Concord, NC (March 20, 2014) – Five weeks after the season opener at Daytona the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards returns to racing this weekend at Mobile International Speedway for the third consecutive springtime southern ARCA Mobile 200.
Over the past two years VMS has eight starts at Irvington, Alabama’s Mobile International Speedway. Between eight different drivers, the Concord, N.C.-based organization had a career-best second-place finish with Kyle Benjamin in 2013. Over the past two years, VMS has one top-five finish to go along with four top-10 finishes.
Saturday’s ARCA MOBILE 200 short track event will highlight VMS’s primary ’14 season driver lineup with wheelmen Justin Boston (No.25 ZLOOP Computer and Electronics Recycling – JACO Environmental Toyota), John Wes Townley (No.15 Zaxby’s Toyota) and Cody Coughlin (No.55 JEGS Toyota) making appearances. Boston and Townley are slated for full championship competition while ARCA Rookie Cody Coughlin will make his first of twelve scheduled starts. Driver Michael Self, a member of the NASCAR Next initiative, is the fourth VMS Mobile entry and will be making his series debut and only scheduled series start driving the No. 66 Mosquito Patch/Renton Coil Spring Toyota.
Returning to action after the long hiatus and disappointing results at Daytona is a welcome sight for both team and drivers.
No other team driver would agree more with this statement than last year’s ARCA Rookie of the Year, Justin Boston, who finished 40th at Daytona after a multi-car crash heavily damaged his machine. Fewer than 13 laps into the first race of the 2014 ARCA Racing Series season, Boston got collected in a 15-car accident during the 80-lap event. Boston has been eyeing the Mobile event since February and is eager to get back on track with a strong showing.
“Heading into Mobile this weekend has me pumped, especially considering how strongly we performed last week when we tested. I honestly believe that we have a shot to win wherever we go this year,” said Boston. “Mobile International Speedway is no different than any other opportunity. Kevin (Reed) and everyone at Venturini Motorsports have been doing a great job putting together our new short-track ZLOOP – JACO Toyota Camry. This race has a big red circle highlighting it in our calendars.
“Our goal for the next few races is to really put an emphasis on qualifying high and making the effort to get as many points possible. We are down right now, but certainly not out, considering how strong we will be throughout the rest of the season.”
This weekend will mark Boston’s second start with Venturini Motorsports at Mobile International Speedway. The Baltimore, Md. driver has made one ARCA Racing Series start at the .5-mile track, qualifying ninth and with a sixth-place finish at the track in 2013.
Follow Justin Boston and ZLOOP Racing on Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and view exclusive content, visit ZLOOP Racing’s Twitter page – @ZLOOPRacing and Facebook page – Facebook.com/ ZLOOPRacing. Also, follow Justin Boston on his personal Twitter page – @jboston25, and “Like” Justin Boston on his official Facebook page at Facebook.com/justinbostonfanpage.
John Wes Townley, with crew chief Rich Lushes calling the shots, is prepared to make his first Mobile start and is ready to showcase his No.15 Zaxby’s Toyota. Running full seasons in both the ARCA and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Townley is coming off an 11th place finish at Daytona in his ARCA season debut.
Townley, a native of Watkinsville, GA, has raced part-time under the VMS banner since 2010 competing in both ARCA and NASCAR Nationwide events during that time. In 2013, Townley made headlines by winning the ARCA season opener at Daytona International Speedway.
“I’m looking forward to getting back behind the wheel at Mobile and competing for the win. This will be my first run here but I’m very confident, we’ve got a great group of guys behind us and the car to get it done,” said Townley.
Follow John Wes and Zaxby’s on Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and view exclusive content, visit Zaxby’s Twitter page – @Zaxbys and Facebook page – Facebook.com/Zaxbys. Also, follow John Wes on his personal Twitter page – @JWTownley – www.zaxbys.com.
After months of planning and preparation, Cody Coughlin finally gets to do what he’s been getting pumped up to do since he announced his move to the ARCA Racing Series. The 18-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver gets to fire up his JEGS.com-sponsored No. 55 Toyota for Venturini Motorsports for his ARCA debut in the ARCA Mobile 200.
“I’m really excited for this weekend,” said Coughlin. “Venturini Motorsports has a really strong team and with the support of Joe Gibbs Racing, I’ve been blessed with some of the best people behind me I could ask for. That makes me confident that when I get behind the wheel, I’ve got the best car I can possibly have to go out there and compete. I don’t expect anything less than a good performance for myself and my team.”
Coughlin, the 2013 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Late Model Champion has two recent tests under his belt and is ready to put his preparation into action on the fast half-mile Mobile International Speedway in Irvington, Alabama.
Coughlin recently tested at the Mobile International Speedway half-mile with his Venturini Motorsports teammates. He had already shaken down his No. 55 machine in his first ARCA test at Virginia’s Motor Mile Speedway earlier in March, but being able to work with crew chief Jeff McClure and the rest of the Venturini team in a race setting has made Coughlin even more excited for Mobile.
“The teammate thing is pretty new to me because that’s something I’ve never had in my Late Model days, but it’s been a really cool experience. It was a cool being a part of seeing everyone work together and gel at the Mobile test last week. It was a very positive experience. I look forward to bouncing ideas off of my teammates John Wes Townley, Justin Boston and Michael Self this weekend,” said Coughlin.
Follow Cody Coughlin and Team JEGS on social media… visit www.teamjegs.com and follow Cody on Twitter, @cody_coughlin. Follow Team JEGS on Twitter, @TeamJEGS and “Like” JEGS Performance on Facebook.
Birmingham, Alabama native Michael Self, who now resides in Park City, Utah, will be making his first start with VMS and his ARCA Racing debut this during the ARCA Mobile 200. Self, who tested at Daytona with VMS during the off-season, is ready to showcase his talent behind the wheel of his No. 66 Mosquito Patch/Renton Coil Spring Toyota.
The 24-year old Self, a member of the 2013-14 NASCAR NEXT initiative, has made 35 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West starts on tracks less than one-mile in length. Self has earned three wins, notched 14 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes on his belt, and maintained an average starting position of 6.8, and an average finishing position of 8.9.
NASCAR Next, an evolution of the Next9 initiative that began in 2011, is an overarching industry initiative to help spotlight NASCAR’s rising stars. In addition to competing on various NASCAR series across the country, drivers in the program participate in several media and promotional activities throughout the year.
Self, born in the track’s state, has the odds in his favor as the past two ARCA winners at Mobile International Speedway have been Alabama natives.
“I cannot thank the Venturini family and the Venturini Motorsports organization enough for giving me this opportunity. They have been great to work with from the first time we talked, and we have had good chemistry together since I got a chance to drive one of their cars at Daytona International Speedway at the December test,” said Self.
We topped the board at the Daytona test, and then went on to Mobile International Speedway to test again. Our team had a great week there, so I can’t wait to get back to Mobile this weekend to grab the same results. Everyone in the organization has been great with assisting my adaptation to the ARCA Racing Series chassis. I really couldn’t ask for a better team to make my series debut with, and I don’t think I could ask for a better place to do it than in my ‘birth state,’ with my family and friends supporting us.”
Follow Michael Self on Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and view exclusive content, visit Michael Self on his personal Twitter page – @mself_21, and “Like” Michael Self on his official Facebook page at Facebook.com/michaelselfracing.
All four VMS drivers with their respective cars on display will arrive in town early to meet the Mobile area fans during the always popular autograph session inside the Aircraft Pavilion at the USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park on Thursday, March 20th from 5-6pm CST.
Race coverage for the ARCA-Mobile 200 will be aired live Saturday, March 22 starting at 2:00 p.m. CDT, with timing and scoring and radio broadcast through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. Follow Venturini Motorspors on twitter (@venturinimotor) for live weekend and race coverage.
About Venturini Motorsports
Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars for over 30-years in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. Multiple team championships and consistent on-track success, VMS has evolved into one of the most recognizable names in motorsports. Since 2007, VMS has assisted in the career development of notable NASCAR drivers such as Joey Logano, Justin Allgaier, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Brian Scott, Kevin Swindell, John Wes Townley and Erik Jones. Over the years the Venturini name has become synonymous with modern-day racing in America. In 2012, the Venturini family was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame (www.NIASHF.org) and now find themselves enshrined with such sports icons as Joe DiMaggio, Mario Andretti, Vince Lombardi, Tommy Lasorda and Rocky Marciano.
Official: www.VenturiniMotorsports.com | Twitter: @VenturiniMotor | Facebook: Venturini Motorsports
About ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is among the leading auto racing sanctioning bodies in the country. Founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum, the organization administers more than 100 events each year in multiple racing series, including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, the ARCA/CRA Super Series, the ARCA Truck Series and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.
