Category: News

Statistical Advance: Analyzing The New Hampshire 125 At The “Magic Mile”

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The penultimate race of the 2010 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season will take place on Friday, Sept. 17 with the New Hampshire 125 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. At New Hampshire Motor Speedway: History • Groundbreaking for New Hampshire International Speedway was Aug. 13, 1989. • The official opening was June 5, 1990 and the first NASCAR event was a NASCAR Nationwide Series race on July 15, 1990. • The first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race was held on Sept. 2, 1990. • The track was renamed New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2008. • The largest racing oval – and the largest sports facility overall – in New England. Notebook • There have been 53 NKNPS East races all-time at NHMS, more than at any other track. • There have been 23 different race winners, led by Brad Leighton’s eight. • There have been 27 different pole winners, led by Kelly Moore’s six. • Eddie MacDonald has won three of the last five NKNPS East races at NHMS, and is the defending race and pole winner of this event. • Ryan Truex earned his first NHMS win this past June while Brett Moffitt captured the pole. • Among all entrants for the 2010 New Hampshire 125, only MacDonald (3) and Truex (1) have won at NHMS. New Hampshire Motor Speedway Data Race: #9 of 10 overall, #2 of 2 at NHMS Track Layout: 1.058-mile oval Banking: Variable between 2-7 degrees in the turns Race Length: 125 laps/132.25 miles Qualifying/Race Data 2009 pole winner: Eddie MacDonald (127.079 mph, 29.972 sec.) 2009 race winner: Eddie MacDonald (80.296 mph, 1:18.16) Track qualifying record: Brian Hoar (127.141 mph, 28.892 sec., 7-18-02) Up to Speed: • Darrell Wallace Jr. won the season-opener at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway on March 27. • Max Gresham was victorious on April 3 at South Boston (Va.) Speedway and in the East/West combination race at Iowa Speedway on May 23 in Newton, Iowa. • Brett Moffitt was the winner of the inaugural stand-alone NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on June 6. • Defending champion Ryan Truex captured his first win of 2010 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on June 25 in Loudon, N.H. • Andrew Ranger earned his first NKNPS East pole and race wins in the K&N 100 at Lime Rock Park on July 3 in Lakeville, Conn. • Wallace reached Victory Lane in the first race for the NKNPS East at Lee (N.H.) USA Speedway since 2004 … Kevin Swindell earned his first career pole prior to the race. • Ty Dillon registered his first career win last time out as the NKNPS East made its inaugural visit to Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga.. • Truex leads Wallace in the season standings by 66 points. • The 2010 NKNPS East season will close on Friday, Sept. 24 with the Sunoco 15 in Dover (Del.) International Speedway. Selected Driver Highlights: Michael Cherry (No. 8 Changing Lanes Chevrolet) • Made NASCAR K&N Pro Series East debut last time out at Gresham Motorsports Park and registered a fourth-place finish. • Has taken over the seat of the No. 8 Revolution Racing Chevrolet – previously driven by Mackena Bell – for the balance of the season. • Part of the Drive for Diversity program, he was competing in Revolution Racing’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model program prior to the promotion. Ty Dillon (No. 3 Mom ‘N’ Pops Country Ham Chevrolet) • Has a win and six top 10s in nine career NKNPS East starts. • Earned first career win last time out at GMP. • Has four top 10s in six starts this year. • Has finishes of 17th and sixth in two career starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Ryan Gifford (No. 2 Changing Lanes Chevrolet) • Has seven top fives in 12 career NKNPS East starts … Best career finish is second, twice. • Won his first career Coors Light Pole Award at Martinsville Speedway to become the first African-American driver in NKNPS East history to earn a pole. • Is fifth in points with four top fives in eight starts this year. • Has finished fourth in both of his previous starts at NHMS. • Is competing out of the Revolution Racing garage as part of the Drive for Diversity program. Max Gresham (No. 18 Gresham & Associates Toyota) • Has two wins, a pole and five top 10s in 11 career NKNPS East starts. • Won the second and third races this year at South Boston Speedway and Iowa Speedway. • Is seventh in points … Has three podium efforts, but the other five finishes are 12th or worse. • Has finishes of ninth and 21st in two previous starts at NHMS. • Is a teammate to Brett Moffitt at Joe Gibbs Racing. Matt Kobyluck (No. 40 Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino Chevrolet) • The 2008 NKNPS East champion. • Has seven poles, 16 wins and 95 top 10s in 176 career NKNPS East starts. • Has wins at 11-different tracks, but still seeks his first at NHMS. • Is sixth in points after eight races with four top 10s and a best finish of fourth at Martinsville. • Has nine top 10s, an average finish of 21st and a best finish of third in 29 career starts at NHMS. Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 NEMO/Grimm Construction Chevrolet) • Has six wins, two poles and 54 top 10s in 129 career NKNPS East starts. • Is ninth in points after eight races with best finish of fourth at Lee USA Speedway. • Has won three of the last five races at NHMS, including this event last year … Has eight top 10s and an average finish of 19th in 20 career starts at NHMS. • Will also attempt his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at NHMS, as well as defend his 2009 win in the ACT Invitational. Corey LaJoie (No. 07 LaJoie Auto Wrecking Ford) • Will look to make his third start of the year, and sixth of his career overall. • Has finishes of 31st and eighth in two starts at NHMS. • Best career finish was third last year at Dover International Speedway. Brett Moffitt (No. 20 Game Plan for Life Toyota) • Has three wins, two poles and 14 top 10s in 19 career NKNPS East starts. • Is fourth in points with five top 10s this year. • Has finishes of 27th, second and fifth in three career starts at NHMS. • Competes as a teammate to Max Gresham in the JGR development program. Sergio Pena (No. 4 Changing Lanes Chevrolet) • Is 11th in points with two top 10s in eight starts as a rookie this year. • Best career finish – sixth – came last time out at GMP. • Is competing out of the Revolution Racing garage as part of the Drive for Diversity program. Andrew Ranger (No. 35 Waste Management Recycling Chevrolet) • Has a win and three top fives in five NKNPS East starts during his rookie season. • Finished ninth in his debut at NHMS in June. • Was the 2007 and 2009 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 champion. • Has three wins and top 10s in all five NCATS starts this year … Has 12 wins in 42 career races. D.J. Shaw (No. 60 Precision JLM Chevrolet) • Has four top 10s in 10 career starts … Debuted in the series with two starts at NHMS in 2009. • Is eighth in points with four top 10s and a best finish was fifth in the season opener. • Has finishes of 24th, 21st and 13th in three career starts at NHMS. Kevin Swindell (No. 9 Curb Records/NOS Energy Drink Chevrolet) • Has two poles and five top 10s in 13 career starts. • Is 10th in points with three top 10s. • Has finishes of third, 10th and second in three career starts at NHMS … Runner-up effort this past June is his best career finish overall. • Has made three NASCAR Nationwide Series starts in 2010 for Baker-Curb Racing. Ryan Truex (No. 00 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota) • The 2009 NKNPS East titlist … Has four wins, two poles and 15 top 10s in 20 career starts. • Leads Darrell Wallace Jr. by 66 points atop the standings … Has six top fives in seven races. • Has a win (June 2010), a pole (June 2009) and podium finishes in each of his three NHMS starts. • A development driver for Michael Waltrip Racing … Has three NNS starts for MWR this year. Darrell Wallace Jr. (No. 6 Revolution Racing Chevrolet) • Trails Ryan Truex by 66 points in the standings … Has two wins and six top 10s in eight races. • With his win at Greenville Pickens Speedway, he became the youngest race winner in series history, and also became the first African-American driver to win in the series’ 24 years. • Is the leading candidate for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. • Competes out of the Revolution Racing garage as part of the Drive for Diversity program. Cole Whitt (No. 84 Red Bull Toyota) • Has six top 10s in eight starts in the series and is third in points as a rookie. • Best finish was second at South Boston, Lime Rock and Gresham. • Earned the pole and finished third in his debut at GPS … Also won the East pole at Iowa. • A highly-decorated open wheel racer, he is a development driver for Red Bull Racing.

Nascar Turns to TV to Boost Minorities (New York Times)

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A few clicks on the Web site of Black Entertainment Television leads viewers to a short Nascar tutorial filled with information about popular drivers, racetracks and salaries. It may seem odd to find a sport so closely tied to white Southern men featured on a Web site devoted to African-American entertainment, but it represents Nascar’s latest attempt to build a following for minority drivers it hopes to develop into stars. Nascar is behind a new reality television series on BET, “Changing Lanes,” that will make its debut at 8 on Wednesday night. A field of 30 minority drivers will be narrowed to 10, who will live together for a month as they compete on the track and prepare in the classroom for the chance to race in a high-profile event and ultimately succeed in Nascar. The series is the brainchild of Max Siegel, a former music industry executive and global president of Dale Earnhardt Inc., who became involved with Nascar’s diversity effort in 2003 when the Hall of Fame football player Reggie White tried to start a minority-based race team. White died in 2004 before seeing his dream come true, but the effort to draw minorities has continued. Read more…

Talent Puts Wallace In History Books & Looking For More (NASCAR.com)

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The formula for judging talent, according to Andy Santerre, is a simple one. No complex algebraic equations necessary, no computer simulations crunching numbers the way “Moneyball” czar Bill James would have you believe to be paramount. “I look at how fast they go,” said Santerre, the competition director for Revolution Racing and NASCAR’s Max Siegel-headed Drive For Diversity program. Santerre ought to know. He’s a four-time champion of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East as a driver, and since stepping out of the seat he’s worked at developing some of the sport’s brightest young talent — including Austin Dillon, Brett Moffitt and Sean Caisse. “If (a young driver) can get in and can go fast at any track, short track or speedway, that’s a big thing,” Santerre said. “Some drivers can run third-mile race tracks but really can’t run (well) on a mile track. “I look at speed — and Darrell can run anywhere.” Darrell Wallace Jr. enters the final three races of the season — including Saturday’s American Fence Association 150 at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga. — just 33 points behind defending series champion Ryan Truex. He’s a Joe Gibbs Racing development driver, and he’s the D4D program’s best shot yet at a NASCAR championship with five Top-5s and six Top-10s in seven races. Read more…

Darrell Wallace Jr Aims to Add to Historic Season

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

Wallace Steals The Show At Lee

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Bold move on late restart gives rookie second East win Read the lap-by-lap on NASCAR Home Tracks. Darrell Wallace Jr. made a three-wide pass for the lead with two laps to go and held on for the victory Friday in the K&N Pro Series 125 at Lee USA Speedway. It was the second NASCAR K&N Pro Series East win of the season for the 16-year-old Revolution Racing driver from Mobile, Ala. “It definitely hit us right away this time,” said Wallace. “I’m excited, the whole team is excited. I was talking to the crew under the red flag and I told them [the leaders] are going to wash it up and I’m going to go under them and take the win and that’s exactly what happened.” Wallace started behind Ryan Truex and Eddie MacDonald on the race’s final restart. Truex and MacDonald had swapped the lead four times over the previous 35 laps, and appeared setting up for a final dash to the checkers for the win. But it was Wallace who had drove up through the field after getting tangled up in an early race incident and wound up stealing the spotlight. He dove inside the side-by-side leaders going into Turn 3, and emerged with the lead coming out of Turn 4 for his second win of the season. Wallace became the youngest driver and first African American race winner in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East history when he won the season opener at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway in March. Wallace, second in points, closed the gap on defending series champion Truex to 33 points with three races remaining. Marc Davis returned to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this weekend for the first time since 2008. He finished eighth at Lee USA Speedway in the No. 8 Revolution Racing Chevrolet. “I was really appreciative of Max Siegel and everybody at Revolution for putting me in the car this week,” said Davis, who is eyeing a return to the Nationwide Series at Dover in September. “These guys needed a good run. They’ve struggled the past couple weeks. Just had a bunch of bad luck. So they put me in the car for this one race, and we came away with a solid top ten.” Sergio Pena carried a special paint-scheme this weekend, promoting the upcoming docu-reality series “Changing Lanes,” which premieres on BET Network September 1. Pena drove the No. 4 Changing Lanes Chevrolet to a 15th-place finish at Lee USA Speedway Friday night, despite damage from a mid-race incident. Pena is currently 12th in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings. Ryan Gifford saw his night come to an early end at Lee USA Speedway after getting caught up in multiple on-track incidents. The final blow to the No. 2 Revolution Racing Chevrolet came at lap 116 when front end damage sent the No. 2 machine to the garage. Gifford was credited with a 19th-place finish. He slips to eighth in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series standings, but is just 26 points out of fifth-place. The K&N Pro Series 125 will air on SPEED on Thursday, Aug. 5 at 6 p.m. ET. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will return to the track on Saturday, Aug. 28 at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga.

Top 10 Weekend for Brunelli

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Jessica Brunelli piloted the No. 2 Late Model to two top-10 finishes this weekend, including a fifth-place finish at Tri-County Motor Speedway on Friday night and a seventh-place finish at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday night. “It’s hard to complain about two top-10 finishes,” said Brunelli. “We did struggle with the car a little bit on Friday night, despite the fifth-place finish, but the guys worked hard to make some changes before practice at Hickory on Saturday to get it where it needed to be. We had an awesome qualifying lap, our best of the year at Hickory, and really had a good car for the race. It just took it a little bit to come in, which hurt us at the start of the race.” Brunelli qualified third at both Tri-County Motor Speedway and Hickory Motor Speedway. The third-place starting position at Hickory was the best of the year for Brunelli. Brunelli battled a loose race car to start the 50 lap feature at Hickory and dropped to ninth at the drop of the green flag as she waited for her car to come in. With the race going caution free, Brunelli had to earn her spots back on the track. She got stuck behind a pair of cars racing each other side-by-side for several laps. Brunelli remained patient and waited for an opening, and was able to pass both cars before the checkered flag. “It’s tough when you’re stuck behind two cars running side by side like that,” said Brunelli. “You try to be patient, but as the laps wind down, you’ve got to make a move. I waited for my opportunity and took it, and was able to pick up two spots on the track.” Brunelli now has six top fives and ten top 10s in 14 races this season. She has competed in six races at Tri-County Motor Speedway and eight races at Hickory Motor Speedway.

Weekend Preview: Late Models

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Jessica Brunelli and Katie Hagar are ready for another exciting weekend of racing at Hickory Motor Speedway. The two NASCAR Whelen All-American Series drivers will compete in Saturday night’s 100 lap feature for Revolution Racing. The two drivers got a little seat time this week away from the short tracks of North Carolina, participating in a Media Race Experience at Pocono Raceway along with teammates Michael Cherry and Ryan Gifford. Brunelli and Hagar were able to take a few laps around the 2.5-mile track, the longest track that either has driven in their career. Now the two will return their focus to short-track racing, heading to the 0.363-mile Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday night.   Event Information: Late Model 100 Hickory Motor Speedway Saturday, July 17 at 7 p.m.   Jessica Brunelli Team: No. 2 Late Model  Crew Chief: Brandon Butler  Brunelli on her season with Revolution Racing: “It’s hard to believe we’re 11 races into the season already. I’m looking forward to these last seven races of the season. We’ve made a lot of progress as a team, and, individually I think I’ve made a lot of progress as a driver. I’ve learned so much about these cars from working in the shop and working side by side with my teammates and our crew chiefs at Revolution Racing.”  Fast Facts:
  • Six of Brunelli’s 11 races this season have been at Hickory Motor Speedway. Her best finish at the 0.363-mile track is third.
  • Brunelli has five top fives and seven top 10s in 11 races this season. She has been competing at Tri-County Motor Speedway and Hickory Motor Speedway.
  • At just 17 years old, Brunelli is the youngest of Revolution Racing’s late model drivers. She is completing her junior year of high school via online college prep independent study.

 
Katie Hagar Team: No. 3 Late Model Crew Chief: David Flynn Hagar on the Pocono Race Experience: “I had a blast going out to Pocono Raceway this week and having the opportunity to make a few laps around the track as part of the Media Race Experience. Everyone with the Pocono Race Experience is top-notch. I’ve never been on a track anywhere close to that big before, so it was like getting a sneak peak at what it will be like as we move up through the ranks for NASCAR and get approved to race on bigger tracks.” Fast Facts:
  • Hagar finished eighth in her last race at Hickory Motor Speedway on June 19.
  • Hagar has three top fives and eight top 10s in 10 races so far this season.
  • Hagar has raced late models in California for the last two seasons, competing at All American Speedway, Madera Speedway and Stockton 99 Speedway.
For more about Jessica Brunelli or Katie Hagar, check out their bios at www.revolutionracing.net

Cherry Seventh in Dwight Huffman Memorial

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Michael Cherry drove the No. 2 Late Model to a seventh-place finish Saturday night in the Third Annual Dwight Huffman Memorial Race for Charity at Hickory Motor Speedway. Revolution Racing teammates Jason Romero and Becca Kasten finished 20th and 23rd, respectively, after being involved in separate on-track incidents. Attrition was the name of the game on Saturday night, with less than 15 cars surviving to the end of the 177-lap feature. Cherry started 12th in the No. 2 Late Model and was able to stay up front throughout the race, avoiding the wrecks happening deep in the field. “I had a blast out here tonight,” said Cherry. “I can’t thank my crew chief, [Brandon] Chuck (Butler), Blair Addis, Andy Santerre and the whole team at Revolution Racing enough for giving me the opportunity to drive these race cars. These guys work their tails off and I get to have a blast driving these cars.” Cherry moved as high as second at lap 62, and ran in the top five for most of the night. A competition caution at lap 150 set the field up for a 27-lap shoot out to the checkered flag. Cherry was holding onto fifth-place when the final caution came out at lap 163. The No. 10 car of Andy Mercer was able to get by Cherry on the restart bringing the seventh and eighth-place cars with him. Cherry slid to eighth and in the closing laps was able to pick up a spot and finish seventh. “That last caution cost us a few spots,” said Cherry. “The high line was working good for us and there was no way Mercer was going to get by me on the bottom. The restart gave him the line he wanted and he was able to take the spot. We’ll take a solid top 10 finish, though, this was a tough, competitive field of cars out here tonight.” Cherry now has one win, six top fives and 12 top 10s in 13 late model races this season. Becca Kasten made contact with the inside frontstretch wall at lap 81 of the Dwight Huffman Memorial, when a car dove to the bottom putting Kasten in the middle of a three-wide situation. The cars bobbled and Kasten’s No. 5 AirTight Late Model got the worst of it, ending her night early. Jason Romero was caught up in a three car spin coming out of turn four just past the lap 100 mark. Damage to the No. 3 Late Model ended Romero’s night early, despite the crews best efforts to repair the damaged race car.

Weekend Preview

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Revolution Racing’s Michael Cherry, Becca Kasten and Jason Romero will compete in the Third Annual Dwight Huffman Memorial Race for Charity at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday night. The event, which honors the memory of former Hickory Motor Speedway track promoter Dwight Huffman, features a 177 lap Late Model feature. Cherry, Kasten and teammate Katie Hagar will also compete at Tri-County Motor Speedway on Friday night. Event Information: Late Model Stock (50 laps) Tri-County Motor Speedway Friday, July 9 at 8 p.m. Dwight Huffman Memorial (177 laps) Hickory Motor Speedway Saturday, July 10 at 7 p.m.   Michael Cherry Team: No. 2 Late Model Crew Chief: Brandon Butler Cherry on a full weekend of racing: “I’m looking forward to the weekend; it’s my first time back in the car since our win at Tri-County Motor Speedway last month. If we can mirror what we did a couple of weeks ago with the win at Tri-County and the second-place finish at Hickory, it’ll be a good weekend for Revolution Racing.” Fast Facts:
  • Cherry earned his first career late model win at Tri-County Motor Speedway on June 11. He followed it up with a second-place finish at Hickory Motor Speedway the following night.
  • Cherry has won two poles at Tri-County Motor Speedway this season in the No. 2 Late Model.
  • After 12 races this season, Cherry has one win, six top fives and 11 top 10s. He’s competed at Caraway Speedway (Asheboro, N.C.), Hickory Motor Speedway and Tri-County Motor Speedway.
  Katie Hagar Team: No. 3 Late Model Crew Chief: David Flynn Hagar on racing and luck: “We had some bad luck last weekend with losing the engine early in the race. It was really unfortunate that we didn’t get to run all 150 laps, but we’ve regrouped and we’re looking forward to getting back out there again this weekend. Hopefully we’ve put the bad luck behind us and we can run a good, clean race.” Fast Facts:
  • Engine troubles ended Hagar’s night early in the Firecracker 150 at Tri-County Motor Speedway. She finished fifth in her last full race at Tri-County Motor Speedway on June 18.
  • Hagar has three top fives and eight top 10s in 10 races so far this season.
  • Hagar has raced late models in California for the last two seasons, competing at All American Speedway, Madera Speedway and Stockton 99 Speedway.
  Becca Kasten Team: No. 5 AirTight Late Model Crew Chief: Danny Johnson Kasten on getting back in the race car: “I’m looking forward to the Dwight Huffman Memorial Race; it’s the biggest race of the season for us. From what I’ve heard, last year’s race was a three hour event with lots of attrition. Very different than most races we’ve been to this year. I think there’s going to be a lot more wrecks than we’re used to seeing, so being able to survive until the end will make all the difference. Fast Facts:
  • Kasten scored her best finishes of the season her last time out, finishing second and third at Tri-County Motor Speedway and finishing third at Hickory Motor Speedway.
  • Kasten has three top fives and eight top 10s in 11 starts this season. She has competed at Caraway Speedway (Asheboro, N.C.), Hickory Motor Speedway and Tri-County Motor Speedway.
  • 2010 is Kasten’s first season competing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Models. She previously competed in an ASA touring series.
  Jason Romero Team: No. 3 Late Model Crew Chief: David Flynn Romero on his return to action: “I’m really excited about the Dwight Huffman Memorial race. I’ve got family coming in from California to watch me race this weekend, so of course I want to go out and put on a show for them. We’ve run a few hundred lap events at Hickory already this year, but nothing like 177 laps of green flag racing. It’s going to be an exciting night of racing.” Fast Facts:
  • Romero has won three poles at Tri-County Motor Speedway this season and tied for fast-time at a fourth event earlier this year.
  • Romero scored his best finish of the season at Hickory Motor Speedway, a fifth-place finish, on May 15.
  • In his first full season of racing late models at All American Speedway, Romero won four poles and 11 races on his way to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track championship.

Reitenour Wins Firecracker 150

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Megan Reitenour started her Fourth of July holiday weekend with a bang, winning the Firecracker 150 at Tri-County Motor Speedway on Friday night. Reitenour led 78 laps en route to her first career late model win. “I just want to thank my team, our sponsor, AirTight Mechanical, and everyone involved with Revolution Racing and the Drive for Diversity program for making this possible,” said Reitenour. “It’s been a long time coming and I’m glad I finally got that win.” Reitenour qualified second for the Firecracker 150 in the No. 5 AirTight Late Model, but dropped to third early in the race. She settled into third, exercising patience early in the 150 lap race. At lap 72, her patience paid off when the race leaders made contact and spun out, leaving Reitenour to inherit the lead. Reitenour took advantage of the situation, holding onto the lead at the restart and driving away from the field. The final caution of the race came out at lap 116, and Reitenour was again able to pull ahead on the restart. She continued to increase her lead and took the checkered flag with a straightaway lead over second-place finisher R.A. Brown. “Megan did a great job tonight saving her stuff for the end,” said Danny Johnson, crew chief of the No. 5 car. “She knew she needed to be patient early on to be there at the end and she did an awesome job of that tonight. This was a great night for Revolution Racing and the No. 5 team.” Reitenour, who earned rookie of the year honors at Tri-County Motor Speedway in 2009, has one win, two top fives and four top 10s in 11 races this season. She has been splitting her time this season between Tri-County Motor Speedway and Hickory Motor Speedway. Reitenour’s next scheduled race is a 100-lap event at Hickory Motor Speedway on July 17.

Move over Danica… (Mooresville Weekly)

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When Max Siegel and John Story started Revolution Racing, they had a vision of creating a developmental race team that would springboard drivers and crewmembers to NASCAR’s premier series. Not even a year later, their team is well on its way toward that goal, fielding six drivers in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and four competitors in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series for 2010.  “We’re very happy with where we are as an organization after only a few months of operation,” Story said. “We’ve exceeded our expectations at this point, and we have no reason to believe that we won’t continue to do that.” What sets this racing outfit apart from any other NASCAR team? Read the rest at MooresvilleWeekly.com…

Strong Showing for Late Models at Tri-County

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Jessica Brunelli, Jason Romero and Megan Reitenour were at Tri-County Motor Speedway (Hudson, N.C.) Friday night with the Revolution Racing Late Model program. Romero finished second in the No. 3 Revolution Racing Late Model after earning his third pole of the year at the 0.4-mile speedway. “Revolution Racing continues to give us cars capable of running up front,” said Romero, who piloted the No. 3 car this weekend instead of his usual No. 2 Late Model. “Unfortunately we came up a little short tonight, but as a team we continue to show that we can run up front, win poles and win races. I’m looking forward to coming back next week for the Firecracker 150.” Brunelli started the race third in the No. 2 Late Model, and battled with the No. 57 and No. 28 car several times throughout the race. On lap 39, Brunelli moved ahead of Romero for second-place. The two battled side-by-side before Romero re-took the position at lap 42. Brunelli finished third. Reitenour finished sixth in the No. 5 Revolution Racing Late Model after qualifying fifth. Reitenour was sent to the rear of the field early in the race and had to battle her way back to the front. Reitenour, who had a strong race car all night, ended up stuck behind two cars battling side-by-side and was unable to get around them before running out of laps in the 50 lap feature. She finished sixth. Brunelli, Reitenour and Romero will return to Tri-County Motor Speedway Friday, July 2 for the Firecracker 150.

Wallace Third in New Hampshire

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Darrell Wallace Jr. drove to his third consecutive third-place finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this weekend after taking on the 1.058-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the first time in his career. Wallace’s Revolution Racing teammate Ryan Gifford followed him across the line in fourth. Sergio Pena and Mackena Bell finished 15th and 27th, respectively. “We blew a motor in practice and lost a lot of practice time yesterday,” said Wallace, who started at the rear of the field due to an engine change. “We just had to wing it a little bit the first 50 laps of the race, but once I got the line down and the car came in, we were fast. My pit crew did an awesome job picking up spots on pit road; I think we picked up six or eight spots just on the pit stop. I couldn’t get by (Ryan) Truex and (Kevin) Swindell, but after the weekend we had I’ll settle for third any day.” The engine change for the No. 6 Castle Chevrolet, which took place during Thursday’s practice session, negated Wallace’s 12th-place qualifying effort. He started at the tail-end of the field for the 125-lap race and, for the second race in a row, drove all the way through the field to a third-place finish. Wallace is currently second in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standing, just 33 points behind leader Ryan Truex. Gifford, driving the No. 2 Revolution Racing Chevrolet, finished fourth after qualifying fourth for the New England 125. Gifford jumped two spots, to third, in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings. He trails leader Ryan Truex by just 89 points. Pena held on for a 15th-place finish at New Hampshire after a blown tire and multiple on-track incidents threatened to end his day early. Pena, driving the No. 4 Revolution Racing Chevrolet finished the race just one lap down. He is currently 14th in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings. Bell’s string of bad luck continued in New Hampshire, when a wreck in front of her left her with nowhere to go. Damage to the No. 8 Revolution Racing Chevrolet sent her to the garage, ending her day early. She was credited with a 27th-place finish. Bell is currently 18th in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings. The New England 125 from New Hampshire Motor Speedway will be broadcast on SPEED Thursday, July 1 at 6 p.m. ET. Bell, Gifford, Pena and Wallace head to Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn., this Saturday, July 3 for their only road-course race of the season.

DogHouse Systems, Playseat Bring Technology Deck to Life

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Revolution Racing continues to evolve its driver development curriculum by combining technology with hands-on training in its academy-style development program. A partnership with iRacing formed earlier this year, along with contributions from Logitech, allowed Revolution drivers to get behind the virtual wheel to prepare for the 2010 season. Recently, new partnerships with DogHouse Systems and Playseat America have brought the Revolution Racing Technology Deck to life. The Revolution Racing Technology Deck provides a unique training environment for the team’s development drivers, with 10 individual racing simulators complete with force-feedback steering wheels and surround sound. Through iRacing simulation software, drivers can test Legends Cars, open-wheel cars and full-bodied stock cars on a variety of race tracks from across the United States, Canada and Europe. “This is one more tool we are able to use for driver development,” said John Story, President of Revolution Racing. “Through our partnerships with iRacing, DogHouse Systems and Playseat America, along with our collaboration with Logitech, our drivers are able to climb into a simulator at their leisure and test at a different track without leaving the race shop.” In addition to driver development and training, the Revolution Racing Technology Deck offers opportunities for educational and youth groups to get an inside look at the world of motorsports. Through the Revolution Racing simulators, students can apply principles of science, technology, engineering and math to their own virtual race cars. “Science, technology, engineering and math are vital components of any young person’s school curriculum,” said Max Siegel, CEO of Revolution Racing. “Through the Revolution Racing Technology Deck, we can make these topics more relevant and accessible to students and drivers of any age.” The Revolution Racing simulators are built using components from DogHouse Systems, iRacing, Logitech and Playseat America. iRacing provides the simulation software, which allows drivers to race, practice or qualify in a wide variety of cars and tracks,  and is used by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Marcos Ambrose, Brad Keselowski and a number of other drivers from all forms of motorsports. The simulation software from iRacing is run on a DogHouse Systems Elite Gaming Machine, a customized version of the DogHouse Armor VS. “To say we are excited to be teaming up with Revolution Racing would be an understatement,” said John Pryor of DogHouse Systems. “Many of us at DogHouse Systems are NASCAR fans and when we learned about the Drive for Diversity program and the Revolution Racing Technology Deck, we knew it was a program we would be proud to be affiliated with.” The simulator chassis are provided by Playseat America. Revolution Racing exclusively uses the Playseat Evolution racing chassis. The simulators come to life with Logitech G27 Racing Wheels, along with Logitech Z-2300 speakers and G-35 headsets which add authentic sound to complete the racing experience. Additional networking components needed to complete the Revolution Racing Technology Deck were provided by Best Buy Store #1133 in Mooresville, N.C. For more information about Revolution Racing’s simulation technology partners, please visit www.revracing.net About Revolution Racing Headquartered in Mooresville, N.C., Revolution Racing, owned by Max Siegel and John Story, brings together championship caliber executives, competition staff and equipment in a unique academy-style environment. Revolution currently operates four NASCAR K&N Pro Series East teams, under the direction of four-time K&N Pro Series champion Andy Santerre, and six NASCAR Whelen All‐American Series teams, led by former Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway track champion Blair Addis. In addition, Revolution 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. About DogHouse Systems Established in 2008, DogHouse Systems™ produces elite desktop computers for the most discriminating PC gamer. The DogHouse Systems™ machines offer the best performance value available on the market today. The company was founded by computer hardware professionals who love gaming and want to offer a product that is specifically built and tested to get the most performance out of a single machine without loading it with costly extras that provide little or no benefit. The engineers at DogHouse Systems™ tested scores of hardware configurations to find the perfect combination of quality components that, together, would create synergistic performance unmatched by competitors and backed by statistical benchmarks. These machines are not tweaked, juiced or over-clocked. They are the result of matching pure raw power with iron-clad stability. If these machines were athletes, they would have 100% muscle and 0% body fat. DogHouse Systems     proudly introduces – the Armor Series. DogHouse Systems™ offers four distinct levels of gaming desktop machines called the Armor Line. The entry-level VS, the ES series, the TL series and the flagship SS. DogHouse also offers an elite gaming laptop called Mobius. Each machine is built with the most balanced configuration so you don’t have to worry about a confusing deluge of options that have no real-world performance gain and do nothing but eat into your wallet. Each Doghouse Systems™ machine demonstrates astounding capability that will give you years of dominant gaming. About iRacing.com iRacing was founded in 2004 by Dave Kaemmer and John Henry. Kaemmer was co-founder of Papyrus Design Group, developers of award-winning racing simulations including NASCAR Racing: 2003 Season and Grand Prix Legends. Henry is principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Sports Group – the co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing – as well as an avid simracer. iRacing has developed numerous corporate relationships in the motorsport industry, including agreements to develop track simulations with International Speedway Corporation, Speedway Motorsports and Panoz Motor Sports Group.  iRacing is the official simulation partner of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Sports Car Club of America, Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, Star Mazda Championship, Skip Barber Racing School and Australia’s V8 Super School. The iRacing service is open to racers and fans of all skill levels from top-level pros to complete beginners. To join in the fun, go to www.iRacing.com. About Playseat Playseat is the premier manufacturer of gaming furniture worldwide, a well-known brand in gaming, and an international registered trademark®. What started out as a simple garage concept created out of a leftover car seat and rusty scrap metal single handedly re-defined in-home gaming and revolutionized an industry. Corporately based in Holland/Netherlands, Playseat was officially founded  in 2000 by current president and ’97 Dutch Enduro 125cc Champion Dr. Fernando Smit. Inspired by his racing career, Dr. Smit wanted to find a w ay to bring the experience home, and felt the quickly advancing technology of the video game industry bridged that gap of realism, all that was missing was a realistic interface to round out the experience. Thus, the first Playseat was born, which has since evolved into a multitude of products that encompass all facets of gaming, truly making Playseat the Ultimate Gaming Experience. Founded in 2002, Playseat America handles all North and South America sales, marketing and distribution of Playeat products.

Romero Scores Season Best Finish

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Jason Romero scored his best finish of the season Friday night with a second-place run at Tri-County Motor Speedway in the No. 2 MBC Group Late Model. Romero’s teammates Jessica Brunelli and Katie Hagar finished third and fifth, respectively. “It was a good night for the entire Revolution Racing team,” said Romero. “My crew chief, Brandon Butler, put a great set up in the MBC Group Late Model tonight. Unfortunately we made a little contact with the wall early on, and that kept us from really contending for the win. We’ll take second-place tonight and come back next week fighting even harder for the win.” Romero qualified second for the 50 lap feature and took the lead on lap 2 after a three-way battle up front. Grant Wimbish was able to slide back under Romero to retake the lead at lap 3. The race went green for all 50 laps, and Romero was unable to overtake Wimbish’s No. 57 car. He settled for second, his best finish of the season. Brunelli qualified fourth in the No. 3 Late Model, and moved into third at lap 15. She pulled away from the rest of the field, running single-file behind Wimbish and Romero. Hagar qualified sixth and finished fifth after a hard fought battle with the No. 35 car. The two battled for the final 15 laps of the race, with the No. 35 unable to make a move to get around Hagar. With five to go, Hagar was able to pull away and finish fifth in the No. 5 AirTight Late Model. The three Revolution Racing drivers were also in action at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday night. Hagar finished eighth in the No. 5 AirTight Late Model after qualifying 10th for the 50 lap race. Romero, who qualified seventh, had worked his way up to fourth before he was spun out in turn 4 with six laps to go. He dropped to the rear of the field but was able to salvage a ninth-place finish in the No. 2 MBC Group Late Model. Romero remained positive about his weekend, despite missing out on a top-five finish: “This may have been the most fun I’ve ever had in a race car,” said Romero. “The car was hooked up tonight. I could run the high line in (turns) 1 and 2 and just pull away. It was awesome to have a car that could run like that. It’s a shame we got knocked to the back of the pack, but we learned so much out there tonight with our line and our set up. We’ll be good when we come back in a few weeks.” Brunelli qualified eighth in the No. 3 Late Model and was running in the top 10 before contact with the No. 15 car in turn 1 sent her spinning with 2 laps remaining in the race. She finished 11th. Romero will return to Tri-County Motor Speedway this Friday night, along with Revolution Racing teammates Becca Kasten and Megan Reitenour.

Weekend Preview: Late Models

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Michael Cherry scored Revolution Racing’s first late model win of the season last Friday night at Tri-County Motor Speedway and followed it up with a runner-up finish at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday. Now Jason Romero will climb behind the wheel of the No. 2 MBC Group Late Model, looking for similar success. Romero already has two poles at Tri-County Motor Speedway this year and is looking to add a tally to the win column. Katie Hagar will climb back into the No. 5 Late Model this weekend after several weekends off. Hagar’s last race was at Hickory Motor Speedway on May 15. Jessica Brunelli scored a pair of top fives last weekend at Tri-County Motor Speedway. This weekend she’ll pull double duty, racing the No. 3 Late Model at Tri-County on Friday night and at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday night.   Event Information: Late Model Stock 50 laps Tri-County Motor Speedway Friday, June 18 at 8 p.m.   Late Model Stock 50 laps Hickory Motor Speedway Saturday, June 19 at 7 p.m.   Jessica Brunelli Team: No. 1 Late Model Crew Chief: David Flynn Brunelli on the No. 3 car: “I’m excited to be back in the No. 3 car this weekend. We’re trying something different with the car this weekend and I think it’ll get us to where we need to be. We were pretty good last weekend at Tri-County and I know [crew chief] David [Flynn] and Matt [Montgomery] are working hard to give me a car capable of running up front. Now it’s up to me as a driver to get in there and show everyone that I have what it takes.” Fast Facts:
  • Brunelli made her first start of the season at Tri-County Motor Speedway last weekend. She finished fourth and fifth in the Twin 35 races.
  • After just seven starts this season, Brunelli has three top fives and four top 10s.
  • At just 17 years old, Brunelli is the youngest of Revolution Racing’s late model drivers. She is completing her junior year of high school via online college prep independent study.
  Katie Hagar Team: No. 5 AirTight Late Model Crew Chief: Danny Johnson Hagar on getting back behind the wheel: “Any driver wants to be in the car racing and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to be out there competing every week. With the way the program is set up this year, though, I’m not only getting the opportunity to race but I’m also getting the opportunity to work on the cars and learn from watching my teammates. I’ve seen Revolution Racing improve as a whole each week, and now I get to climb back in and take what we’ve learned and put it to good use.” Fast Facts:
  • Hagar’s last start in the AirTight Late Model was May 15. Hagar shares seat time with teammate Becca Kasten.
  • Hagar’s best finish of the season at Tri-County Motor Speedway is fourth. She finished a season-best fifth at Hickory Motor Speedway after starting at the rear of the 16 car field.
  • Hagar has raced late models in California for the last two seasons, competing at All American Speedway, Madera Speedway and Stockton 99 Speedway.
  Jason Romero Team: No. 2 MBC Group Late Model Crew Chief: Brandon Butler Romero on his return to action: “I’m really excited about the next couple of weeks. I’ve seen the success that Michael Cherry has had in the No. 2 car over the past few weeks and I can see the cars and team getting better. I can’t wait to go out there and run some good, consistent laps. Fast Facts:
  • Romero has won two poles at Tri-County Motor Speedway this season and tied for fast-time at a third event earlier this year.
  • Both Jason Romero and Michael Cherry are very hands-on with their race car, and support each other as mechanics on the weekends they are not racing.
In his first full season of racing late models at All American Speedway, Romero won four poles and 11 races on his way to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track championship.