It’s a Whole New World for Kasey Kahne at Hendrick Motorsports
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[/media-credit]Not since he entered the Sprint Cup Series in 2004 with Ray Evernham has Kasey Kahne been as excited to head to the racetrack as he will come Daytona in just a few weeks.
“I think everywhere I go I’m going to be pretty darned excited,” Kahne said on Tuesday. “But definitely Daytona, as big as a race as the 500 is, and all of us want to win that race so bad. To come down there with Hendrick Motorsports, a team that’s won the race, it’s just awesome.
“I look forward to that. I’ve never been excited about qualifying. The 5 car had two poles last year on restrictor plate tracks – I’m usually somewhere in the 20s or 30s when it comes to qualifying on those tracks, so that’s exciting to know that, man, we might have a shot to get on the front row or something that we’ve never been able to do before – I’ve never been able to do before – because of how much effort they [HMS] put into the Daytona 500.
“So yeah, it’s a big week. It’s definitely something to be excited about and look forward to and I can’t wait to get there and practice a little bit and then qualifying on Sunday is going to be exciting.”
The Evernham days seem like a lifetime ago for the Washington native, who went from the next big star to almost flaming out permanently. From 2004 to 2008 Kahne earned Rookie of the Year honors (2004) and won races on a semi-regular basis. But then Evernham sold part of the team to George Gillett, who eventually merged with Richard Petty Motorsports and things quickly went downhill.
Happiness and winning couldn’t be found anywhere near Kahne. Wanting a change and out of his current situation he signed with Hendrick Motorsports for the 2012 season, two years away at the time and not an immediate solution to his problems.
Until things boiled over at Charlotte in 2010 and by that Tuesday Kahne was let out of his contract. He moved to Red Bull racing for 2011 in a one off deal and his smile started to return. He ran well enough to contend for wins and broke through for the first time in 81 races at Phoenix in November. While the team didn’t make the Chase, Kahne moved back on the radar and brought forth plenty of expectations for 2012.
So far Kahne’s been impressed by what he’s seen even though he hasn’t run a single competitive lap with the team. Testing early last month though went well and watching those back at the shop put so much time and effort into fine-tuning every little detail has him eager for the season to begin.
And why not, the rich history at HMS gives its drivers a sense of confidence they might not be used to. Kahne inherits a ride that’s a proven winner and number that is a past Cup champion. A little bit of pressure never hurt anyone and he’ll welcome it with open arms because it’s better than what he’s experienced the last few years.
“Oh, man, stability. That’s a great word,” Kahne said. “Good word to hear. I have four years here [at HMS] that I know it’s going to be stable and be competitive and have great people and a great team around me. To be able to be a part of all that is something that I haven’t had. It’s definitely nice to have it, makes you feel pretty good about where you’re at. It’s taken time. I’ve had some really good years in Cup and I’ve learned a lot from everything, and now I’m just in a really solid situation and need to take full advantage of it.”
Predictions have run wild before 2011 ended about what Kahne would accomplish with HMS. His season ending hot streak puts him in prime position to come out this season on a hot streak and visit victory lane early and often. Team owner Rick Hendrick expects Kahne to make the Chase with his three teammates who did so in 2011, finishing sixth, seventh and eighth in points. The time for talk is over though as Daytona looms closer in the windshield.
“I think that we’re going to have really good equipment and going to have a great team and I still have Kenny Francis, so that communication is going to be there,” Kahne said about whether 2012 could be the year he shows how good of a driver he is.
“We’ll just see how high we can rise, how well we can step up and see what we can do throughout the whole season. That’s my biggest deal this year is to be as consistent as I’ve ever been each week and to win races. If we can do that, we’re going to have a great year.”
ARCA: Fair Skinner To Make ARCA Debut at Daytona International Speedway
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[/media-credit]DGM Racing announced that Fair Skinner will attempt to make his ARCA Racing Series debut at Daytona International Speedway next Saturday in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.
“I’m very excited about the race,” Skinner says. “We have a very competitive car and the very best horsepower under the hood. I know that we have a realistic shot at winning this race and I’m looking forward to putting on a good show for all the sponsors. I have always dreamed of racing at Daytona since I was a little kid sitting in the stands, and now thanks to everyone that came on board I’m able to live that dream.”
Skinner made four NASCAR Nationwide Series starts last year – Lucas Oil Raceway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. This will be Skinner’s first ever competitive race at Daytona.
Mario Gosselin is set to crew chief the effort with sponsorship from CarportEmpire.com.
Skinner joins the ever-growing entry list to the first event of the ARCA Racing Series season that includes past ARCA Champions and Daytona winners with some rookies mixed in as ARCA enters their 60th season.
THE MISSION FOODS GT3 CUP TROPHY USA BY CAR AMIGO ANNOUNCES ITS 2012 SCHEDULE
Dallas, Texas – December 20, 2011 – The Mission Foods GT3 Cup Trophy USA by Car Amigo announced its 2012 schedule today as the series prepares to begin its second year of competition. The sophomore series will host five events in 2012 giving Porsche GT3 Cup owners the opportunity to be a part of the most prestigious vintage events and race at the top racetracks in the country.
The 2012 season begins at the Palm Beach Grand Prix on February 16 – 19, at Palm Beach International Raceway. The newly renovated 2.034-mile, 11 turn circuit is quickly becoming a favorite among racers and the South Florida weather should offer a great opportunity for Mission Foods and Car Amigo to host their season opener.
The season continues on to the Mitty at the picturesque Road Atlanta on April 26-29. This major event is a favorite for vintage racers across the country and served as the season opener in 2011 for the Mission Foods GT3 Cup Trophy. This weekend will also be highlighted by Mission Foods’ Annual Mexican Dinner on Friday night. On May 18-20 the series will head to the mid-west to one of North America’s classic tracks, Road America, where it will be a part of the Spring Vintage Weekend.
The Porsche series will once again host its season finale at the high-banked Daytona International Speedway as a part of the Daytona Historic Weekend where this year the series saw it’s largest field yet. An additional fall event will be announced shortly to complete the five-race 2012 season of the Mission Foods GT3 Cup Trophy USA by Car Amigo.
A total of 23 different drivers competed in the four inaugural events of the 2011 Mission Foods GT3 Cup Trophy series representing a variety of teams from all over the country. The series gave Porsche GT3 Cup owners a new and exciting venue where they can race among each other in an exclusive and competitive way at some of the top racetracks in the United States.
Mission Foods GT3 Cup Trophy USA by Car Amigo 2012 Schedule:
- Feb 16 -19 – Palm Beach Grand Prix – Palm Beach International Raceway
- April 26 – 29 – Classic Motorsports Presents the Mitty sponsored by Mazda – Road Atlanta
- May 18 – 20 – Spring Vintage Weekend – Road America
- TBA
- Nov 8 – 10 – Daytona Historic Weekend – Daytona International Speedway
Juan Gonzalez
Owner, Car Amigo
“The 2011 season proved to be very successful for us and it surpassed everybody’s expectations for the first year of the Mission Foods GT3 Cup Trophy USA by Car Amigo. We were very happy to meet our goal, which was to provide a series where Porsche GT3 Cup owners could race amongst themselves in a friendly, yet competitive manner. Even though we only had four events this year we’ve already created a close community and we have no doubt that it will only grow in 2012.
When we were creating our 2012 schedule we wanted to make sure that we kept things as simple as possible for our teams and drivers, but at the same time bringing them to the top vintage events in the country. I am very happy with what we came up with and I’m sure that we will have a very competitive core group of drivers that will compete for the full championship. I look forward to seeing and racing everybody in 2012.”
About Mission Foods GT3 Cup Trophy USA by Car Amigo
The Mission Foods GT3 Cup Trophy USA by Car Amigo is a Championship for 911 996/997 GT3 Cup cars which is run as a class or a stand-alone race. The series is part of the Porsche one make network and is positioned below the GT3 Cup Challenges to give owners of elder GT3 Cup cars the possibility to compete with their cars. It will be open to Porsche Cup GT3 RS/RSR cars from 2000 to 2012.
The series is divided into three groups that will compete for their own championship points and prizes. Group 1 will be for all 997 GT3 Cup cars, Group 2 will be for the older 996 GT3 Cup cars, and Group 3 will be an open category for any other GT3 Cup car that does not apply to the first two groups including RSRs, GT3Rs and Rolex cars.
From amateur drivers to professional racing teams, the series will be able to accommodate all GT3 Cup owners by offering a wide array of customizable services including car preparation, driver coaching, data acquisition services, catering and hospitality, among others. The newly formed Championship will join a variety of sanctioning bodies as it forms a unique and exciting exclusive Championship throughout the United States.
The series will hold its own season long championship and will feature exclusive sprint and enduro races at every race weekend. Prizes and trophies will provided by Mission Foods and Car Amigo and will be given to the top championship and individual events top finishers. www.gt3cuptrophyusa.com
About Mission Foods
Mission Foods, headquartered in Irving (Dallas area), Texas and Gruma S.A.B. de C.V., a Mexican corporation, was founded in 1949, and is one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in the United States. Gruma S.A.B. de C.V. is the parent company of Mission Foods (Gruma Corporation) and is a leading Mexican producer of corn masa flour and tortilla products. It has operations in Mexico, the United States, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.missionmenus.com
About Car Amigo
Car Amigo is a motorsport restoration and preparation business specializing in restoring racing, muscle and historic cars. This Dallas, Texas based company offers complete rebuilds and custom fabrication as well as consignment and sales of history’s finest automobiles, www.caramigo.com.
CORE autosport reveals 2012 livery
ROCK HILL, SC, Tuesday, February 2, 2012: 2011 multiple championship-winning American Le Mans Series (ALMS) team CORE autosport has unveiled its new 2012 livery that will hit the track for the first time next week at the annual ALMS Winter Test on February 8 and 9.
The new livery is just one of several new additions to the team for 2012 including new drivers and a new team headquarters.
The #05 Composite Resources ORECA FLM09 will feature Colin Braun and team owner Jon Bennett, along with newcomer David Martinez. Martinez is a seasoned racer in the sports car and open-wheel ranks, with solid performances in the Atlantic and Champ Car series. Additionally, Martinez and Morgan Brady, CORE autosport Team Manager, have successfully worked together in the past.
The line-up for the sister #06 Butterfield Farms / Lamex Foods / Hormel Bacon Bits machine for the Winter Test will feature the Downs brothers – Antonio, Lucas and Matt. The trio most recently drove separate entries for Eurosport Racing in the IMSA Cooper Tires Prototype Lites series, winning the L1-class team championship for Eurosport and collectively scoring four wins and 11 podium finishes in 14 rounds of racing.
Also new for the team is the addition of Gary Davies, who will act as the Lead Race Engineer for CORE autosport. Davies has years of experience in European open-wheel racing, ranging from A1GP to F3000 to Formula 1. Davies also has a history with Brady, working with the CORE autosport team manager on an F3 team in Europe.
The ALMS Winter Test at Sebring International Raceway will take place on February 8 and 9, 2012. The first event for the CORE autosport team in 2012 will be at the 60th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring powered by Fresh from Florida.
