ARCA RE/MAX SERIES AMPED TO OPEN 2009 KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY SEASON
Twenty-six drivers turn laps during "Drive Smart. Buckle-Up! Kentucky 150" open test
SPARTA, Ky. -- ARCA RE/MAX Series championship leader Parker Kligerman and nine-time series champion Frank Kimmel were among 26 competitors preparing for Kentucky Speedway's May 9 "Drive Smart. Buckle-Up! Kentucky 150" during an open test at the facility today.
Kligerman, 18, of Westport, Conn., is a former Formula TR and USAC Midget Series competitor who converted to stock car racing with Cunningham Motorsports, a long-running ARCA RE/MAX Series team which produced a fourth-place Kentucky Speedway finish in 2007.
The high school senior had originally eyed a future in Formula One competition, but placed those plans on hold to pursue his current stock venture with a development contract from Penske Racing.
"It takes a lot of money to get overseas. With the growing number of opportunities in NASCAR and the chance to race with support from Penske, this made a lot of sense. It's been great to race in this series with veterans like Frank (Kimmel) because I've been able to learn so much," Kligerman said.
The driver signed for eight races to be spread throughout 22-race ARCA RE/MAX Series campaign saw his early-season run extended after he scored two top-five and four top-10 finishes in his first four career series starts. He snared his season-best third place finish at Salem, Ind., April 5 and took sole possession of the top spot in the championship standings with a seventh-place performance at Talladega Superspeedway April 24.
The rookie turned his strongest his test lap at 171.238-mph. While the effort ranked eighth on speed chart, he felt he had ample room for improvement.
"We're really tight and can't figure out why. We're struggling big time off the corner and giving away too much speed. We have a lot to work on," Kligerman said.
Kimmel, a nine-time series champion, will make his eighth attempt at claiming his fifth all-time Kentucky Speedway ARCA RE/MAX Series win in the "Drive Smart. Buckle-Up! Kentucky 150." He will enter his 18th series start in the Bluegrass State third in the series standings and 65 points off the championship lead.
The veteran nailed down his season-best fifth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway and will ride a strong wave of momentum to a track where he's scored a total of 10 top-five and 12 top-10 finishes.
The Clarksville, Ind., driver is in the second year of owning the team for which he competes and is racing with the benefit of new sponsorship that helped him build a strong fleet of Ford Fusions alongside his crew chief and brother, Bill.
"We might be bringing the fastest car we we've ever had here to next Saturday's race. The problem is we'll be racing the fastest cars the ARCA RE/MAX Series has ever had here," Kimmel said.
Second-place championship driver Justin Lofton also honed his intermediate-track skills during today's test and plans to improve on the 10th-place finish he registered last July during his second career start at the track.
Lofton is driving with annual championship competitor Eddie Sharp Racing and is only five points off the championship pace after earning his first win and third top-three finish of the season at Talladega Superspeedway.
The 25-year-old from Westmorland, Calif., tore off his best lap of today's session at 174.836 mph and is building confidence for the "Drive Smart. Buckle-Up! Kentucky 150."
"I sat down with Eddie Sharp at the beginning of the season and we looked at the cars he was going to provide. I had a couple of favorites. He gave me those and brought on a great team to support me so my confidence is through the roof.
"We've had a phenomenal day today. My first lap, the car really stuck to the track and I was able to hold the throttle about three-quarters of the way down all the way around the track. I'm really looking forward to next week's race," Lofton said.
Tickets for next week's event, new infield camping and special offers for all 2009 Kentucky Speedway races can be reserved online at www.kentuckyspeedway.com, by phone at 888-652-RACE (7223), or by visiting Meijer stores and the speedway ticket offices at 400 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 100, near the Montgomery Inn Restaurant in Ft. Mitchell, Ky., or in the Sparta, Ky., Fan Center located off of Interstate 71 Exit 57 and Ky. Hwy. 35 N. Tickets also can be reserved at Meijer stores and Tickets.com outlets.
Speedway gates will open at 3:00 p.m., country music artist Chuck Wicks will be in concert at 6:00 p.m. and the green flag will fall for the "Drive Smart. Buckle-Up! Kentucky 150" at 8:00 p.m.
Showing posts with label kentucky races. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kentucky races. Show all posts
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Monday, October 27, 2008
Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway to Place Affordable 2009 Season Ticket Plans on Sale October 29
SPARTA, Ky. -- Four affordable ticket plans for the six-event 2009 Kentucky Speedway season that will include two doubleheader race days will be placed on sale Oct. 29.
The four-weekend season will mark the facility’s 10th year of operation and open May 9 with an ARCA RE/MAX Series 150-mile event. Racing will continue through an Aug. 1 high-speed doubleheader featuring IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights primetime action.
Season plan prices range from $165 to $255 according to seat location meaning fans can enjoy a reserved seat for each of the six race events for as little as $27.50. Benefit-rich plans also include VIP parking for each event which can be exchanged for general campground admission for a savings of $30, one cold pit pass for each race day with each ticket purchased and the opportunity to purchase additional race tickets at a discount.
Speedway visitors also will be entertained with event-day concerts spotlighting well-known artists. All concerts are included with the price of an event ticket and the line-up will be announced at a future date.
Ticket plans can be reserved and renewed online at http://www.kentuckyspeedway.com, by calling 859-578-2300, through Tickets.com outlets including Meijer stores and by visiting the Kentucky Speedway ticket office in Ft. Mitchell, Ky., at 400 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 100 near the Montgomery Inn restaurant or the track Fan Center located off of Interstate 71 Exit 57 and Ky. Hwy. 35 N in Sparta, Ky.
The ARCA RE/MAX Series will open a speedway season for the ninth time with its 18th all-time appearance at the track. Roush Fenway Racing stock car talent Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., claimed his first Kentucky Speedway win on opening weekend last season by 0.374 of a second over former Formula 1 racing star Scott Speed. The competitive field also is expected to feature 2008 series champion Justin Allgaier and nine-time series title winner Frank Kimmel of Clarksville, Ind.
NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers will take center stage June 13 when they contest a 300-mile battle. A track record crowd of 73,195 witnessed the first series win by highly-touted Joe Gibbs Racing driver Joey Logano. The 18-year-old, who will take over the No. 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series machine next season, became the third straight competitor to claim his first series win at the track and the third straight NASCAR Nationwide Series regular to triumph in the Bluegrass State. Stephen Leicht and David Gilliland respectively accomplished the feat in 2007 and 2006.
Grizzled veterans and up-and-coming hopefuls will be part of the 10th all-time NASCAR Truck Series visit to Kentucky Speedway July 18 for the “Built Ford Tough 225 Presented by the Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers.” Johnny Benson became the ninth different series winner in track history by guiding his machine across the finish line 0.474 of a second in front his Bill Davis Racing teammate Michael Annett in 2008. The margin was the third closest for a series event at the track. A 150-mile ARCA RE/MAX Series event will precede the truck action and mark the first time the two series will appear in a same-day doubleheader at the track. Speed took a tight 0.541 of a second victory over Sean Caisse in the July edition of the ARCA RE/MAX Series “Kentucky 150” last season.
Rocket-like race speeds of more than 200 mph will light up the Kentucky Speedway night Aug. 1 when the IndyCar Series celebrates its 10th Kentucky Speedway anniversary. Scott Dixon visited Victory Lane at the track for the first time in 2008. The reigning series champion nipped Helio Castroneves at the finish line by 0.5532 of a second in the fourth-closest series finish in track history. Sure-to-be exciting Firestone Indy Lights Series action will open the action with a twilight 100-mile tilt. Last season, Dillion Battistini aced out James Davison by an ultra-thin 0.0814 of a second margin at the finish line. The dramatic finish marked the sixth time a series race was decided by fractions of a second on the speedway 1.5-mile tri-oval.
The Kentucky Speedway sits on 1,000 acres of land 97 acres inside the tri-oval track and has been a Tickets.com client for over five years.
SPARTA, Ky. -- Four affordable ticket plans for the six-event 2009 Kentucky Speedway season that will include two doubleheader race days will be placed on sale Oct. 29.
The four-weekend season will mark the facility’s 10th year of operation and open May 9 with an ARCA RE/MAX Series 150-mile event. Racing will continue through an Aug. 1 high-speed doubleheader featuring IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights primetime action.
Season plan prices range from $165 to $255 according to seat location meaning fans can enjoy a reserved seat for each of the six race events for as little as $27.50. Benefit-rich plans also include VIP parking for each event which can be exchanged for general campground admission for a savings of $30, one cold pit pass for each race day with each ticket purchased and the opportunity to purchase additional race tickets at a discount.
Speedway visitors also will be entertained with event-day concerts spotlighting well-known artists. All concerts are included with the price of an event ticket and the line-up will be announced at a future date.
Ticket plans can be reserved and renewed online at http://www.kentuckyspeedway.com, by calling 859-578-2300, through Tickets.com outlets including Meijer stores and by visiting the Kentucky Speedway ticket office in Ft. Mitchell, Ky., at 400 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 100 near the Montgomery Inn restaurant or the track Fan Center located off of Interstate 71 Exit 57 and Ky. Hwy. 35 N in Sparta, Ky.
The ARCA RE/MAX Series will open a speedway season for the ninth time with its 18th all-time appearance at the track. Roush Fenway Racing stock car talent Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., claimed his first Kentucky Speedway win on opening weekend last season by 0.374 of a second over former Formula 1 racing star Scott Speed. The competitive field also is expected to feature 2008 series champion Justin Allgaier and nine-time series title winner Frank Kimmel of Clarksville, Ind.
NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers will take center stage June 13 when they contest a 300-mile battle. A track record crowd of 73,195 witnessed the first series win by highly-touted Joe Gibbs Racing driver Joey Logano. The 18-year-old, who will take over the No. 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series machine next season, became the third straight competitor to claim his first series win at the track and the third straight NASCAR Nationwide Series regular to triumph in the Bluegrass State. Stephen Leicht and David Gilliland respectively accomplished the feat in 2007 and 2006.
Grizzled veterans and up-and-coming hopefuls will be part of the 10th all-time NASCAR Truck Series visit to Kentucky Speedway July 18 for the “Built Ford Tough 225 Presented by the Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers.” Johnny Benson became the ninth different series winner in track history by guiding his machine across the finish line 0.474 of a second in front his Bill Davis Racing teammate Michael Annett in 2008. The margin was the third closest for a series event at the track. A 150-mile ARCA RE/MAX Series event will precede the truck action and mark the first time the two series will appear in a same-day doubleheader at the track. Speed took a tight 0.541 of a second victory over Sean Caisse in the July edition of the ARCA RE/MAX Series “Kentucky 150” last season.
Rocket-like race speeds of more than 200 mph will light up the Kentucky Speedway night Aug. 1 when the IndyCar Series celebrates its 10th Kentucky Speedway anniversary. Scott Dixon visited Victory Lane at the track for the first time in 2008. The reigning series champion nipped Helio Castroneves at the finish line by 0.5532 of a second in the fourth-closest series finish in track history. Sure-to-be exciting Firestone Indy Lights Series action will open the action with a twilight 100-mile tilt. Last season, Dillion Battistini aced out James Davison by an ultra-thin 0.0814 of a second margin at the finish line. The dramatic finish marked the sixth time a series race was decided by fractions of a second on the speedway 1.5-mile tri-oval.
The Kentucky Speedway sits on 1,000 acres of land 97 acres inside the tri-oval track and has been a Tickets.com client for over five years.
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