Tag: Katie Hagar

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

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.

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…

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.

Romero on Pole for Rained out Race at Tri-County

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Jason Romero had another strong showing in the No. 2 MBC Group Late Model this weekend, setting the pole at Tri-County Motor Speedway (Hudson, N.C.) and finishing fifth at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Romero set fast-time at Tri-County Motor Speedway Friday night for the second consecutive week and was set to start the race fourth after the invert. Unfortunately for Romero and teammates Jessica Brunelli and Katie Hagar, who qualified fourth and fifth, inclement weather moved in cancelling the evening’s 50 lap late model race. Weather didn’t slow Romero at Hickory, however. With storms threatening, track officials moved up the start time for the 50 lap late model feature Saturday night. Romero, who qualified ninth, drove his way to a fifth-place finish in the event, crossing the line side-by-side with fourth-place finisher Ty Dillon. “We had a great run tonight,” said Romero. “The MBC Group late model was hooked up tonight and we were going to the front. Unfortunately we ran out of laps there at the end, but we’ve had two solid runs in a row here now. We’re getting better and I’m looking forward to coming back in a few weeks.” Romero’s Revolution Racing teammates Hagar and Brunelli finished 10th and 12th, respectively. The Revolution Racing Late Model program will take a weekend off before returning to Hickory Motor Speedway on May 29 with drivers Michael Cherry, Becca Kasten and Megan Reitenour.

Weekend Preview: Late Models

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As the weather heats up, so does Revolution Racing’s late model program. This weekend drivers Jessica Brunelli, Katie Hagar and Jason Romero head to Tri-County Motor Speedway and Hickory Motor Speedway with their sights set on a race win. Last weekend Romero set fast-time at Tri-County Motor Speedway, leading a one-two-three qualifying effort. His teammates, Megan Reitenour and Hagar qualified second and third respectively. With two late model poles at Tri-County, Revolution Racing is now ready for its first late model win of the season. Event Information: Late Model Stock 50 laps Tri-County Motor Speedway Friday, May 14 at 8 p.m. Late Model Stock 50 laps Hickory Motor Speedway Saturday, May 15 at 7 p.m.   Jessica Brunelli Team: No. 3 Late Model Crew Chief: David Flynn Brunelli on getting back in the car for Revolution Racing: “It’s been a while since I’ve raced the No. 3 Late Model. We got a new crew chief, David Flynn, since the last time I raced, so I’m excited to get to work with him this weekend. The Revolution Racing Late Model program has been getting better every week, and, even though I’ve had limited seat time this season, I’m excited to go out there and contend for wins.” Fast Facts:
  • Brunelli finished third in her first late model race at Hickory Motor Speedway on March 20; she has just three starts in the No. 3 Late Model this season, all coming at Hickory.
  • Brunelli is finishing her junior year of high school via online college prep independent study. She also works 20 hours/week at the race shop.
  • At just 17 years old, Brunelli is the youngest of Revolution Racing’s late model drivers.
  Katie Hagar Team: No. 5 AirTight Late Model Crew Chief: Danny Johnson Hagar on her first top fives of the season: “As a team we’ve made huge progress over the last few weeks, and it’s showing in our results across the board. I was out of the car for almost a month, so it was great to jump back in and come away with two top fives, especially coming from the pack of the field at Hickory.” Fast Facts:
  • Hagar finished fourth at Tri-County Motor Speedway last Friday night. She went on to finish fifth at Hickory Motor Speedway after starting 15th.
  • Hagar has two top fives and five top 10s in six starts this season. She’s competed at both Tri-County and Hickory Motor Speedway 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.
  Jason Romero Team: No. 2 MBC Group Late Model Crew Chief: Brandon Butler Romero on being ranked 35th in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national standings: “We’ve had some good runs this season and we’re only getting better and that shows in our national ranking. There’s still a lot of season left to go, and we have goals that we’ve yet to accomplish. We won the pole at Tri-County last week, and now it’s time to go out there and win races.” Fast Facts:
  • Romero finished fifth at Tri-County Motor Speedway last week after setting fast-time and starting third in the main event. He finished eighth at Hickory after being spun out on lap 6 and restarting from the tail end of the field.
  • Romero tied for fast-time at Tri-County Motor Speedway earlier this season.
  • 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.

Revolution Late Models Strong at Tri-County, Hickory

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It was an exciting weekend for Revolution Racing, with Jason Romero kicking off the weekend with a pole at Tri-County Motor Speedway (Hudson, N.C.) Friday night and Katie Hagar scoring two top-five finishes, including a strong fifth-place run at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway to cap off the weekend on Saturday night. Romero set fast-time at Tri-County Motor Speedway in the No. 2 MBC Group Late Model with a lap of 16.420 seconds. “I wasn’t sure if that was going to be a good enough lap for the pole, but we’ll take it,” said Romero. “We tied for fast-time a couple of weeks ago with the MBC Group car, and Becca Kasten was on the pole the week after that. As a team, we’ve been really strong here.” Romero started the 50 lap feature third after the invert. He finished fifth, right behind Hagar who finished fourth in the No. 5 AirTight Late Model. Saturday night Revolution Racing headed to Hickory Motor Speedway for another 50 lap late model feature. Hagar struggled in qualifying, lining up 15th to start the main event. She found her rhythm from the drop of the green flag and began picking off cars one by one. After multiple attempts at a restart on lap 33, Hagar was running eighth. The final laps went all green, leaving Hagar to make her move on the race track. With five to go she had moved into fifth, and held on for her second top five in two nights. “We really did struggle in practice and qualifying,” said Hagar. “It was my first weekend working with (crew chief) Danny Johnson, and we had to work on our communication a little bit early in the day. We got it figured out, got on the same page and we came out in the race and showed what we’re capable of doing. I have to thank my team for all of their hard work today, and AirTight Mechanical for their support. We had a great run.” Romero started and finished eighth, but also had to work his way from the back of the field after getting hit from behind on lap 6. He restarted 17th and drove his way back to a top-10 finish. Reitenour finished 15th after starting 16th. Hagar, Romero and teammate Jessica Brunelli are scheduled to return to Tri-County Motor Speedway Friday, May 14, followed by a trip to Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C., on May 15.

Weekend Preview: Late Models & Youth Racing

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Katie Hagar, Megan Reitenour and Jason Romero will take on another double-header weekend, racing Friday night at Tri-County Motor Speedway (Hudson, N.C.) and Saturday night at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Revolution Racing’s youth racers will also be in action this weekend, making their season debut at Concord (N.C.) Motorsports. Annabeth Barnes and Heather Lynn will compete in Legends Cars, and Elijah Bacon and Matt Murphy will compete in Bandoleros.

 

 

Event Information: Late Model Stock 50 laps Tri-County Motor Speedway Friday, May 7 at 8 p.m.

 

Late Model Stock 50 laps Hickory Motor Speedway Saturday, May 8 at 7 p.m.   Katie Hagar Team: No. 4 AirTight Late Model Crew Chief: Danny Johnson Hagar on getting back in the driver’s seat: “I’m ready to get back to racing. I love going to the track and helping out my teammates, but I’m here to race. It’s been a couple of long weeks not being in the racecar, but I’ve seen my teammates make a lot of good progress so I’m ready to get out there and get in a couple of good runs.” Fast Facts:

  • Hagar finished sixth in the season opening 100-lap feature at Hickory Motor Speedway earlier this year.
  • Hagar has three top 10s in four starts this season. She’s raced at both Hickory Motor Speedway and Tri-County Motor Speedway.
  • Hagar has raced late models in California for the last two seasons, competing at All American Speedway, Madera Speedway and Stockton 99 Speedway.
    Megan Reitenour Team: No. 1 Late Model Crew Chief: David Flynn Reitenour on her fourth-place finish at Tri-County: “We’re getting better and better every week, and our fourth-place last time at Tri-County is proof of that. I’m excited to get back out there and see what we can do. We’ve had David Flynn come on board as crew chief of the No. 1 Late Model and that’s really made the difference for us these last couple of races.” Fast Facts:
  • Reitenour finished fourth at Tri-County Motor Speedway in her last outing at the 0.4-mile speedway. It was her best finish of the season and first top five.
  • Reitenour ran a full-season in the late model division at Tri-County Motor Speedway last year. She won rookie of the year honors and finished fourth overall in the standings.
  • Reitenour has yet to finish inside the top 10 at Hickory Motor Speedway this season, but is looking to turn that around with a strong run this weekend.
  Jason Romero Team: No. 2 MBC Group Late Model Crew Chief: Brandon Butler Romero on double-header weekends: “We’ve had some time to get used to these double-header weekends, racing on both Friday and Saturday night, so I really don’t even think about it anymore. I’d race every night of the week if I could, so I’m not going to complain about getting in two races this weekend.” Fast Facts:
  • Romero scored a pair of top five finishes his last time out in the No. 2 MBC Group Late Model, finishing third at Tri-County Motor Speedway and fifth at Hickory Motor Speedway.
  • Romero tied for fast-time at Tri-County Motor Speedway earlier this season.
  • 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.

AirTight Mechanical Joins Revolution

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AirTight Mechanical, Inc., a critical site HVAC service contractor in Charlotte, N.C., has joined Revolution Racing as an official partner for the 2010 season. Revolution Racing, owned by Max Siegel and John Story, is the premier team operator for NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity initiative, fielding six cars in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model division and four cars in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. The No. 5 AirTight Late Model, driven by Becca Kasten, will debut this weekend at Tri-County Motor Speedway (Hudson, N.C.) and Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway. “We are very proud to have formed this partnership with Revolution Racing,” said Greg Crumpton, President of AirTight. “It speaks to the core of what AirTight was founded upon. Supporting young people in the pursuit of their passions, that is what Revolution Racing and AirTight are all about.” “AirTight has shown a commitment to Revolution Racing and our goal of developing young talent in NASCAR,” said Story, President of Revolution Racing.  “We are proud to partner with AirTight this weekend and throughout the 2010 season.” AirTight Mechanical will serve as primary sponsor of the No. 5 AirTight Late Model driven by Kasten for six races. Katie Hagar will pilot the No. 4 AirTight Late Model for five events this season. About AirTight Mechanical AirTight is a high-quality, mission-critical focused HVAC service provider that prides themselves on utilizing highly trained technicians and state of the art technology to reduce your costs.  Routine practices include providing up to the minute status updates on your account as well as accurate, timely invoices.  AirTight employees are good people that you can trust in secure environments where trust isn’t a luxury, it’s essential. For more information visit: www.myairtight.com

Back-to-Back Top Fives for Romero

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Jason Romero had a solid weekend with the No. 2 MBC Group Late Model, following up Friday’s third-place finish at Tri-County Motor Speedway (Hudson, N.C.) with a top-five finish at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway on Saturday night. Romero’s fifth-place finish is his best of the season at the 0.363-mile bullring. Romero’s Revolution Racing teammates Katie Hagar and Jessica Brunelli finished 11th and 13th, respectively. “The MBC Group Late Model was good for us this weekend,” said Romero. “After running well at Tri-County last night, I knew we would have something for them here tonight. We ran a hundred laps of good, clean green-flag racing this weekend. This is what I came out here to do, and I can’t thank everyone at Revolution Racing enough for the opportunity.” Romero qualified sixth in the No. 2 MBC Group Late Model, and climbed as high as fourth during race, which went green for all 50 laps. Romero ran in a tight group of cars battling for position from third to seventh-place for much of the night. In the end, Romero settled for fifth, coming away with his second consecutive top five. Hagar, driving the No. 4 Late Model, started 11th and finished 11th. Brunelli, who was feeling under the weather for much of the day, started 13th and finished 13th in the No. 3 Late Model. Brunelli, Hagar and Romero will take the next two weekends off before returning to Tri-County Motor Speedway on Friday, April 30.

Romero Third at Tri-County

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Jason Romero earned his first top five of the season tonight, finishing third in the No. 2 MBC Group Late Model at Tri-County Motor Speedway in Hudson, N.C. Romero’s Revolution Racing teammate Katie Hagar finished ninth. “I had a great car tonight, I couldn’t have asked for anything better,” said Romero. “I have to thank everyone at Revolution Racing for all of their hard work in putting this thing together, and also Dexter Canipe Jr. and Sr. for helping us out tonight. I’m glad we were able to get a solid, top-three finish for the No. 2 MBC Group team.” Romero started the race on the outside pole after tying for fast-time with a 16.26-second lap. He slipped to fourth on the start, but was able to move back into third before lap 5 of the 50 lap feature. Romero challenged for second several times throughout the race, while holding off fourth-place Ty Dillon. The race went green for the distance and Romero came away with the third-place finish. Romero, Hagar and teammate Jessica Brunelli will race tomorrow night at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

Revolution Late Models Battle Caution Filled Night at Hickory

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Revolution Racing’s Jessica Brunelli, Katie Hagar and Jason Romero returned to Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway this weekend looking to build on what they learned in last weekend’s 100-lap season opener. What they got instead was a caution-filled 50 laps of door-to-door racing. Romero came away with a seventh-place finish in the No. 2 Distribution One Late Model, followed by Hagar in eighth in the No. 4 Late Model. Brunelli was battling for a spot in the top five when a broken wheel hub on her No. 3 Late Model brought out a late caution and ended her night before the green-white-checkered finish. “It was a crazy race with a lot of beating and banging out there tonight,” said Brunelli, who was credited with an 11th-place finish. “Unfortunately we had the issue with the hub that ended our night a few laps early. Everyone on the Revolution Racing No. 3 Late Model team worked hard tonight and it’s tough to see it end that way. Now we have to come back out here in a couple of weeks and show them we’re capable of running up front at the end.” Romero had a solid seventh-place finish after a 10th-place qualifying run. “We were good on new tires, but we were hitting the nose a little bit in qualifying which hurt our effort,” said Romero. “Fortunately we learned a lot in last week’s race and we were able to get the car rotating a little better in race conditions. We’ve got a lot of talented people in the Revolution Racing late model shop working hard to get these cars right, and we learn a little bit more and get a little bit better with every race.” Hagar fought through multiple on-track incidents to come away with an eighth-place finish. “It was a tough night for the No. 4 team, but we were able to stay on the lead lap and finish eighth,” said Hagar. “We got caught up in a couple of things on-track tonight, but we fought through it and didn’t give up. Everyone on this team worked hard and I think we showed our determination and perseverance. We’ve got next weekend off to regroup and I think we’ll come back stronger than ever.” Brunelli, Hagar and Romero will return to action April 9 at Tri-County Motor Speedway (Hudson, N.C.). They return to Hickory Motor Speedway for another 50-lap feature on April 10. Revolution late model drivers Michael Cherry, Becca Kasten and Megan Reitenour will race at Tri-County Motor Speedway April 2, followed by their first race at Caraway Speedway (Asheboro, N.C.) on April 3.

Weekend Preview: Hickory Motor Speedway

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The Revolution Racing late model program returns to Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway this weekend where three Revolution Racing drivers – Jessica Brunelli, Katie Hagar and Jason Romero – look to improve on last weekend’s season opener.   Event Information: Late Model Stock 50 laps Hickory Motor Speedway Saturday, March 27 at 7 p.m.   Jessica Brunelli Team: No. 3 Late Model  Crew Chief: Brandon Butler Brunelli on her third-place finish at Hickory last weekend: “My team did an awesome job putting the car together last week and we had a great run, despite having to come from the back of the field. I’m looking forward to getting in good qualifying run this week and, hopefully, starting up front. It’s a much shorter race this week so starting up front will be important.” Fast Facts:
  • Brunelli finished third in her first late model race at Hickory Motor Speedway last weekend after starting 14th. 
  • Brunelli is finishing her junior year of high school via online college prep independent study. She also works 20 hours/week at the race shop.
  • At 17 years old, Brunelli is the youngest of Revolution Racing’s late model drivers.
  Katie Hagar Team: No. 4 Late Model Crew Chief: Lynn Martin Hagar on returning to Hickory Motor Speedway: “I’m really looking forward to going back to Hickory this weekend. We made some improvements to the car throughout the week and I know what to expect this time around. I think we can go out there and put on a great, competitive show.” Fast Facts:
  • Hagar finished sixth in the season opening 100-lap feature at Hickory last weekend.
  • Hagar made her first start at Hickory Motor Speedway in an Allison Legacy Car in 2000; she has also tested modifieds and late models at Hickory.
  • 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 Distribution One Late Model Crew Chief: Brent Cusick Romero on returning to Hickory Motor Speedway: “I’m excited to go back to Hickory this weekend with the knowledge we gained last weekend. I figured out late in the race what worked for me so it’s nice to be able to go back this week and apply what we learned. I think the No. 2 Distribution One Late Model will be good this week.” Fast Facts:
  • Romero finished eighth in last weekend’s season opener at Hickory Motor Speedway after starting the race 10th.
  • Romero finished the 2009 season 11th overall in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national points standings.
  • 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.

Brunelli Finishes Third In Hickory Debut

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Jessica Brunelli looked impressive in her debut at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway last night, coming from the back of the field to a third-place finish in the 100-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model race. Brunelli, Revolution Racing’s only late model rookie, had just two career late model starts going into this weekend’s race. Brunelli’s Revolution Racing teammates, Katie Hagar and Jason Romero, finished sixth and eighth, respectively. “I’m proud of myself and my team,” said Brunelli, driver of the No. 3 Revolution Racing Late Model. “I couldn’t have asked for a better car tonight… that was probably the best car I’ve ever raced. I’m glad I could give Revolution Racing a good finish in our first race here at Hickory.” A mechanical issue during her qualifying warm up lap forced Brunelli to miss her qualifying attempt and start at the tail-end of the 14 car field. That didn’t slow Brunelli down, however. By lap 35, she had worked her way into the top five and settled comfortably into the fourth position. Race leader Kyle Moon pulled into the pits with a flat tire on lap 65, moving Brunelli into third place. A restart with 15 laps to go gave Brunelli the opportunity to battle with the leaders, but she couldn’t advance her position and settled back into third. A late race charge by fourth-place Candace Muzny kept Brunelli on her toes. Muzny couldn’t make the pass and Brunelli crossed the line third for her career-best late model finish. Hagar, driving the No. 4 D4D Crew Member Development Program presented by Sprint Late Model, finished sixth after qualifying 12th. “I had my hands full tonight, that’s for sure,” said Hagar. “We didn’t get a lot of practice yesterday with the No. 4 D4D Crew Member Program Late Model, but I’m proud of all the hard work the guys put into getting the car ready for the race. We’ll go back to the shop and get it better for next week.” Romero finished eighth in the No. 2 Distribution One Late Model after a 10th-place qualifying effort.“It’s good to get the first race of the season out of the way and I’m looking forward to coming back out here next week and doing it all over again,” said Romero. “I can’t thank everyone at Revolution Racing, Drive for Diversity and Distribution One enough for their support. This is going to be a great season.” Brunelli, Hagar and Romero return to Hickory Motor Speedway next Saturday, March 27.

Weekend Preview: Hickory Motor Speedway

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The Revolution Racing late model program heads to Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway this weekend where three Revolution Racing drivers – Jessica Brunelli, Katie Hagar and Jason Romero – will make their season debut. Event Information: Late Model Stock 100 laps Hickory Motor Speedway Saturday, March 20 at 7 p.m.   Jessica Brunelli Team: No. 3 Revolution Racing Late Model  Crew Chief: Robert Huffman Brunelli on making her first late model start for Revolution Racing: “I’m excited to get racing, especially after watching my teammates race at Greenville Pickens Speedway last weekend. I’m not really familiar with a lot of the drivers out here that I will be competing against, so I’m looking to go out there and get a sense of who everyone is, how they drive, and really just learn as much as I can.” Fast Facts:
  • Brunelli earned one top-10 finish in two NASCAR Whelen All-American Series late model starts in 2009.
  • Brunelli earned Rookie of the Year honors in the NASCAR Whelen All‐American Series Modified division at All American Speedway (Roseville, Calif.) last season with 10 top fives and 13 top 10s.
  • At 17 years old, Brunelli is the youngest of Revolution Racing’s late model drivers.
  • Brunelli is completing her high school education (she’s currently a junior) through online college prep independent study, which allows her the flexibility she needs to race without sacrificing a quality education.
  • This is Brunelli’s first season participating in the Drive for Diversity program.
  Katie Hagar Team: No. 4 D4D Crew Member Development Program presented by Sprint Late Model Crew Chief: Mark McFarland Hagar on returning to the East Coast: “It was a great opportunity for me to go out to California and race for the last couple of years, but I’m glad to be back East where it’s easier for my friends and family to support my racing. It’s been a long time, nearly 10 years, since I’ve been to Hickory, and I know it’s a tough track. Everyone at Revolution Racing has been working hard to make sure we have what we need to go out there and be competitive.” Fast Facts:
  • Hagar has raced late models in California for the last two seasons, competing at All American Speedway, Madera Speedway and Stockton 99 Speedway.
  • In 2009, Hagar set the track qualifying record at Stockton 99 Speedway with a lap of 13.576 seconds.
  • Hagar made her first and only start at Hickory Motor Speedway in an Allison Legacy Car in 2000; she has also tested modifieds and late models at Hickory.
  • Hagar is in her third season with the Drive for Diversity program.
  Jason Romero Team: No. 2 Distribution One Late Model Crew Chief: Andy Santerre Romero on his first late model race away from All American Speedway: “I’m ready to get to Hickory where we’ll be competing against some of the best late model drivers in the country. Revolution Racing and the Drive for Diversity program have given me a great opportunity to come out to the East Coast after competing at All American Speedway for most of my career. There’s a big difference between the Western late models that I’ve been running and these truck-arm cars, but I’m learning all I can and I’m looking forward to a great season.” Fast Facts:
  • Romero finished the 2009 season 11th overall in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national points standings.
  • 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.
  • Romero was the recipient of the 2009 NASCAR Wendell Scott Trailblazer Award, which recognizes the achievements of female and minority drivers in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
  • This is Romero’s first season competing with the  support of the Drive for Diversity program.

Photos from the Fan Experience at the CIAA Basketball Tournament

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Revolution Racing Attends CIAA Basketball Tournament Revolution Racing drivers were in Charlotte, N.C. on Thursday and Friday night to sign autographs and meet with fans at the annual CIAA Fan Experience. The Fan Experience, a free event held at the Charlotte Convention Center, brings together CIAA fans for fun and entertainment. Mackena Bell, Michael Cherry, Ryan Gifford, Katie Hagar, Rebecca Kasten, Sergio Pena and Darrell Wallace, Jr. signed autographs at the Revolution Racing display. The display featured three of the team’s race cars – a NASCAR K&N Pro Series car, a Late Model and  Legend car – along with a video presentation about the team. Revolution Racing also raffled tickets to an upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

2010 Revolution Racing Driver Lineup

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Having just completed perhaps the program’s most exciting preseason to date, the 11-member 2010 Drive for Diversity Class was introduced Tuesday night at the Daytona 500 Experience’s IMAX Theater. This latest group of young, talented and diverse NASCAR drivers was announced for the first time during Speedweeks. The evolution of the Drive for Diversity program, NASCAR’s leading on-track diversity initiative continues its seventh year in 2010 as competitors relocate to Charlotte and enter “academy-style” development under a single team ownership structure. The 909 Group, which took over operational responsibilities for Drive for Diversity in 2009, will own and operate one team fielding 11 Drive for Diversity competitors. Under the Revolution Racing banner, these minority and female drivers will compete on five NASCAR K&N Pro Series teams and six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series teams. “Drive for Diversity, under the day-to-day management of The 909 Group, will continue to provide strong opportunities for minority and female competitors,” said Marcus Jadotte, managing director of public affairs for NASCAR. “This preseason provided key validation of the program’s new structure for developing young drivers and crew members. Academy-style training is proving a welcome evolution of an initiative that has seen 31 drivers compete, winning 33 races. D4D drivers are located in the nerve center of NASCAR with greater access to industry resources, technology, training, testing, and shop experience.” Read more on NASCAR.com…