NASCAR Driver Finished 15th in Road Course Debut Last Season
FLAGLER BEACH, Fla. (August 2, 2016) – Coming off his fourth Top-20 finish of the season, NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) driver Ray Black Jr. is ready to continue with his momentum this weekend as he heads to Watkins Glen International, the first of three road course starts he will make this year. The driver of the No. 07 ScubaLife.com Chevrolet has one previous road course start in his national touring career, having finished 15th at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park last year in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS).
“I love road course racing, so I’m really looking forward to this weekend,” said Black. “I had a lot of fun last year in the truck series up in Canada getting to jump the curbs, turn left and right, and get up through the gears. It’s a fun style of racing, and I can’t wait to hit the track at Watkins Glen on Thursday!”
Black finished 15th in his only road course start last year with the NCWTS at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Despite the experience, Black has been working hard to prepare for this weekend’s Zippo 200.
“Every road course is different with its own unique set of characteristics,” Black explained. “I’ve been working hard to prepare for this race so we can make the most out of the practice sessions we have this weekend to be ready for the race Saturday. I’ve watched a lot of past races at The Glen to learn the layout, but there’s only so much you can learn away from the track. With the repave, it’s going to be different than years past with a lot faster times and a little less maneuverability.”
For some drivers, road course racing is not a type of competition they enjoy. For Black, he admits there are some challenges with this type of racing but that the fun parts of it outweigh them.
“Road course racing does have its challenges,” Black stated. “You have to really pay attention when you’re getting through the gears to not mess up and screw up your race. Downshifting is definitely a skill that you have to develop in order to succeed at these tracks, but once you get a rhythm down it really is a lot of fun to dance through the corners!”
The Zippo 200 will take place on Saturday, August 6 at 2:00 p.m. ET at Watkins Glen International. Fans can tune in via CNBC or MRN Radio for live race coverage.
Fans can keep up with Ray Black Jr. by following him and his sponsor, ScubaLife, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @RayBlackJr and @TeamScubaRacing. Learn more about Ray Black Jr. and Team Scuba by visiting www.rayblackjr.com and www.teamscuba.com.
About Ray Black Jr.
Ray Black, Jr. grew up in Florida after relocating from Montgomery, Alabama at age 9. It was here that Black fell in love with deep sea diving after a couple of scuba trips with his father. His passion for motorsports came later at age 14 after playing some racing video games. He began competing in the Florida Mini Cup Racing Association (FMCRA), where finished in the Top-5 in every race and secured the FMCRA Junior All Star Championship. In 2013 Black moved up to racing pro late models and then into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2014. During that year, he got his first taste of true NASCAR racing when he competed in seven races for SS Green Light Racing. In 2015, Black competed in his first full season of NASCAR in the Camping World Truck Series, where he finished 11th in the championship standings with one Top-5 and 11 Top-15 finishes. Black will compete in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for the 2016 season. Learn more at www.rayblackjr.com.
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