Featured | Karnac Racing News

United Promoters Late Models Ready for Second Season

Rookie Run Was Impressive, But Goals are Bigger for 2012

Elgin Traylor, 51 Operations Manager – A few years ago, the now-defunct Sunbelt Super Late Model Series was the place for drivers to race at different venues across the state of Florida. One of their big venues was USA International Speedway in Lakeland, FL and raced at more facilities such as New Smyrna, Orlando, Auburndale, Ocala and more. In 2008 both USA International Speedway and the series ended and a major touring Super Late Model Series in Florida were no more.

Fast forward to 2011. A rookie series, the Florida United Promoters Late Model Series, had a strong debut at tracks throughout Central Florida. (more…)

By Scott|2012-01-14T04:29:10-05:00January 14th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, Series|Comments Off

Fittipaldi Brothers Shine for Lee Faulk Racing

By Icon 25 – In 2011, Pietro Fittipaldi went on to win the NASCAR Whelen All-American series championship in the Limited Late model division at Hickory Motor Speedway. He did this by capturing 4 wins and several top 5 finishes.

At age 15, Pietro is the older of the two brothers. The younger Enzo Fittipaldi competed in his first INEX sanctioned road course event this past Saturday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Enzo took to the track very well and made great strides taking the win in his first ever heat race. Enzo looked poised to take the feature win as well in the beginner bandit class until an altercation with another car with 2 laps to go took him out after leading the first 8 laps of the 10 lap event. (more…)

By Scott|2012-01-10T19:48:40-05:00January 10th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News|Comments Off

Mark Martin Testing at New Smyrna this Week

Michael Waltrip Racing Press Release

CORNELIUS, N.C. — This week’s tests at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway and Daytona International Speedway mark the first two tests for Mark Martin and his No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine race team. Martin begins his 30th NASCAR Sprint Cup season driving the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine in 25 races for Michael Waltrip Racing. Martin believes the work done this week is an important step toward running well at Daytona and the rest of the 2012 season.

MARTIN ON THIS WEEK’S TESTS: “These tests aren’t incredibly important from the car hardware side. It’s more important for us as a new group working together to work through the areas like communication, flow, learning everyone’s names, routines and things like that. That’s really the critical part of the test. (more…)

By Scott|2012-01-10T18:49:15-05:00January 10th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, NASCAR, Series|Comments Off

Action Express Tops Day 2 Practice at Daytona

John Dagys – Action Express Racing led the way in the second of three days of testing at Daytona, as GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series teams prepare for the 50th Rolex 24.

The No. 5 Corvette DP of Darren Law topped the time charts with a 1:41.338 lap time in his Coyote-chassied machine, leading a 1-2-3-4 for Chevrolet.

Law, who shared the wheel of the new-generation Daytona Prototype with season-long co-driver David Donohue and Chtistian Fittipaldi, edged out Friday’s pace-setting No. 10 SunTrust Racing Corvette DP by 0.065 seconds. (more…)

By Scott|2012-01-08T17:43:23-05:00January 8th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News|Comments Off

Russell Wins Red-Eye 100!

RED EYE 100: Tim Russell got by Travis Cope to win the Red Eye 100 for the second time in his career at New Smyrna Speedway (FL). Cope took second with 23 laps to go and got the lead when Jeff Scofield spun from the top spot.

2012 RED-EYE 100 SUPER LATE MODELS

1. #36 Tim Russell
2. #26 Travis Cope
3. #9 Rich Clouser
4. #07 Jeff Scofield
5. #56 Gus Dean (more…)

By Scott|2012-01-08T05:31:26-05:00January 8th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, Race Results|Comments Off

Reutimann returns to Truck Series with RBR

The ’04 ROY will run up to 15 races that are companion events with Cup schedule

David Reutimann, the 2004 Truck Series rookie of the year, plans to return to the series in 2012, agreeing this week to run up to 15 races in the No. 92 Chevrolet for Ricky Benton Racing, mainly companion events associated with his part-time Cup schedule with Tommy Baldwin Racing.

Team spokesman Rick Benton said Saturday that talks began in earnest after the team hired crew chief Jason Overstreet in early December.

Along with the Truck schedule, David Reutimann will run part-time for Tommy Baldwin Racing in the Cup Series.

“We heard about [Reutimann’s] situation after being released from Michael Waltrip Racing,” Benton said. “Our crew chief, Jason Overstreet, had worked with David several times back early on. So they’ve got a relationship there, so we just kind of thought it might be a good possibility to put that deal together. (more…)

By Scott|2012-01-07T23:13:58-05:00January 7th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, NASCAR, Series|Comments Off

Johanna Long Moves to ML Motorsports to Pilot the No 70 Chevrolet in 2012 and 2013

ML Racing announced today that Johanna Long will drive the No. 70 Biomet – Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolet Impala for the 2012 and 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Long, a Pensacola, Fl native is the winner of the 2010 Snowball Derby. She began her NASCAR career in 2011, driving a limited schedule in the Camping World Truck Series for Panhandle Motorsports. Long qualified in the 5th place position in her first start at Daytona. Her career best finish to date was 11th place at Texas Motor Speedway.

Long will join a team that is owned by Mary Louise Miller, one of the few female owners in NASCAR. Miller is known as a big supporter of women in racing. At nineteen, Long becomes the youngest female driver to compete in the Nationwide Series, and she will be competing for Rookie of the Year in 2012. (more…)

By Scott|2012-01-05T17:56:06-05:00January 5th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, NASCAR, Series|Comments Off

David Reutimann Joins Tommy Baldwin Racing

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Tuesday, January 3, 2012) – Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) added NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) driver David Reutimann to the team’s 2012 driver lineup alongside Dave Blaney. Still seeking sponsorship for both Reutimann and Blaney, details regarding car number, sponsors and team members will follow in the upcoming weeks.

Reutimann, a Zephyrhills, Fla., native, made his first NSCS start in 2005. He competed in four full NSCS seasons with Michael Waltrip Racing and compiled two wins, 12 top-fives, 26 top-10s and four poles. The 41-year-old racer also competed in the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series where he captured two wins.

“Tommy has built a really good organization from the ground up in a really short amount of time,” said Reutimann. “One of the things I like about Tommy and what’s refreshing about him is that he is just a racer. There are lots of things he could be doing but instead he is at the shop every day working hard to build the organization from the ground up. There are not a lot of true racers in the garage, and he is one of them. It’s the way I was raised with my Dad, so we are on the same page. I’m just really looking forward to the season and see what we can do.” (more…)

By Scott|2012-01-05T00:46:07-05:00January 5th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, NASCAR, Series|Comments Off

Nationwide Series standout will pilot the famed No. 43 Ford Fusion in 2012

CONCORD, N.C. (Jan. 4, 2012) – Richard Petty Motorsports announced today that Aric Almirola will drive the legendary No. 43 Ford Fusion in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition beginning in 2012.

Almirola has made 35 starts in the Sprint Cup Series, his most recent stint coming in 2010 when he finished the last five races of the season in the No. 9 Ford. During the final race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the Tampa, Fla., native posted a career-high, fourth-place effort. Almirola drove a JR Motorsports entry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2011 and capped off a successful season with a fourth-place finish in the championship point standings.

“One of the things I am most excited about is to have the chance to drive a car as iconic as the No. 43,” stated Almirola. “There is so much history surrounding that number and to have my name above the door will be really special for me. (more…)