Ricky Carmichael Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 Preview

Event/Date: Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200  – Feb. 12, 2011

Venue: Daytona International Speedway – Daytona Beach, Fla.


Ricky Carmichael’s ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Performance History at Daytona International Speedway

DATE        START        FINISH        LAPS       TOTAL    STATUS  
02/06/10   14               7               80          80         Running

02/13/09   23              21              52         80           Running

Starting off on the Right Foot … Ricky Carmichael will pilot the No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Impala, fielded by Turner Motorsports, in this Saturday’s season-opening Lucas Oil Slick Mist 250 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race at Daytona International Speedway (DIS). In two previous ARCA Series starts at the “World Center of Racing”, the 15-time American Motorcycle Association (AMA) National Champion boasts a seventh-place finish to call a career best.

Start of a new era for Turner Motorsports… This weekend will mark the start of a new era for Turner Motorsports.  The team has expanded in 2011 from a two-truck operation in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) to become the largest stand-alone multi-series team in NASCAR’s top-tier touring series, fielding three entries in the NCWTS and four entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS).

ARCA Racing at a Glance … Carmichael has six previous ARCA Series starts heading into the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 250. The 31-year-old driver started 14th last February at DIS and went on the notch a personal best seventh-place showing in ARCA competition. Over those same six events, Carmichael logged a 16.2 starting average, a 21.8 average finish and completed 566 of the 733 laps contested (77.2 percent).

Tough Act to Follow … Carmichael has a proud heritage at DIS and is the winningest rider in motocross history at the fabled Daytona Beach race course with a total of six overall victories. The Tallahassee, Fla., resident notched his first win in 125cc competition in 1998 and followed that up two years later with his first career win in the AMA’s premier class, becoming the first rider to win both a 125cc and 250cc race at Daytona. He went on to record four consecutive Supercross wins (2000-2003) to tie Jeff Stanton for the most victories and set the record three years later with a win in 2006. Carmichael has been the architect of the Daytona Supercross track since 2008. Additionally, the Florida native hosts his own amateur Supercross race at Daytona along with the Ricky Carmichael University riding school. His likeness is also enshrined on hallowed ground -  the entrance to Victory Lane.

Gearing up for a New Year … Mark Rette, crew chief for Carmichael’s No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado in the NCWTS, will call the shots for this weekend’s ARCA race. Additionally, Carmichael’s Turner Motorsports’ truck series team will prepare the car for the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.

Catch the Action … The Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 from Daytona International Speedway will be televised live on SPEED Sat., Feb. 12 beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network. Qualifying for the first race on the 2011 Speedweeks calendar is scheduled to see the green flag Fri., Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. EST.


RICKY CARMICHAEL QUOTES

What would it mean for you to win at Daytona?
“I think about it every time I go down there. Personally, I’ve had a lot of success on two wheels at Daytona.  I can’t even describe what I would mean to possibly be the first guy to win on two wheels and on four wheels at Daytona. There’s so much history at that race track.  I want to win there and go to Victory Lane so bad. It’s not possible to put into words what that would mean to me.”

You’re a Florida native so would it be a little more special for you to win in your home state?
“It would be cool to win because it is in my home state but I think the cooler part would be because I’ve had so much success at Daytona on two wheels and obviously, with all the history that Daytona represents. I’ve had a really great career there. It’s a special place with a lot of great memories for me.”

Do you feel like the ARCA race is going to provide you with an opportunity to gel with your new crew chief Mark Rette?
“I’m looking forward to running the ARCA race and I’m thankful for the opportunity that Steve Turner has given me to do that. It’s going to be a great team building opportunity for me and Mark and the rest of our Camping World Truck Series team. This is going to be a key race to get the season started off on the right foot. We’ve got a great car and this will be a great opportunity to get geared up for the truck race the following weekend. That’s where our bread and butter is and that’s the one we want to win.”

How important is it for you to get some extra seat time on a superspeedway before the truck race next week?
“Anytime I can get behind the wheel in a good piece and have a good shot at winning is going to help my situation. It’s key right now with where I’m at from an experience standpoint. That’s one thing I lack. Anytime I can get in an extra race every now and then is going to be priceless.”

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About Turner Motorsports:
Turner Motorsports, LLC, established in 1999, is in the midst of its sophomore season of NASCAR competition. Owned by Texas-native, Steve Turner, the organization has expanded in 2011 from a two-truck operation in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) to become the largest stand-alone multi-series team in NASCAR’s top-tier touring series.  Turner Motorsports operates out of an 110,000 square-foot state-of-the art facility in Mooresville, N.C., and will house three entries in the Camping World Truck Series and four entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.  The team boasts an all-star driver line-up that includes Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Jason Leffler, Reed Sorenson, Justin Allgaier, Ricky Carmichael, James Buescher and Brad Sweet.  The Chevrolet-backed team has created alliances with General Motors’ powerhouse teams Hendrick Motorsports, which will provide engine support for both its NNS and NCWTS programs, Kevin Harvick Inc. for body and aero support, and Earnhardt Technology Group for drive train and suspension technology assistance. Turner Motorsports’ marketing partners include Dollar General, Great Clips, Monster Energy, BRANDT, Rexall, Exide, AccuDoc Solutions, Wolfpack Rentals, Fraternal Order of Eagles and ABF Freight. For more information on Turner Motorsports, visit www.turnermotorsportsllc.com.