OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
ROCKFORD SPEEDWAY
Contact: Kevin Ramsell (608) 219-5912, Gregg McKarns (815) 633-1500
LEPAK READIES FOR NSTC CHALLENGE
By:
Kevin Ramsell
Thursday, September 21, 2006 (Loves Park, IL) – Over the last couple
of years,
Jeremy
Lepak has been a spectator. But, this year he will be a competitor at
the 41st Annual Chicago International Trucks National Short
Track
Championships at the Rockford Speedway.
The
Wausau native will be competing in the CRA Super Series Chicago
International Trucks 200-lap feature event on Sunday, September 24th
with the racing action starting at 12:30 p.m.
“I
love the rules they have,” Lepak recently stated regarding the CRA
Super Series. “They give you the big carburetor and the big engine;
they put it back into the driver’s hand. There, the driver has to
control himself. He has to be patient; he’s got to be smooth. When you
have those kinds of rules it really puts the driver back into the seat
and it shows who the better driver is.”
Lepak
has one CRA Super Series win. That came at the Apple Memorial at
Grundy County Speedway in 2005. “I really love running that series,
and I am glad that Jerry (Gunderman) is giving me the opportunity to
come and run there,” Lepak stated.
Earlier this year, Lepak scored a third place finish at the Spring
Classic Wisconsin Challenge Series event at the high-banked,
quarter-mile oval. “It was interesting; we brought a brand new car,
which not too many people do,” Lepak recalled. “But, I have a lot of
fun when I go to Rockford. I have been having a lot of run since I
have been going there in a tour car. It seems like I have adapted
pretty good there since my first visit. A lot of people don’t like it
but it’s similar to Wausau, that we run back home.”
The
200-lap feature format appears to be Lepak’s favor. “I like it’s only
200 laps,” Lepak commented. “I think 100 laps would be to short and
400 laps were too much and it’s a four-tire race. Like I said, it puts
the driver back in the seat. He’s got to be smooth and save his stuff
and that is what racing should be about.”
Lepak
hopes to add his name to the long list of NSTC champions. “It would be
just exciting; you go and look at the drivers that run that deal. I
have gone down there the last couple of years and watch,” Lepak
stated. “It will be more exciting to be a part of it.”
The
racing action will get underway this Friday night, September 22nd with
the racing program starting at 7:07 p.m. The CRA Super Series will
qualify on Saturday afternoon and have qualifying races on Saturday
evening at 5:05 p.m.
With
10 divisions competing in 689 laps of feature racing, this will be
“One Great Racing Weekend.”
