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Ferrucci to transition to NASCAR with Sam Hunt Racing after IndyCar campaign

By
Joseph Shelton
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Sam Hunt Racing's No. 26 Toyota. Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan

After two seasons in the NTT IndyCar Series with Dale Coyne Racing, Santino Ferrucci will be making his NASCAR XFINITY Series debut at Homestead-Miami on February 27. Ferrucci will be piloting the No. 26 Toyota Supra on a part-time basis during the 2021 season in a schedule primarily focused on speedways and short tracks.

Prior to his two seasons in the IndyCar Series Ferrucci raced overseas working up the Formula ladder, his final season coming in 2018 in what was a controversial campaign in Formula 2. Ferrucci was banned from four events after deliberate contact with his teammate Arjun Maini; further controversy arose when he was caught driving between the Formula 1 and 2 paddocks while texting on a cell phone. Ferrucci was fined €6,000 ($7,334.99 USD).

Repeated controversy has given Ferrucci something of a negative reputation in the racing world, however his performance behind the wheel has yielded some strong, consistent results. In 2019 Ferrucci’s seventh-place finish in the Indianapolis 500 earned him the Rookie of the Race award, and a year later in the 500 Ferrucci would tie his career-best finish of fourth. In both of his IndyCar seasons his best points finish was 13th.

Ferrucci has no previous stock car experience aside from a Super Late Model test at Caraway Speedway in North Carolina, although in 2021 he will be making his second Chili Bowl Midget Nationals start against some of NASCAR’s top stars. Ferrucci and Hunt both hope that their alliance with Toyota Racing Development could give him the backing he needs to post strong results.

Team owner Sam Hunt has made it clear that this will be a learning curve for Ferrucci, but otherwise he’s confident in Ferrucci’s ability behind the wheel.

“Santino’s passion and drive was apparent the first time we sat down together,” Hunt said. “I had heard about him, seen some stories from open wheel, but waited to form my opinion until we spent some time together one on one. He’s a great kid. He’s passionate, and he’s ready to learn the race craft of NASCAR.

“He’s situationally aware and works hard for every sponsor and investor he has. I have no doubts that he will be a strong competitor for us once he learns how these heavy cars drive, and how these races run. We are all excited to get to work with him.”

Sam Hunt Racing was formed as DRIVE Technology in 2013, fielding NASCAR K&N Pro Series entries for Hunt in a pair of part-time campaigns. The organization’s first season in the XFINITY Series was in 2020, with Colin Garrett, Brandon Gdovic, and Mason Diaz making starts for the team.

Star Power Headlines 2021 Rolex 24 At DAYTONA as Fans Have Options to Witness the Action From Both the Infield and Frontstetch Seating Area

By
Official Release
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·         Tickets are Just $60 in Advance for 2-day Admissions; Kids 12-and-under Free

·         Race Begins Season for IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 8, 2021) – With an array of incredible star power with some of the greatest drivers on the planet, along with opportunities for fans to safely see the 59th running of the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA from intriguing, different vantage points, the 2021 edition of North America’s most prestigious sports car race set for Jan. 30-31 is one of the most anticipated yet.

First staged in 1962, the iconic race will open the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season, allowing fans to witness THE IMSA event that pushes the boundaries of motorsports competition from both high atop the frontstretch seating area with a birds eye view, as well as the infield to see the twists and turns of the 3.56-mile venue from a closer standpoint. Transportation services will be provided to get fans to and from both destinations.

Safety protocols will be implemented to aid the wellbeing of the limited number of fans in attendance.

2-day admissions to the storied, twice-around-the-clock Rolex 24 are just $60 in advance with kids 12 and under free. Guests will safely experience a host of sights and sounds that include a fireworks show, the Ferris Wheel at the Boardwalk, entry into the infield UNOH Fanzone, and a host of fun exhibits and displays. Single-day tickets are also available on Thursday ($10 – includes on-track practices) and Friday ($30 – includes on-track practices and the BMW Endurance Challenge 4-hour race). To learn more on all Rolex 24 admission opportunities, including a limited number of RV camping spots, fans are urged to quickly call 1-800-PITSTOP or log onto www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

Continuing tradition, fans will also see world-famous drivers from across various racing disciplines who are gearing up for the ultimate test of man and machine that demands precision, speed, reliability and strategy while requiring the greatest of skill and focus.

Enter some of NASCAR’s best. Reigning NASCAR Cup Series Champion Chase Elliott, who won the NASCAR Cup Series DAYTONA Road Course event last summer, will make his debut in the Rolex 24, teaming with Felipe Nasr, Pipo Derani and Mike Conway in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V. Elliott’s former Hendrick Motorsports teammate, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and two-time DAYTONA 500 winner Jimmie Johnson, returns for his eighth start, driving the No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R  alongside 2019 Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud, two-time defending Rolex 24 winner Kamui Kobayashi and German sports car champion Mike Rockenfeller.

Austin Dillon, the 2018 DAYTONA 500 Champion, will be the third Cup Series driver in the field, joining RWR Eurasia team Cody Ware and Salih Yoluc on its LMP2 RWR Eurasia team. The Rolex 24 will mark the IMSA debut for Dillon, who also will be driving the Daytona road course for the first time (missed last summer’s NASCAR road course race). NASCAR Xfinity Series regular and former Cup Series star AJ Allmendinger will be back for his 15th Rolex 24, seeking a second victory to go along with his 2012 Rolex 24 triumph.

Some of the world’s finest race car drivers who also are scheduled to compete include two-time Indy 500 champion Juan Pablo Montoya, Ryan Briscoe and Renger van der Zande, who were champions of the 2020 Rolex 24, along with former Formula 1 driver Kevin Magnussen and former Rolex 24 winner Richard Westbrook. Wayne Taylor Racing, which has won the last two IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar titles, will be back to attempt a trifecta, featuring three-time Indy 500 victor and 2020 overall Dpi Champion Helio Castroneves, 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi, 2-time IMSA WeatherTech champion Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque, a victor of the Rolex 24 in 2018.

All Rolex 24 At Daytona entries will return for the traditional Roar Before the Rolex 24 test session Jan. 22-24 that includes Saturday’s Scouts of America 145 IMSA Prototype Challenge as well as a new feature – Sunday’s Motul Pole Award 100 qualifying race. Results from that event will set the starting grid for the Rolex 24 the following week.


The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship now has competition in five classes: the headlining Daytona Prototype International class (DPi), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), GT Le Mans (GTLM) GT Daytona (GTD), and the new Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3). The full listing of racing action coming up includes:

·         Jan. 22-24: Roar Before the Rolex 24

·         Jan. 29: BMW Endurance Challenge

·         Jan. 30-31: Rolex 24 At DAYTONA

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Rolex 24 will be conducted in accordance with enhanced safety protocols and procedures to provide a safe environment for guests, IMSA competitors, employees and the local community. All guests will be screened before entering the facility and will be required to wear face coverings while maintaining six feet social distancing throughout their visit.

For a schedule of on-track activities and protocols, logo onto www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com. Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the World Center of Racing, boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. In addition to at least nine major event weekends, the Speedway grounds are also used extensively for events that include concerts, civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.

2021 F150 | Top Five Carry-Over Parts

By
Official Release
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AmericanTrucks Unveils New Episode of “The Haul”

PAOLI, Pa. (January 7th, 2021) – Automotive e-retailer AmericanTrucks (AT) releases a new video on the top 5 parts that will still fit on a new 2021 F150. The video is hosted by Justin Dugan as part of AT’s “The Haul” YouTube video series. While over 90% of the 2021 design has changed, the video hones in on five popular parts from recent gens that bolt up without issue — and one that didn’t.

The new video is ideal for those who don’t want to trade in all their aftermarket parts or wait for 2021-specific products to hit the market. The five popular products included in the video are a cold air intake, oil separator, rain guards, running boards, and a tonneau cover. Aside from a small tweak for the intake, and some fresh tape for the rain guards, all the parts highlighted in the video carried over without issue. Justin wraps up the video with one part he expected to fit at first glance and the reasons why it didn’t make the cut.

AT continues to roll out 2021 content in its popular “The Haul” YouTube video series. This newest episode is no exception, helping F150 owners save time and money with a rundown of five parts that will fit their new 2021 design. The video also references wheels and tires, directing 2021 F150 owners to a separate episode in the series. Viewers are also encouraged to subscribe to AT’s YouTube channel to be first in line when new videos are launched.

View it here: https://www.americantrucks.com/f150-content-videos-2021.html

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

About AmericanTrucks

AmericanTrucks is regarded as one of the best, most reliable online aftermarket retailers providing parts and accessories for F150, F250, Ranger, Silverado, Sierra, and RAM. Catering to the needs and demands of late-model truck owners and enthusiasts, AmericanTrucks provides the best parts with support from genuine truck experts. Located just outside of Philadelphia, AmericanTrucks is dedicated to offering the truck community with the highest quality of parts and customer service. Please visit https://www.americantrucks.com for more information.

What kind of insurance does a truck driver need?

By
SM
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Truck insurance covers the trucks that transport goods or commodities, especially the raw material or finished product, from one place to another. 

As there is the involvement of long-distance traveling, uncertainties like accidents, natural calamities, and major or minor wear and tear are always there. 

Coverage on medical expenses, cost of damage to the truck, and even protects a truck driver from the theft of his or her truck. Some of the major insurances a truck driver must have been given below:

Primary liability truck insurance:

Almost every truck insurance policy offers primary liability insurance. If you check out these top truck insurance companies, you will notice that all of them offer primary liability truck insurance. The coverage under this insurance includes paying for destroying public property or causing injuries to other drivers. This insurance can only be exercised for liabilities and only when you are at fault for the accident. 

Visit https://fundamentalinsurancebrokers.com.au/truck-insurance/ for understanding the process to purchase truck insurance. Owning primary liability insurance for a truck driver is crucial and is known to be a good start.

General liability truck insurance:

Having general liability insurance becomes necessary because it covers you when you cause any property damage or injuries to others because of your business activities and is not directly related to your truck operator. 

In situations like customers slipping in your area, product delivery causing damages, fire on the property, and slander exposures, it offers coverage. 

It pays off property damage liability, medical payments, personal or bodily injury, product operation, and also provides temporary coverage to the rented property at least for a period of 7 days.

Physical damage coverage:

If the truck driver has a loan on his or her truck, or if he or she wants to give full protection to the vehicle, physical damage coverage is a must-have. Physical damage coverage includes collision insurance, comprehensive insurance, and fire and theft with CAC insurance. 

The collision insurance pays to replace or repair the truck, it rolls or overturns or if it collides with another object. 

If your truck is stolen or damaged in any way other than collision, comprehensive insurance protects you. The fire and theft with CAC (combined additional coverage) cover in case of fire damage or theft.

Motor truck cargo insurance:

Motor truck cargo insurance offers insurance on the commodities or freight pulled by a truck. It covers the truck driver’s liability for a damaged or lost cargo due to uncertain causes like striking of a load, disaster, fire, collision, or if the vehicle is stranded in a traffic jam. 

It even pays if the truck driver ran over the cargo that he or she was transporting on behalf of a client. 

The trucks having the following body types are only eligible for the insurance: box trucks, cargo vans, car haulers, dually pick-ups, cement mixers, dump trucks, flatbeds, and tractor trucks.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage:

Uninsured and underinsured coverage keeps you financially protected from negligent drivers. It protects you when the at-fault driver has insufficient or no liability coverage. It will save you, and you will not have to pay from your pocket if you are not responsible for the accident. 

There are mainly two types of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage– uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UMBI/UIMBI) and uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage (UMPD/UIMPD). 

UMBI/UIMBI pays for medical bills, pains and sufferings, and lost wages if the truck driver is involved in an accident caused by other negligent drivers having insufficient liability, and UMPD/UIMPD protects your truck from such drivers if they hit you.

Reefer breakdown coverage:

The reefer trucks weigh a lot more than the other regular trucks and contain a refrigerated unit that keeps the freshness of the perishable goods intact. This cargo requires special care and attention. 

Spoilage of goods, damage of properties, and spillage of refrigerated goods are common. 

A reefer breakdown coverage gives you financial support if you have lost a refrigerated load due to the truck’s mechanical failure. Before choosing a policy, be sure that the good you are transporting is included in the policy.

Conclusion:

While picking-up an insurance policy, a truck driver must do thorough research about the policy and about the company he or she is considering. Driving carefully, raising the deductibles, keeping the payments current, and paying the full premium each year can save a lot of money for a truck driver.

GMS Racing Announces 2021 Crew Chief Lineup

By
Official Release
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STATESVILLE, N.C. (Jan. 8, 2021) – As the beginning of the season draws near, GMS Racing is excited to announce its crew chief lineup for the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) and ARCA Menards Series seasons. Familiar pairings and new partnerships highlight the lineup. Most notably, GMS now has all four 2020 NCWTS Championship 4 crew chiefs on its roster with the addition of Jeff Hensley as crew chief while Chad Norris moves to competition director for the 2021 season.

No. 2 NCWTS Team – Jeff Stankiewicz returns for his second full-time season with Sheldon Creed. The 2020 Championship winning crew chief reunited with Creed mid-season in 2019 after winning the 2018 ARCA Menards Series championship together. Stankiewicz has seven NCWTS wins as a crew chief including five in 2020 en route to the series championship.

No. 21 NCWTS Team – Kevin “Bono” Manion returns for Zane Smith’s sophomore season. The pair racked up two wins and 13 top-10 finishes in 2020 en route to a second-place finish in the championship standings. Manion has six NCWTS wins, 17 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins and five NASCAR Cup Series wins in 19 years as a crew chief in the sport.

No. 23 NCWTS Team – Jeff Hensley rejoins the organization as the crew chief for Chase Purdy and the No. 23 team. Hensley has 18 NCWTS wins in 395 races atop the pit box through 17 seasons in the series. Hensley was previously with GMS in 2016 and served as crew chief for Spencer Gallagher.

No. 24 NCWTS Team – Chad Walter shifts to the No. 24 Silverado to crew chief for Raphael Lessard in 2021. Walter has five wins in 208 NXS starts as crew chief and led Tyler Ankrum’s team to a playoff berth in 2020 in his first season as a NCWTS crew chief.

No. 26 NCWTS Team – Charles Denike moves to captain the No. 26 crew for Tyler Ankrum in the 2021 season. 2020 marked Denike’s first full-time season as crew chief and produced two memorable wins, with Chase Elliott at Charlotte in May 2020 as well as Sam Mayer’s commanding win of Bristol in September.

No. 21 ARCA Team – Chad Bryant joins GMS as crew chief for the No. 21 ARCA entry piloted by Jack Wood. Bryant has been a fixture in the ARCA Series for the last eight years and has two wins in 41 starts as crew chief in that time.

Competition Director – Chad Norris will move to take over the role of Competition Director. Norris has one NCWTS win at Kansas in October of 2020 and four NXS wins and over 15 years of experience in the sport.

“We are excited to have our crew chiefs return for the 2021 season with the addition of crew chief, Jeff Hensley,” said Mike Beam, President of GMS Racing. “Hensley returning to GMS will bring more veteran knowledge to our powerhouse crew chief line up. Chad Norris fulfilling the Competition Director role will be a great addition to our management team. Norris will work along-side Technical Director, Tom Ackerman, to elevate our truck program and to make it more competitive. We are also happy to welcome Chad Bryant to our ARCA program. Bryant brings a wealth of knowledge and also has a passion to develop young talent that will make our Drivers Edge Program thrive. I have great faith in each one of these individuals and I can’t wait to see what the 2021 season has in store.”

About GMS Racing – GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Sheldon Creed, Zane Smith, Tyler Ankrum, Chase Purdy and Raphael Lessard. The team also competes in the ARCA Racing Series with Jack Wood. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 and 2020 Camping World Trucks Championship, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championship. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at https:/gmsracing.net

Kaulig Racing Anticipating Limited NASCAR Cup Series Schedule in 2021

By
Official Release
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LEXINGTON, N.C. (January 7th, 2021) – Kaulig Racing has announced it is anticipating a limited NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) schedule for the upcoming 2021 season.

While it is no secret the team intends to expand to a full-time NCS team in its future, Kaulig Racing plans to get its feet wet with select races in 2021, including road course and superspeedway events, in addition to the 63rd annual Daytona 500.

“Kaulig Racing is always building toward the future, and I believe this is the next step in that process,” said team owner, Matt Kaulig. “We have the ultimate goal of becoming a powerhouse team in the Cup Series, and we are excited to continue our team’s growth.”

Following a stellar 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) season, including a Championship 4 race appearance and the team’s fifth-consecutive playoff berth, Kaulig Racing has its sights set on the next level.

“From where we started in a go-kart shop to a now championship-contending team, I have seen the growth of Kaulig Racing first-hand over the last 5 years,” said team president, Chris Rice. “It has been a privilege to be able to have Matt Kaulig’s trust in establishing ourselves as a competitive team in one of NASCAR’s top series, and I am confident we are ready to take that next step as an organization.”

As the team actively seeks partnership opportunities for the 2021 NCS season, Kaulig Racing expects further announcements regarding drivers and potential events to come at a later date.

About Kaulig Racing™
Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and made the Championship 4 round for the first time in 2020. Kaulig Racing fields three full-time entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Jeb Burton, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Justin Haley, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by AJ Allmendinger. Kaulig Racing™ earned five wins in 2020 and have come to be one of the top competitors on track each weekend. The team also made its first-ever NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) start in the 2020 Daytona 500 with Justin Haley where he finished 13th. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Full Camping World Truck Series Season for Raphael Lessard with GMS Racing

By
Official Release
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STATESVILLE, N.C. (Jan. 7, 2021) – Raphael Lessard had a wide smile on his face when he boarded a flight from Montreal on January 5, on his way back to the United States to complete preparations for a full 22-race season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS). His positive attitude was reinforced by the return of Richelieu Hardware as an associate partner for his 2021 campaign. Raphael Lessard’s No. 24 Silverado, prepared by GMS Racing, will proudly display the Richelieu Hardware colors, among others on the deck lid. This Quebec group import, distribute and manufacture specialized hardware and associated products for the furniture, construction, and woodworking industries.

The Richelieu Hardware commitment to this project is the logical development of their collaboration with the Raphael Lessard Racing team efforts to support the young driver’s professional development program. “Richelieu Hardware is proud to renew its support for Raphael and his team. We all want him to continue his development and achieve his personal and professional goals in 2021,” according to Richard Lord, President and CEO of Richelieu Hardware.

Lessard is most grateful to welcome Richelieu Hardware as a partner for his second season in the NCWTS series. “We are really happy with the return of Richelieu Hardware to our program for the 2021 season. The favourable results of our first cooperation in 2020 now place both parties in an excellent position to build a stronger win-win partnership throughout the 2021 season,” said Lessard.

GMS Racing is pleased to welcome Lessard on a full-time basis for the 2021 season. “We are excited to have Raphael join us for the 2021 season,” said Mike Beam, President of GMS Racing. “Raphael is a talented young man and we are excited to see what he can do with a full season with this team.”

After making the most of the difficult health situation over 2020 that greatly complicated Raphael Lessard learning season in NCWTS, securing a second full season was a hoped-for development, and assuredly a dream come true for the young driver. “I’m really excited to have a second full season in the pickup series and will certainly aim for victories and even the championship at the wheel of the #24 Chevrolet prepared by GMS Racing. This team finished 1-2-3 in the NCWTS series in 2020, and I know that with everything I learned last season, we will be in a winning position at the end of every race,” added the determined young driver.

About GMS Racing – GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Sheldon Creed, Zane Smith, Tyler Ankrum, Chase Purdy and Raphael Lessard. The team also competes in the ARCA Racing Series with Jack Wood. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 and 2020 Camping World Trucks Championship, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championship. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at https:/gmsracing.net

HOUSMAN LOOKS TO COMPETE IN LIMITED SPORTSMAN RANKS AT SOUTH BOSTON SPEEDWAY IN 2021

By
Official Release
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Veteran racer Tony Housman is pictured with the Limited Sportsman Division car he will compete in at South Boston Speedway this season. Photo Courtesy Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway

South Boston, VA…..Over the last two or three years Tony Housman has wanted to try his hand at racing at South Boston Speedway. Unfortunately, his plans to race at “America’s Hometown Track” did not fully materialize.

“I’ve built cars two times to come here and run full seasons here at South Boston Speedway, and then something happened – like this year (2020) it was COVID-19,” Housman explained following a December testing session at the .4-mile oval.

The Rocky Mount, Virginia resident is hoping 2021 will be different. He tested a Limited Sportsman Division car at the .4-mile oval last month with an eye toward competing in South Boston Speedway’s Limited Sportsman Division this season.

Recent changes to South Boston Speedway’s Limited Sportsman Division rules package steered Housman to want to compete at South Boston Speedway in 2021.

“They (South Boston Speedway officials) are reeling the Limited Sportsman cars back to where people like me can afford to run them,” Housman pointed out.

“You don’t have to have $7,000 or $8,000 shocks and bump stops and everything under the sun to make it work.

“That’s the reason I decided to come here,” he continued.

“When I saw the rules, I said this is where we’re going to try to run. We were going to run at Orange County Speedway and run some at Franklin County Speedway. When South Boston Speedway changed the rules to make it more affordable, we said we were going try racing here.”

Housman raced at Franklin County Speedway in 2020, starting out competing in a car that he built to race in the Hornets Division at South Boston Speedway. He raced the car six times and recorded three wins before selling the car. After selling the car, Housman got a Limited Sportsman Division car, and raced it seven times at Franklin County Speedway. His best effort was a pair of third-place finishes.

Housman’s December test session at South Boston Speedway went well, giving him a sense of optimism.

“The car was driving good, and we had okay speed,” he noted.

“I was pretty comfortable after we turned about five or six laps. I think we’re going to be pretty good. We’re going to keep working on it. We’ll try again later to do some more testing and keep looking for more speed.”

Housman is a veteran driver, having raced for 27 years.

“I’ve had my hand in a little bit of everything on both dirt and asphalt,” he explained.

“I’ve raced as far south as Georgia and as far north as Wisconsin. We used to try to race three or four nights a week, but I don’t try that now. There aren’t many places that we haven’t won.”

As far as his early plans for 2021 go, Housman says he plans to compete in most of the races at South Boston Speedway.

“We’re going to try to run the majority of the races here at South Boston Speedway, and we might venture off somewhere else on the off weeks,” he said.

“If we’re doing well in the points, we may try to make the whole season. I want to get as much seat time and run as many races as I can and try to get the best results we can get.”

South Boston Speedway officials have put together a 13-event schedule for the 2021 season. And, for people looking for a birthday gift or special-occasion gift for the race fan in their life there is no better gift than a South Boston Speedway gift certificate.

“The thing that makes a South Boston Speedway gift certificate so nice is that the favorite race fan in your life can come out and enjoy a night of exciting short-track racing,” said South Boston Speedway General Manager Cathy Rice.

“You can spend as much or as little as you want, and you won’t have to deal with traffic or worry about dealing with shopping for something inside a crowded store.”

Gift certificates from “America’s Hometown Track” may be purchased by calling the South Boston Speedway office at 1-434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540. The South Boston Speedway office is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Three-Time Indianapolis 500-Winning Team Owner Patrick Dies at 91

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 – U.E. “Pat” Patrick, who won the Indianapolis 500 three times as a team owner, died Jan. 5 in Phoenix after a long illness. He was 91.

Patrick’s team, Patrick Racing, fielded race-winning Indianapolis 500 entries for Gordon Johncock in 1973 and 1982 and Emerson Fittipaldi in 1989. Patrick entered cars regularly in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” from 1970-95, with one final entry in 2004. He is one of just seven team owners with three or more Indianapolis 500 victories.

Kentucky native Patrick was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2018.

Patrick began his professional career in accounting but then formed an independent oil company, Patrick Petroleum Co., in 1963 in Michigan after successful drilling efforts in the area. His “wildcatter” efforts to strike oil later were reflected in the name of the chassis his team built, Wildcat.

Patrick’s entry into Indy car racing came through sponsorship of fellow oilman Walt Michner’s team in the late 1960s. Patrick formed his team in 1970, and Johnny Rutherford qualified second in the No. 18 Patrick Petroleum Eagle/Offy in the team’s Indianapolis 500 debut.

The team’s first Indy victory came three years later when Johncock captured the rain-shortened 1973 Indianapolis 500 in the No. 20 STP Double Oil Filter Eagle/Offy. Johncock put Patrick Racing back into Victory Lane at Indianapolis in 1982 after winning a breathtaking duel over the closing laps with Rick Mears, edging Mears at the finish by a then-race record margin of just .16 of a second in the No. 20 STP Oil Treatment Wildcat/Cosworth.

Patrick’s third victory came in 1989, when two-time Formula One World Champion Fittipaldi earned the first of his two “500” victories, this time driving the No. 20 Marlboro Penske/Chevrolet Indy that was co-owned by Chip Ganassi.

Drivers for Patrick Racing also claimed two national championships, with Johncock taking USAC honors in 1976 and Fittipaldi winning the CART title in 1989.

Patrick’s team also was the home of two of open-wheel racing’s most legendary crew chiefs. George Bignotti ran Patrick Racing during the mid- and late 1970s, with Jim McGee taking the reins in the 1980s.

The entrepreneurial, colorful Patrick also was instrumental in the founding of two major North American racing series during the late 1970s and mid-1980s, Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) and Indy Lights.

Patrick is survived by three sons and one daughter.

ARCA Menards Series Announces Broadcast and Start Times for All 2021 Events

By
Official Release
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Eight races on FS1 and 12 on MAVTV

Temperance, Mich. (January 6, 2021) – The ARCA Menards Series has announced its television schedule for the 2021 season, with each of its 20 races slated for live broadcast. FS1 will carry eight broadcasts, with the remaining 12 shown on MAVTV Motorsports Network.

The highlights –

  • The season opens at 1:30 pm ET on Saturday, February 13 at DAYTONA International Speedway live on FS1. Other races on FS1 include events at Talladega Superspeedway on April 24, Kansas Speedway on May 1, Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 29, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on June 4, Pocono Raceway on June 25, and the series’ first race at Watkins Glen since 2001 on August 6.
  • The twelve-race MAVTV schedule kicks off at 7:30 pm ET on Friday, March 12 at Phoenix Raceway. The Sioux Chief Showdown opens at Toledo Speedway live on MAVTV on May 22, followed by four consecutive Saturday night races, starting July 10 at Elko Speedway, July 17 at Berlin Raceway, July 24 at Iowa Speedway, and July 31 at Winchester Speedway.
  • MAVTV will carry both ends of a weekend doubleheader at Michigan International Speedway and the Illinois State Fairgrounds on August 20 and 22, as well as the August 29 race at The Milwaukee Mile, the Labor Day Weekend race at the DuQuoin State Fair, and the annual Fall Classic on October 3 at Salem Speedway.
  • FS1 will televise three Sioux Chief Showdown races, including the series-within-a-series’ penultimate race at Bristol on Thursday, September 16.
  • For the first time in its history, MAVTV will be the exclusive home for the overall ARCA Menards Series championship finale at Kansas Speedway on October 23.

The complete 2021 ARCA Menards Series television schedule –

DATERACENETWORKSTART TIME (ET)
Sat, Feb 13DaytonaFS11:30 PM
Fri, Mar 12PhoenixMAVTV7:30 PM
Sat, Apr 24TalladegaFS11:00 PM
Sat, May 01KansasFS11:30 PM
Sat, May 22ToledoMAVTV8:00 PM
Sat, May 29CharlotteFS17:00 PM
Fri, Jun 04Mid-OhioFS16:00 PM
Fri, Jun 25PoconoFS16:00 PM
Sat, Jul 10ElkoMAVTV10:00 PM
Sat, Jul 17BerlinMAVTV8:00 PM
Sat, Jul 24IowaMAVTV9:00 PM
Sat, Jul 31WinchesterMAVTV8:00 PM
Fri, Aug 06Watkins GlenFS16:00 PM
Fri, Aug 20MichiganMAVTV6:00 PM
Sun, Aug 22SpringfieldMAVTV2:30 PM
Sun, Aug 29MilwaukeeMAVTV3:00 PM
Sun, Sep 05DuQuoinMAVTV9:00 PM
Thu, Sep 16BristolFS16:30 PM
Sat., Oct 02SalemMAVTV8:00 PM
Sat, Oct 23KansasMAVTV7:00 PM

The complete Sioux Chief Showdown schedule will be released on Thursday, January 7.

TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold will also carry ARCA Menards Series races.  Races that air on MAVTV will be live on TrackPass and those that air on FS1 will be available on delay.

Start times for ARCA Menards Series East and West races as well as broadcast details will be released at a later date.

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