Concord, N.C. (April 15, 2013) – The inaugural NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East race at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. proved to be a success for Rev Racing. Twenty-six cars hit the pavement for the NAPA 150 on Saturday night, and Rev Racing came home with two top-ten finishes. Bryan Ortiz led the team with a sixth place finish in his No. 4 Impact Toyota Camry and Ryan Gifford came home ninth. Mackena Bell and Daniel Suarez finished 11th and 13th respectively.
The field ran under green for most of the 150-lap race, with only four cautions and a mandatory 10 minute break with 75 laps to go.
“I’m really proud of my entire team for their efforts this weekend. We had a competitive car and our sixth place finish shows how much we’ve improved since the season opener at Bristol. I have no doubt that we’ll continue showing improved results and we’ll come home with a win soon.” said Ortiz, the Bayamon Puerto Rico native.
This was the first time any of the Rev Racing drivers had competed at Five Flags Speedway, and they spent time learning their way around the track with a test on Friday and two practice sessions on Saturday.
Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Impact Toyota Camry) – Ortiz started the weekend with a fifth place qualifying effort, his highest starting spot ever in the series. He was competitive throughout the race, running as high as third, and came home with a sixth place finish. He moved up in the series point’s standings and is currently sitting in 13th place.
Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Visit Acapulco Toyota Camry) – Patience has been the theme for Suarez this season, which he demonstrated once again on Saturday. He qualified 12th and ran consistently in the top-15 all night, finishing 13th. Suarez moved up two spots in the series point’s standings and is currently in 11th place.
Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – Bell led the field with the fastest lap speed during the first practice session. She qualified 16th but she was patient throughout the race, searching for the right opportunity to pass her competitors, and came home with an 11th place finish. This was her highest finish in the NKNPS East.
Ryan Gifford (No. 2 Sunoco/NTI Toyota Camry) – Gifford had a fast car during the first practice session, finishing eighth quickest. He qualified 19th but worked his way up the field to score a top-ten finish, coming home ninth. Gifford is currently seventh in the series point’s standings.
The NAPA 150 will air on SPEED on Thursday, May 2nd, at 3:00 p.m. ET.
The next stop for Rev Racing in the NKNPS East will be the Blue Ox 100 at Richmond International Raceway on Thursday, April 25th, at 7:00 p.m. ET. All four NKNPS East drivers will be making an appearance at the Toyota Pit Pass display at 11:00 a.m. ET on Friday, April 26th. Follow @RevRacin on twitter for updates throughout the weekend.
CONCORD, N.C. (April 11, 2013) – Rev Racing is headed to the beach for the Napa 150 at Five Flags Speedway this Saturday, April 13 in Pensacola, Fla. This will be the inaugural NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East race at the .5-mile asphalt oval which is home to the Snowball Derby, an annual open-competition Super Late Model race.
Ryan Gifford (No. 2 Sunoco/NTI Toyota Camry) – Gifford is off to a strong start this season with a fourth place finish in the non-points race at Daytona’s short track followed by a third place finish in the season opener at Bristol. He came home 13th from Greenville last weekend and is currently sixth in the series point’s standings.
Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Impact Toyota Camry) – Ortiz has nine top 10s in 16 NKNPS East races, with a best finish of third at Bowman Gray Stadium. He also started this season with a third place finish in the non-points event at Daytona’s short track in February. He has an average finish of 13th in nine career starts at intermediate short tracks, with a best finish of fifth at CNB Bank Raceway Park in 2012.
Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Visit Acapulco Toyota Camry) – Suarez scored two top-ten finishes last weekend where he came home seventh in the NKNPS East race at Greenville Pickens Speedway and sixth in the Toyota Series race in Mexico City, Mexico. He has an average finish of 13th in nine career starts at intermediate short tracks with a best finish of fifth twice at Columbus.
Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry) – Bell had her best qualifying run in the series last weekend at Greenville Pickens Speedway where she started seventh. She’s one of two females racing full time in the NKNPS East this season and is running for Rookie of the Year honors.
There will be an autograph session at 5:30 p.m. ET and the green flag will drop at 7 p.m. ET. Follow @RevRacin on twitter for updates throughout the weekend.
CONCORD, N.C. (April 8, 2013) – Rev Racing scored a top-10 finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East race this past weekend at Greenville-Pickens Speedway (GPS) with Daniel Suarez and the No. 6 Visit Acapulco Toyota Camry. Suarez had a competitive car all day and after qualifying eighth was able to keep the car in the top-10 throughout the race and finished seventh. Ryan Gifford finished 13th, Mackena Bell finished 18th, and Bryan Ortiz finished 24th.
“I’m really proud of the entire team for all of their hard work. We’ve learned a lot at the past two races and we’ll keep working to improve the car each weekend. I have no doubt that we’ll be competitive this season and hopefully come home with a win or two” said Suarez.
All four Rev Racing cars were fast during both practice sessions, improving their lap speed as the day went on. Ortiz, Suarez, Bell, and Gifford finished the final practice session seventh, eighth, ninth, and 12th quickest respectively.
Bell was the highest starter for Rev Racing, she qualified seventh in her No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota Camry. Suarez qualified his No. 6 Visit Acapulco Toyota right behind her, he started eighth. Gifford and Ortiz qualified 16th and 22nd respectively.
The next race for Rev Racing in the NKNPS East will be this Saturday, April 13th, at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, F.L. There will be a pre-race autograph session at 5:30 p.m. ET followed by the race at 7:00 p.m. ET. Follow the team twitter account @RevRacin for updates throughout the weekend.
(CONCORD, NC) April 4th, 2013- Rev Racing will make another attempt at competing for the top spot at Greenville Pickens Speedway (GPS) this Saturday, April 6th, after a rainy day which delayed racing two weeks ago. The team will be competing in the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 presented by G-Clean, the second NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East race of the season.
Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Impact Toyota) – Ortiz had an unfortunate first points race of the season at Bristol where he ran in the top-five all day but blew a right front with two laps to go, ending his day in the 21st position. He’s looking forward to returning to GPS where he had 11th and sixth place finishes with Rev Racing last season.
Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Acapulco Toyota) – Suarez had an impressive race at GPS last season, his first time racing there, where he qualified fifth and finished 10th. Suarez will be racing in two countries in two days this weekend. After racing at GPS on Saturday he’ll head to Mexico City, Mexico, for the NASCAR Toyota Series race.
Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota) – This will be Bell’s second race at GPS, where she ran in 2010 with Rev Racing and finished 19th. This is her first full season racing in the NKNPS East and she is competing for Rookie of the Year honors.
Ryan Gifford (No. 2 Sunoco/NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota) – Gifford is off to a strong start this season with a fourth place finish in the Battle at the Beach, a non-points race at Daytona International Speedway, and a third place finish in the season opener at Bristol. He finished 13th and 12th at GPS last season, and is looking to improve on those results Saturday.
There will be an autograph session prior to the race at 7 p.m. ET and the race will start at 8 p.m. ET. Follow @RevRacin on twitter for updates throughout the weekend.
CONCORD, NC (April 2, 2013) – BILT fitness equipment will become the primary exercise machines used by Rev Racing drivers and pit crew athletes at its training and development facility in Concord, NC.
BILT is a revolutionary arsenal of fitness equipment featuring innovative technologies such as the world’s only COD (Change Of Direction) Machine that allows a user to move laterally with weight. BILT’s exclusive line of 12 game-changing exercise machines has been the secret weapon of Andre Agassi and Gil Reyes for years
“We are excited to be partnering with Rev Racing,” said Steve Miller, CEO of BILT by Agassi & Reyes. “We feel our equipment will only improve upon the championship level training and development being provided to the next generation of NASCAR drivers and pit crew athletes.”
Rev Racing operates the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, which is the industry’s leading developmental program for ethnic minorities and women drivers and pit crew athletes. In 2012 Rev Racing captured the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Championship and Rookie of the Year honors. Additionally, its drivers finished as Rookie of the Year runner-up and won the Wendell Scott Trail Blazer Award.
“I am impressed with the uniqueness and safety aspects of the BILT machines,” said Max Siegel, Owner/CEO Rev Racing. “We are constantly looking for ways to take our training and development to the next level. I am confident the BILT equipment will do just that.”
CONCORD, NC. (March 22nd, 2013) – Daniel Suarez has a busy schedule this weekend as he attempts to race in two countries in two days. On Saturday he’ll hit the pavement at Greenville Pickens Speedway (GPS) with Rev Racing for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East race, and on Sunday he’ll head to San Luis Potosí, Mexico, for the NASCAR Toyota Series race.
This fast-paced lifestyle is nothing new for Suarez, who spent time trekking across countries last season to race in both the U.S. and Mexico. The Monterrey, Mexico, native has built an impressive resume in the NASCAR Toyota Series, where he was named Rookie of the Year in 2010, and finished ninth in the series standings in 2011, and third in 2012.
Suarez was selected last fall to be a part of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, and he hopes to use this opportunity to gain valuable experience. The 21-year-old has already shown an incredible amount of promise, and was selected to represent the future of the sport as a member of the 2011 class of the NASCAR “Next 9”.
“It’s an honor to be a part of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program and to race for Rev Racing this season.” said Suarez “Kyle Larson and Darrell Wallace Jr. both came through the program, and are now racing full-time at the top levels of the sport. I hope to follow in their footsteps.”
Suarez raced at GPS for the first time last season, where he qualified fifth and finished 10th. He’s looking forward to returning this weekend, and improving on last year’s efforts.
Follow Daniel @dnlsuarez and Rev Racing @RevRacin on twitter for updates throughout the weekend.
CONCORD, NC (March 22, 2013) – Rev Racing is proud to announce that Impact will be returning as a team sponsor for the 2013 race season.
Impact will also be the primary sponsor of the No. 4 Impact Toyota driven by Bryan Ortiz at Greenville Pickens Speedway this Saturday, March 23rd.
“I’m very excited that Impact is joining us again this season, and I’m proud to be representing them on the track this weekend” said Ortiz. “I know that I can rely on the quality of products that they produce to keep me safe when I’m behind the wheel.”
Impact is the leading provider of safety apparel and equipment for athletes and crew members in the racing industry. Impact has built a legacy through the development of safety products custom tailored to meet the racer’s need; whether it is dirt or asphalt.
Rev Racing is coming off a record-setting season, where they won both the K&N Pro Series East Championship and Rookie of the Year honors with driver Kyle Larson. The team has been working hard in preparation for 2013 and is ready for the second points race of the season this weekend in Greenville.
CONCORD, NC. (March 21st, 2013) – Rev Racing is headed to Greenville Pickens Speedway (GPS) this weekend for the second NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East race of the season. Ryan Gifford had a strong showing at Bristol last Saturday, where he finished third, and the rest of the team is eager to carry that momentum with them to Greenville.
Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Impact Toyota) – Ortiz had an unfortunate first points race of the season at Bristol where he ran in the top-five all day but blew a right front with two laps to go, ending his day in the 21st position. He’s looking forward to returning to GPS where he had 11th and sixth place finishes with Rev Racing last season.
Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Acapulco Toyota) – Suarez had an impressive race at GPS last season, his first time racing there, where he qualified fifth and finished 10th. Suarez will be racing in two countries in two days this weekend. After racing at GPS on Saturday he’ll head to San Luis Potosi, Mexico, for the NASCAR Toyota Series race.
Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota) – This will be Bell’s second race at GPS, where she ran in 2010 with Rev Racing and finished 19th. This is her first full season racing in the NKNPS East and she is competing for Rookie of the Year honors.
Ryan Gifford (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota) – Gifford is off to a strong start this season with a fourth place finish in the Battle at the Beach, a non-points race at Daytona International Speedway, and a third place finish at Bristol last weekend. He finished 13th and 12th at GPS last season, and is looking to improve on those results Saturday.
There will be an autograph session prior to the race at 7 p.m. ET and the race will start at 8 p.m. ET. Follow @RevRacin on twitter for updates throughout the weekend.
CONCORD, N.C. (March 18, 2013) – Ryan Gifford, once again, had a strong finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East season opener at Bristol Motor Speedway, bringing home a third-place finish for Rev Racing in his No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute/UTI Toyota.
Bryan Ortiz was competitive all day in the DRIVE4COPD 125, but finished 21st. Daniel Suarez and Mackena Bell finished 26th and 29th, respectively.
Gifford – the highest returning finisher from this race last year – started eighth on the grid and finished third. It’s the second straight year that he kicked off the season with a third-place effort at Bristol.
“This is a good start to the year,” said Gifford. “This kind of race shows us that what we did over the winter was going in the right direction. I think we’ll be able to contend all year.”
Ortiz – Rookie of the Year runner up in 2012 – had a strong showing in his No. 4 Nike Toyota. He qualified seventh, and ran in the Top 5 most of the day. He was running in fourth place with one lap to go when he got a flat tire coming out of Turn 2, ending his day with a 21st place finish.
Suarez had a strong No. 6 Acapulco Toyota. He started in 24th position and was able to pass competitors and move up 13 spots, running as high as 11th. He had a good handle on the car and felt confident he could score a Top-10 finish. With 18 laps to go, he was forced to pit due to mechanical issues and didn’t have enough time in the race to make up missed ground; he finished 26th.
This was Bell’s first race at Bristol Motor Speedway. She spent both practices getting a feel for the track and her No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota. Her lap times improved during both practice sessions and she qualified 25th. Once the race started she was able to run as high as 21st, but an incident on Lap 55 forced her to pit so the team could evaluate the damage. She was able to finish the race, and came home 29th.
The Rev Racing NKNPS East drivers head to Greenville Pickens Speedway (S.C.) this Saturday, March 23, for the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 125. Ortiz, Suarez and Gifford had top-15 finishes there last year, and are looking to improve on those results this weekend.
CONCORD, NC. (March 12, 2013) – Rev Racing had a stellar 2012 season, winning the NASCAR K&N Pro Series (KNPS) East Championship and Sunoco Rookie of the Year Honors with driver Kyle Larson, and they’re carrying that momentum with them into the KNPS East season opener at Bristol Motor Speedway this Saturday.
The team has another strong KNPS East driver lineup with Drive for Diversity drivers Bryan Ortiz, Daniel Suarez, Mackena Bell and Ryan Gifford, and they’re prepared for another record-breaking year.
Bryan Ortiz (No. 4 Nike Toyota) – Ortiz, a Bayamon, Puerto Rico native returns for his third season with Rev Racing and the Drive for Diversity program, and second full season racing in the NKNPS East. Ortiz had a successful rookie season, finishing fifth overall in the series standings and second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings. He also finished third in the non-points race at Daytona International Speedway’s short track in February.
Daniel Suarez (No. 6 Rev Racing Toyota) – Suarez, a Monterrey, Mexico native will be making his debut with Rev Racing and the Drive for Diversity Program. He has six top 10s in 16 career NKNPS East races with a best result of fifth, twice. He also has two wins, six poles, and 22 top 10s in the NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series.
Mackena Bell (No. 21 Toyota Racing Development Toyota) – This season will be Bell’s fourth season with Rev Racing, but her first full season racing the in NKNPS East. Bell will be one of two females competing in the DRIVE4COPD 125, and will be racing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in 2013.
Ryan Gifford (No. 2 NASCAR Technical Institute Toyota) – Gifford, who is returning for his fourth season with the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, is the highest returning finisher from this event a year ago where he placed third. He finished the 2012 season 11th in the NKNPS East standings and is the first African American to capture a pole in a NASCAR touring series.
With the championship win last year, Max Siegel, owner of Rev Racing, became the first African American team owner in history to win a NASCAR touring series title. The success of Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program doesn’t end there. In the past three years the team has developed two Sunoco Rookie of the Year drivers and last season all four KNPS East drivers finished in the top 15 in the series standings. Darrell Wallace Jr. and Kyle Larson, both graduates of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, are racing full time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series respectively this season.
Qualifying for the DRIVE4COPD 125 will be on Thursday, March 14th at 5 p.m. ET and the race will be Saturday, March 16th at 4:45 p.m. ET. Follow @RevRacin on twitter for live race updates.
(CONCORD, NC) – Annabeth Barnes and Jack Madrid made their NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (NWAAS) debut on Saturday night at Hickory Motor Speedway in the 100 lap ZLOOP Challenge. After a promising start to the day, Rev Racing went in with high hopes for the event.
Early on in the race, Madrid experienced mechanical issues on his No. 4 Toyota Camry, effectively ending his night in the 22nd position.
Barnes had a good handling No. 21 Toyota Camry, and was able to advance her position, moving up as high as 11th within the first 10 laps. She was caught in a multiple car accident early on and sustained too much damage to continue, finishing in the 21st position.
Rev Racing had two strong practice sessions; where both drivers spent time getting accustomed to the track, and their new cars. The field was stacked with 22 competitors and Madrid and Barnes qualified 17th and 18th respectively. Both drivers qualified early and the track cooled down significantly as the session progressed, resulting in increased lap times from the later qualifying cars.
Barnes will be in action again on March 16th at Hickory, and both Rev Racing drivers will be competing in the NWAAS at Hickory on April 6th.
(CONCORD, NC) – Rev Racing drivers Annabeth Barnes and Jack Madrid will make their NASCAR Whelen All-American Series debut this Saturday, March 9th, at Hickory Motor Speedway in the Spring Classic Season Opener.
While Barnes is no rookie at Hickory Motor Speedway, where she ran her first full stock car season competing in the Limited Late Model Division, it will be her first time competing in a Late Model car.
“This is going to be a big year for me, moving into late models. It will be a good opportunity to learn and grow as a driver, and I’m really excited to compete for Rev Racing and thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the Drive for Diversity program.” said Barnes.
Madrid, originally from San Clemente, Calif., spent last season racing in the Super Late Model Division on the West Coast, where he finished top-10 in all four races in which he competed.
“The biggest difference for me this season will be the level of talent at the track, it’s really going to help me develop as a driver. I feel like we have a really great Toyota Camry that will be competitive, and my goal is to learn as much as I can each weekend.” said Madrid.
Barnes and Madrid both join the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program this season after being selected in the combine to compete for Rev Racing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. and racing will begin at 7:00 p.m. For more information about Rev Racing visit https://revracing.net or follow us on Twitter @RevRacin.
Rev Racing NASCAR K&N Pro Series drivers finish in the Top 10 of inaugural event
DAYTONA BEACH, FL (February 20, 2013) – The UNOH Battle at the Beach lived up to its name and proved to be a literal fight to the finish for the Rev Racing drivers and all who competed during the two days of racing here. Once the smoke cleared, the Rev Racing drivers emerged with two Top-5’s and a Top 10 finish.
“It was a very interesting race,” said Bryan Ortiz, who crossed the line in his No. 4 Putinka Vodka Camry in third place and showed he is poised to once again make a run at the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East crown.
“We started in the middle of the pack and the plan was to save the car for the end,” added Ortiz. “I got spun early and lost a lap which added some pressure. But, we took our time, got the “lucky dog” and once I was back on the lead lap we just worked our way through the field and ended up in third.”
Ortiz’s teammate, Ryan Gifford also made a statement that he’s ready to contend for the championship, as well, by coming in right behind Ortiz in fourth.
“I’m really surprised that we were able to get the No.2 Sunoco/Langley Speedway Toyota Camry into a fourth place finish,” said Gifford. “We didn’t have the fastest car but had watched the other races and knew that if we could just stay out of trouble until the end, we might be in a position to at least get a Top-10. So, coming home fourth, after getting spun and placed a lap down, is a great feeling and a great way to start the season.”
Their Rev Racing teammate from 2012, who joined them for this event, Kyle Larson was looking to have another good finish until he was hit and spun on the final lap of the race. Larson still managed to bring home a badly damaged Curb Records/Langley Speedway Toyota Camry in tenth.
The Rev Racing NASCAR Whelen All-American drivers, Mackena Bell and Trey Gibson struggled with mechanical issues during Monday night’s race and ultimately finished the event in 26th and 21st position, respectively. Bell, along with her 2013 Rev Racing NASCAR K&N Pro Series teammates, will make her next start at Bristol Motor Speedway, March 16, 2013.
Past and present drivers competing in NASCAR Whelen All-American, K&N Pro Series, Camping World Truck and Nationwide events at the SpeedwayConcord, NC (February 15, 2013) – In just three years Rev Racing has indentified and developed two Rookie of the Year winners and won a Championship in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Expectations are high as the team prepares to kick-off the 2013 season at Daytona International Speedway starting on Monday, February 18, 2013.
Proving the team’s success is no fluke is the recent announcement that two of its former drivers will be competing full time in NASCAR’s top tier series’. Kyle Larson, a 2012 team member, will be driving full time in the Nationwide Series for Turner Scott Motorsports. Darrell Wallace Jr., a 2010 and 2011 team member, will compete full time for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series. Wallace and Larson will make their season debut on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway on February 22nd and 23rd, respectively.
Wallace and Larson’s graduation to the National Series is proof of the talent housed at Rev Racing and the program’s ability to successfully develop that talent for the next level of racing.
“We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of both Kyle and Darrell,” said Max Siegel, owner, Rev Racing. “While they are both extremely talented drivers, they are a testament to the caliber of athletes being indentified and developed by Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program.”
In addition to debuts by Wallace and Larson with their new teams and series, Rev Racing will showcase some of its past and present talent during UNOH Battle at the Beach events at the Speedway.
Mackena Bell will be piloting the No. 4 Langley Speedway Toyota Camry and Trey Gibson, recipient of the 2012 Wendell Scott Trail Blazer award, will be driving the No. 2 Langley Speedway Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Whelen All-American series event on Monday, February 18, 2013 that will air live beginning at 7:00 pm EST on SPEED, MRN, and Sirius/XM. After Daytona, Bell will be racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East beginning with the first points race of the season, at Bristol.
Along with last season’s late model drivers, 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Champion, Larson, and two of this year’s Drive for Diversity drivers, Bryan Ortiz and Ryan Gifford, will compete in the UNOH Battle at the Beach in the K&N Pro Series race on Tuesday, February 19, 2013, that will air live beginning at 7:00 pm EST on SPEED, MRN, and Sirius/XM.
Larson will be competing for Rev Racing in this single event after earning his way in with wins at Gresham Motorsports Park and Loudon, New Hampshire in 2012. Larson will be driving the No. 69 Curb Records and Langley Speedway Toyota Camry.
Ortiz will be driving the No.4 Toyota Camry sponsored by Putinka Vodka. Ortiz, a native of Puerto Rico, is in his third year driving for Rev Racing and NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program. After being the runner up for rookie of the year honors, Ortiz is looking to outdo last season’s result and be a contender for the championship. He will be under new direction this year from crew chief Eddie Dickerson.
“I can’t be more excited for the season to start,” said Ortiz. “There has been a lot of work put into the car during the off season. I’m very confident that we will be really good the entire season, with having a crew chief with so much experience like Eddie Dickerson is going to be great. The Battle at the Beach will be extremely important to learn about each other in the first non-points race of the season, which will get us ready for the championship starting in Bristol”.
Gifford is back for his fourth season with Rev Racing and will be maneuvering the No. 2 Toyota Camry sponsored by Sunoco, the Official Fuel of NASCAR.
Gifford the “veteran of the team” is optimistic that this year’s results will mirror his skill and effort. After a mid season crew chief change in 2012 Gifford started having more consistent runs and will continue with Mark Green as his crew chief for the 2013 season.
“In all sincerity, if we can get a little good luck to run Ryan’s way for a change we should have a great season,” said Green. “Tracks like Bristol, Dover and Rockingham suit (Ryan’s) driving style the best and I have confidence that we will be in victory lane this year.”
In addition its primary race sponsors, Rev Racing is grateful for the contributions and continued support provided by Toyota and Toyota Racing Development, Goodyear, Sprint, Nike, L&M Ethanol Maintenance and Contracting, NASCAR Technical Institute, Mobil 1, 3M, JRI Shocks, Wix Filters, Castle, Impact, Mechanix Wear, iRacing, Logitech and Doghouse Systems.
By Mark McCarter for AL.comWINCHESTER, Tennessee — There was this unfortunate racing parallel to the Gatorade bucket being dumped on a football coach.
Winchester, Tenn. driver Ryan Gifford makes season debut at Daytona next Monday (Getty Images for NASCAR)
Ryan Gifford had been racing go-karts for a year or so when he finally earned his first victory, on a track in Crossville, Tenn.
“It was so exciting to pull in and see everybody else’s excitement,” Gifford recalled. “But go-kart tracks have a big bucket of water where you clean your tires. They dumped that bucket on me.”
Still, he said, “It was cool.”
Gifford was nine years old or so when he got that baptism.
Now 23, Gifford, a Franklin County (Tenn.) High School grad who attended Middle Tennessee State, is looking for more celebrations.
Gifford is one of the select participants in NASCAR’s “Drive for Diversity” program, to encourage and support drivers of color and women in their racing careers. He’s driving a Toyota in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and will make his season debut next Monday at Daytona International Speedway.
Gifford was 11th in points last season, with three top-10 finishes in 14 races, after finishing 10th in points in 2011.
“He’s had his share of bad luck,” said Derik Crotts, general manager of Gifford’s Rev Racing team. “He was leading three races last year. But on a restart at Richmond, he spun his tires. Another time, a teammate blew a tire and took him out.
“He definitely has the talent and the personality (to succeed),” Crotts continued. “He’s willing to listen and to learn.”
Gifford, the son of Allen Burnette and the late Michelle Gifford, who died in 2010, got much of his racing inspiration from grandfather Farrell Gifford, who was a drag racer. As a six-year-old, Ryan asked for a junior dragster, but his grandfather said, “Let’s got the go-kart track first and check it out and see if you like it.”
And, said Ryan Gifford, “I automatically fell in love with it.” He got a go-kart from Christmas “and we went wide-open pretty much from there.”
He raced in Toney, Ala., and other go-kart tracks in the area, then graduated to late-model dirt-track cars as a 15-year-old, racing in Moulton, Talladega and tracks in middle Tennessee.
Gifford did well enough to impress Mike Dillon, the vice-president of Richard Childress Racing (and the owner’s son-in-law) to earn a dirt-track ride with Team Dillon, and then earned his way into NASCAR’s diversity program.
“It’s been huge for me,” he said. “Without it I’d be back in Winchester working, just trying to scrounge up enough money to go race. My family’s not been super well-off, so this is a good opportunity from NASCAR. It’s really awesome.”
Contact Mark McCarter at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @markmccarter
CONCORD, NC (February 6, 2013) Rev Racing’s youngest developmental driver, Ryleigh Lemonds of Yorktown, Virginia, won her first indoor arena race of the season at Richmond Coliseum on Saturday, February 2, 2013.
Lemonds took the lead on lap 4 and held on to win the 30 lap event, which ended a four race winning streak of one of her fellow competitors. Several cautions were displayed throughout the race for various incidents on track but Lemonds set sail creating a 1.162 second lead over her other competitors.
“I am so excited to win my first arena race” said Lemonds in a tweet after her event.
Lemonds is one of two drivers participating in a stand-alone developmental program and youth racing initiative by Rev Racing. She is set to compete again this weekend at the Richmond Coliseum.
Please follow her at @ryleighlemonds for updates on all of her races throughout the 2013 season.
K&N East Champ Among Five Headed To Battle At The Beach
By Jason Cunningham, NASCAR
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Reigning NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Champion Kyle Larson will lead a contingent of five Rev Racing drivers that are slated to head to Daytona International Speedway for the inaugural UNOH Battle At The Beach, Feb. 18-19.
After winning the K&N Pro Series East title for Rev Racing, which fields teams for NASCAR’s Drive For Diversity initiative, Larson will return to the team for the first running of the Daytona short-track showcase. He will be joined by teammates Ryan Gifford and Bryan Ortiz at the .4-mile oval on the backstretch at the “World Center of Racing.”
“We’re excited about the opportunity to come to Daytona and are looking forward to what promises to be an exciting week of racing,” said Rev Racing General Manager Derik Crotts. “We’ve got a great lineup of drivers competing for Rev Racing in both the Late Model and K&N Pro Series events at UNOH Battle at the Beach.”
Larson has a locked-in starting position for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series race as part of the UNOH Battle At The Beach by virtue of series championship and two race wins during the 2012 season. Larson will have one more run with Rev Racing, and although his 2013 plans have not yet been announced, he will not be returning to the team for the coming season to defend his title.
“It’s going to be nice to have Kyle representing Rev Racing one last time before he moves on to bigger venues,” Crotts said. “He’s a special talent and we’re proud to have been a part of his growth and development in NASCAR.”
For Gifford and Ortiz, the opportunity to race at Daytona will provide a jump-start to their return to Rev Racing for the 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season. The coming campaign will mark the fourth for Gifford in the series while 2013 will be the sophomore season for Ortiz, who finished as the Sunoco Rookie of the Year runner-up to Larson.
“Being that it’s a non-points race, this provided us a unique opportunity to say thank you to some of our 2012 drivers and get things dialed in a little before we head to Bristol,” Crotts added.
Gifford and Ortiz will need to race their way into the K&N Pro Series feature through the qualifying races since they do not have locked-in starting positions. Drivers that won touring series races and championships in 2012 are locked into their respective features in Daytona. All others must qualify through heat races.
In addition to the three NASCAR K&N Pro Series teams, Rev Racing will also take two NASCAR Whelen All-American Series entries to compete in that series’ UNOH Battle At The Beach Late Model event, with Mackena Bell and Trey Gibson as the drivers. The pair ran Late Models together at Hickory Motor Speedway in 2012, and both will have to race their way into the Whelen All-American Series feature at Daytona through the qualifying races.
“We’re going to be rolling out some new paint schemes on our Toyota Camry’s and will have Curb Records sponsoring Kyle for the event,” Crotts said. “We’re also pleased to have Putinka Vodka back behind Bryan Ortiz, and Langley Speedway supporting both Kyle Larson and Ryan Gifford, in addition to our Late Model’s at this race.”
MOORESVILLE, NC (January 15,2013) Someone once said, “It’s not where you start, but where you finish.” Considering the path to his current career in motorsports, that person could have been talking about 2003 NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech) graduate Jonathan Sickler.
For the last two years, Sickler has been an integral part of the No. 8 Rev Racing Toyota pit crew where he serves as a finish fabricator and drives the team rig that hauls the cars. All those miles on the road and hours in the garage could take a toll on a person, but not Sickler.
“If you’re passionate about what you do and enjoy it, it doesn’t seem like work,” said Sickler.
Even if it doesn’t seem like work, the time and effort he and his team put in this year was well worth it. In Nov., the No. 6 Rev Racing Toyota driven by Kyle Larson captured the K&N Pro Series East crown with engines built by current Universal Technical Institute (UTI) students in the Spec-Engine Program. The victory marks the first NASCAR touring championship for Rev Racing and NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity initiative.
More than a decade ago, when Sickler was installing car stereos in Pinellas Park, Fla., NASCAR championship trophies were not exactly top of mind. However, as he worked more with cars, he developed a passion for them, beyond the stereo component. Taking on the same tasks, day after day, he was ready for a change, and knew that expanding his knowledge of cars was the first step.
At 25, Sickler packed up his belongings, drove across the country and enrolled at UTI-Avondale, and completed the 51-week Core Automotive Program. With a solid mechanical foundation, Sickler was ready for more. After speaking with NASCAR Tech representatives about their industry specific training programs, “Race City, USA” and NASCAR Tech was his next pit stop.
“The curriculum was really strong and I was at the age where I was mature enough to understand what I wanted to do and how I was going to get there,” said Sickler. “NASCAR Tech provided a platform for me to accomplish my goals.”
At 27, Sickler was not deterred from reaching the pinnacle of the racing world. UTI and NASCAR Tech see a lot of students walk through the doors and embrace the understanding that no matter the age, a career in the automotive industry is possible.
“Shops and race teams are looking for qualified, skilled and passionate individuals,” said John Dodson, community/NASCAR team relations director at NASCAR Tech. “Those are the types of graduates we turn out, and they get the job done.”
Sickler is talented and motivated, but notes that without the education he received at UTI and NASCAR Tech, he would not be where he is today.
“You have to have an education in automotive technology to get into racing,” said Sickler. “It’s really competitive and hands-on experience is the differentiator race teams are looking for.”
Sickler realizes how fortunate he is to be in this position and wants others to know that all things are possible.
“Whatever you put into life you will get out of it,” he said. “If you work hard and believe in what you’re trying to accomplish, you can do it.”
-UTI News Briefs
Seven Drivers Join Rev Racing For Full Seasons In The NASCAR K&N Pro Series And NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
DAYTONA BEACH, FL (January 15, 2013) — Coming off the most successful season in the nine-year history of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, NASCAR and Rev Racing welcomed the 2013 NASCAR D4D class live on Google+ Hangout today – a group that will attempt to match the first series championship in the program’s history.
“Four drivers selected from the NASCAR Drive For Diversity Combine will join three returning drivers to compete for Rev Racing in 2013,” said Max Siegel, Owner of Rev Racing. “With Kyle Larson capturing NASCAR D4D’s first title in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship as well as the series’ Sunoco Rookie of Year Award, the new class is in a position to continue the momentum and defend the 2013 title.”
Bryan Ortiz, from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and Ryan Gifford, of Winchester, Tenn., will return to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Ortiz finished second to teammate Larson in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors last season and fifth in the standings.
They will be joined by Daniel Suarez of Monterrey, Mexico, and Mackena Bell of Carson City, Nev. Suarez is coming off a third-place finish in Mexico’s NASCAR Toyota Series, while Bell drove in Rev Racing’s Late Model program last year.
Annabeth Barnes from Hiddenite, N.C., and Jack Madrid from San Clemente, Calif., will pilot the Late Models for Rev Racing. While Devon Amos, from Rio Rancho, N.M., will compete for the team’s Legends program.
“In 2012, the NASCAR Drive for Diversity initiative has strengthened its position as a leading driver development platform in our sport with outstanding finishes from many drivers, especially Kyle’s championship, which was a first for the program,” said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR vice president of public affairs and multicultural development. “Clearly, the NASCAR D4D initiative and Rev Racing have raised the bar in preparing young drivers for success in our sport.”
Seventeen hopefuls went through a three-day driver evaluation of on-track performances and physical fitness assessments to be considered for a spot in the 2013 D4D class. For the second-consecutive year, the D4D Combine was held at Langley Speedway, a .4-mile asphalt oval and NASCAR sanctioned track.
While several of the drivers will compete in the UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 18-19, the full team will begin their season in March. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series drivers will make their series debut at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway March 9, while the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East drivers open their season on March 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Toyota and Toyota Racing Development will once again support Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, with all drivers racing Toyota Camrys in 2013. Goodyear, Mobil 1, Sprint, NASCAR Technical Institute (NTI), 3M, Wix Filters, Mechanix Wear, iRacing, Castle, JRI Shocks, Impact, Playseat, Doghouse Systems, Logitech, and Sign Innovations also return to support Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program.
Concord, NC (Dec. 13, 2012) – The 23rd Annual Stocks For Tots charity event took place at NASCAR Technical Institute on Tuesday, December 11, 2012 in Mooresville, NC. Rev Racing was honored to partner with their sponsor, NTI, to play a part of this meaningful holiday tradition in the North Carolina racing community.
Stocks For Tots was created as a way to bring together stock car racing and its fans, while raising awareness of the child abuse problem in North Carolina. The idea was to collect toys and raise money during a festive, family-oriented holiday event.
Rev Racing drivers, Kyle Larson and Ryan Gifford, attended and were on hand to sign autographs for the hundreds of race fans and visitors to the event. Additionally, the Rev Racing/iRacing driving simulator provided an opportunity for the guests to get in the driver’s seat and take some hot laps around Charlotte Motor Speedway. Even Santa got in on the action.
“We are a part of this community and understand the social responsibility that entails,” remarked Derik Crotts, Rev Racing General Manager. “We get so much from the fans throughout this area that it becomes an honor to give some of that support back to them.”
Net proceeds from the Stocks For Tots event goes to SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now) of Iredell County. SCAN is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children, supporting parents and improving the community. Since 1987 The Child & Parenting Centers of Iredell County have been working with families to create positive and effective parent-child relationships. For more information about SCAN please visit the website at www.iredellscan.org.