SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. — August 29, 2014 — Holiday weekends are meant for racing. At least for Taylor Ferns they are. She spent Memorial Day weekend at the track, same with the Fourth of July. This week, she’ll celebrate the Labor Day weekend at Attica Raceway Park in Ohio for a pair of races with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions.
The two-night event for the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions at Attica Raceway Park will open on Friday, August 29, when the sprint cars will share the bill with the Lucas Oil Late Model Series. Action will conclude on Saturday, August 30, with another full racing program for the All Stars.
Ferns has made three starts at Attica Raceway Park in 2014 aboard the Jimmy’s Towing/Indy Race Parts Maxim. She made her debut at the high-banked third-mile bullring on May 9, and led laps in the main event that night, before a spin. She returned to the track on the Fourth of July and finished 16th, and also raced there on July 19, finishing 13th.
“The times we have gone to Attica this year it seems like it always slicks off and slick tracks are something I am still learning in the winged car,” said Ferns. “There is a balance you have to find to not overdrive the car and also not under-drive it. I think I found that balance toward the end of the race last weekend at Mercer (Raceway Park), even though we didn’t finish how we wanted and that should help us going forward.”
Last weekend, Ferns competed in the inaugural event for the Renegade Sprint Series at Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe, Ohio on Saturday, August 23. She timed in fourth-fastest of the 38 entries, and followed that up by finishing fourth in the fourth heat race to earn a spot in the dash, where she crossed the line fifth. She ran as high as third during the main event, and was running in the top-five when contact with another car late in the race put her in the wall, ending her night.
The 2011 USAC D1 Midget Series champion then traveled north to Mercer Raceway Park in Western Pennsylvania on Sunday, August 24 for an event with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions. She ended up 19th in the main event, after timing in 18th-fastest and finishing sixth in the third heat race.
“We had a really strong car at Atomic last weekend and it was unfortunate to get taken out how we did, because I think we had a top-three car,” said Ferns. “I had people come up to me after the race and say that people knew we were there. It was tough not getting the finish we were hoping for, but we showed what we can do and hopefully we can carry a little of that into this weekend.”
Ferns earned her first 410-winged sprint car win earlier this season with the Ohio Valley Sprint Car Association at Southern Ohio Speedway on June 6. The 18-year-old has picked up seven top-10 finishes in a variety of events across the Midwest this season. Ferns has made five appearances with the All Stars thus far in 2014.
“When you race against the All Stars and Renegades I feel like it really makes your driver better, because you have to really step up your game,” she explained. “You are racing against some of the best of the best with series like the All Stars and Renegades and you have to rise to the competition.”
Taylor Ferns and Ferns Racing would like to thank their valued partners: Jimmy’s Towing Recovery & Transport, Indy Race Parts, Motor City Auto Transport Inc., National Auto Placement, Project Podium, Women’s Sports Foundation, Lyn St. James Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation, FK Rod Ends, Lucas Oil, K&N Filters, Lansing Sanitary Supply (LSS), Simpson Race Products, ButlerBuilt, Allstar Performance, Stanton Racing Engines, Hoosier Tire Midwest, Race4Girls and Racing2Cure.
Keep up to date
For the latest news, results and information on Taylor Ferns and Ferns Racing and to view a full 2014 schedule, visit TaylorFerns.com. Follow Taylor on Twitter at @TaylorFerns and like her on Facebook.
