[media-credit name=”arcaracing.com” align=”alignright” width=”370″]
[/media-credit]MOORESVILLE, North Carolina (April 20, 2012) – – Nick Tucker has spent the first two races of the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season serving as the crew chief for Carter-2-Motorsports, but next weekend Tucker will exchange his wrenches for a steering wheel when he returns to ARCA for the running of the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 at Salem (Ind.) Speedway.
For Tucker, a native of Bremerton, Washington it will be his first ARCA start since 2008 when he competed in the Carolina 500 at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway for Mark Gibson Racing where he finished a competitive 16th. However, Tucker is anxious to make his third start at the historic Salem (Ind.) Speedway driving the No. 40 Ron Paul 2012 Dodge Charger for Mooresville, North Carolina-based Carter-2-Motorsports.
“I’m ecstatic about getting back in an ARCA car, especially at Salem,” noted Tucker, who also has 29 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts to his credit. “We’ve worked incredibly hard on our short track program and I think we’ll have a shot at a good run next weekend if we can get all the dominos to fall our way.”
When it comes to racing at Salem Speedway, Tucker is well aware of the track’s brutal conditions and how much patience and conservation will come into play – but the 26-year old is ready for whatever types of racing conditions that he may be faced with.
“Sometimes, you see a race with a lot of cautions at Salem and there have been others where you see a long-span of green flag runs. To be honest, I don’t really know what to expect; but I do know that we want to get our No. 40 Ron Paul 2012 Dodge Charger into the top-10 for the first time this season,” offered Tucker. “We don’t hide that we don’t have a lot of resources, like some of the other teams in the series. But, we’re true racers at heart and I work on these cars personally inside and out, so I know what I’m looking for. Hopefully, it will just be a race that will give us all something to build on for the rest of the year.”
For car owner Roger Carter II, the decision to put Tucker behind the wheel was a no-brainier. “Nick’s one of the best short track racers around and I’ll vouch for that any day or night. He’s so focused behind the wheel and he takes care of the equipment and we feel he’ll do us a great job in the No. 40 Ron Paul 2012 Dodge Charger,” noted Carter II, a racer himself.
In his two previous starts at the Southern Indiana race track, Tucker has delivered a best outing of seventh after starting eighth in the No. 67 Prototype Racing Dodge Charger in 2007. Earlier in the year, he finished a commendable 16th after starting 12th.
Tucker will be one of three entries for Carter-2-Motorsports at Salem. The team will also field rides for Rookie of the Year candidate Larry Barford Jr. and ARCA newcomer Danny Esposito.
The Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 (200 laps / 111 miles) is the third of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 88thARCA race held at Salem Speedway is a two day show. Practice begins Saturday, April 28 with a forty-five minute session planned from 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. Final practice also consisting of forty-five minutes begins at 1:15 p.m. and will conclude at 2:00 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 3:30 p.m. An on-track autograph session has been etched in on race day on Sunday, April 29 set to launch at 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The event will take the green flag shortly after 2:15 p.m. The race will not be televised but race coverage including live timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local.
The official website of Carter-2-Motorsports is in the process of a complete makeover for the official kickoff of the new season, but for the latest on the team, drivers and sponsors, please log onto RogerCarter2Racing.com.
For more on Ron Paul and his mission to “Restore America Now”; please log onto ronpaul2012.com.
