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April News Archive
April 1st
Mooresville, N.C. - After winning the pole position for the first two events of the 2008 USAR Hooters Pro Cup Southern Division season, there can be no arguing that Mark McFarland and his No. 81 Sears Auto Center Chevrolet are among the fastest teams in the division.
Now all they have to do is finish the races.
McFarland and his Pete Knight Racing team came away empty again this weekend at South Georgia Motorsports Park when a late-race crash spoiled what could have been a winning effort. Running second at the time of the incident, McFarland saw his chances of heading to Victory Lane go up in a cloud of smoke when a crash on Lap 229 of Saturday's BFGoodrichTires.com 250 left the Winchester, Va., driver with a 19th-place finish.
"It's pretty frustrating to everybody on the team," said McFarland after the event. "We had to rebuild a car after the first race at Lakeland and now we'll have to rebuild this one too. The guys have been working extra hard and everyone is frustrated. We all got together after the race and told everyone to keep their heads up and keep working hard. We have a great group of guys and we have really fast cars. We just have to start finishing the races and scoring the finishes we've earned."
McFarland again proved he'd be the man to beat at SGMP when he captured his second-straight USAR pole in as many races with a lap of 18.571 seconds (96.925 miles per hour average) in qualifying Saturday.
"We definitely have our qualifying program right," said McFarland. "It takes a little bit different approach because they impound the cars after qualifying, so there isn't much you can do to the car because you have to race what you qualify with. There are a couple of things that you can do and we really have those things figured out. We definitely know what we need to do to be fast on fresh tires."
McFarland proved to be plenty stout at the drop of the green flag as he took the lead and stayed there until making his first pit stop just past Lap 60.
"We had a really good car at the start of the race," said McFarland. "We were having a bit of a brake problem, but it wasn't anything I couldn't deal with. Then we pitted and I made a mistake getting too close to the pit wall. That cost us three or four positions - we restarted back in 18th place - but the car was so good that we were able to make those up and get back second place."
McFarland was closing in on race leader and eventual winner Michael Ritch when contact from behind by rookie driver Drew Herring on Lap 229 sent his No. 81 Chevy into a wild spin.
"We drove down into the first turn on a restart and I got spun out," said McFarland. "Fortunately, we missed the wall. I had everything cleared and it looked like we were only going to lose a position or two. Unfortunately, another car came through the smoke and clipped me. We had quite a bit of damage to the rear end of the car and we had to take some time to repair it. Since it was at the end of the race, that pretty much killed a good finish for us."
McFarland limped to the pit area after the incident where his Pete Knight Racing team repaired the damage as best they could.
"My guys never quit," said McFarland. "We had to reattach the rear bumper cover and straighten the frame before we came back out. We finished six laps down, but we were running at the finish."
While McFarland was disappointed with the final result, he was still upbeat about his team's chances this season.
"I know we're going to win races this year," McFarland stated. "Every team goes through some bumps in the road and the first two races this season have been that way for us. Wes Ward (McFarland's crew chief) is a great leader and motivator and I know that he is going to keep everyone going in the right direction. We have a few weeks off now, so we'll regroup and be ready to come back and try to win the next race at Concord."
McFarland and his No. 81 Sears Auto Center Chevy will be looking to do just that when the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Southern Division returns to action on Saturday, April 26 at Concord Motorsport Park in Concord, N.C. The green flag is set to wave at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
About Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SHLD), is a leading broad line retailer providing merchandise and related services. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,400 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes approximately 935 full-line and 1,100 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End - among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 13 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.
To find a Sears Auto Center location near you or to shop online, please log on to www.sears.com.
Mooresville, N.C. - After winning the pole position for the first two events of the 2008 USAR Hooters Pro Cup Southern Division season, there can be no arguing that Mark McFarland and his No. 81 Sears Auto Center Chevrolet are among the fastest teams in the division.
Now all they have to do is finish the races.
McFarland and his Pete Knight Racing team came away empty again this weekend at South Georgia Motorsports Park when a late-race crash spoiled what could have been a winning effort. Running second at the time of the incident, McFarland saw his chances of heading to Victory Lane go up in a cloud of smoke when a crash on Lap 229 of Saturday's BFGoodrichTires.com 250 left the Winchester, Va., driver with a 19th-place finish.
"It's pretty frustrating to everybody on the team," said McFarland after the event. "We had to rebuild a car after the first race at Lakeland and now we'll have to rebuild this one too. The guys have been working extra hard and everyone is frustrated. We all got together after the race and told everyone to keep their heads up and keep working hard. We have a great group of guys and we have really fast cars. We just have to start finishing the races and scoring the finishes we've earned."
McFarland again proved he'd be the man to beat at SGMP when he captured his second-straight USAR pole in as many races with a lap of 18.571 seconds (96.925 miles per hour average) in qualifying Saturday.
"We definitely have our qualifying program right," said McFarland. "It takes a little bit different approach because they impound the cars after qualifying, so there isn't much you can do to the car because you have to race what you qualify with. There are a couple of things that you can do and we really have those things figured out. We definitely know what we need to do to be fast on fresh tires."
McFarland proved to be plenty stout at the drop of the green flag as he took the lead and stayed there until making his first pit stop just past Lap 60.
"We had a really good car at the start of the race," said McFarland. "We were having a bit of a brake problem, but it wasn't anything I couldn't deal with. Then we pitted and I made a mistake getting too close to the pit wall. That cost us three or four positions - we restarted back in 18th place - but the car was so good that we were able to make those up and get back second place."
McFarland was closing in on race leader and eventual winner Michael Ritch when contact from behind by rookie driver Drew Herring on Lap 229 sent his No. 81 Chevy into a wild spin.
"We drove down into the first turn on a restart and I got spun out," said McFarland. "Fortunately, we missed the wall. I had everything cleared and it looked like we were only going to lose a position or two. Unfortunately, another car came through the smoke and clipped me. We had quite a bit of damage to the rear end of the car and we had to take some time to repair it. Since it was at the end of the race, that pretty much killed a good finish for us."
McFarland limped to the pit area after the incident where his Pete Knight Racing team repaired the damage as best they could.
"My guys never quit," said McFarland. "We had to reattach the rear bumper cover and straighten the frame before we came back out. We finished six laps down, but we were running at the finish."
While McFarland was disappointed with the final result, he was still upbeat about his team's chances this season.
"I know we're going to win races this year," McFarland stated. "Every team goes through some bumps in the road and the first two races this season have been that way for us. Wes Ward (McFarland's crew chief) is a great leader and motivator and I know that he is going to keep everyone going in the right direction. We have a few weeks off now, so we'll regroup and be ready to come back and try to win the next race at Concord."
McFarland and his No. 81 Sears Auto Center Chevy will be looking to do just that when the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Southern Division returns to action on Saturday, April 26 at Concord Motorsport Park in Concord, N.C. The green flag is set to wave at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
About Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SHLD), is a leading broad line retailer providing merchandise and related services. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,400 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes approximately 935 full-line and 1,100 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End - among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 13 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.
To find a Sears Auto Center location near you or to shop online, please log on to www.sears.com.
Late-Race Crash Derails McFarland
April 2nd
Young Driver Finishes 20th After Transmission Troubles
It was a crazy day at the track for Hunter Robbins at South Georgia Motorsports Park (GA). The talented young driver from Montgomery, Alabama had trouble all day long in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup event. After all the problems that Robbins faced he still managed to finish the event in 20th.
"We didn't get much practice time because we had an issue with the sway bar," said Robbins. "We spent most of practice trying to correct it. Then we broke the transmission and we had to start in the back, so we were already behind the eight ball there."
"In the race the car went away and we just struggled with the car all weekend. We knew what we needed to do to fix the car but we just couldn't do it in a pit stop."
"Looking positively, there were a lot of things that happened to the car that I know how to react to now. I also gained a lot of seat time that is going to help me as a driver."
Robbins will now jump back into his Super Late Model for the opening round of the Blizzard series at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL. Robbins won the first round of the Blizzard series a year ago.
Young Driver Finishes 20th After Transmission Troubles
It was a crazy day at the track for Hunter Robbins at South Georgia Motorsports Park (GA). The talented young driver from Montgomery, Alabama had trouble all day long in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup event. After all the problems that Robbins faced he still managed to finish the event in 20th.
"We didn't get much practice time because we had an issue with the sway bar," said Robbins. "We spent most of practice trying to correct it. Then we broke the transmission and we had to start in the back, so we were already behind the eight ball there."
"In the race the car went away and we just struggled with the car all weekend. We knew what we needed to do to fix the car but we just couldn't do it in a pit stop."
"Looking positively, there were a lot of things that happened to the car that I know how to react to now. I also gained a lot of seat time that is going to help me as a driver."
Robbins will now jump back into his Super Late Model for the opening round of the Blizzard series at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL. Robbins won the first round of the Blizzard series a year ago.
Hunter Robbins Has a Long Day in South Georgia
April 8th
Cleveland, Ohio-Tyler Young, 17, of Midland, Texas, has signed as the new driver for the No. 11N Chevrolet for Bullet Racing, based in Cleveland, Ohio. Tyler will be competing for the Miller Lite Rookie of the Year title. Tyler will be sponsored by Young's Building Systems, a division of Randco Industries Inc.
A familiar face to the series will be joining forces with Bullet Racing to serve as Young's crew chief. Eric Corbett will bring with him his years of experience as a driver, as well as chassis and suspension set up knowledge. Eric's former spotter, Randy Bussard, will also being joining the Bullet team as Tyler's spotter.
Continuing the team's work with the Ohio Technical College in Cleveland, two new recruits will be on board with the team. Jeremy Hallums is training for the jackman position as well as being the equipment manager during the week. Jeremy also brings a vast mechanical knowledge base with him; Jeremy is a recent honors graduate of Ohio Technical College. Darrin Vandergriff is also a graduate of Ohio Technical College and works for an automotive dealer fulltime. Darrin is training for the position of gasman.
There will also be many familiar faces from the Bullet crew returning. Bill Harkins-team manager and car chief; Deborah Meek - business manager and scorer; Jay McGhee-front tire changer and lead mechanic; Ernie Morse - Tire Specialist; Dave Ward - tire carrier; Poncho McGhee - sign board; Keith Bishop - Webmaster and Gene Clark the elder statesman of the team who keeps the shop clean and in good order for the crew. We currently have a tire carrier and tire changer position open and hope to fill those positions from the Northern Ohio region so the team can continue with full crew pit stop practices.
In the coming days and weeks as we prepare for the first event of the season we will be providing more updates the media and our website. These updates will include driver and crew bios, testing details and sponsor information.
Bullet Racing is excited about the 2008 season and looking forward to our first race on Saturday, April 19 at South Boston Speedway.
Additional information on the team and other marketing partnerships available can be shared by contact Bill Harkins at 216-514-3375 (shop) or Deborah Meek at 419-707-3630 (mobile). The web address for Bullet Racing is www.bullet11racing.com.
Cleveland, Ohio-Tyler Young, 17, of Midland, Texas, has signed as the new driver for the No. 11N Chevrolet for Bullet Racing, based in Cleveland, Ohio. Tyler will be competing for the Miller Lite Rookie of the Year title. Tyler will be sponsored by Young's Building Systems, a division of Randco Industries Inc.
A familiar face to the series will be joining forces with Bullet Racing to serve as Young's crew chief. Eric Corbett will bring with him his years of experience as a driver, as well as chassis and suspension set up knowledge. Eric's former spotter, Randy Bussard, will also being joining the Bullet team as Tyler's spotter.
Continuing the team's work with the Ohio Technical College in Cleveland, two new recruits will be on board with the team. Jeremy Hallums is training for the jackman position as well as being the equipment manager during the week. Jeremy also brings a vast mechanical knowledge base with him; Jeremy is a recent honors graduate of Ohio Technical College. Darrin Vandergriff is also a graduate of Ohio Technical College and works for an automotive dealer fulltime. Darrin is training for the position of gasman.
There will also be many familiar faces from the Bullet crew returning. Bill Harkins-team manager and car chief; Deborah Meek - business manager and scorer; Jay McGhee-front tire changer and lead mechanic; Ernie Morse - Tire Specialist; Dave Ward - tire carrier; Poncho McGhee - sign board; Keith Bishop - Webmaster and Gene Clark the elder statesman of the team who keeps the shop clean and in good order for the crew. We currently have a tire carrier and tire changer position open and hope to fill those positions from the Northern Ohio region so the team can continue with full crew pit stop practices.
In the coming days and weeks as we prepare for the first event of the season we will be providing more updates the media and our website. These updates will include driver and crew bios, testing details and sponsor information.
Bullet Racing is excited about the 2008 season and looking forward to our first race on Saturday, April 19 at South Boston Speedway.
Additional information on the team and other marketing partnerships available can be shared by contact Bill Harkins at 216-514-3375 (shop) or Deborah Meek at 419-707-3630 (mobile). The web address for Bullet Racing is www.bullet11racing.com.
Bullet Grabs Texan Teen for 2008
April 9th
Newtown, Ind.-Darin Odle, owner of Odle Motorsports, with the support of Speedco, Inc., announces an exciting 2008 Hooters Pro Cup Northern Series venture racing two different drivers.
The legendary Gary St. Amant will race the Tatman Motorsports No. 7 with Speedco, Inc./Jegs as primary sponsors, and the always exciting Jay Fogleman will drive the No. 4 Jfco/Odle Motorsports entry with Speedco, Inc./The Works as primary sponsors.
"I am thrilled to be teaming up with both Gary and Jay," said Odle. "They are two racing legends who I can learn a lot from. I have been blessed to race with great drivers, and 2008 is no exception. The fact that I will be acting as Crew Chief for Jay's No. 4 Speedco, Inc. car should prove to be interesting, but I am looking forward to it. I will also be helping Gary and his No. 7 Speedco, Inc. team where I can. I cannot thank Speedco, Inc. enough for all their support through the years and I hope to bring them a National Championship in 2008."
St. Amant was equally as excited about the upcoming USAR Hooters Pro Cup Northern Division season.
"I am looking forward to 2008," St. Amant said . "This is the second year coming back with the same combination, and this is the first time I've had a teammate in the Hooters Pro Cup Series. We should have a successful year."
Fogleman called Odle "hardworking" and said, "He did a good job putting all this together. We were going to run three or four races this season, but now because of the efforts of Darin Odle and Speedco, Inc. we're going to run for a championship."
And having a teammate was the icing on the cake for Fogleman.
"Gary and I understand each other," Fogleman said. "We may be from different parts of the country, but as far as racing goes we went to different schools together."
Newtown, Ind.-Darin Odle, owner of Odle Motorsports, with the support of Speedco, Inc., announces an exciting 2008 Hooters Pro Cup Northern Series venture racing two different drivers.
The legendary Gary St. Amant will race the Tatman Motorsports No. 7 with Speedco, Inc./Jegs as primary sponsors, and the always exciting Jay Fogleman will drive the No. 4 Jfco/Odle Motorsports entry with Speedco, Inc./The Works as primary sponsors.
"I am thrilled to be teaming up with both Gary and Jay," said Odle. "They are two racing legends who I can learn a lot from. I have been blessed to race with great drivers, and 2008 is no exception. The fact that I will be acting as Crew Chief for Jay's No. 4 Speedco, Inc. car should prove to be interesting, but I am looking forward to it. I will also be helping Gary and his No. 7 Speedco, Inc. team where I can. I cannot thank Speedco, Inc. enough for all their support through the years and I hope to bring them a National Championship in 2008."
St. Amant was equally as excited about the upcoming USAR Hooters Pro Cup Northern Division season.
"I am looking forward to 2008," St. Amant said . "This is the second year coming back with the same combination, and this is the first time I've had a teammate in the Hooters Pro Cup Series. We should have a successful year."
Fogleman called Odle "hardworking" and said, "He did a good job putting all this together. We were going to run three or four races this season, but now because of the efforts of Darin Odle and Speedco, Inc. we're going to run for a championship."
And having a teammate was the icing on the cake for Fogleman.
"Gary and I understand each other," Fogleman said. "We may be from different parts of the country, but as far as racing goes we went to different schools together."
Odle Motorsports, Speedco Inc. Announce Exciting Pro Cup Venture
April 11th
NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla.- Vis Viva Living Force Energy drink will sponsor Mac Hill Motor Sports and driver Mikey Kile in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series this season. Vis Viva Living Force Energy drink is the flagship brand of functional drinks from the Attitude Drink Company, Inc. located in North Palm Beach, Florida.
"We are very excited about our partnership with Mac Hill Motorsports and can't wait to see 'Team Vis Viva' debut next weekend in South Boston, Virginia," said Dan Pikarsky, Attitude Drink Company Inc., Senior Vice President of Marketing. "Vis Viva is a healthful energy drink which gives you focused energy experience.
"The car is ready, the team is ready and Mikey is the perfect representative to have for our Vis Viva brand."
Kile is energized about his charge for the 2008 Rookie of the Year title in the No. 65 'Vis Viva' Living Force Energy - Chevy Impala SS. "We've been doing a lot of testing and preparing while building great team chemistry during in the off the season," Kile said. "We have a lot riding on this season from promoting 'Vis Viva' to our fans, running for Rookie of the Year, and keeping the Vis Viva Chevy out of trouble," Kile said. "I have the team behind me that will keep the wheels turning. We're focused, confident and we believe in each other."
"Not only am I excited to see a new sponsor come into the sport, but I'm also proud to be the driver representing the Vis Viva brand," Kile continued. "I am really impressed with the time and effort the company expended in developing a product that functions very well without all the harsh ingredients and excessive amounts of sugar and caffeine that are typically found in many energy drinks. Vis Viva gives you a nice boost of energy along with a heightened mental clarity and focus without the jitters or hard crash afterward. It is a completely different drink experience than anything else I've tried."
Promotions for the Vis Viva brand are planned to coincide with the 2008 USAR race schedule, focusing on building a strong customer base and increasing distribution across the country.
About Attitude Drinks:
Formed in June 2007 and headquartered in North Palm Beach, Florida; Attitude Drink Company, Inc. is a beverage brand innovator that creates and markets functional beverages. Vis Viva?, our first brand, is a healthful experiential drink featuring IQZOL?, our proprietary complex delivering a feeling of focus, rejuvenation, clarity and invigoration. More information about Vis Viva? and Attitude Drink Company, Inc. can be found at www.VisVivaDrink.com.
NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla.- Vis Viva Living Force Energy drink will sponsor Mac Hill Motor Sports and driver Mikey Kile in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series this season. Vis Viva Living Force Energy drink is the flagship brand of functional drinks from the Attitude Drink Company, Inc. located in North Palm Beach, Florida.
"We are very excited about our partnership with Mac Hill Motorsports and can't wait to see 'Team Vis Viva' debut next weekend in South Boston, Virginia," said Dan Pikarsky, Attitude Drink Company Inc., Senior Vice President of Marketing. "Vis Viva is a healthful energy drink which gives you focused energy experience.
"The car is ready, the team is ready and Mikey is the perfect representative to have for our Vis Viva brand."
Kile is energized about his charge for the 2008 Rookie of the Year title in the No. 65 'Vis Viva' Living Force Energy - Chevy Impala SS. "We've been doing a lot of testing and preparing while building great team chemistry during in the off the season," Kile said. "We have a lot riding on this season from promoting 'Vis Viva' to our fans, running for Rookie of the Year, and keeping the Vis Viva Chevy out of trouble," Kile said. "I have the team behind me that will keep the wheels turning. We're focused, confident and we believe in each other."
"Not only am I excited to see a new sponsor come into the sport, but I'm also proud to be the driver representing the Vis Viva brand," Kile continued. "I am really impressed with the time and effort the company expended in developing a product that functions very well without all the harsh ingredients and excessive amounts of sugar and caffeine that are typically found in many energy drinks. Vis Viva gives you a nice boost of energy along with a heightened mental clarity and focus without the jitters or hard crash afterward. It is a completely different drink experience than anything else I've tried."
Promotions for the Vis Viva brand are planned to coincide with the 2008 USAR race schedule, focusing on building a strong customer base and increasing distribution across the country.
About Attitude Drinks:
Formed in June 2007 and headquartered in North Palm Beach, Florida; Attitude Drink Company, Inc. is a beverage brand innovator that creates and markets functional beverages. Vis Viva?, our first brand, is a healthful experiential drink featuring IQZOL?, our proprietary complex delivering a feeling of focus, rejuvenation, clarity and invigoration. More information about Vis Viva? and Attitude Drink Company, Inc. can be found at www.VisVivaDrink.com.
'VIS VIVA' Living Force Energy Drink puts Mikey Kile's focus on Rookie Title
April 11th
Miller Lite 250 Kicks off Sears Auto Center Northern Division
Myrtle Beach, S.C.-When Gary St. Amant joined the Hooters Pro Cup Series in 2004, he picked up where he'd left off in the old ASA National Tour. He won a race and posted 10 top-five finishes in his first season of Pro Cup competition while driving for Bullet Racing.
But, while he was a frontrunner, St. Amant was never looked at as the guy to beat each week. That changed last season.
St. Amant came out strong and never slumped en route to the Sears Auto Center Northern Division Championship with his Tatman Motorsports team.
"That was huge," said St. Amant, driver of the No. 7n JEGS.com/SPEEDCO Chevrolet, "I have to say it was the team; we kept getting better and better."
St. Amant's average finish during the regular season may have been the best ever. The 2-time ASA champ finished outside the top 10 only once and averaged a 4.3 finish.
"People didn't look at us as a contender until we did that," said St. Amant. "We're coming back with basically the same team this year. We have to be ready for the first race, and everything will be fine."
St. Amant's title defense starts with the Miller Lite 250 at South Boston (Va.) Speedway on Saturday, April 19. The event will be the first time that most Sears Auto Center Northern Division competitors have been on the track this season, well, except for St. Amant's top rival, Benny Gordon.
Gordon, a three-time Northern Division champ, went moonlighting to start the year and picked up an out-of-division win in the Greased Lightning Southern Division opener at USA Int'l (Fla.) Speedway. Gordon was using the event as a tune-up for the Championship Series event later in the season at USA Int'l, but it may have been a foreshadowing of things to come for Gordon.
"We came [to USA Int'l] because we needed to get better," said Gordon, driver of the No. 66n Samuel Metals Ford. "We accomplished that, but we also wanted to make sure we were ready for South Boston. Our team is going to be good this year. I always hate it when Southern guys come up North and win, so it was nice to go to Lakeland and take one from them. But I may have opened a can of worms because I know a lot of Southern Division guys will be at South Boston trying to get even."
Interdivisional rivalries have always been fun to watch during the Championship Series, but South Boston Speedway's location and history usually bring out some of the Southern Division heavy hitters. And that will again be the case this year. Bobby Gill, Kirk Leone, Drew Herring and Frank Deiny are all making the trip to SoBo for the opener.
Throw in Jeff Agnew, Brandon Ward, Gordon, St. Amant and a host of formidable foes and you've got a recipe for a great race with plenty of tight-quarters racing.
The Miller Lite 250 is scheduled for a green flag at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 19 at South Boston Speedway. Front gates will open at 3 p.m. with Awesome Awnings Pole Qualifying starting at 4 p.m. The Allison Legacy Series will compete in a 50-lap feature at 4:45 p.m. Following the Legacy race, fans will be allowed on the frontstretch for the Wraps INK Autograph Session at 5:45 p.m. Pre-race ceremonies begin at 6:30 p.m.
For ticket information, contact South Boston Speedway at (434) 572-4947.
Miller Lite 250 Kicks off Sears Auto Center Northern Division
Myrtle Beach, S.C.-When Gary St. Amant joined the Hooters Pro Cup Series in 2004, he picked up where he'd left off in the old ASA National Tour. He won a race and posted 10 top-five finishes in his first season of Pro Cup competition while driving for Bullet Racing.
But, while he was a frontrunner, St. Amant was never looked at as the guy to beat each week. That changed last season.
St. Amant came out strong and never slumped en route to the Sears Auto Center Northern Division Championship with his Tatman Motorsports team.
"That was huge," said St. Amant, driver of the No. 7n JEGS.com/SPEEDCO Chevrolet, "I have to say it was the team; we kept getting better and better."
St. Amant's average finish during the regular season may have been the best ever. The 2-time ASA champ finished outside the top 10 only once and averaged a 4.3 finish.
"People didn't look at us as a contender until we did that," said St. Amant. "We're coming back with basically the same team this year. We have to be ready for the first race, and everything will be fine."
St. Amant's title defense starts with the Miller Lite 250 at South Boston (Va.) Speedway on Saturday, April 19. The event will be the first time that most Sears Auto Center Northern Division competitors have been on the track this season, well, except for St. Amant's top rival, Benny Gordon.
Gordon, a three-time Northern Division champ, went moonlighting to start the year and picked up an out-of-division win in the Greased Lightning Southern Division opener at USA Int'l (Fla.) Speedway. Gordon was using the event as a tune-up for the Championship Series event later in the season at USA Int'l, but it may have been a foreshadowing of things to come for Gordon.
"We came [to USA Int'l] because we needed to get better," said Gordon, driver of the No. 66n Samuel Metals Ford. "We accomplished that, but we also wanted to make sure we were ready for South Boston. Our team is going to be good this year. I always hate it when Southern guys come up North and win, so it was nice to go to Lakeland and take one from them. But I may have opened a can of worms because I know a lot of Southern Division guys will be at South Boston trying to get even."
Interdivisional rivalries have always been fun to watch during the Championship Series, but South Boston Speedway's location and history usually bring out some of the Southern Division heavy hitters. And that will again be the case this year. Bobby Gill, Kirk Leone, Drew Herring and Frank Deiny are all making the trip to SoBo for the opener.
Throw in Jeff Agnew, Brandon Ward, Gordon, St. Amant and a host of formidable foes and you've got a recipe for a great race with plenty of tight-quarters racing.
The Miller Lite 250 is scheduled for a green flag at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 19 at South Boston Speedway. Front gates will open at 3 p.m. with Awesome Awnings Pole Qualifying starting at 4 p.m. The Allison Legacy Series will compete in a 50-lap feature at 4:45 p.m. Following the Legacy race, fans will be allowed on the frontstretch for the Wraps INK Autograph Session at 5:45 p.m. Pre-race ceremonies begin at 6:30 p.m.
For ticket information, contact South Boston Speedway at (434) 572-4947.
St. Amant Ready For South Boston, Title Defense
April 23rd
Driver Hopes To Overcome Bad Luck at Concord
Mooresville, N.C. - Late-race problems in the first two events of the season have left Mark McFarland mired in 21st-place in the 2008 USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series Southern Division point standings. Despite the slow start, the driver of the No. 81s Sears Auto Center/Knight's Companies Chevrolet Monte Carlo is still confident that he can be a factor in the Pro Cup title chase this season.
"I think we can still contend for the championship," stated McFarland, who will return to action this Saturday in the Racing Electronics 250 at Concord (NC) Motorsports Park. "We pretty much started out the same way last year dropping out at Lakeland and we cut down a tire and finished 11th at South Georgia in the second race of the season. We were a little bit behind last year and we still wound up third in the championship. We're behind again this year, so we really need to have a good run at Concord to get back in the thick of the championship race."
If the first two races of the season are any indication, McFarland should be the man to beat at Concord this weekend. The Winchester, Va., driver won the pole position at both Lakeland, Fla., and Cecil, Ga., as well as led a good portion of both events only to come up short of Victory Lane. According to PKR crew chief Wes Ward, McFarland and the team will be looking to qualify and run up front again, but this time, seal the deal at Concord.
"We've just had a little bad luck in the first two events," said Ward. "We've got really fast cars, been well prepared for each event and really, we've won everything you can but the races. We've been on top of the board in practice and qualifying in both races. We just have to finish these races. We still have some things that we can clean up and be better at, but I feel that we'll be in good shape when we roll off the trailer at Concord."
Last year, McFarland qualified ninth and finished 24th in the USAR event at Concord. The tricky half-mile oval with a dogleg in the backstretch is one of the most challenging on the USAR tour according to the veteran driver.
"I love the track despite its shape," said McFarland. "It's very challenging with three different turns. It's a much different layout than any other place we race at. We're going to be able to test there the Thursday before the race, so I know that we're going to be ready."
Being ready will be the last thing McFarland will have to worry about when he takes the green flag at Concord Saturday. A win, or Top-5 run there would go a long way toward getting the team in position to contend for the championship once the title events come around."While the regular season is important, it's really all about the championship races at the end of the year," Ward stated. "We think we're going to win some races this year, but we're working to have our stuff in order when the championship events roll around."
"I know we're going to win races this year," McFarland added. "Every team goes through some bumps in the road and the first two races this season have been that way for us. Wes is a great leader and motivator and I know that he is going to keep everyone going in the right direction."
McFarland and his No. 81s Sears Tire Center Chevy will take the green flag at Concord Motorsports Park Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
About Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SHLD), is a leading broad line retailer providing merchandise and related services. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,400 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes approximately 935 full-line and 1,100 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End - among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 13 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.
To find a Sears Auto Center location near you or to shop online, please log on to www.sears.com.
Driver Hopes To Overcome Bad Luck at Concord
Mooresville, N.C. - Late-race problems in the first two events of the season have left Mark McFarland mired in 21st-place in the 2008 USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series Southern Division point standings. Despite the slow start, the driver of the No. 81s Sears Auto Center/Knight's Companies Chevrolet Monte Carlo is still confident that he can be a factor in the Pro Cup title chase this season.
"I think we can still contend for the championship," stated McFarland, who will return to action this Saturday in the Racing Electronics 250 at Concord (NC) Motorsports Park. "We pretty much started out the same way last year dropping out at Lakeland and we cut down a tire and finished 11th at South Georgia in the second race of the season. We were a little bit behind last year and we still wound up third in the championship. We're behind again this year, so we really need to have a good run at Concord to get back in the thick of the championship race."
If the first two races of the season are any indication, McFarland should be the man to beat at Concord this weekend. The Winchester, Va., driver won the pole position at both Lakeland, Fla., and Cecil, Ga., as well as led a good portion of both events only to come up short of Victory Lane. According to PKR crew chief Wes Ward, McFarland and the team will be looking to qualify and run up front again, but this time, seal the deal at Concord.
"We've just had a little bad luck in the first two events," said Ward. "We've got really fast cars, been well prepared for each event and really, we've won everything you can but the races. We've been on top of the board in practice and qualifying in both races. We just have to finish these races. We still have some things that we can clean up and be better at, but I feel that we'll be in good shape when we roll off the trailer at Concord."
Last year, McFarland qualified ninth and finished 24th in the USAR event at Concord. The tricky half-mile oval with a dogleg in the backstretch is one of the most challenging on the USAR tour according to the veteran driver.
"I love the track despite its shape," said McFarland. "It's very challenging with three different turns. It's a much different layout than any other place we race at. We're going to be able to test there the Thursday before the race, so I know that we're going to be ready."
Being ready will be the last thing McFarland will have to worry about when he takes the green flag at Concord Saturday. A win, or Top-5 run there would go a long way toward getting the team in position to contend for the championship once the title events come around."While the regular season is important, it's really all about the championship races at the end of the year," Ward stated. "We think we're going to win some races this year, but we're working to have our stuff in order when the championship events roll around."
"I know we're going to win races this year," McFarland added. "Every team goes through some bumps in the road and the first two races this season have been that way for us. Wes is a great leader and motivator and I know that he is going to keep everyone going in the right direction."
McFarland and his No. 81s Sears Tire Center Chevy will take the green flag at Concord Motorsports Park Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
About Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SHLD), is a leading broad line retailer providing merchandise and related services. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,400 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes approximately 935 full-line and 1,100 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End - among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 13 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.
To find a Sears Auto Center location near you or to shop online, please log on to www.sears.com.
McFarland, Sears Auto Center Chevy Still Looking to Contend for Title
April 24th
SOUTH BOSTON, Va --Not a cloud in the sky as the Vis Viva Energy drink team entered the gates of South Boston Speedway early Saturday morning. Kile and team began preparing for the long day ahead with high hopes of a good finish to kick off the season opener.
After getting through tech, they scrambled to get ready for the morning test session. While the team was still adjusting to each other, Kile laid down some very impressive times. He maintained in the top 15 all afternoon and was ecstatic about the team's performance, "We have the car set up for long runs and we are very consentient with our times." Kile stated, "Crew Chief Tony Lambert and I hit it off right away and we both seemed to be on the on the same page."
The team's efforts paid off by qualifying 3rd for the start of the Miller Lite 250. Things seemed to be going smooth until shortly after the autograph session, the rain began to come down. This cut the autograph session short and it was a waiting game until race time.
The rain stopped long enough to get the race started and one round of pit stops in. Kile jumped in the second position where he maintained a 3 to 4 car length behind leader, Benny Gordon. Both Gordon and Kile pitted on lap 17 for tires, leaving Danny Abold to inherit the lead. After a smooth pit stop by the Vis Viva Energy drink team, Kile came back out in 13th position. Several more cautions came out as Kile worked his way up through traffic while stating over the radio, "I'm real happy with the car, we have a good shot at this race. " Kile said, "I'm just hoping the rain holds off so that I can get back up there and contend for the win."
Kile continued to pick off the traffic one by one moving into the 3rd position. His hopes were shattered when once again the rain began on lap 102, postponing the race for 2 hours. The drivers were allowed out of their car for what ended up being an extended break to allow officials to dry the track well enough to go back racing. Finally, officials sent the drivers back to their car to attempt to finish the race, but after 161 laps under caution, Mother Nature finally decided she was going to win.
"Despite the weather it was overall a great day for us. By day's end everybody on the team had adjusted well together." Kile said, "We are looking forward to a great season with some good, strong finishes. I want to thank Vis Viva Energy drinks and team for all of their efforts and hard work."
Look for Mikey Kile and team at their next race at Milwaukee Mile on May 31
CONTACT: Angie McCallister (803) 361-3760
About Attitude Drinks:
Formed in June 2007 and headquartered in North Palm Beach, Florida; Attitude Drink Company, Inc. is a beverage brand innovator that creates and markets functional beverages. Vis VivaTM, our first brand, is a healthful, experiential drink featuring IQZOLTM, our proprietary complex delivering a feeling of focus, rejuvenation, clarity and invigoration. More information about Vis VivaTM and Attitude Drink Company, Inc. can be found at www.VisVivaDrink.com.
SOUTH BOSTON, Va --Not a cloud in the sky as the Vis Viva Energy drink team entered the gates of South Boston Speedway early Saturday morning. Kile and team began preparing for the long day ahead with high hopes of a good finish to kick off the season opener.
After getting through tech, they scrambled to get ready for the morning test session. While the team was still adjusting to each other, Kile laid down some very impressive times. He maintained in the top 15 all afternoon and was ecstatic about the team's performance, "We have the car set up for long runs and we are very consentient with our times." Kile stated, "Crew Chief Tony Lambert and I hit it off right away and we both seemed to be on the on the same page."
The team's efforts paid off by qualifying 3rd for the start of the Miller Lite 250. Things seemed to be going smooth until shortly after the autograph session, the rain began to come down. This cut the autograph session short and it was a waiting game until race time.
The rain stopped long enough to get the race started and one round of pit stops in. Kile jumped in the second position where he maintained a 3 to 4 car length behind leader, Benny Gordon. Both Gordon and Kile pitted on lap 17 for tires, leaving Danny Abold to inherit the lead. After a smooth pit stop by the Vis Viva Energy drink team, Kile came back out in 13th position. Several more cautions came out as Kile worked his way up through traffic while stating over the radio, "I'm real happy with the car, we have a good shot at this race. " Kile said, "I'm just hoping the rain holds off so that I can get back up there and contend for the win."
Kile continued to pick off the traffic one by one moving into the 3rd position. His hopes were shattered when once again the rain began on lap 102, postponing the race for 2 hours. The drivers were allowed out of their car for what ended up being an extended break to allow officials to dry the track well enough to go back racing. Finally, officials sent the drivers back to their car to attempt to finish the race, but after 161 laps under caution, Mother Nature finally decided she was going to win.
"Despite the weather it was overall a great day for us. By day's end everybody on the team had adjusted well together." Kile said, "We are looking forward to a great season with some good, strong finishes. I want to thank Vis Viva Energy drinks and team for all of their efforts and hard work."
Look for Mikey Kile and team at their next race at Milwaukee Mile on May 31
CONTACT: Angie McCallister (803) 361-3760
About Attitude Drinks:
Formed in June 2007 and headquartered in North Palm Beach, Florida; Attitude Drink Company, Inc. is a beverage brand innovator that creates and markets functional beverages. Vis VivaTM, our first brand, is a healthful, experiential drink featuring IQZOLTM, our proprietary complex delivering a feeling of focus, rejuvenation, clarity and invigoration. More information about Vis VivaTM and Attitude Drink Company, Inc. can be found at www.VisVivaDrink.com.
Rain Cuts Season Opener Short for Kile
April 24th
Michael Witt & Daughter Witness Mac Hill Northern Division Pro Cup Action
SOUTH BOSTON, VA - April 24, 2008 - Saturday, April 19th was a special day for Barr-Nunn Transportation driver Michael Witt, his daughter, and VISVIVA #65 Chevrolet driver Mikey Kile.
Barr-Nunn, a proud associate sponsor of Mac Hill Motorsports, for which Kile drives, sent Witt and his 12-year-old girl to the Miller Lite 250 at the South Boston Speedway, where they watched from the excitement of the pit area as the rookie placed 3rd.
"It was our first time attending the races," said Witt, whose daughter began a fascination with racing by driving go-karts. "We had a really great time until it started to rain, but it was exhilarating overall."
Witt shared in that exhilaration with Kile, who had a successful and eventful day. In the very first race of his career, Kile earned the Miller Lite Rookie of the Race award on top of his high placing.
"It was an honor to be able to participate in the race," Kile said. "I would like to thank Barr-Nunn for sponsoring the races and making it possible for drivers to do what it is they do." Kile said he aims for continued success and the Miller Lite Rookie of the Year award.
Barr-Nunn likes to go the extra mile for its drivers and their families in exchange for their hard work. For more information on Barr-Nunn Transportation, please call 888-999-7576 or go to www.barr-nunn.com.
Michael Witt & Daughter Witness Mac Hill Northern Division Pro Cup Action
SOUTH BOSTON, VA - April 24, 2008 - Saturday, April 19th was a special day for Barr-Nunn Transportation driver Michael Witt, his daughter, and VISVIVA #65 Chevrolet driver Mikey Kile.
Barr-Nunn, a proud associate sponsor of Mac Hill Motorsports, for which Kile drives, sent Witt and his 12-year-old girl to the Miller Lite 250 at the South Boston Speedway, where they watched from the excitement of the pit area as the rookie placed 3rd.
"It was our first time attending the races," said Witt, whose daughter began a fascination with racing by driving go-karts. "We had a really great time until it started to rain, but it was exhilarating overall."
Witt shared in that exhilaration with Kile, who had a successful and eventful day. In the very first race of his career, Kile earned the Miller Lite Rookie of the Race award on top of his high placing.
"It was an honor to be able to participate in the race," Kile said. "I would like to thank Barr-Nunn for sponsoring the races and making it possible for drivers to do what it is they do." Kile said he aims for continued success and the Miller Lite Rookie of the Year award.
Barr-Nunn likes to go the extra mile for its drivers and their families in exchange for their hard work. For more information on Barr-Nunn Transportation, please call 888-999-7576 or go to www.barr-nunn.com.
Barr-Nunn Driver Experiences Race Excitement From the Pit
April 28th
Driver Of The No. 81s Pete Knight Racing Entry Sees Chance For Victory Cut Short By Rain
Mooresville, NC - While Mark McFarland was disappointed that rain short-circuited a potential winning run in the Racing Electronics 250 at Concord Motorsports Park, the driver of the No. 81s Sears Auto Center/Knight's Companies Chevrolet Monte Carlo was still pleased with a fourth-place finish in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Southern Division event.
"It's great to come home and not have to put a front or rear clip on the car for a change," said McFarland. "Everybody has the same goal and that's to win races and get back up in the points. Some of the guys up front had trouble and we were able to gain on them a little at Concord. Everybody is looking forward to the next race in Milwaukee."
As in the first two races of the 2008 USAR Southern Division season, McFarland was a threat for the pole position in qualifying. Unfortunately, a low draw for time trials prevented the Winchester, VA driver from winning his third-straight top qualifying effort.
"We went out first in qualifying and that's probably the biggest reason we didn't win the pole again," said McFarland, who wound up eighth on the starting grid with a time of 16.298 seconds on the Concord half-mile oval. "It cooled off and the sun went behind the clouds for about the last 20 qualifiers. That allowed some guys who went late had a big advantage. We really weren't too worried about it because we knew we had a good car. It felt great in qualifying."
With threatening weather all around the racetrack, McFarland took the green flag and immediately pointed his red, white and blue Chevy toward the front. That proved to be slow going, however, as intermittent rain showers and a slew of cautions due to accidents made it difficult to sustain a solid race pace.
"It was tough to pass," said McFarland, noting there were 10 cautions for 78 laps in the event. "The tires were wearing out and everyone was sliding around. It was really slick. There were guys knocking the heck out of each other. It was a rough race. Fortunately, we had a car that could get up underneath guys and pass them on the inside."
Despite the weather and tire woes, McFarland was able to put himself in position for the win thanks to solid strategy by crew chief Wes Ward and the Pete Knight Racing team.
"Our strategy was to save our tires and I don't think we pitted until about Lap 150," McFarland stated. "That gave us 50-lap fresher tires than most of the other cars in the race."
The tire strategy worked to perfection as McFarland returned to the event back and the pack and immediately rocketed his way toward the front. In the end, however, Mother Nature proved to be the big winner as persistent rain eventually cut the race short at Lap 205 of the scheduled 250-circuit distance.
"We came out around 11th after our pit stop and tire change and we raced right up to the Top-5," said McFarland. "We got up to fourth and were passing for third when the rain came. We had a car good enough to win the race. It was just unfortunate that the rain came and we couldn't finish it out."
Next up for McFarland and his No. 81s Sears Tire Center Chevy will be the Sears Auto Center 150 at The Milwaukee Mile on Saturday, May 31. The event on the famed Wisconsin State Fair Park oval will be a USAR North-South Division combination race and will be part of a full day of racing that will also include Pole Day qualifying for the IndyCar and Indy Lights Series.
All tickets are just $15 for the general admission program which will see the Pro Cup cars take the green flag after the Pole Day events.
"This is going to be a big event for us," said McFarland. "Milwaukee is close to Sears Auto Center corporate headquarters in Chicago and there are going to be a lot of people there. It would be a dream come true to win that event for them."
About Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SHLD), is a leading broad line retailer providing merchandise and related services. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,400 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes approximately 935 full-line and 1,100 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End - among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 13 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.
To find a Sears Auto Center location near you or to shop online, please log on to www.sears.com.
Driver Of The No. 81s Pete Knight Racing Entry Sees Chance For Victory Cut Short By Rain
Mooresville, NC - While Mark McFarland was disappointed that rain short-circuited a potential winning run in the Racing Electronics 250 at Concord Motorsports Park, the driver of the No. 81s Sears Auto Center/Knight's Companies Chevrolet Monte Carlo was still pleased with a fourth-place finish in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Southern Division event.
"It's great to come home and not have to put a front or rear clip on the car for a change," said McFarland. "Everybody has the same goal and that's to win races and get back up in the points. Some of the guys up front had trouble and we were able to gain on them a little at Concord. Everybody is looking forward to the next race in Milwaukee."
As in the first two races of the 2008 USAR Southern Division season, McFarland was a threat for the pole position in qualifying. Unfortunately, a low draw for time trials prevented the Winchester, VA driver from winning his third-straight top qualifying effort.
"We went out first in qualifying and that's probably the biggest reason we didn't win the pole again," said McFarland, who wound up eighth on the starting grid with a time of 16.298 seconds on the Concord half-mile oval. "It cooled off and the sun went behind the clouds for about the last 20 qualifiers. That allowed some guys who went late had a big advantage. We really weren't too worried about it because we knew we had a good car. It felt great in qualifying."
With threatening weather all around the racetrack, McFarland took the green flag and immediately pointed his red, white and blue Chevy toward the front. That proved to be slow going, however, as intermittent rain showers and a slew of cautions due to accidents made it difficult to sustain a solid race pace.
"It was tough to pass," said McFarland, noting there were 10 cautions for 78 laps in the event. "The tires were wearing out and everyone was sliding around. It was really slick. There were guys knocking the heck out of each other. It was a rough race. Fortunately, we had a car that could get up underneath guys and pass them on the inside."
Despite the weather and tire woes, McFarland was able to put himself in position for the win thanks to solid strategy by crew chief Wes Ward and the Pete Knight Racing team.
"Our strategy was to save our tires and I don't think we pitted until about Lap 150," McFarland stated. "That gave us 50-lap fresher tires than most of the other cars in the race."
The tire strategy worked to perfection as McFarland returned to the event back and the pack and immediately rocketed his way toward the front. In the end, however, Mother Nature proved to be the big winner as persistent rain eventually cut the race short at Lap 205 of the scheduled 250-circuit distance.
"We came out around 11th after our pit stop and tire change and we raced right up to the Top-5," said McFarland. "We got up to fourth and were passing for third when the rain came. We had a car good enough to win the race. It was just unfortunate that the rain came and we couldn't finish it out."
Next up for McFarland and his No. 81s Sears Tire Center Chevy will be the Sears Auto Center 150 at The Milwaukee Mile on Saturday, May 31. The event on the famed Wisconsin State Fair Park oval will be a USAR North-South Division combination race and will be part of a full day of racing that will also include Pole Day qualifying for the IndyCar and Indy Lights Series.
All tickets are just $15 for the general admission program which will see the Pro Cup cars take the green flag after the Pole Day events.
"This is going to be a big event for us," said McFarland. "Milwaukee is close to Sears Auto Center corporate headquarters in Chicago and there are going to be a lot of people there. It would be a dream come true to win that event for them."
About Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SHLD), is a leading broad line retailer providing merchandise and related services. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,400 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes approximately 935 full-line and 1,100 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End - among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 13 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.
To find a Sears Auto Center location near you or to shop online, please log on to www.sears.com.
McFarland, Sears Auto Center Chevy Finish Fourth At Concord
April 30th
Shock Problem Robs Team Of Finish, But Not Pride In Pro Cup Event
The USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series returned to action Saturday at Concord Motorsport Park (NC) after a few weeks off. During the off time, Hunter Robbins jumped back his Super Late Model at Five Flags Speedway (FL) and Mobile International (AL), bringing home two top-seven finishes. With momentum on his side, Robbins looked for a solid run at CMP in the Pro Cup race, but shock problems forced him to finish 19th, one lap off the pace.
"Something broke in the front end," said Robbins. "We think it was a shock or a shock mount. I can't believe it happened, but it's out of our control. We had a great car and the crew did a great job, and to have such a great run going and have that happen just stinks. We just have to learn from it and get ready for the next race. At least the car is one piece."
After starting fourth in the race, it would be an expected reaction for Robbins to be dejected about the results, but Robbins kept his head up, knowing that some situations are out of a driver or a team's hands.
"We can't let what happened in the race let us down," explained Robbins. "We had a great qualifying run and I thought we had a shot at the pole there for a while. We then had a great run going during the race, so I am not going to let this get me down. Our solid runs in our Super Late Model and our performance this weekend is helping our overall Pro Cup program. Everything is looking good for our next Pro Cup race at Milwaukee."
While Robbins and the team will be at the Milwaukee Mile, due to event age restrictions set at 18-years old, 16-year-old Robbins will sit on the sidelines while a substitute driver takes the wheel of his car. The driver will be named in the coming weeks.
Shock Problem Robs Team Of Finish, But Not Pride In Pro Cup Event
The USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series returned to action Saturday at Concord Motorsport Park (NC) after a few weeks off. During the off time, Hunter Robbins jumped back his Super Late Model at Five Flags Speedway (FL) and Mobile International (AL), bringing home two top-seven finishes. With momentum on his side, Robbins looked for a solid run at CMP in the Pro Cup race, but shock problems forced him to finish 19th, one lap off the pace.
"Something broke in the front end," said Robbins. "We think it was a shock or a shock mount. I can't believe it happened, but it's out of our control. We had a great car and the crew did a great job, and to have such a great run going and have that happen just stinks. We just have to learn from it and get ready for the next race. At least the car is one piece."
After starting fourth in the race, it would be an expected reaction for Robbins to be dejected about the results, but Robbins kept his head up, knowing that some situations are out of a driver or a team's hands.
"We can't let what happened in the race let us down," explained Robbins. "We had a great qualifying run and I thought we had a shot at the pole there for a while. We then had a great run going during the race, so I am not going to let this get me down. Our solid runs in our Super Late Model and our performance this weekend is helping our overall Pro Cup program. Everything is looking good for our next Pro Cup race at Milwaukee."
While Robbins and the team will be at the Milwaukee Mile, due to event age restrictions set at 18-years old, 16-year-old Robbins will sit on the sidelines while a substitute driver takes the wheel of his car. The driver will be named in the coming weeks.
Hunter Robbins Stays Positive After Frustrating Day At Concord
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