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ARCA-Mobile 200 Expands 2013 Schedule

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The ARCA-Mobile 200 continues to grow, now encompassing 2 weekends plus local racing will return to the schedule. ARCA teams are being invited to an ARCA only test on Saturday March 2nd one week ahead of the ARCA Mobile 200 on March 9th. ARCA Practice will be from 2PM to 8PM on Saturday allowing teams to travel to Mobile on Saturday morning with an opportunity to get real time testing during race time and then qualifying under the lights. “We want teams to come on down to the Gulf Coast! March is a great time to be in Mobile. Practice with us on Saturday then stay the week enjoying some of our great southern hospitality, tourist attractions and bring your golf clubs,” said ARCA Mobile 200 Promoter Tommy Praytor. “Hotels and attractions along the Gulf Coast will be offering specials just for our ARCA teams that stay the week. Of course the grandstands will be opened at no charge for fans to take in practice on March the 2nd.” Sunday has been blocked off as a weather day in case of inclement weather on Saturday. Read Full Article →

Final Destination 4 Director Ellis Dies

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The Director of spine tinglers Snakes on a Plane and Final Destination 4, David R Ellis passed away in Johannesburg, South Africa this week. Ellis was in South Africa to film “Kite” that was to star Samuel L. Jackson. While Ellis was known internationally for his directing and stunt work, Mobile race fans will remember him as the director of Warner Brothers Final Destination 4 filmed at Mobile International Speedway. “David was a class guy and ran a class outfit. Everything we did with the movie people was an incredible experience,” offered Tommy Praytor, MIS Movie Coordinator and ARCA Mobile 200 Promoter. “I realize the filming at Mobile was a small asterisk on David’s resume but he touched a lot of people while filming here.” In recent years Ellis has been behind the camera as a director but Ellis started in movies as a child actor at Disney with Kurt Russell. Ellis soon moved to stunt work earning world records and the reputation of a daredevil. Lethal Weapon, Scarface, Smokey and the Bandit, Patriot Games, Hooper and many more action movies benefited from Ellis’s stunt work. Ellis is credited in over 100 productions but for race fans his work in Days of Thunder is at the top of the list. “I think for all racers and race fans of this era, Days of Thunder is quoted or referenced in just about every conversation. David played a pivotal role in the stunts and the stories he shared with the guys on the shoot at Mobile will stay with us forever. We’ve lost a little piece of MIS and racing history.” Read Full Article →

Praytor and Mobile Team Solid in Daytona Testing

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When thinking of racing at Daytona, names like Hendrick, Childress and Roush come to mind but Thomas “Moose” Praytor and his Mobile based Max Force Racing team are working on establishing a Port City connection. Praytor and his team made their first outing in the ARCA Series this weekend participating in the 3 day ARCA test at Daytona International Speedway. “With a new team and a car prepared out of our race shop in Mobile we had a lot of unanswered questions going in to Daytona. I think our first laps put us in the top 20 and both my Dad and I finally took a breath,” offered Praytor. “Our Senior Bowl Fusion powered by Roush Yates Engines was flawless mechanically all weekend. Nick Ramey and the guys at Roush are incredible. Crewchief Lee Leslie and our crew made my job as the driver easy.” The Mobile based team posted impressive numbers throughout the 3 days of testing with Praytor reaching a top lap speed of 182.537 miles per hour, the 8th fastest speed of the test with over 50 drivers taking time. “Two of our goals for the test were to earn the respect of the ARCA garage and prove our Mobile team could compete at this level. Read Full Article →

Senior Bowl Drafts Moose for Daytona Test

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The Senior Bowl will be the primary sponsor for Thomas “Moose” Praytor at the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) Test this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. Every year the road to the National Football League goes through Mobile with players showcasing their talent in Mobile’s Senior Bowl Game. The Senior Bowl will kick off January 26th at 3:00 PM CST and is college football’s premier senior showcase event, annually featuring the nation’s best senior collegiate football stars and top NFL draft prospects on teams coached by NFL coaching staffs. “The Senior Bowl is dedicated to showcasing up and coming talent and what better way to promote our game than showcasing an up and coming race car driver from Mobile!” said Phil Savage Executive Director of the Senior Bowl. “Working with the Moose is another example of how the Senior Bowl is reaching out in to the community to form new partnerships.” Read Full Article →

The Battle Will Begin at Battleship for ARCA-Mobile 200 Title

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The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park will welcome aboard ARCA drivers, teams and fans on Thursday March 7th from 3:00 to 6:00PM to begin the battle for the 2013 ARCA-Mobile 200 Title. Kids of all ages will get an opportunity to see ARCA cars and haulers up close along with live pit stop demonstrations, plus a driver autograph session. The Driver Autograph session will be inside the Aircraft Pavilion and fans will have access to the Aircraft Pavilion at no charge! “We are excited about having the horsepower of the ARCA teams and fans at Battleship Park,” offered Bill Tunnel, Executive Director of USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. “Starting the ARCA-Mobile 200 weekend here, is another example of the Parks ability to be a multifaceted entertainment and tourist destination.“ ARCA teams and fans were drawn to Mobile for a race and found much more. “At the inaugural ARCA-Mobile 200 in March of 2012, our fans, teams and officials were highly impressed with everything the Mobile area has to offer,” said ARCA President Ron Drager. “Bringing our race cars, transporters and drivers to USS Alabama Battleship Park to kick off the 2nd annual race weekend is a great opportunity to grow the stature of the event, as well as to pay tribute to the highly respected veterans of our US Armed Forces.”
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Praytor Preps for Daytona ARCA Test with Mobile Team

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With the drop of the checkered flag at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the 2012 regular season is officially over but you can’t tell it in the Mobile, Alabama based Max Force Racing shop. The Mobile based team is wide open preparing Thomas Praytor’s, the Moose, Ford Fusion for ARCA testing at the World Center of Speed, Daytona International Speedway on December 14,15 & 16. After spending the 2012 ARCA season testing and racing for multiple teams in the ARCA Series, the Daytona test will mark the first time Praytor will be behind the wheel of his own car at the National level. “Last year, Andy Belmont took a chance letting me test one of his cars at Daytona. A year later I’m going back in one of our cars, it’s incredible!” offered the Moose. “We’re still working on the sponsorship we need to come back and race, we’re working as hard in that area as we are on the race car. Our job at the test will be to put down a solid performance laying the ground work to return in February. This year’s Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski and his family started out as a local team working their way up through the ARCA Series. It can be done.”
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ARCA-MOBILE 200 CHAMPION CALE GALE WILL RACE SATURDAY NIGHT

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ARCA-Mobile 200 Champion Cale Gale will return to Mobile International Speedway a Rick Crawford Performance Track on Saturday night to race in the Miller Lite 100. A former Mobile Track Champion Gale is anxious to return. “I love coming to Mobile, the fans are great, the track is fast and it will be fun to sling the Late Model around after being in a heavy ARCA car.”

Saturday night could prove to be one of the most competitive fields in Miller Lite Super Late Model history with entries from as far away as Canada having already been received. Gale joins fellow ARCA-Mobile 200 competitors Chase Elliott, Bubba Pollard and Thomas “Moose” Praytor. Reigning Pro-Late Model Champion DJ VanderLey and former MIS Champions, Texan Casey Smith and Mobile’s Steven Davis have filed an entry.
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Chad Hackenbracht Rockets To Second At ARCA Mobile; Nets Career-Best

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“Impressive Outing Nearly Delivers Team First Win”

ARCA RacingMOBILE, Alabama – Chad Hackenbracht had never seen nor turned any laps at Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway (MIS) prior to this past Saturday’s Mobile ARCA 200, but the New Philadelphia, Ohio found himself wrestling with one of the track’s finest for the win but came up just one position short in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards’ inaugural debut at the half-mile short track.

Overall, it was a strong weekend for the family-owned CGH Motorsports team. After mounting firm practice results during the day on Friday, the team led by Kevin Reed qualified sixth later that night giving the team good vibes for race day.

Almost immediately from the drop of the green flag, the No. 58 Chevrolet began to pedal forward. By lap 15, Hackenbracht had moved into fourth with the leaders visibly in-sight. Reeling in the lead group through lap traffic, Hackenbracht hovered in fourth but found himself third on a lap 54 restart when another competitor elected to hit pit lane during a caution on lap 50. Racing smart, he remained in third until a yellow flag waived just before lap 64 allowing Reed to bring his driver to pit road for the team’s mandatory pit stop.

Restarting the second race of the season in 17th, the 20-year old would have to demonstrate extreme patience through the one-groove racetrack. By lap 85, the No. 58 machine found itself back inside the top-10 in eighth. Just past half-way, Hackenbracht had maneuvered himself into seventh while receiving encouragement from his team. Moving back into the top-five just before 50 laps remaining, Reed would refer his protégé to pit road for the final time on lap 169 for tires and fuel giving his driver all the necessities to make it to the end.

Restarting fifth on lap 175, Hackenbracht would make quick work of Clint King, Mason Mingus and MIS guru Grant Enfinger before the yellow flag would waive again putting the CGH Motorsports driver on the back bumper of former track champion Cale Gale.

When racing resumed, Hackenbracht nearly squeezed his way past Gale as the cars exited turn two, but would have to fall back into the runner-up spot waiting for another opportunity to slide by the leader. A batch of late-race cautions would keep Hackenbracht’s No. 58 against the bumper of Gale’s, No. 33 but the final-caution with just four laps remaining would send the field into a green-white-checkered finish and a last attempt to out-maneuver the local icon for the trophy.

Clearly in-sync with Gale when the white flag waived, Hackenbracht made one final attempt to pass the leader again coming off turn two but both lead cars found themselves sideways fighting for the win. Quickly catching his racecar and breath, the driver kept his foot in the gas but unable to steal the lead — taking the checkered flag in second, 0.634 seconds behind Gale.

The runner-up finish was a career-best for the team in their 30th ARCA race succeeding the team’s previous best (finish) of third last June at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway.

“We tried and almost won, so we can’t be disappointed,” said Hackenbracht. “I want to thank Kevin (Reed), my parents and everyone on the CGH Motorsports team for the opportunity and for doing a fantastic job all weekend. I had never seen Mobile before Friday, so to race for the win against a track legend that just shows the devotion, dedication and drive of our small team. The car was good all day long. We didn’t have to make too many adjustments. Our short track program was strong last year and we backed it up here at Mobile, so hopefully we can go to Salem next and seal the deal with a celebration.”

Cometic Crew Chief of the Mobile ARCA 200, Reed offered his thoughts on the team’s effort.

“I will have to say as we traveled to Mobile, I was skeptical but confident in our team and drivers ability to rise to a series of challenges,” explained Reed. “We unloaded a little off, but as we were well prepared and we executed the few hours of practice with positive changes and found ourselves near the top of the board and sixth in qualifying. Quite arguably, Chad drove the best 200 laps of his career looking like a veteran for much of the race. I believe that our team is posted to win races and make a run for the championship given the opportunity to run the entire schedule. We are ready to go for Salem and will try to bring home the trophy. A special thanks to Greg and Susan (Hackenbracht, car owners) for giving us everything we need to achieve our racing dreams.”

With his run, Hackenbracht unofficially jumped to third in the championship standings accumulating 380 points, just 25 markers behind series leader Gale, who isn’t expected to compete at Salem in six weeks. 10 points separate himself from second-place runner Brennan Poole.

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards is the third of 20 races on the 2012 tour at the historic Salem (Ind.) Speedway for the running of the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 on Sunday, April 29.

ARCA: Ambition Takes Sponsorless Kimmel Racing To Mobile

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“Unofficial Points Leader Set To Take On Mobile”

ARCA RacingMOBILE, Alabama (March 6, 2012) – - It goes without saying that Kimmel Racing and new driver Will Kimmel were one of the “feel good stories” upon the conclusion of the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. After starting 23rd, Kimmel cleverly crafted his No. 68 Ford Fusion to an impressive third place.

This weekend though, as the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards resumes action and steers back South to Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway for the running of the Mobile ARCA 200, the Kimmel Racing team led by championship crew chief and owner Bill Kimmel return to the racetrack but without sponsorship, something the team graciously clasped in the season-opener.
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ARCA-Mobile 200-Grant Enfinger, “There’s No Place Like Home”

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Fairhope, Alabama’s Grant Enfinger is returning to his racing roots for the ARCA-Mobile 200 on March 9th and 10th at Mobile International Speedway a Rick Crawford Performance Track.

Engfinger is coming off of his most productive season in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards with a 4th place finish in the 2011 Championship standings piloting an Allgaier Motorsports effort.

Enfinger’s was most recently behind the wheel of Helena, Mississippi’s, Josh and George Bragg’s BRG Ford at Daytona in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. “I like restrictor plate racing and we had a great run in Daytona but there’s no place like home,” offered Enfinger.
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