MAKE Motorsports Creates Noise at Daytona

MAKE Motorsports Creates Noise at Daytona

Bell Left with 31st Place Finish After Tangle in the Draft

Daytona Beach, Fla. (February 19, 2011)- Family-owned NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team MAKE Motorsports made the trip to Daytona International Speedway for the first time in its existence to attempt to qualify for the Next-Era Energy Resources 250. Keeping the nose clean and in contention for nearly three-quarters of the NextEra Energy Resources 250, the first “big one” of the night unfortunately ended Bell’s night and his team’s hopes of a solid finish prematurely.

From the first laps on the track on Wednesday to a nerve wrenching qualifying session on Thursday night, driver TJ Bell maintained high hopes for the No. 50 Pinnacle Rubber Mulch/Liberty Tire Recycling Chevy. Running well in the draft through both NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice sessions, Crew Chief Tom Buzze and TJ put their heads together to find the right setup for single truck speed before qualifying on Thursday night.

Lacking owner’s points from 2010, Bell would have to beat 10 of the 19 trucks who were not locked into the field. Laying down a lap of 51.549 seconds, Bell placed his Silverado 22nd to make the NextEra Energy Resources 250 based on time and speed.

Kicking off the 250-mile race, Bell contently rode within the top 15 trucks to test the waters and find a good dancing partner for the first 20 laps. Buzze called Bell down pit road for two tires and a full tank of fuel on lap 31, just seven laps before the first yellow flag of the night on lap 38 for a single truck accident. Bell expressed to his team the truck was handling well, but he needed someone to push him in order to get a good run. Finding a couple solid drafting partners, Bell raced his way into the top five and maintained position in the lead pack for the next 30 laps.

Beginning around lap 70, the Reno, Nevada-native began to get caught up in traffic and was shuffled back from the front pack. Bell was searching for the line that would help him get back to the front when the No. 5 of Travis Kvapil blew a tire on lap 75, causing a chain reaction. The Pinnacle Rubber Mulch Silverado became a victim and was hooked into the wall by the trucks directly in front of it, suffering significant damage that would ultimately end the night for Bell and MAKE Motorsports.

“It’s really unfortunate that it had to end the way it did because the Pinnacle Rubber Mulch truck was running really well. If we had someone pushing us we were really fast and the truck was handling really well no matter what situation I put it in,” Bell commented following the incident. “I can’t say enough about this team of guys that put this truck together, and for all of our sponsors like Liberty Tire Recycling, Pro Gold Engine Treatment and VP Parts Warehouse. We raced our way to the front and everyone knew that MAKE Motorsports was there, regardless of the finishing position we brought home.”

Crew Chief Buzze was pleased with the team’s performance and ability to make the best of their run at Daytona as well.

“TJ did a great job keeping the truck in the lead pack for the majority of the race and we were just logging laps until the finish. It’s unfortunate we were caught up in the mess, but it’s typical Daytona. I’m proud of the team for pulling everything together and we’re going to work hard until the next one.”

For more information and updates on MAKE Motorsports, visit MAKEMotorsports.com http://makemotorsports.com/ and our Facebook Fan Page, and follow us on Twitter @MAKEMotorsports.

ABOUT LIBERTY TIRE RECYCLING:

Liberty Tire Recycling is the premier provider of tire recycling services in North America. By recycling more than 110 million tires annually, Liberty Tire reclaims about 1.5 billion pounds of rubber for innovative, eco-friendly products. The recycled rubber produced by Liberty Tire is used as crumb rubber and industrial feedstock for molded products; as tire-derived fuel for industrial kilns, mills and power plants; and as rubber mulch for landscaping and playgrounds. The company maintains a nationwide network of processing plants, and comprehensive door-to-door collection services. Liberty Tire Recycling is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA. For more information, please visit www.libertytire.com http://www.libertytire.com/ .

ABOUT MAKE MOTORSPORTS: Founded in 2010 by Mark Beaver and Tracy Lowe, diverse motorsports owners with 50 years combined in racing, MAKE Motorsports made a natural progression into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In previous endeavors, Mark Beaver has owned NHRA, IHRA, Super Late Model Dirt Series, Legends, SCCA Trans Am and SCCA World Challenge teams. One of the only female team owners in racing, Tracy Lowe has owned and competed in Dirt Late Models and SCCA before taking on the NCWTS ranks. Believing only in the best quality prepared vehicles, experienced crew and sound business practices, MAKE Motorsports is the first NCWTS team to be operated out of historic Shelby, NC in 15 years. For more information, visit http://www.makemotorsports.com/ www.MAKEMotorsports.com, Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MAKEMotorsports www.Twitter.com/MAKEMotorsports.