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| R.J. Arnone finishes season with a win and second in season points | C.A.R.S. Motorsports
Orlando FL. - When team owner Rick Bristol hired RJ Arnone he wanted to help RJ win races and a championship. The team had to overcome many problems in hurricane shortened season.
The team started the season missing points on the first two nights of the year. That put them behind from the start. The third night of the year the team was ready and RJ won his first race since the 1997 season at Orlando. The hopes were high then to make a comeback. They ran off a string of second and third place finishes to put themselves back in the chase.
Then the team suffered some engine problems and was behind the eight ball again. After the hurricanes the team struggled with ill powered engines and through hard work and some good driving actually pulled off a win on a night when they thought the engine was going to come apart.
Battling Dick Lazslo for second in the points the team thought they had a new engine ready that would pick them up and give them a shot at a couple more victories. But the first night the motor showed signs of loosing oil pressure.
Team owner Rick Bristol was not sure what to do next ,when the man they were battling for that second spot lent a hand finding the problems on one of the two team engines. Lazslo worked several late nights with driver Arnone and fixed the engine in time for the last two weeks. The team then was running third when the pressures and late nights may have got to the driver as he got loose and spun and finished a season worst 8th.
" I knew RJ has worked very hard all week and then he was trying very hard to stay with the top two cars and just lost it. I was not upset with him just that they did not throw a yellow for us and we went a lap down. RJ has done such a great job all season and I feel I let him down by not having things right in the motor program and all. I am very proud of how hard the team worked all year and RJ did a great job" said Bristol.
The final night Arnone had something to prove,and did it, in the season finale. Just eight points up on Lazslo for second in points, Arnone would finish second in the heat event and was set up to start third in the feature right behind Lazslo who had the pole. Arnone got a good start and stayed right on Lazslo's bumper the first two laps before Lilley made a pass and took second but then Lazslo while leading got loose and went high in turn two as Lilley had went to the outside and Arnone made a three wide pass for the lead.
Arnone then would have to overcome a late race restart and pressure from Lilley to take the win, his third of the season. Arnone finished the year second by twenty points and 102 from champion Chad Ashley. The team finished with 3 wins 16 top five's and 1 top ten finish.
"This is a great way to end the season. I was so down all week about spinning out I really needed this , the team needed this. I have to just say a huge thanks to Dick Lazslo for helping us out when we really needed it, he is such a great friend, he is the reason we are here tonight " said Arnone.
" I really want to thank my mom and dad and my wife for there support all year through the good and bad nights. I want to thank Rick and Bobby Orr for the opportunity and hope we may continue next season" added Arnone.
" Well I first want to thank the Lord for being my personal Savior and for giving me a great family and the opportunity to do this racing deal. I know that I would not be successful if it wasn't for him. I want to thank my partner Bobby Orr for his help early this season and his guidance over the phone when we need it. I want to thank a great sponsor Giovanni's Italian Rest. & Pizzeria for there backing all season, they have made our team better and have done a lot for racing around here with the Race Night Buffet's and car shows.
Also thanks to Broward Factory Service for the associate sponsorship along with Kevin and Pennzoil. I want to thank Bobby Sears for getting me some good motors over the years, but he is so busy with his race deal that he just can't put the time in to it anymore and we will be using motors from Dick Lazslo in any future racing we do. And thanks so much to Dick for stepping in and giving us a hand when we needed it and even when battling with us for a points position. that shows great character and I appreciate it very much.
" You know I started this deal back in 1998 with a dream for me to drive, but I learned early that I was not a driver. Since that time I have had great drivers like Carl Green who got me my first three wins as a car owner in 1999 and 2000.
Then I got to team up with my Idol and friend Pete Orr and give his son Bobby a start in racing and we were proud together as Bobby won a bunch of races and a championship in 2002. That time I spent with Pete, Bobby and his family are memories I will treasure forever" said an emotional Bristol. " You know the eighteenth will be two years since we lost Pete and I sure do miss him.
" Other drivers that drove the car include Chad Pierce who won a couple races in it and Brad May. Great drivers that I respect very much. The last couple of years I watched RJ run against us and announced some of his races and I saw a good young man who needed, what I needed back when I started, a little help to get to that next level. So I asked him if he would like to drive for me at a meeting at last years Governors Cup and we put the deal together. I really have come to care very much for he and his family. the friendships I have made with them and others makes it all worth while no matter what happens at the races" added Bristol.
" I really need to thank Chuck with Cheney Automotive for his help with sponsorship and long hours working on the car. He gets ribbed a lot but we want to thank him very much. I also want to thank Tyler for his hard work also this year he really helped when needed. I don't yet know what we will be doing next season but we will announce any plans when they are finalized.
The team does plan to possibly race at Citrus County Speedway on December 3rd, a 75 lap event and owner Rick Bristol may be behind the wheel then and there is another scheduled for January.
The team will be hosting the final Race Night Buffet a champions addition on Thursday night December 2nd from 7-10p.m. at Giovanni's for more info call Rick at 407-497-0448.
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