TALLADEGA, Ala.: Preparing to rejoin the ARCA Menards Series scene following the coronavirus pandemic halt, rookie driver Ryan Huff (@driverRyanHuff) heads to Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway for Saturday afternoon’s General Tire 200 optimistic and eager for a solid finish.
Successfully making his debut in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway in February, Huff was forced to retire from the event after experiencing transmission woes.
Thankfully, the Williamsburg, Va. native has 41 laps of competitive drafting under his belt from Daytona that will be instrumental for his third ARCA Menards Series start of 2020.
“Yeah, I’m excited to get to Talladega, it’s been a while since I’ve been in the car,” said Huff. “I feel comfortable heading to Talladega even though we won’t have much track time before the race, but I feel like if we stick to our game plan, we should come out of there with a good finish and something to build on for Pocono and down the road.”
Despite an early exit from a blown-tire in his most recent race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway in March, Huff remains 10th in the ARCA championship standings and while he hopes to maintain a healthy presence in the series as the year marches forward, Huff hope to keep himself nestled inside the top-10.
“The championship standings weren’t something we were particularly looking at but coming out of Phoenix and seeing we were 10th all things considered, I think you can say it gave us a little motivation. We’re not in a position to contender for the championship by any means, but little victories like gaining experience, finishing races and trying to stay inside that top-10 are all worth fighting for.
“I think we’re going to bring a pretty good piece for Talladega this week and we’ve made sure to correct the problem we had with the transmission, so that’s one less obstacle we hope we don’t have to face.”
With just a half-hour practice to dial in his No. 10 Land & Coates Outdoor Power Equipment Toyota Camry, Huff is relying on the veteran leadership of his Fast Track Racing team to make sure they execute in the garage and on pit road.
“We’re going to need every minute of that half hour,” added Huff. “We need to make sure we’re ready to race and hopefully any kinks that we need to work out, we’ll find during that time. I’m sure we’ll draft a little too just to make sure I’m comfortable and the car’s handling is to my liking. From there, it’s just head down fin up.”
Backing Huff’s entry on Friday night is Land & Coates, The Virginia-based company that provides the best and latest in outdoor power products.
We are family-owned and operated and conveniently located with eight locations in Virginia. Land & Coates can provide you with the latest and best in outdoor power products to make your outdoor living more enjoyable. Combine this wide array of selections with our friendly and knowledgeable staff, and we’re convinced Land & Coates will become your only stop for all of your outdoor power needs.
Proud to carry the products of Billy Goat, Bluebird, ECHO, Honda Engines, Honda Power Equipment, Husqvarna, Hustler Turf Equipment, Kawasaki Engines, Kubota, Land Pride, Ryan, STIHL, Shindaiwa and Toro and Wright, Land & Coates is proud to present a variety of outdoor power equipment which is second to none.
“I’m so thankful for Land & Coates for continuing their support this season and continuing to stand with us through the pandemic and all,” sounded Huff. “It’s important to me to make sure I represent them and their customers well, as we are committed to building this partnership to new levels in 2020.
In addition to Land & Coates, HB Hankins and Southeastern Services will serve as associate marketing partners for Saturday afternoon’s doubleheader with the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Following Talladega, Huff hopes to return to ARCA Menards Series action at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway on June 26, 2020 for the General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200.
For more on Ryan Huff, follow him on Twitter (@driverRyanHuff) and like him on Facebook (@driverRyanHuff).
The General Tire 200 (76 laps | 202 miles) is the third of 20 races on the 2020 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Sat., June 20 with a half-hour session from 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. The race is set to take the green flag shortly after 1:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), while ARCARacing.com will stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (Central).
