Andy Belmont Racing heads to New Jersey Motorsports Park
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 18, 2011)- Chad McCumbee heads north for Sunday’s ModSpace 150 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards at New Jersey Motorsports Park. McCumbee, driver of the No. 1 ModSpace Ford Fusion for Andy Belmont Racing, looks to add to his road course experience when he makes his second career appearance at New Jersey’s 2.3-mile, 14-turn Thunderbolt Raceway on Sunday.
The driver of the No. 1 ModSpace Ford Fusion comes into the only road course venue on the ARCA Racing schedule fresh off back-to-back top-ten performances that have vaulted him to sixth in points. And with Sunday’s 150-mile/67-lap event at the road course in Millville, next up for McCumbee, expect another strong run from the 26-year old veteran.
“It’s a new challenge,” McCumbee said. “It’s a track that I do not have a lot of experience racing at. So, it is hard to place expectations on the table, but I think I have tested there quite a bit to create those expectations. The testing has provided for what I need to be doing and what I need to be looking for. But after the three testing sessions, I do have high expectations. Hopefully we can get up there (to New Jersey) and place the car in the top five, or top 10 just like we have been doing anywhere else.”
Despite his relative inexperience competing on the twisting terrain of road-course tracks, McCumbee found success last year. In one career road course start in 2010 at New Jersey Motorsports Park, qualifying in the 13th position and finishing 17th for Andy Belmont Racing.
What makes it especially hard to believe is that before the 2010 road course debut, McCumbee had done little testing. In other words, he was one of the least-experienced drivers at the track despite his oval track upbringing.
Team manager Andy Belmont has high hopes for McCumbee and the ABR team at the fourth annual ARCA Racing Series race at Thunderbolt Raceway this weekend, especially since the race’s title sponsor, ModSpace, will be on McCumbee’s No.1 machine.
“We really need to lead some laps, and gain points, but the big picture is we need a podium finish this weekend,” Belmont said. “Our team sponsor ModSpace is the race sponsor, so it is a must-win for us. It has become a ‘playoff game’.”
McCumbee and the ABR team tested in preparation for this weekend’s road course race three times earlier this year. The team took their chassis No. 55, “Frankenstein”, up to the New Jersey Motorsports Park, road course facility that offers two track configurations. This is the race debut for the No. 55 chassis.
“Proven to be one of the most mastered disciplines – road course racing, we have the faith in our No.1 ModSpace team and Chad”, William Mann, the director of motorsports for ModSpace, said.
ModSpace, in its first year of title sponsorship of the ARCA Racing Series event, will honor Jon Stoecklin with a special decal on the ABR ModSpace Ford.
“The No. 1 ModSpace Ford Fusion will be running a special decal to remember Jon Stoecklin, a valued ModSpace employee, who recently passed away,” Mann spoke glowingly of Stoecklin’s memory. “Jon was dynamic employee who loved to help all those around him. At the ModSpace 150 this weekend, we are proud to host his wife, Mendy, and his aunt for the event. As Jon had a passion for wining, the No.1 will race in honor of Jon’s memory.”
“Whether you try to or not, you are naturally going to put a little pressure on yourself,” McCumbee added. “What we need to do is just go out there and treat it like every other weekend. I need to go out there and capture the pole, lead the most laps, and we the race. It would be really cool to have the No. 1 ModSpace car in the ModSpace victory lane.”
Fans attending the New Jersey Motorsports Park race can meet the Supply, N.C., native before the start of the ModSpace 150. Fans will have a half hour to attend the ARCA Racing Series Driver Autograph Session on Sunday, Aug. 14 at 11:45 a.m. EST. Fans are also encouraged to bring donations of clothing and supplies for the Alabama disaster relief effort sponsored by Andy Belmont Racing. Also, Roush Yates will be taking a team of volunteers to Alabama help with clean up efforts and to deliver all donations
McCumbee will climb behind the wheel of the No. 1 ModSpace Ford Fusion at New Jersey Motorsports Park on Saturday for two practice sessions starting at 11:15 a.m. EST, followed by Menards Pole Qualifying Presented by Ansell (all positions) at 4:30 p.m. EST. The ModSpace 150 is set for Sunday, May 22, at 1 p.m. EST.
