CONCORD, N.C. (May 14, 2013) – After battling the weather all evening, Annabeth Barnes, Jack Madrid, and Devon Amos were able to hit the pavement to compete for Rev Racing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 11th. This was the first late model race for Amos, who took home a seventh place finish, Madrid finished 14th and Barnes came home 19th.
All three drivers had two successful practice sessions, and were able to score their best qualifying results of the season thus far. Barnes qualified 12th, Madrid qualified 14th, and Amos qualified 17th, in just his first start.
Barnes had a fast car and was running well all night, but was tangled up in an accident in front of her, disappointingly ending her night early. Madrid passed cars throughout the race, moving up to as high as eighth, when contact with the wall left damage to his car and he wasn’t able to get it back up to speed.
The next race for Barnes and Madrid with Rev Racing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series will be on Saturday, May 18th, and Motor Mile Speedway. Follow @RevRacin on twitter for updates throughout the weekend.
(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.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 20, 2012) As the NASCAR season hits the home stretch, preparations for 2013 are already underway. That process will begin in earnest for select drivers Oct. 16-18 with the 2012 NASCAR Drive for Diversity (D4D) Combine at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va.
NASCAR and Rev Racing today announced 17 candidates invited to take part in the three-day evaluation.
“We are excited to see the continued interest in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program as evidenced by the increased breadth and depth of applicants for the evaluation,” said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR vice president of public affairs and multicultural development. “The NASCAR Drive for Diversity program provides opportunities for female and minority drivers and crew members, and we are proud to be working with Rev Racing to foster great talent that will continue to enrich our sport.”
The NASCAR D4D program created in 2004 is now executed by Rev Racing and the team is competing in their third season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Currently the top two rookies in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Kyle Larson and Bryan Ortiz are in the 2012 D4D class, while Larson and Rev Racing graduate Darrell Wallace Jr. made their national series debuts this year. Larson has top 10s in both starts in the NASCAR Camping World Series and Wallace has a top 10 in all three of his NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
The 2012 Combine will be a three day driver evaluation of on-track performance, marketing and media aptitude, and physical fitness. Langley, a .4-mile asphalt oval, is the NASCAR sanctioned track hosting the event for the second consecutive year.
“Langley truly challenges those who take part in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine,” said Derik Crotts, general manager of Rev Racing, the executing partner for the program. “Participants will have several on track sessions to present their racing abilities. This will include some unique challenges that we will throw at them to make sure that they are on their game.”
The 2013 Rev Racing team will be selected from among the 2012 Rev Racing drivers and the Combine participants.
The 2012 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine participants include:
DRIVER HOMETOWN AGE
Devon Amos Rio Ranch, N.M. 21
Dustin Ash Las Vegas 24
Annabeth Barnes Hiddenite, N.C. 17
Collin Cabre Thonotosassa, Fla. 18
Kayla Cazares Goffstown, N.H. 16
Amber Colvin Mooresville, N.C. 17
Jessica Dana Olympia, Wash. 17
Paige Decker Eagle River, Wis. 19
Cassie Gannis Phoenix, Ariz. 21
Lindsay Katz Kalamazoo, Mich. 21
Jack Madrid San Clemente, Calif. 17
Kate McCall Port Orange, Fla. 16
Dallas Montes Bakersfield, Calif. 18
Hannah Newhouse Twin Falls, Idaho 15
Dylan Smith Randolph, Vt. 20
Daniel Suarez Monterrey, Mexico 20
Erica Thiering Sherwood Park, Alberta 22
CONCORD, NC (September 17, 2012) Rev Racing’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series drivers, Mackena Bell and Trey Gibson, proved that they were championship contenders on Saturday night with two top-five finishes in the 100-lap championship race for the Bojangles Late Model Series at Hickory Motor Speedway. Although not competing in the entire 2012 season, Bell’s top-three finish earned her an eighth place finish in Late Model point standings at Hickory Motor Speedway while Gibson ended the season in sixth, 150 points ahead of his teammate.
Starting this race in fifth, Bell quickly fell back to 12th after being spun on the first lap, causing right front damage to her No. 4 Toyota Racing Development Camry. Not letting this stop her from a top finish, Bell quickly maneuvered her way through the field, cracking the top-five with 40 laps remaining. Nearing the end of this championship race, Bell proved no one would stop her from ending the 2012 season on a high note when she made her way up to third place in the 15 car field with 10 laps remaining, which is where she would cross the finish.
Also bringing his 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American season to a successful end, Gibson started this race in seventh and quickly made his way into the top three within the first two laps. Continuing to keep his No. 2 Lithium Pros Toyota Camry in the top-five, Gibson was forced to make a late race pit stop, for a track bar adjustment. Starting in eighth with only 24 laps remaining, Gibson found that this was just the handling adjustment that he needed to stay competitive. Making his way through the field, Gibson was able to put the No. 2 Lithium Pros Toyota Camry back in the top-five with 10 laps remaining and crossed the finish in fifth.
“It was an honor to finish in the top-three considering the competition I had tonight,” said Bell. “It was unfortunate to have gotten caught up in a wreck on the first lap, but we made a great recovery. This team has made a lot of improvements from the beginning of the season and I would like to thank Mike Bartlett, Josh Berdnt, Keith Young and Jefferson Hodges for all their hard work and support as well as my amazing sponsors, Toyota and Toyota Racing Development for making this dream possible.”
“This weekend was better than the past couple of weeks and I am thankful to have a strong fifth place finish,” said Gibson. “The No. 2 Lithium Pros Toyota Camry was really good the first 70 laps, but after making a track bar adjustment the car seemed to handle even better. Due to this late pit stop we weren’t able to get the finished we had hoped for, but am still happy for this strong finish. I would like to thank my sponsors Lithium Pros and Toyota as well as my hard working team Mardy Lindley, Ryan Salomon, Dylan Smith and Steve Mann for their dedication this season.”
Bell and Gibson will also have an opportunity to compete in one of Hickory Motor Speedway’s largest racing events of the year – the Fall Brawl 200 lap Late Model race, on Saturday, September 29th.
CONCORD, NC (September 10, 2012) Rev Racing’s Mackena Bell comes home with a top-five finish in the 100-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series feature race this weekend, moving her into the top-10 in Late Model point standings at Hickory Motor Speedway.
After spending most of Saturday at this legendary short track, Bell and her teammate, Trey Gibson, had to await their chance to race against the competitive Late Model field until Sunday due to dangerous storms in the area.
In a race that was slowed by only one caution, Bell as able to battle back from an 11th place starting position into the top seven by the mid-point of this event. Bell continued to hold this position before laying the hammer down and moving her No. 4 Toyota Racing Development Camry into the top-five with just four laps to go, resulting in her second top-five finish of the 2012 season.
Hoping to compete with his teammate, Gibson wasn’t as fortunate. Starting this race in the top-five, Gibson’s No. 2 Lithium Pros Toyota Camry looked like the car to compete with before experiencing engine problems on lap 43. Unable to return to the race track, Gibson was forced to settle with a last place finish.
“This was a great race weekend,” said Bell. “Although our qualifying effort wasn’t what I was hoping, the changes that we made for the race as well as saving our tires until the end of this race paid off. A special thanks goes out to my team for their hard work as well as my sponsors, Toyota and Toyota Racing Development, for giving me the opportunity to have a great car.”
“Sometimes you lose more than you win in this sport, but I am really happy for my teammate today,” said Gibson. “We had a good run going for the 100 lap feature before experiencing motor problems, which forced me to end the day early. Fortunately, we have two more races to go to get another win this season and this is definitely possible with this hard working team.”
Both drivers will return to the track for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Championship Night this Saturday night at Hickory Motor Speedway, followed by the Fall Brawl 200 lap Late Model race on Saturday, September 29th.
By: Mike Petteway, Triad Sports Coverage.com
Hickory, NC (September 2, 2012) Rev Racing’s Mackena Bell and Trey Gibson maintained their poise throughout the 150 lap Bobby Isaac Memorial Late Model race Saturday night at Hickory Motor Speedway and crossed the finish line in sixth and tenth place respectively.
“Everybody preached all day about being smooth and straight off the corner and let the other drivers wear their stuff out,” said Mackena. Bell drove a great race and patiently waited for her opportunity to move up. It was apparent in the final 30 laps that the #4 Toyota Camry had plenty left for the competition.
“We fell back to about 20th at one point, but is was impressive to run with so many good drivers and come out with a sixth place finish,” Bell said. Mackena also did a great job to avoid several late race wrecks. “Those late race cautions were crazy, I could see things about to happen and I guess the “female instinct” took over and I was able to back down and get around the crashes,” said Bell.
Gibson salvaged a tenth place finish after some late race incidents, not of his making. Trey ran in the top 8 and was destined for an even better finish, but racing luck wasn’t riding in his #2 Camry. “On a restart I was put in behind some lapped cars and got hung out on the top lane, I dropped from eighth the thirteenth before I was able to find my way back to the bottom,” Gibson said.
Trey had a great Toyota under him, and like Mackena, he just rode around and conserved his equipment for the first 100 or so laps. As he made his way to the front he suffered a right front flat after contact with another car coming out of turn two and his hopes of a top five were dashed. He made his way down pit road with just 15 laps to go and quickly returned to the action and fought his way from the rear of the field to a solid tenth place finish.
“It was really unfortunate that we didn’t get the finish that we should have, but we’ll come back and go at it next time,” Trey said. “My crew and the guys back at the shop gave me a great hot rod tonight,” added Gibson.
Bell and Gibson are scheduled to return to Hickory Motor Speedway next Saturday night, September 8th for the 100 lap Late Model race.
CONCORD, NC (August 14, 2012) Rev Racing’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series drivers, Trey Gibson and Mackena Bell, continued a successful run in the twin 50-lap feature races at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday.
Dodging rain drops throughout the day, Gibson and Bell were able to battle a slick race track for two top-10 starting positions in the first of the two 50-lap races. After the wave of the green flag, Gibson, driver of the No. 2 Lithium Pros Toyota Camry, was able to push his way to third. While teammate, Bell continued to battle an ill handling car without losing her eighth place starting position.
Competing against a tight field, Gibson and Bell continued to hold their positions throughout this race, resulting in a third place finish for Gibson with Bell following in eighth.
The second race of the night was plagued with issues for both Gibson and Bell. After fourth and seventh place starting positions, Bell was the first to experience a problem after blowing a left rear tire on lap two. After a quick trip to the pits for repairs to her No. 4 Toyota Racing Development Camry, Bell returned to the track without losing a lap.
After several adjustments were made prior to the second race, Gibson also began to have trouble holding onto his No. 2 Camry when exiting off the corners, causing him to fall back to the fifth position after only 10 laps of this 50 lap race. Finding some grip in the final laps, Gibson battled back to fourth where he would remain until the final 10 laps. Unable to keep the throttle down on his No. 2 Lithium Pros Toyota Camry, Gibson fell back to sixth where he would cross the finish, with Bell following in seventh.
“Despite dealing with some handling issues, it was a decent night with two top-10’s” said Gibson. “I am thankful to this team for their hard work tonight as well as my supportive sponsors. We will be back this weekend looking for a much stronger run.”
“We made a lot of changes to the No. 4 Toyota Racing Development Camry on Saturday, which had me struggling a bit in the first race” said Bell. “Fortunately, I was back up to speed in the second race, but was forced to fight back due to a flat tire. So proud of my guys for working so hard and can’t wait to gain some ground this weekend.”
Both drivers will have an opportunity to battle for the win in this Saturday night’s feature Advance Auto NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race, at Hickory Motor Speedway.
CONCORD, NC (June 29, 2012) Rev Racing announced today that it has selected Langley Speedway to serve as host for the 2012 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine to be held October 16-18, 2012.
“We’re excited about returning to Langley Speedway,” said Derik Crotts, General Manager of Rev Racing. “They have excellent facilities and have tremendous support from the community. We’re looking forward to another great Combine and the opportunity to evaluate and develop NASCAR’s next group of stars.”
The Combine is NASCAR’s premier event used to review, evaluate and select its Drive for Diversity Program race car drivers for the 2013 race season. The Combine evaluation process consists of a complete assessment of drivers based on their physical fitness, driver resume, media aptitude, driver communications/knowledge anddriving skill (on and off track). Diverse aspiring drivers are encouraged to find more information and apply at revracing.net.
Tracks from across the nation had the opportunity to submit their application to host the 2012 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine. In addition to Langley Speedway, four other tracks, which submitted compelling and unique proposals, were reviewed as contenders. Sites were selected based on their ability to adequately fulfill NASCAR and Rev Racing’s requirements to effectively assess and evaluate each participant. The selection panel, which included members from Rev Racing and NASCAR, evaluated each proposal based on elements such as direct cost, resources required and community involvement and support, stated Crotts.
“It was a tough process, with several good opportunities provided for our consideration,” added Crotts. “ In the end, Langley presented the most cost effective option for the Combine, while at the same time meeting or exceeding all of our other requirements.”
Submissions for the 2012 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine will be accepted through August 1st, 2012. For more information and to apply visit RevRacing.net or contact Ade Herbert at 704.455.7556.
CONCORD, NC (June 18, 2012) Despite obstacles standing in their way, Rev Racing’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series drivers, Trey Gibson and Mackena Bell continued their streak of top-10 finishes at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday.
After a 12th place starting position in Saturday night’s feature race, Gibson, driver of the No. 2 Lithium Pros Toyota Camry, was able to push his way into the top-10 before the halfway point of the race. While his teammate, Bell, was spun on lap 21, where she received extensive damage, causing her to fall to the rear of the 19 car field.
Gibson continued to weave his way through this field and was up to the sixth position, with just 20 laps remaining in this exciting race, before he was spun out going into turn four.
Both Gibson and Bell battled back from these set backs and with just five laps remaining they were back in the top-10. With two laps remaining Gibson moved his No. 2 Lithium Pros Toyota Camry into the seventh position in front of teammate, Bell, who finished in eighth.
“The No. 2 Lithium Pros Camry was definitely worthy of a win,” said Gibson. “Unfortunately, being caught up in a wreck didn’t allow for this win, but pushing my way back into the top-10 before the end of this race proves that this car was powerful. I would just like to thank my team and sponsors, Lithium Pros and Toyota, for giving me such an incredible car.”
Teammate, Bell, said that she was hoping to put her No. 4 Toyota Racing Development Camry in the top five, but was happy to know that her team is continuing to improve each week.
“We have continued to get better every weekend,” said Bell. “I have learned a lot from this team and know that the time is coming to put the No. 4 Toyota Racing Development Camry in the winner’s circle.”
Gibson ranks 10th in NASCAR Whelen All-American’s North Carolina state late model points standings, despite having run fewer races than many of his competitors. Gibson and Bell also rank 35th and 186th, respectfully, out of 500 competitors, in national late model points standings. Both drivers will have an opportunity to battle for the win in the feature NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race, at Hickory Motor Speedway, on June 30th.
CONCORD, NC (May 14, 2012) After welcoming a new partner to Rev Racing’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Team this week, drivers Trey Gibson and Mackena Bell celebrated with a pair of top-10 finishes at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday.
To kick off a successful race week, Rev Racing welcomed new Primary Marketing Partner, Lithium Pros to their NASCAR Whelen All-American Team. This group of automotive enthusiasts is focused on bringing the highest performance, ultra lightweight lithium-ion batteries to the racing community and this performance was proven at Hickory Motor Speedway.
Although starting the day with a broken axle during practice, Trey Gibson, driver of the No. 2 Lithium Pros Toyota Camry, was able to qualify in the sixth starting position followed by teammate, Mackena Bell, in seventh.
Proving that nothing could keep him from being a top car, Gibson continued to move through the 17-car field after the drop of the green flag and was up to fourth by the halfway point of this race, with Bell continuing to keep her No. 4 Toyota Racing Development Camry in the top-10.
Just three laps remaining in this race, Gibson’s No. 2 Lithium Pros Toyota Camry was in third when a spin by a car in turn two brought out a caution, resulting in a green-white-checker finish. On the restart, both Gibson and Bell were able to make a pass and crossed the finish line with both a second and eighth place finish.
Continuing to increase the number of podium finishes this season, Gibson was very impressed with his LithiumPros Toyota Camry. “This car was great tonight,” said Gibson. “Lithium Pros came on the car this week and I think that this made us even more competitive.”
Fighting a tight handling race car, Bell said that her No. 4 Toyota Racing Development Camry continued to improve throughout the race. “The car was really tough to handle during the start of this race, but continued to improve and I think I could have made it to the top five with a few more laps.”
After these impressive finishes, Gibson and Bell now rank in 7th and 15th in NASCAR Whelen All-American’s North Carolina state late model points standings as well as 20th and 75th in national late model points standings.
They will appear next a Hickory Motor Speedway on May 26th.
CONCORD, NC (May 7, 2012) Following a breakout performance last weekend at Hickory, Trey Gibson showed that his win was no fluke as he powered his No. 2 Toyota Camry to the front of the field to finish second Saturday night.
Mackena Bell and Gibson both drew early qualifying spots (2nd and 3rd, respectively) and posted very respectable qualifying times. However, after Bell’s qualifying run, the track cooled and pushed both drivers back to the 11th and 12th position in the 17 car NASCAR Whelen All-American starting field.
It was obvious early on that both Rev Racing drivers had good cars, as Bell drove her No. 4 Toyota Racing Development Camry to 7th and Gibson to 9th position by Lap 15. Following a few cautions, Bell held on to her spot and Gibson began to surge forward, finding his place in fifth as a caution flag was thrown on Lap 35.
On the restart at Lap 38, Jeremy Sorel (driver of the #77 car) appeared to have missed a shift, causing Bell to check up and attempt to pass him on the outside. She was then squeezed into the outside wall of Turn one and had the toe knocked out on her car, giving her significant handling issues for the remainder of the race.
Gibson was able to escape the aftermath of the restart and held tight to his position for a few laps, and then decided he wanted more. Coming down the backstretch on Lap 47, Gibson had his sights fixed on that second spot and drove hard into Turn three. Gibson’s Toyota stuck on the bottom of the track and he proceeded to drive off with the second position, chasing the leader down for a chance at back-to-back wins. The laps ticked away though and Gibson crossed the stripe in second place, while Bell held on to her damaged ride and finished 13th.
“We had an excellent ride and I was feeling pretty good about the race, but I just can’t catch a break here it seems,” said Bell after the race.
Gibson was very excited after this third podium finish in the last three events at Hickory.
“The car felt better in qualifying than where we started,” said Gibson. “But when they dropped the green flag I knew I had to go hard for 50 laps to get up to the front, and still try to save my right rear tire some in case we had a late caution and I needed it. “
“We were just being patient and marching our way thru the field, “ Gibson added. “After we got up to fifth and had a caution with 12 to go I knew I had a car to win but came up a little short. I’m just really grateful for this opportunity the good Lord, NASCAR, Toyota, Goodyear, Max Siegel and all of our new partners this year have given me. It’s making a difference.”
NEWTON, NC (APRIL 29, 2012) Rev Racing saw its first win of the 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series as Trey Gibson piloted his No. 2 Toyota Camry to a victory and a third place finish in the Twin 50’s at the Hickory Motor Speedway here.
After a good qualifying effort, Gibson started the night’s first late model event in the seventh position and his Rev Racing teammate, Mackena Bell, rolled off the grid in her best position of the year in fifth. The seventeen-car field ran fifty caution free laps with Gibson making the most movement during the race. By lap 14, Gibson had advanced to fifth. On lap 29 he was in fourth and with thirteen laps remaining Gibson was in third. He would battle the No. 12 of Austin McDaniel who would edge him out at the line for second. Bell would bring her No. 4 Toyota Camry home in sixth.
“We struggled a little in practice,” said Gibson. “ We made some adjustments and I was able to have my best qualifying effort of the year. I knew I would have to go hard to get to the front but still had to save my tires for the second race. So, coming away with a third, almost a second, was exciting but I knew we had something left.”
Gibson would start the second fifty lapper in fifth position. However, the second race would not be caution free as Bell, who started on the outside of row four in eighth position, would get too high into turn one and spin out.
“We really had a good car and a good night, “ said Bell. “I hate that I made a mistake on the first lap of the second race. After a good starting position that mistake meant I had to go to the rear of the field. I was able to get a top-10 finish but I know it could have been much better. But, I’m really happy for Trey. He drove a great race and the entire Rev Racing team had us both ready to compete for a win.”
Bell and Gibson would battle the field for the remainder of the race and with 10 laps to go would find themselves still inside the top-10 with Gibson in second and Bell in ninth.
The night’s second and final caution would come on lap 42 and provide Gibson the break he needed to go for the win. He would battle the No. 97 of Keith Bumgarner for the next five laps and eventually take over the lead for good on lap 47.
It would mark Gibson’s first win at Hickory Motor Speedway and his first win as a driver for Rev Racing.
“First of all, I couldn’t have done this without the help of the Good Lord, Rev Racing, and our partners like Toyota, Mobil 1, JRI, 3M, Lithium Pro Batteries, “ said Gibson.
“We have a great chemistry, leadership and great support this year,” added Gibson. “My crew chief (Danny Johnson) and team are giving me a great car week in and week out. I can’t wait until next weekend!”
Rev Racing and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series drivers will be in action again at Hickory Motor Speedway on May 5, 2012.
CONCORD, NC. (APRIL 20, 2012) – Applications for the 2012 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine are now being accepted. Promising young drivers may now submit their applications for consideration to participate in the Combine. Drivers who are selected for the Combine and then accepted into the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, will join Rev Racing for the 2013 season, competing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series or NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
The application submission period will close on August 1, 2012.
Applicants must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements:
• At least 15 years of age but no older than 26 years of age as of October 15, 2012; and
• A U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien; or non-permanent resident who is legally allowed to work in the U.S.; and
• A female or recognized as a member of a classified ethnic minority
For more details about the program and to apply visit the Rev Racing website at https://revracing.net/.
HICKORY, NC. (MARCH 25, 2012) – In only their second race of the 2012 season, Rev Racing drivers Mackena Bell and Trey Gibson made another impressive showing at the famed .363 mile oval here last night.
After running strong during practice, both Bell and Gibson had difficulties finding their line during qualification and would start the night in 16th and 13th position, respectfully.
“I didn’t quite qualify where I would have liked,” said Bell, who started the night 5th in points. “I couldn’t hit my line on the fresh tires but I knew I had a car to get me to the front during the race.”
With thunderstorms all around the track, the seventeen Late Model drivers and NASCAR officials were all concerned about even getting the race in. Officials adjusted the race schedule and moved up the Bojangle’s Late Model race in an effort to avoid the approaching weather.
The first caution of the night occurred on lap 10 of the scheduled 50-lap event. Bell had already moved up two spots to 14th. After the restart, only two laps were completed before the night’s second caution flew. With just twelve laps in the books, Bell was in 11th position and Gibson was solidly in 12th. By lap 15, both Gibson and Bell had cracked the top-10 and were holding their own in positions 9th and 10th.
For most of the night the two Rev Racing and NASCAR Drive for Diversity drivers showed they had the cars and ability to be contenders. When a caution came out on lap 44, Gibson was in 7th and Bell in 8th. With only six laps remaining, both drivers were poised for a strong finish in their Toyota Camry’s.
“I knew we had a top-5 car,” said Gibson. “I didn’t know if I could catch the leader, but I knew if I could get a few clean runs, I could move up a few positions.”
Those few clean runs would not materialize. On the restart, Bell’s Toyota Camry lost pick-up in turn two and showed the first signs that the car might have a problem. A caution on the restart allowed Bell the opportunity to drop into the pits for a quick check under the hood. With no visible issues, Bell was sent back out with hopes of holding on to her eight-place position for the final four laps. However, as the green flag flew, Bell’s car came to a complete stop in turn four on Lap 47, with an apparent alternator issue. Bell would end the night in 15th position.
On the final restart Gibson would get around Chandler LeVan and bring his Toyota Camry home for a sixth place finish, as 2011 Track Champion, Jesse LeFevers would win the night’s event. Gibson’s finish gives Rev Racing a top-5 and a top-10 finish in the first two NASCAR Whelen All-American Series races at Hickory Motor Speedway.
“Trey and Mackena have both started the year off strong,” said Jefferson Hodges, Rev Racing’s Director of Competition. “We’re going to work on improving their qualifying runs. When we get them in a position to start the races at or near the front, look out!”
The next Rev Racing NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race at Hickory Motor Speedway is scheduled for April 14, 2012.
HICKORY, NC. (MARCH 10, 2012) – The NASCAR’s Drive For Diversity Program and Rev Racing saw its first action here on Saturday night. Drivers Trey Gibson and Mackena Bell saw action at the famed venue.
Bell drove her Toyota Camry to a fifth place finish and established herself as a driver to be watched this season.
“The car was great tonight,” said Bell. “It felt good to come away with a Top 5 in the season opener”
Bell credits her sponsors, team members and Rev Racing Director of Competition, Jefferson Hodges, who also served as her spotter, for the good results.
“The guys had worked hard to get the car right,” added Bell. “With the help of my spotter Jefferson, I was able to run the right line and I tried to save my tires knowing it was a 100 lap race. But, we got spun and went back to last and then fought our way back toward the front for a fifth.”
“I want to thank Jefferson Hodges, and all the crew guys on the 4 car as well as my sponsors NASCAR, Toyota, Goodyear, TRD, and JRI,” said Bell. “ I look forward to this season and getting the #4 Toyota Camry in the winners circle at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway.”
While Gibson did not have the same results, his night was just as impressive until a mechanical issue brought it to an end.
“We didn’t have a great qualifying effort and I had to start in 18th position,” said Gibson. “But, we moved all the up to thirdand I had car capable of winning and was in a position to win until I had a tie-rod break. Unfortunately, those things happen in racing.”
“My crew chief Danny Johnson, and all the guys at the shop, did a great job getting this car ready to race,” added Gibson. “We’re going to be a force to be reckoned with this year.”
About Rev Racing
Headquartered in Concord, N.C., Rev Racing is a division of Max Siegel, Inc (MSI) and brings together championship caliber executives, competition staff and equipment in a unique academy-style environment. Rev Racing competes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All‐American Series. In addition, Rev Racing manages a youth racing initiative that allows kids ages 8-14 to compete in the INEX Bandolero and INEX Legend cars. The team also trains aspiring female and minority pit crew athletes through the Drive for Diversity Crew Member Development program presented by Sprint.
Jefferson Hodges is hoping to change the face of NASCAR.
As the director of competition for Mooresville, N.C. based Rev Racing, Hodges oversees six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model teams featuring minorities and females.
Hodges and his ambitious gang of racers and mechanics were a regular part of the popular Late Model show at Kingsport Speedway this season. While the Revolution contingent failed to produce a headline-grabbing triumph, Hodges said the opportunity to compete on the unique concrete-surfaced track was invaluable.
“We race all over the East Coast with our teams, and Kingsport is by far my favorite track. It’s an amazing deal here,” Hodges said.
Learning curve
On a typical Friday night this season at Kingsport, the Late Model field included four Rev Racing drivers and around 12 crew members.
It’s never easy to find a comfort zone on a new track, but Hodges saw signs of progress. For example, Byran Ortiz (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) put together several strong runs.
“Bryan was around the top five at some point about every race,” Hodges said. “Our drivers run totally different cars on different tracks. They’ve got a lot on their shoulders – a lot more than people realize.”
According to Hodges, the deep Late Model field, consistent rule package and prestige of Kingsport Speedway promoter Robert Pressley offered the perfect proving ground.
“Kingsport is one of the only Friday night NASCAR sanctioned speedways left,” Hodges said. “It’s over a four-hour drive for us, but we decided to try it.”
The experience of competing against some of the elite Late Model teams in the Southeast proved worthy of the long hours.
“After our first trip, our drivers and crew members talked about how much they loved racing at Kingsport all the way home,” Hodges said. “It’s hard to race against talented drivers like (track champion) Nate Monteith and Lee Tissot, but our folks did a good job.”
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Revolution Racing(now Rev Racing) drivers Jorge Arteaga, Bryan Ortiz, Trey Gibson and Dallas Monteslog seat time at Hickory Motor Speedway. Photos by Ade Herbert.
Revolution Racing Driver Wins His Fourth Race in 19 Career Starts
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (July 24, 2011) – Darrell Wallace Jr. got back to his winnings ways in the Jegs 150 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway.
En route to winning his fourth race in 19 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races over two seasons, and his second of 2011, Wallace and his U.S. Army Toyota Camry ran a nearly flawless race. He qualified second behind series point leader Max Gresham, but made a pass for the lead on lap 36 and never was seriously challenged again.
Wallace’s first win of the season came at Richmond (Va.) International Speedway in April.
The win marked Revolution Racing’s fourth win in nine starts in 2011, with teammate Sergio Pena, driving the Freightliner Toyota Camry, to two NASCAR K&N Pro Series wins this season.
With the win, Wallace again became a serious contender in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race, now trailing Gresham by 100 points with three races remaining and Brett Moffitt by 20 points.
After solid races by all four Revolution Racing teams, Michael Cherry in the Fueling Your Dreams Tour Toyota Camry finished 11th, Ryan Gifford in the TRD Toyota Camry finished 14th and Pena finished 15th, one lap down.
Late in the running, with Gifford and Pena running nose to tail in fifth and sixth, Pena tagged the TRD Camry and sent Gifford spinning, which cost him valuable track position. Later in the running, Pena was running in the top five when the he was turned by the 16 car of Daniel Suarez causing Pena to spin into the infield and lose one lap.
All four Revolution Racing Camry’s finished in the top 15 and brought their cars home without heavy damage despite the rough short-track nature of Columbus.
On the same night, the Revolution Racing Whelen All-American Series late model program was competing with three NASCAR Drive for Diversity participants at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
Mackena Bell had the best night of the three drivers in the 60-lap race, despite finishing 14th of 18 cars. Running well within the top 10, her Toyota Camry was forced to stop on the track when a late race spin in front of her blocked the track. She lost valuable track position, and despite running a very clean and consistent race she finished well back in the order. However, her performance showed that she has improved greatly in the Whelen All-American Series.
Tayla Orleans and Trey Gibson finished ninth and 10th in their Toyota Camry’s respectively at Hickory, and both ran good races.
The Revolution Racing Whelen All-American Series late model program will compete in more than 140 races with six drivers as part of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program. Four NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and multiple youth racing teams are supported by NASCAR, the U.S. Army, Toyota Motor Sales, Toyota Racing Development (TRD), Goodyear, Freightliner Trucks, Wix Filters, Castle Products, Logitech, Play Seat, iRacing and others.
The Jegs 150 can be seen Thursday night at 6 p.m. (ET) on SPEED.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (July 17, 2011) – Things were looking great through practice, qualifying and the early parts of the New England 125 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Friday for three of the four Revolution Racing NASCAR K&N Pro Series East drivers.
Darrell Wallace Jr. and his U.S. Army Toyota Camry qualified second, Sergio Peña and his Freightliner/U.S. Army Toyota Camry qualified third and Ryan Gifford in the TRD Toyota Camry qualified 12th.
When the field of 36 cars took the green flag, Gifford took off passing four cars on the start to move into the eighth spot behind teammates Wallace and Peña.
Michael Cherry in the Fueling Your Dreams Toyota Camry battled engine issues and was only able to produce a 30th-place qualifying effort. His day would eventually be cut short at lap 14 when the engine expired.
Wallace and Peña each lead early and traded the top spot with pole winner and eventual race winner Max Gresham in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry. As most of the leaders came to pit road early during a caution period for tires and fuel, the Revolution Racing cars stuck to their strategy of getting beyond lap 60 before taking on fresh Goodyear tires. With varying strategies up and down pit road, it would ultimately come down to the timing of caution flags to help determine track position.
Wallace, who continued to show strength throughout the first half of the race, had a distributor go bad on his U.S. Army Toyota and was forced to the garage for a change, which cost him 22 laps. He finished his day in 30th.
At lap 77 Peña came to pit road for tires, but was penalized following a violation involving a pit gun and hose which was pulled outside the pit box by exiting Freightliner Toyota. The resulting pass through penalty cost him valuable track position and he was forced to restart at the tail end of the field in 28th position. Despite this, he was able to finish eighth which moved him up one spot in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East point standings to fifth. Wallace fell one spot to fourth.
Gifford, who took the lead on lap 51 but was unable to maintain the spot, finished 12th and moved into 10th in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East point’s race.
Cherry is 18th in the standings.
Four races remain in the season with the next event coming Saturday at Columbus (Ohio) Speedway.
Three Revolution Racing D4D NASCAR Whelen-All American Series teams took to the Kingsport (Tenn.) Speedway Friday night while their teammates were in New Hampshire. Bryan Ortiz, Tayla Orleans and Jessica Brunelli battled the tough concrete track at Kingsport with only Puerto Rico’s Ortiz coming out of the race without significant damage to his Toyota Camry. He would finish fifth after a disappointing 12th-place qualifying effort.
Orleans, from Randleman, N.C. finished ninth after qualifying seventh of 19 cars and Brunelli of Hayward, Calif. finished 18th after qualifying 17th.
Both Orleans and Brunelli were involved in accidents at Kingsport that caused significant damage to their Toyota Camry’s, with only Brunelli’s able to be repaired in time for Saturday night’s race at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
Ortiz qualified fifth at the historic Hickory track and finished ninth, while Brunelli had a much better night qualifying ninth and finishing 11th in the 16-car field.
The Revolution Racing Whelen All-American Series late model program will compete in more than 140 races with six drivers as part of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program. Four NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and multiple youth racing teams are supported by NASCAR, the U.S. Army, Toyota Motor Sales, Toyota Racing Development (TRD), Goodyear, Freightliner Trucks, Wix Filters, Castle Products, Logitech, Play Seat, iRacing and others.
The New England 125 can be seen Thursday night at 6 p.m. (ET) on SPEED.
CONCORD, NC (May 14, 2012) After welcoming a new partner to Rev Racing’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Team this week, drivers Trey Gibson and Mackena Bell celebrated with a pair of top-10 finishes at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday.
To kick off a successful race week, Rev Racing welcomed new Primary Marketing Partner, Lithium Pros to their NASCAR Whelen All-American Team. This group of automotive enthusiasts is focused on bringing the highest performance, ultra lightweight lithium-ion batteries to the racing community and this performance was proven at Hickory Motor Speedway.
Although starting the day with a broken axle during practice, Trey Gibson, driver of the No. 2 Lithium Pros Toyota Camry, was able to qualify in the sixth starting position followed by teammate, Mackena Bell, in seventh.
Proving that nothing could keep him from being a top car, Gibson continued to move through the 17-car field after the drop of the green flag and was up to fourth by the halfway point of this race, with Bell continuing to keep her No. 4 Toyota Racing Development Camry in the top-10.
Just three laps remaining in this race, Gibson’s No. 2 Lithium Pros Toyota Camry was in third when a spin by a car in turn two brought out a caution, resulting in a green-white-checker finish. On the restart, both Gibson and Bell were able to make a pass and crossed the finish line with both a second and eighth place finish.
Continuing to increase the number of podium finishes this season, Gibson was very impressed with his LithiumPros Toyota Camry. “This car was great tonight,” said Gibson. “Lithium Pros came on the car this week and I think that this made us even more competitive.”
Fighting a tight handling race car, Bell said that her No. 4 Toyota Racing Development Camry continued to improve throughout the race. “The car was really tough to handle during the start of this race, but continued to improve and I think I could have made it to the top five with a few more laps.”
After these impressive finishes, Gibson and Bell now rank in 7th and 15th in NASCAR Whelen All-American’s North Carolina state late model points standings as well as 20th and 75th in national late model points standings.
They will appear next a Hickory Motor Speedway on May 26th. 
