 18 laps, Ortiz got a break on lap 119 when a multi-car crash in turn three brought a seven minute red flag. The accident happened between several cars racing directly in front of Ortiz, and the rookie displayed the ability of a veteran to avoid the spinning cars. His ability to avoid the collision earned Ortiz the Coca-Cola Move of the Race honors. After the track was cleared, the red flag was replaced by the yellow caution flag and the competitors would have a two lap dash to the finish. Ortiz did an outstanding job of working through traffic in the final laps and finished in 14th position. “My Toyota was pretty drivable considering the problem I had qualifying,” Ortiz said after the race. “The team did a good job making repairs. I had plenty of opportunities today to not finish this race. Several times, another driver would ‘chop me off’ entering the turns. Then, the car started running hot late in the race. The last adjustment the crew made to the car really helped. All-in-all, a pretty good start to our season when you consider everything that happened.” The next race for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will be Saturday, March 31st at Greenville Pickens Speedway in Greenville, South Carolina. The Kevin Whitaker 150 will be the second of fourteen races on the 2012 schedule for the series. – Performance Sports Partners Press Release

Bristol Widow Wax 125 Race Report For Nascar Drive For Diversity and Rev Racing

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BRISTOL, TN. (MARCH 18, 2012) – The 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season started in a familiar fashion for NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program and the Rev Racing team of drivers with two finishing inside the top-ten here, at the world’s fastest half mile, last night. Ryan Gifford piloted his No. 2 Universal Technical Institute/Toyota Camry to a third place finish and his teammate, Kyle Larson, fought a loose condition but managed to secure a ninth place finish for his No. 6 Toyota Camry in his first career K&N start. “We had a really good UTI/Toyota Camry all week,” said Gifford. “It was a great start to the season and I’m excited about what’s in store for the rest of the year. My crew chief (Dennis Conner) did a super job giving me a very fast car. I didn’t get it to the top this time, but we’ve got the team in place to make that happen soon enough” The night started with a few challenges for the Rev Racing program as Gifford’s teammate, Bryan Ortiz, a native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, had a track bar bracket break during the qualifying attempt in his No. 4 Toyota Camry and had to start at the rear of the 35 car field. Larson qualified sixth, Gifford seventh and teammate Jorge Arteaga, a native of Aguascalientes, Mexico, one of three Rookie-of-the-Year contenders from Rev Racing, started the night in the twenty-third starting position. Arteaga brought out the second caution of the night on lap 30 when he made contact with the front stretch retaining wall while trying to avoid a sliding car off of turn four. While the damage was repaired, Arteaga went several laps down and finished the night in thirtieth position. At the caution Larson was in third position, Gifford in fifth and Ortiz had already moved up eleven spots to twenty-fourth. They continued to battle for top positions until the halfway break at lap 69. At the break Gifford was still in fifth, Larson had dropped to ninth and Ortiz had moved up to nineteenth. After the break, Gifford, Larson and Ortiz continued to display their talent and at the night’s last caution on lap 119, all three found themselves inside the top-fifteen. If a rookie debut at Thunder Valley, and the first ever K&N Pro Series East race at the venue, wasn’t enough excitement then a Green, White, Checkered finish no doubt had the hearts pounding for the young NASCAR Drive for Diversity drivers. “After the start we had, I was just happy to be in the race and to be in a good position at the end,” said Ortiz. Ortiz moved up twenty positions to fiftieth before the final restart and ended the night in fourteenth position, earning him the Coca-Cola Move of the Race Award. “All of the drivers did a very good job at one of NASCAR’s most challenging tracks,” said Jefferson Hodges, Rev Racing’s Director of Competition. “A top-three; a top-ten; making up twenty-one positions on this track, as a rookie driver, and in your debut race and for another rookie driver to remain competitive after a wreck on lap 30; what more can I say? I’m extremely proud of this entire team. This is going to be an exciting year for Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program.”

NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program Revved up at Hickory Motor Speedway

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HICKORY, NC. (MARCH 10, 2012) – The NASCAR’s Drive For Diversity Program and Rev Racing saw its first action here on Saturday night.  Drivers Trey Gibson and Mackena Bell saw action at the famed venue. Bell drove her Toyota Camry to a fifth place finish and established herself as a driver to be watched this season. “The car was great tonight,” said Bell. “It felt good to come away with a Top 5 in the season opener” Bell credits her sponsors, team members and Rev Racing Director of Competition, Jefferson Hodges, who also served as her spotter, for the good results.   “The guys had worked hard to get the car right,” added Bell. “With the help of my spotter Jefferson, I was able to run the right line and I tried to save my tires knowing it was a 100 lap race. But, we got spun and went back to last and then fought our way back toward the front for a fifth.” “I want to thank Jefferson Hodges, and all the crew guys on the 4 car as well as my sponsors NASCAR, Toyota, Goodyear, TRD, and JRI,” said Bell. “ I look forward to this season and getting the #4 Toyota Camry in the winners circle at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway.”   While Gibson did not have the same results, his night was just as impressive until a mechanical issue brought it to an end. “We didn’t have a great qualifying effort and I had to start in 18th position,” said Gibson. “But, we moved all the up to thirdand I had car capable of winning and was in a position to win until I had a tie-rod break. Unfortunately, those things happen in racing.” “My crew chief Danny Johnson, and all the guys at the shop, did a great job getting this car ready to race,” added Gibson.  “We’re going to be a force to be reckoned with this year.”   About Rev Racing Headquartered in Concord, N.C., Rev Racing is a division of Max Siegel, Inc (MSI) and brings together championship caliber executives, competition staff and equipment in a unique academy-style environment. Rev Racing competes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All‐American Series. In addition, Rev Racing manages a youth racing initiative that allows kids ages 8-14 to compete in the INEX Bandolero and INEX Legend cars. The team also trains aspiring female and minority pit crew athletes through the Drive for Diversity Crew Member Development program presented by Sprint.

Kicking Off the Fueling Your Dreams Tour, Miami Style! Calle Ocho 201

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Rev Racing and NASCAR Diversity teamed up to bring the NASCAR Experience to the largest street fair in the country, Miami’s Calle Ocho. Calle Ocho is the finale event of Miami’s annual Carnival and takes place along 26 city blocks in the heart of Little Havana. Local food and music are in ready supply and the 400,000+ festival-goers take it all in with fervor. And Rev Racing was right in the middle of it all. Our Show Car was a main attraction and, along with the DJ, became the backdrop for a dance party that kept hundreds of partyers hanging out with us. Bryan Ortiz and Jorge Arteaga, 2 of our K&N Series drivers) provided a relevant connection to the overall atmosphere, as they were able to relate to the mostly Latin American audience through cultural similarities. They were able to present their experience with NASCAR and managed to create a few new fans in the process.

CIAA, NASA and NASCAR teach area students about STEM fields

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CHARLOTTE — Thousands of middle schoolers from Charlotte and the surrounding area packed the Charlotte Convention Center Wednesday for the CIAA’s seventh annual Education Day. This year’s theme was science, technology, engineering and math, better known as STEM. It looked more like a pep rally than a science seminar, but make no mistake, students were learning. “There is a shortage of future STEM professionals,” said Roger Hathaway, the director of education at NASA Langley’s Research Center. “And we want to encourage these students at this age level, make them aware of some of those opportunities.” NASA engineers teamed up with NASCAR officials to show students how science and technology play pivotal roles in their fields–from the food astronauts eat in space to driver’s helmets. “We get a whole lot of our technology from NASA,” said NASCAR driver Ryan Gifford. “When it comes to our fire suits, things to keep us safe whenever there’s a fire or hard impact or anything like that.” That technology went to good use just this past weekend during a big crash at Daytona. As one of the a few black drivers in NASCAR, Gifford hoped to teach the teens another important lesson. “I hope it does encourage more kids, especially more minorities, to join the sport because I think it will be a good thing for the sport and for everybody else,” he said. Dozens of colleges and exhibitors were also on hand. For seventh grader William Greier, Wednesday’s fair was an opportunity to explore the field he plans to go into one day. “My dad, he works for Siemens and it’s an engineering type thing,” he said. Michelle Starlaper, an eighth grader at West Rowan Middle School, also thought the fair was interesting even though she doesn’t want to make science a career. “You use technology in everyday life basically,” she said. “And technology is always improving and stuff like that and discovering new things.” It was a little food for thought as the students contemplate their future. Thursday, the CIAA will host the Food Lion Health and Wellness symposium at the Presbyterian Hospital Training Center from 11 a.m to 9 p.m.  
By: Adrianne Flores Read full article at News 14 Carolina

NASCAR Starts New Program for Minorities

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CONCORD, N.C. — Minorities and NASCAR aren’t two names usually associated with each other, but NASCAR is looking to change that. They’ve started new outreach programs that are getting Latino drivers and companies involved. “For me racing, it was my dream,” said Jorge Arteaga. He gets to drive race cars in NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series East. After driving for four years in NASCAR’s Mexico Series, he earned a spot with NASCAR’s “Drivers for Diversity” program for minorities, including women, looking to make it in racing. “It’s kind of like a school, or scholarship program,” said Arteaga. Rev Racing, located by the speedway, manages the team. It’s like the minor leagues in baseball where drivers start in a lower level and can move up after four years in the program. “It’s awesome, I feel really grateful, really lucky, because it’s probably the one shot I’ll have in my life. It’s the only opportunity I’ll have to make it in this sport,” said Arteaga. The program is just one way NASCAR is reaching out to the Hispanic community. Estefania Acosta-Rubio was hired by NASCAR to market and communicate with the Latino community and says they’re starting to see interest from the Hispanic community like from Raul Alatorre. Alatorre is with Mission Foods, the largest tortilla manufacturer in the country. They aren’t a current sponsor right now, but are looking for opportunities. “We’re very interested in penetrating the general market in the region and I think NASCAR is a great vehicle to do that,” said Alatorre. And for Arteaga, this program is his vehicle to go from the minor leagues to the majors. “My dream is to become one of those drivers, to be in Daytona 500 race or at Charlotte Motor Speedway,” added Arteaga. The Drivers for Diversity program accepts 35 drivers each year from across the world and of every minority. They learn about working with the crew, mechanics of the car, and get to drive in 14 races each season. by AMY COWMAN / NewsChannel 36 Staff Read full article at wcnc

NASCAR, Rev Racing Announce 2012 Team

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NASCAR Drive For Diversity Initiative Building Off Historic Season DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 26, 2012) — NASCAR and Rev Racing announced today the six drivers that will compete for Rev Racing in the 2012 season. The announcement was made during the preseason NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway stop at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, where the drivers were introduced. Rev Racing, formerly known as Revolution Racing, operates under the ownership of Max Siegel and will field four teams in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and two teams in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. “We have a great line-up of drivers,” said Siegel, owner and CEO, Max Siegel, Inc. “They offer an outstanding mixture of skill, experience and talent. Together with our championship winning crew chiefs and leadership, we are extremely excited about what the 2012 season has in store.” The team is coming off the most successful season in the history of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity, which is entering its ninth season as NASCAR’s leading on-track initiative. Rev Racing collected six wins in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and had three drivers finish in the top 10 in series points last year. The drivers (Twitter handle in parentheses) who will compete for Rev Racing in 2012 include: Jorge Arteaga (@JorgeArteaga46) – Arteaga, 25, from Aguascalientes, Mexico, will make his NASCAR K&N Pro Series debut. He competed in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Models for Rev Racing last season, and also drove in the NASCAR Mexico Series, where he was voted Most Popular Driver by the fans. Mackena Bell (@MackenaBell) – Bell, 21, from Carson City, Nev., will be in her third year with Rev Racing having, competed in both the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and NASCAR K&N Pro Series. This will be her second full-time season in Late Models. Trey Gibson (@TGibsonRacing) – The 19-year-old from Easley, S.C., will enter his second season driving a Late Model with the team after finishing seventh in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series South Carolina standings last year. Ryan Gifford (@RyanGifford2) – The 22-year-old driver from Winchester, Tenn., will return to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East for his third full-time season in the series. He became the first African-American in series history to win a pole award in 2010 and has finished in the top 10 in the standings in each of his two seasons with Rev Racing. Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) – The 19-year-old open-wheel standout from Elk Grove, Calif., will move into the NASCAR K&N Pro Series ranks after he became the first driver to win a World of Outlaws race and score victories in all three USAC divisions in the same season last year. Bryan Ortiz (@BryanORacing) – The Bayamon, Puerto Rico native will move up to NASCAR K&N Pro Series from Late Models in his second season with Rev Racing. The 22-year-old has a strong road-racing background and will also compete in select events in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. “The NASCAR Drive for Diversity initiative achieved unprecedented success in 2011 on the race track, and created momentum for driver advancement to opportunities beyond the program,” said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR vice president of public affairs and multicultural development. “In 2012, our partnership with Rev Racing will continue to deliver best in class driver development opportunities to the outstanding group of drivers announced today.” The four NASCAR K&N Pro Series drivers will compete in the East, which opens its season at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 17. Bell and Gibson will compete in the Late Model division at multiple NASCAR Whelen All-American Series tracks in the southeast. The year-long NASCAR Drive for Diversity consists of three training and development components: classroom, physical fitness, and racing. Additionally, an interactive fan engagement asset travels throughout the country to educational institutions and racing venues as part of the Fueling Your Dreams Tour, which uses a combination of iRacing simulators, show cars, deejays, driver meet/greets and career panels. The Rev Racing team drivers were chosen after they competed in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine last fall. This driver assessment event brought selected drivers together to demonstrate their abilities in a head-to-head evaluation session both on and off the track. Toyota, Sprint and Goodyear are the primary partners supporting Rev Racing and NASCAR Drive for Diversity. Complete information on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is available at NASCARHomeTracks.com or by following @NASCARHomeTrack (hashtags: #KNEast & #NWAAS); Rev Racing’s official website and Twitter is RevRacing.net and @RevRacin. For additional information, contact: Leslie Maxie, Integrated Marketing Communications, (347) 254-8638 or [email protected]

#D4DC11: Scenes from the NASCAR Diversity Combine

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – After a rainy first day, it was all sunshine and fast cars at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va., Thursday as the 2011 Drive for Diversity Combine concluded with 26 talented drivers participating in the on-track testing. The drivers are competing for spots on the 2012 Rev Racing team as part of Drive for Diversity, one of NASCAR’s most successful initiatives. “Every year it’s great to see the quality of talent is improving and the word’s getting out,” said Max Siegel, CEO and owner of Revolution Racing. “We had some really talented young drivers here today and we’re just excited to get them on the track. “It’s going to be tough to fill the spots on the team because we had so many talented drivers here.” Rev Racing is in its third year as a partner with the NASCAR Drive for Diversity initiative. In 2011, Revolution Racing (now Rev Racing) drivers Darrell Wallace Jr. and Sergio Pena accounted for six wins in the 12-race NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season. “It’s exciting to see the evolution in the program,” said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR vice president of public affairs and multicultural development. “The success on track in 2011 certainly attracted additional talent to the Combine, and based on what we saw today, there are a couple of new standout drivers who are ready to follow in Wallace’s and Pena’s path.” The drivers who participated in the Combine ranged from ages 16 to 24, and represented 10 U.S. states, Mexico and Puerto Rico. It attracted drivers from various racing disciplines, from open-wheel sprint cars to Legends cars and Bandoleros. The drivers with limited stock car experience impressed with how quickly they adapted to the heavier cars, while the returning participants continued to show improvement. After waiting out the showers that cancelled Wednesday’s on-track testing, the drivers were looking forward to the chance to get behind the wheel – and they weren’t disappointed. “We had a really great Combine run; we did really well, I’m proud of my run,” said Jessica Brunelli, 18, from Hayward, Calif., who was trying out for the third time after being part of Rev Racing for the previous two seasons. “It’s a great opportunity and a great program, and I’m really lucky I get to drive with all these amazing people.” “Today was really cool, the car was awesome and the people were really great to work with. The car was really good. When the track was really cold it took a while to get the tires heated up, but it was awesome and I hope they were good results,” said Julian Albarracin, from Bogota, Colombia, who then provided a recap of his day in Spanish. “El carro estuvo muy bien, la gente trabajo muy bien, nunca habia visto gente trabajando asi. Nunca habia provado un carro tan bueno como un late model que prove hoy. La pista estaba muy fria, tomo mucho tiempo para calentar las llantas y calentar el motor pero salio muy bien, me senti muy bien y espero buenos resultados.” “It’s been a great day so far,” said newcomer Ryan Reed, a 17-year-old from Bakersfield, Calif. “I logged some really good laps, I’m really happy with myself, and we’ll see what that has in store for us when they announce the driver lineup for next year.” The drivers attending the Drive for Diversity Combine will be evaluated by a select committee on multiple fronts including on-track performance, marketing and media aptitude, physical fitness and personality.

24 drivers to compete for spots with Revolution Racing(now Rev Racing)

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A life-changing opportunity could one day evolve into a sport-shaping career for 24 young men and women come the middle of next week. Contested from Oct. 18-20, the eighth consecutive Drive for Diversity Combine will be held at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va., where drivers will vie for spots in one of NASCAR’s most successful initiatives. Aspiring drivers of diverse backgrounds ranging from ages 16 to 24, and representing 10 U.S. states, Mexico and Puerto Rico, are prepared to showcase their skills in the hopes of securing a ride with Rev Racing in 2012. Rev Racing will enter its third year fielding teams for NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity initiative, in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. [callout_left]Grandstands at Langley will be open to the public from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET, Oct. 19-20 during on-track testing. [/callout_left] The past two seasons of the D4D initiative have enjoyed unparalleled success. In 2010, Darrell Wallace Jr. became the youngest winner and first African-American winner in series history en route to winning the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Sunoco Rookie of the Year. This year’s Revolution Racing team eclipsed that success by placing three drivers in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East top 10 (Wallace had three victories and finished second in points; Sergio Pena also won three races and finished fifth; and Ryan Gifford finished 10th).  Overall in 2011, Revolution Racing(now Rev Racing) had six wins, 12 top fives and 22 top 10s in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. The drivers attending the Drive for Diversity Combine will be evaluated by a select committee on multiple fronts including on-track performance, marketing and media aptitude, physical fitness and personality. 2012 DRIVER FOR DIVERSITY COMBINE: INVITE LIST
Driver Age Hometown Twitter
Ryan Gifford 22 Winchester, Tenn. @ryangifford2
Angelique Bell 17 Roseville, Calif.
Jessica Brunelli 18 Hayward, Calif. @brunelliracing
Sergio Pena 18 Catharpin, Va. @thesspena
Mackena Bell 19 Carson City, Nev. @mackenabell
Michael Cherry 20 Valrico, Fla. @fastcherry
Jorge Arteaga 23 Agualcalientas, Mexico @jorgearteaga46
Jack Madrid 16 San Clemente, Calif.
Kyle Larson 19 Elk Grove, Calif. @kylelarsonracin
Frank Young 19 Fontana, Calif.
Dylan Smith 17 Randolph, Vt.
Devon Amos 18 Rio Rancho, N.M. @devonamos
Annabeth Barnes 20 Hiddenite, N.C. @annabethh
Bryan Ortiz 21 Bayamon, P.R. @bryanoracing
Amber Colvin 18 Tallahassee, Fla. @ambercolvin01
Ruben Garcia 16 Mexico City, Mexico @rubengarcia4
Lindsey Holman 23 Abingdon, Va. @LJHolman75
Ryan Reed 17 Bakersfield, Calif. @ryanreed04
Trey Gibson 18 Easley, S.C. @ tgibsonracing
Dallas Montes 17 Bakersfield, Calif. @racinshoe17
Juan Carlos Blum 16 Guadalajara, Mexico @jcblum13
Enrique Contreras 18 Cuernavaca Morelos, Mexico @contreraskike
Tayla Orleans 17 Randleman, N.C. @taylaorleans93
Alexis Wilson 16 Hamburg, N.Y.

Revolution Racing(now Rev Racing) team finds home in Kingsport

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Jefferson Hodges is hoping to change the face of NASCAR. As the director of competition for Mooresville, N.C. based Rev Racing, Hodges oversees six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model teams featuring minorities and females. Hodges and his ambitious gang of racers and mechanics were a regular part of the popular Late Model show at Kingsport Speedway this season. While the Revolution contingent failed to produce a headline-grabbing triumph, Hodges said the opportunity to compete on the unique concrete-surfaced track was invaluable. “We race all over the East Coast with our teams, and Kingsport is by far my favorite track. It’s an amazing deal here,” Hodges said. Learning curve On a typical Friday night this season at Kingsport, the Late Model field included four Rev Racing drivers and around 12 crew members. It’s never easy to find a comfort zone on a new track, but Hodges saw signs of progress. For example, Byran Ortiz (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) put together several strong runs. “Bryan was around the top five at some point about every race,” Hodges said. “Our drivers run totally different cars on different tracks. They’ve got a lot on their shoulders – a lot more than people realize.” According to Hodges, the deep Late Model field, consistent rule package and prestige of Kingsport Speedway promoter Robert Pressley offered the perfect proving ground. “Kingsport is one of the only Friday night NASCAR sanctioned speedways left,” Hodges said. “It’s over a four-hour drive for us, but we decided to try it.” The experience of competing against some of the elite Late Model teams in the Southeast proved worthy of the long hours. “After our first trip, our drivers and crew members talked about how much they loved racing at Kingsport all the way home,” Hodges said. “It’s hard to race against talented drivers like (track champion) Nate Monteith and Lee Tissot, but our folks did a good job.” read more on tricities.com

Darrell Wallace Jr. Wins Second NASCAR K&N Pro Series Event of the Season

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Revolution Racing Driver Wins His Fourth Race in 19 Career Starts CHARLOTTE, N.C. (July 24, 2011) – Darrell Wallace Jr. got back to his winnings ways in the Jegs 150 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway. En route to winning his fourth race in 19 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races over two seasons, and his second of 2011, Wallace and his U.S. Army Toyota Camry ran a nearly flawless race. He qualified second behind series point leader Max Gresham, but made a pass for the lead on lap 36 and never was seriously challenged again. Wallace’s first win of the season came at Richmond (Va.) International Speedway in April. The win marked Revolution Racing’s fourth win in nine starts in 2011, with teammate Sergio Pena, driving the Freightliner Toyota Camry, to two NASCAR K&N Pro Series wins this season. With the win, Wallace again became a serious contender in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race, now trailing Gresham by 100 points with three races remaining and Brett Moffitt by 20 points. After solid races by all four Revolution Racing teams, Michael Cherry in the Fueling Your Dreams Tour Toyota Camry finished 11th, Ryan Gifford in the TRD Toyota Camry finished 14th and Pena finished 15th, one lap down. Late in the running, with Gifford and Pena running nose to tail in fifth and sixth, Pena tagged the TRD Camry and sent Gifford spinning, which cost him valuable track position. Later in the running, Pena was running in the top five when the he was turned by the 16 car of Daniel Suarez causing Pena to spin into the infield and lose one lap. All four Revolution Racing Camry’s finished in the top 15 and brought their cars home without heavy damage despite the rough short-track nature of Columbus. On the same night, the Revolution Racing Whelen All-American Series late model program was competing with three NASCAR Drive for Diversity participants at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Mackena Bell had the best night of the three drivers in the 60-lap race, despite finishing 14th of 18 cars. Running well within the top 10, her Toyota Camry was forced to stop on the track when a late race spin in front of her blocked the track. She lost valuable track position, and despite running a very clean and consistent race she finished well back in the order. However, her performance showed that she has improved greatly in the Whelen All-American Series. Tayla Orleans and Trey Gibson finished ninth and 10th in their Toyota Camry’s respectively at Hickory, and both ran good races. The Revolution Racing Whelen All-American Series late model program will compete in more than 140 races with six drivers as part of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program. Four NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and multiple youth racing teams are supported by NASCAR, the U.S. Army, Toyota Motor Sales, Toyota Racing Development (TRD), Goodyear, Freightliner Trucks, Wix Filters, Castle Products, Logitech, Play Seat, iRacing and others. The Jegs 150 can be seen Thursday night at 6 p.m. (ET) on SPEED.

Revolution Racing Drivers Battle to Tough Finishes at New Hampshire Bryan Ortiz Leads Whelen All-American Series Drivers on the Short Tracks

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (July 17, 2011) – Things were looking great through practice, qualifying and the early parts of the New England 125 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Friday for three of the four Revolution Racing NASCAR K&N Pro Series East drivers. Darrell Wallace Jr. and his U.S. Army Toyota Camry qualified second, Sergio Peña and his Freightliner/U.S. Army Toyota Camry qualified third and Ryan Gifford in the TRD Toyota Camry qualified 12th. When the field of 36 cars took the green flag, Gifford took off passing four cars on the start to move into the eighth spot behind teammates Wallace and Peña. Michael Cherry in the Fueling Your Dreams Toyota Camry battled engine issues and was only able to produce a 30th-place qualifying effort. His day would eventually be cut short at lap 14 when the engine expired. Wallace and Peña each lead early and traded the top spot with pole winner and eventual race winner Max Gresham in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry. As most of the leaders came to pit road early during a caution period for tires and fuel, the Revolution Racing cars stuck to their strategy of getting beyond lap 60 before taking on fresh Goodyear tires. With varying strategies up and down pit road, it would ultimately come down to the timing of caution flags to help determine track position. Wallace, who continued to show strength throughout the first half of the race, had a distributor go bad on his U.S. Army Toyota and was forced to the garage for a change, which cost him 22 laps. He finished his day in 30th. At lap 77 Peña came to pit road for tires, but was penalized following a violation involving a pit gun and hose which was pulled outside the pit box by exiting Freightliner Toyota. The resulting pass through penalty cost him valuable track position and he was forced to restart at the tail end of the field in 28th position. Despite this, he was able to finish eighth which moved him up one spot in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East point standings to fifth. Wallace fell one spot to fourth. Gifford, who took the lead on lap 51 but was unable to maintain the spot, finished 12th and moved into 10th in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East point’s race. Cherry is 18th in the standings. Four races remain in the season with the next event coming Saturday at Columbus (Ohio) Speedway. Three Revolution Racing D4D NASCAR Whelen-All American Series teams took to the Kingsport (Tenn.) Speedway Friday night while their teammates were in New Hampshire. Bryan Ortiz, Tayla Orleans and Jessica Brunelli battled the tough concrete track at Kingsport with only Puerto Rico’s Ortiz coming out of the race without significant damage to his Toyota Camry. He would finish fifth after a disappointing 12th-place qualifying effort. Orleans, from Randleman, N.C. finished ninth after qualifying seventh of 19 cars and Brunelli of Hayward, Calif. finished 18th after qualifying 17th. Both Orleans and Brunelli were involved in accidents at Kingsport that caused significant damage to their Toyota Camry’s, with only Brunelli’s able to be repaired in time for Saturday night’s race at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Ortiz qualified fifth at the historic Hickory track and finished ninth, while Brunelli had a much better night qualifying ninth and finishing 11th in the 16-car field. The Revolution Racing Whelen All-American Series late model program will compete in more than 140 races with six drivers as part of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program. Four NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and multiple youth racing teams are supported by NASCAR, the U.S. Army, Toyota Motor Sales, Toyota Racing Development (TRD), Goodyear, Freightliner Trucks, Wix Filters, Castle Products, Logitech, Play Seat, iRacing and others. The New England 125 can be seen Thursday night at 6 p.m. (ET) on SPEED.