Speedway Digest Staff

Mahoning Valley Speedway is back in action this coming Saturday evening, August 8 starting at 6:00 pm with a full slate of stock car racing.

On the night’s program will be heats and features for Modifieds, Sportsman Modifieds, Street Stocks, Pro 4s, Hobby Stocks and Rookie Hobby Stocks.

Heading up the race card will be Modified standings leader Lou Strohl who sits ahead of Earl Paules by 13 points. Both veterans will be aiming for their first class wins. Lurking closely behind is Josh Scherer, Kyle Strohl and rookie Sean Verwys.

The Sportsman Modifieds are back on track for only the third time due in part to the late start of the season. However, in the pair of features thus far there was great racing with Earl Paules and Lorin Arthofer II scoring wins. Each of those mains also saw others such as Jared Ahner and Randy Ahner Jr., making solid bids for the wins.

Not surprising is the closeness in points with the Street Stocks. Jon Moser is listed as the leader but by a scant two markers over Mark Martini and three over Mark Deysher. Meanwhile Eric Kocher and Randy Ahner Jr., are tied for fourth and sit only eight points back of Moser.

In the Pro 4s Cody Kohler is looking to make it four straight wins and stay perfect in 2020.

Taylor Schmidt has never raced a full season before but since running every race to date now finds himself leading in the Hobby Stock points. Schmidt has been runner-up twice and is hoping to better that by one spot as he seeks his career first win this Saturday night.

The Rookie Hobby Stock class continues to be a remarkable showcasing of up and coming talent. In six races to date there has yet to be a repeat winner and point leader Paul French Jr., is planning to add his name to that list. French has been very close of late, with a pair of seconds and a third in the past three features.

Adult grandstand $14, $2 discount for active military, students and seniors 65+. Must have valid ID. Children 10 & under are free

Pit gates open at 11:00 am. There will be early paid practice starting at noon priced at $25 per car. Pit admission is $25 members, $35 non-members. Driver sign-ins are from 3:00 pm – 4:15 pm. Heat races get underway at 6:00 pm.

Coming up Saturday, August 15 at 6:00 pm the Late Models are running a plus the East Coast TQ Midgets will be part of the line-up.

Race #4 of the Mahoning Valley Speedway Hall of Fame Series, the Marvin Bartholomew 85-lap Tribute, will be held on August 22.

The following week, Saturday, August 29, Mahoning Valley Speedway will host a milestone race as the 800th Modified feature since the track went asphalt in 1970 will be run.

Please log onto the official Mahoning Valley Speedway website at www.mahoningvalley-speedway.com or on Facebook at Mahoning Valley Speedway and https://www.instagram.com/mahoningspeedway/ for updated info. Mahoning Valley Speedway is located on PA route 443 just a few miles west of Lehighton.

MVS PR

It’s been a long and winding road for the 2010 DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion.

Jason Feger, the Bloomington, Illinois-racer known as The Highside Hustler, has often been a regular of the Summer Nationals Late Model circuit. With his signature green/black colors and “rolling dice” motif decaled across his door panels, Feger’s been a household name in the DIRTcar Late Model ranks since his first starts in 2002 and takes pride in the self-made nature of his career.

No big corporate sponsorship, no ex-F1 pit crew. Just he and his wife Abby, his local partners and his team of hard-working individuals that help keep the #25 on the track, day-in and day-out.

“I love racing around here,” Feger said. “I feel like we’ve got the best area. I’m definitely proud to pretty much accomplish this all myself and the little backing and the few people that do help me. There’s not a lot of guys left out there like me that are kinda owner-operator/do-it-all-type guys.”

He and his team are scheduled to make the trip out to New Richmond, WI, to battle the stars and cars of the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series in this weekend’s 33rd annual USA Nationals at Cedar Lake Speedway, Aug. 6-8. Feger was victorious in the FANS Fund Dash at the event in 2019 and will participate again this year. All three days can be streamed live, exclusively on DIRTVision presented by Drydene.

Currently, Feger sits third in Summer Nationals points, 178 points behind leader Brian Shirley. He and the team experienced some struggles early on, but it’s not over yet. Twelve races remain, beginning with the Phase II opener at The Bullring at RICO Fairgrounds on Monday, Aug. 10, and anything can happen.

“I think it’s going to be tough. I feel like I’ve already had too many bad nights. We had some electrical issues the first couple nights, so the car wasn’t running right. Me and [Shannon] Babb had a little contact at Spoon River that ended with me spinning out and going to the back. I’ve also had a couple flat tires, too,” he said.

While Feger’s chances for a second Summer Nationals championship in 2020 may seem distant right now, only 59 points separates he and Frank Heckenast Jr. for second. The team is also starting to rebound from their troubles early on, stringing together seven-straight top-10 finishes before the race at LaSalle on July 29, and have already secured themselves a spot on the all-time Summer Nationals highlight reel with their memorable win just a few weeks ago.

Feger and his loyal fanbase celebrated his 20th career Summer Nationals victory back on July 18 at Highland Speedway. Coming all the way from 16th, he kept it smooth and steady on the very bottom of the quarter mile and won with room to spare, taking the lead from Shannon Babb on Lap 41 and carrying it all the way home for a spectacular $10,000 payday that Feger Nation won’t soon forget.

“It still kinda blows my mind a little bit,” Feger recalls with a slight chuckle. “I sure didn’t think I was going to be able to win that race, especially starting that far back and [driving] on the bottom like that.

“I just kept everything together, kept my nose clean on the car and just kept picking ‘em off one-by-one. It seemed like the longer the race went, the better the car got. Everything just kinda came to me and I was able to pull it off.”

Over the years, Feger’s run a variety of different chassis and engine combinations. 2020 marks his second year behind the wheel of an MB Customs Race Car with Pro Power under the hood. He said it’s the substantial side-bite and traction in slick conditions that’s unique to the MB Customs that’s aided his ability to run the bottom.

“It’s been an adjustment driving for me too. I don’t always have to go run the top like I used to have to before, I felt like. The car’s probably better than the driver, I’ve just got to keep getting better. I feel like we’re making gains, so I’ve just got to keep up the momentum,” Feger said.

This season also marks the tenth anniversary of his Summer Nationals championship – one in which he beat out three-time DIRTcar Late Model national points champion, Dennis Erb Jr. One season prior, Feger topped Erb by just 31 points in the national standings to win his first DIRTcar Late Model championship, halting what would have otherwise been Erb’s third sweep in-a-row of the Late Model national points and Summer Nationals titles.

The two Illinoisans are often noted for being the DIY-types. They’re both owner-drivers, both take a great deal of pride in their work and understand that as owners, how the truck gets to the track each weekend falls on them.

“I think we’re pretty similar in a lot of ways,” Feger said of Erb. “My wife – she’s a big help. But ultimately, it all depends on yourself. You’re ultimately the one responsible for everything, so however you’ve got to get it done, you’ve got to get it done.”

In his championship-winning seasons, Feger has attributed much of his success to the dedication of his team.

“I had a really good pit crew; my brother [Austin] was with me and I had two or three other guys that came with us. We just had a really good team, and we all worked really hard. We were kinda young and didn’t really have anything to do in life other than go racing.”

Since then, it’s been all business for team 25. Several seasons on the trail of the Hell Tour have given he and his legions of fans plenty to cheer about and an entire closet full of black-and-green t-shirts to wear. For them, Feger couldn’t be more appreciative.

“I have to thank all of them for the support over the years,” he said. “Buying merchandise and just being there, whether it’s making us food, bringing us beer, hanging out or cheering us on. It’s awesome to have such a big fanbase and to make so many great friends over the years out of this.”

Don’t miss Feger & Co. in the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Phase II opener at The Bullring at RICO Fairgrounds on Aug. 10. Tune into DIRTVision presented by Drydene with your Fast Pass subscription to catch all the action.

DIRTcar Series PR

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and state and county mandates on crowd gatherings, the August 15^th PASSCAR Stock Car Series/IMCA Modified race and the August 22^nd USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series event have both been postponed.   

“It is getting old having to postpone racing events,” Kazarian said on Wednesday.  “Hopefully, conditions will get better soon, and we can get back to putting on races.  Everybody, including the drivers, officials, and fans are ready to go.  Until that time comes, we hope everyone remains safe so they can be here with us when racing returns.”

The March 7^th season-opening Night of Destruction Presented by LKQ Pick Your Part, is the only racing event the track got in this year.  Every race since has been postponed by the COVID crisis.  Even though racing has been delayed since that date, the famous half-mile clay oval is still available for private testing and practice for all auto and motorcycle racing machines.  For more information or to make a reservation, please E-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Kazarian and his entire staff are urging everyone to please take all necessary steps to stay safe and healthy.  We look forward to seeing everyone back at the track as soon as it is possible.

PAS PR

Despite a late start due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Caraway Speedway owner Darren Hackett has released the complete schedule for the remainder of the 2020 season.  The 55th Anniversary Season at Caraway Speedway will feature 10 races, stretching from this Saturday night August 8th until the end of November. This year's schedule will also showcase several divisions from the PRA Tours, including the SMRS Modifieds, 602 Super Limiteds, and 602 Tour Modifieds.  Hackett is continuing to work with local health officials to allow limited fan attendance in the grandstands based on CDC social distancing guidelines. Trackside parking will be available with a 6-ft buffer between vehicles that will be clearly marked.  All participants will be required to wear face coverings and maintain social distancing.  Hand sanitizing stations will be available for the infield pits and trackside parking.    

"We know 2020 has been a season of uncertainties, so we wanted to get our schedule out as soon as possible to let our racers know they will have a place to race at Caraway," said PRA Tours President and Caraway Speedway owner, Darren Hackett.  "Last weekend we saw the excitement of all our racers and fans to be back at the track and we look forward to continuing that this Saturday night and for the rest of the year." 

This Saturday night, August 8th, will be Twin Night At The Races, featuring twin events for the Limited Late Model/Challengers, Mini Stock and U-Cars. On Saturday, August 22nd, the Late Model Stock division will make its only scheduled start of the season at Caraway with Twin 40 laps races.  The SMRS Tour Modifieds will make their first start of the season at Caraway Speedway on Saturday, August 29th for the 55th Anniversary Night at the Races.  The Bowman Gray Stadium Sportsman cars will compete four times this season at Caraway, including Stadium Invasion Night, when several Bowman Gray divisions will be competing.  The 2020 season will conclude with the Thanksgiving Shootout on Sunday, November 29th featuring a 75-lapper for the Limiteds/Challengers, 50 laps for Mini Stocks and Street Stocks, 25 laps for U-Cars, and an Enduro. 

PRA Tour dates for Super Late Models and Tour-Type Modifieds, along with the other tour divisions that are currently scheduled, will continue as previously announced, with possible additional dates and more information coming soon. The 18th Annual North-South Shootout is still planned for November 5-7 at Hickory Motor Speedway and will again feature the Tour-Type Modifieds, Super Late Models, 602 Tour and more. 

All the action gets under way this Saturday night, August 8th at Caraway Speedway with pits opening at 4 PM, qualifying at 6:50 PM and racing set to start at 8 PM for the Limiteds/Challengers, Mini Stock, and U-Cars. 

The PRA Tour is the exclusive sanctioning body for Tour-Type Modifieds, Super Late Model, and Limited Late Model racing in the United States, featuring the North-South Shootout at Hickory Motor Speedway as its premier event. For any information concerning the PRA Tour please contact Darren Hackett at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information please go to pratours.com.  And, don’t forget to “Like” the PRA Tours on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @PRATours to keep up with breaking news as it happens. 

PRA Tour PR

Set to tackle one of the fastest race tracks on the ARCA Menards Series circuit, newcomer Jason Kitzmiller hopes to take his debut weekend in the Irish Hills in stride and continue to impress with his third top-10 finish of the season in Sunday afternoon’s VizCom 200.

In his recent showing at Kansas Speedway, Kitzmiller and his CR7 Motorsports struggled with the setup with their No. 97 A.L.L. Construction Chevrolet but having been able to pick up the pieces from Kansas and regroup, the team led by NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series driver Codie Rohrbaugh is optimistic for Kitzmiller’s sixth career ARCA start of the year.

“I’ve been learning a lot about Michigan International Speedway, especially since we completed Kansas a couple weeks ago,” said Kitzmiller. “I’m excited to cross another new track off my list, but I also know that Michigan is a very demanding track when it comes to speed and finesse, so I plan to make the most of the opportunity on Sunday.”

With qualifying scraped because of COVID-19 protocols in place, Kitzmiller will have just a few laps in a group practice session to get acquainted with the two-mile oval. The rookie says its important to utilize that track time to its fullest even if it’s for a couple of laps.

The coronavirus pandemic has certainly thrown the traditional schedule out the window which has meant less track time for normal for Kitzmiller – but banking on the advice and guidance of Rohrbaugh, Kitzmiller is taking his same approach to Michigan as he has in his prior races – hoping that will lead to another solid rookie effort.

“2020 certainly hasn’t gone the way we had hoped it would when it comes to track time and getting those laps underneath me,” added Kitzmiller. “Still, every race we’ve competed in – we’ve tried to make the best of it and that’s the spirit that keeps us focused.

“Luckily, Michigan is a large track. If the handling isn’t the way we want it at the start, we should be able to keep our No. 97 A.L.L. Construction Chevrolet on the lead lap until the first break where we can make adjustments and then march forward.”

It will be a busy weekend for CR7 Motorsports. In addition to the VizCom 200, the team will also compete in Friday night’s NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Michigan 200 with Rohrbaugh aboard the No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado.

The team will continue to bring attention to Joshua Shirk.

On May 17, 2020, eight-year-old Joshua Shirk was kayaking with family in rural West Virginia.

While on the water, the kayak capsized and Shirk became trapped under the water in debris.

When family was finally able to pull him to safety, the young boy had no pulse. Quick work by medical workers at a local hospital were able to revive him but he remained in critical condition.

Shirk was later transported to WVU hospital in Morganton, West Virginia where he has made vast improvements but still needs the love, prayer and support of many.

Over the last five weeks, Shirk has been able to come off a breathing machine and has started intense physical rehabilitations with a focus on working his muscles and standing up with assistance. His progress lately has been exceptional, as his muscles continue to strengthen.

With prayer, love and support working, Rohrbaugh and Kitzmiller hope others will now pledge their support alongside his CR7 Motorsports team uniting strength in numbers and the power of prayer.

“Our mission continues to be really important to me,” said Rohrbaugh. “The prayers from everyone are working and I’m so happy that Joshua is making huge strides towards his recovery. I continue to plead when asking the NASCAR community to please support him by offering their thoughts and prayers to Josh and his family. It really means a lot to me.” Marketing partnership(s) opportunities are available for the No. 97 A.L.L. Construction Chevrolet and No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet for the 2020 ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series seasons and beyond. Interested inquiries are encouraged to contact at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 304.257.8783.

The VizCom 200 (100 laps | 200 miles) is the 11th of 20 races on the 2020 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Sun. Aug. 9, 2020 with a half-hour group practice session from 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The race is set to take the green flag shortly after 1:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), while ARCARacing.com will stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (Eastern).

CR7 Motorsports PR

Jimmie Johnson will be remembered for many things following his final full-time season as a NASCAR Cup Series driver in 2020.  Undoubtedly, tying a NASCAR record with seven Cup Series championships is at the top of that list.  In addition to his on-track prowess, Johnson made physical fitness a huge part of the NASCAR regimen, as evidenced by his affinity for biking and running.  This included his running of the 2019 Boston Marathon, in which he clocked a time of 3:09:07.

That legacy will be honored at Michigan International Speedway, as the nature trail that exists in the Graves Family Campground will permanently be renamed the “Jimmie Johnson Nature Trail.”  The area is one of the main campgrounds on property and it’s where family camping takes place.   For non-race time, Adrian College uses that trail for many of its youth-based programs.

“Fitness is high priority to me and to have this trail in my name means a lot,” Johnson said. “Fans for generations to come will be able to enjoy ‘Pure Michigan’ and experience the race track at the same time. I have always loved the area, fishing close by with my girls and cycling on Saturdays during race weekends. I am very thankful to the folks at Michigan for this thoughtful honor.”

“Jimmie Johnson is emblematic of everything that is great about our sport,” said Michigan International Speedway President Rick Brenner.  “He won an awful lot in his storied career, and did it with a tremendous amount of class and dignity.  He also was a key figure in incorporating physical fitness into our sport, and changing the way drivers are viewed.  On behalf of everyone at MIS, we wish him and his family all the best in his life after NASCAR.”

MIS PR

Kevin Harvick may not remember the 1980s Michigan television commercials that ended with the tagline “Yes, Michigan!”

But as the NASCAR Cup Series rolls into historic Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, he is thinking “Yes, Michigan!”

Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), has three wins, seven second-place finishes, 13 top-fives, 19 top-10s, one pole, and he’s led a total of 517 laps in his 38 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan.

A closer look reveals his time at Michigan in SHR equipment since 2014 has been really impressive.

In his last 12 Cup Series starts at Michigan – all of which have come with SHR – Harvick has two wins and four runner-up finishes and only one finish worse than 14th – 29th in June 2015. And of the 517 total laps Harvick has led at Michigan dating back to his rookie year in 2001, 369, or 71.3 percent, have come with SHR despite only 12, or 31.5 percent, of his 38 Michigan starts being with SHR.

He’ll have two chances to add to those totals with a Michigan doubleheader weekend, starting with Saturday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 and concluding with Sunday’s Consumer Energy 400. They are twin 156-lap 312-mile races at the 2-mile oval.

Harvick is closing in on 15,000 laps led in his Cup career. At the Homestead-Miami Speedway season finale in 2019, Harvick became just the 11th driver to have led 14,000 laps. He’s know been in front for 14,740 laps and trails 10th-place Kyle Busch, who has led 17,633, and Jimmie Johnson, who is ninth with 18,933 laps led. Harvick has led 10,314 laps as an SHR driver, surpassing the 10,000-lap milestone with the team when he took the lead on lap 37 of the June 7 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

He’ll race again with Busch Light Apple on his car, as he did in the non-points NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. Busch Light Apple is a refreshing, light lager, which combines the crispness of Busch with the light sweetness of apple flavor. It’s like the sound of refreshment meets the taste of the orchard, and is the first flavor innovation in the history of the Busch Light brand.

Harvick is hoping to score his fourth career Michigan victory Saturday. And perhaps he’ll score number five on Sunday. For as the late, great Ernie Banks of the Chicago Cubs once said, “Let’s Play Two.”

TSC PR

Focused on taking advantage of a much needed and welcomed off weekend, Codie Rohrbaugh and his CR7 Motorsports team are feeling recharged ahead of Friday afternoon’s Michigan 200 at Michigan International Speedway.

Approaching the halfway point of the 2020 season, the CR7 Motorsports team has certainly had its fair share of highs and lows, but feeling refreshed and focused on the schedule ahead, Michigan brings an opportunity to put the family-owned team back on the map.

“It felt good to have the break, but we’re ready to get back to the track,” said Rohrbaugh. “It’s no secret that the last month or so haven’t been the kindest to our team, but there will be growing pains when you’re building a team like ours.

“I have the faith in my team and crew chief Doug (George) and I know they believe in me. I’m excited to go back to Michigan International Speedway this week and contend for a solid finish.”

Rohrbaugh made his Irish Hills debut at the two-mile oval last August where after starting 21st, he finished a respectable 17th.

This weekend, Rohrbaugh wants to settle for nothing less than a top-15 effort.

“Michigan is such a fast place, I love it,” Rohrbaugh added. “The track is so wide, and it seems to provide fantastic racing for the Trucks. It’s a relatively short race though, so we have to attentive to moving forward from our starting spot and getting ourselves in a good position for the race.”

When it comes to Michigan, Rohrbaugh can chalk the 100-lap race to a mini-superspeedway race where the draft is critical to making a pass and keeping his competition at bay.

“You race Michigan like a Daytona or Talladega,” he said. “The draft is crucial in a lot of ways. You need to use it to your advantage to make a pass – while also trying to keep your position and so on. It makes the racing exhilarating at times.

“We turned some heads with a third-place finish at Daytona and it sure would be nice to turn heads again as we get closer to the second half.”

For the sixth consecutive race, CR7 Motorsports and their partner Grant County Mulch has again given up their space this weekend race for Joshua Shirk.

The No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado has been designed with a western-theme scheme, personally selected by Shirk. The hood carries a special touch with Shirk displaying a message of his own that he wrote before the accident, “I am a child of God. He saves me. I talk to he.”

On May 17, 2020, eight-year-old Joshua Shirk was kayaking with family in rural West Virginia.

While on the water, the kayak capsized and Shirk became trapped under the water in debris.

When family was finally able to pull him to safety, the young boy had no pulse. Quick work by medical workers at a local hospital were able to revive him but he remained in critical condition.

Shirk was later transported to WVU hospital in Morganton, West Virginia where he has made vast improvements but still needs the love, prayer and support of many.

Over the last five weeks, Shirk has been able to come off a breathing machine and has started intense physical rehabilitations with a focus on working his muscles and standing up with assistance. His progress lately has been exceptional, as his muscles continue to strengthen.

With prayer, love and support working, Rohrbaugh hopes others will now pledge their support alongside his CR7 Motorsports team uniting strength in numbers and the power of prayer.

“Our mission continues to be really important to me,” said Rohrbaugh. “The prayers from everyone are working and I’m so happy that Joshua is making huge strides towards his recovery. I continue to plead when asking the NASCAR community to please support him by offering their thoughts and prayers to Josh and his family. It really means a lot to me.” After 10 races, Rohrbaugh is 22nd in the championship standings.

CR7 Motorsports will also field an entry in Sunday afternoon’s VizCom 200 ARCA Menards Series race at Michigan. Newcomer Jason Kitzmiller will drive the No. 97 Chevrolet and eyes his third career top-10 ARCA finish in just his sixth series start.

CR7 Motorsports has 21 NGOTS starts to their credit with a career-best finish of third at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (February 2020). Additionally, the team owns another top-10 finish at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in October 2019. An 11th place qualifying effort at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (Oct. 2019) is the team’s best time trials effort to date.

In 20 career ARCA starts, Rohrbaugh has a best finish of seventh twice at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (July 2018 and Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (February 2019). He has qualified a career-best fourth on four different occasions most recently at Kansas Speedway (Oct. 2018).

Marketing partnership(s) opportunities are available for the No. 97 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet and No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet for the 2020 ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series seasons and beyond. Interested inquiries are encouraged to contact at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 304.257.8783.

The Henry Ford Health System 200 (100 laps| 200 miles) is the 11th of 23 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series races on the 2020 schedule. The 38-truck field will take the green flag on Fri., Aug. 7, 2020 shortly after 6:00 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90). All times are local (Eastern).

CR7 Motorsports PR

Approaching the halfway point of the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series season, Austin Wayne Self and his AM Racing team seem to be hitting their stride in competition and head to Michigan International Speedway for Friday’s Henry Ford Health System 200 on the heels of a season-best 13^th place finish two weeks ago.

Self and crew chief Eddie Troconis will look to deliver their fifth straight top-20 or third top-15 effort in the last five races after delivering 17^th and 13^th place finishes in the series’ most recent doubleheader weekend at Kansas Speedway.

Showcasing speed in their No. 22 GO TEXAN | AM Technical Solutions Chevrolet, Self returns to the Irish Hills of Michigan hoping that the team continues to make gains for the final 13 races of the season.

“I feel very confident about the direction of our AM Racing team right now,” said Self who has climbed from 21^st to 17^th in the championship standings over the past month. “We had steadily made some gains at the race track – but over the last three races, we seem to have found something that is working.

“Not having any practice or qualifying is really tough – especially for a small team like us, but after the last few races I feel like we can go to Michigan this weekend and fight for our first top-10 finish of the year.”

Statistically, the two-mile oval of Michigan has been incredibly kind to the Austin, Tex. native, including last August when Self earned a top-five finish after starting 23^rd.

Knowing that practice and qualifying won’t be in play for Friday’s race, Self hopes that his team can utilize the notes from last year as a starting point to launch with speed and finesse.

“The race at Michigan last year was crazy,” recalled Self. “There was a lot of drafting and blocking, but we had a fast truck. That was helpful. I really feel like that if things can go our way – we can repeat our effort.”  

In four prior Michigan Truck Series starts, Self has never finished worse than 16^th and carries an average finish of 11.8 from 2016 to 2019.

He also has two prior starts in the ARCA Menards Series with a third-place result in 2015 and two top-10 finishes overall.

“Michigan is a fun place to race because there’s a lot of room,” Self said. “Restarts are so important because it’s an opportunity to make up ground – but if you can work the draft to your advantage too, it opens the door to pass too.

“Last year’s race was almost like a crapshoot too. If that happens again this year, it could open the door to steal a win and make it into the Playoffs. That would be so big for this team. We’ll just go to the track and fight hard like we always do.”

Don’t mess with Texas, CForce Bottling Company, Flying Circle, Kreuz Market and Prasek’s will serve as associate partners in the 11^th race of the year.

In 94 NGROTS races, the 2014 ARCA Menards Series Rookie of the Year has two top-fives (second at Daytona 2017, fifth at Michigan 2019) and seven top-10 finishes. The Texan maintains an average finish of 18.4 during his five years of competition.

The Austin, Texas native is nestled 17^th in the championship standings with 13 races remaining.

For more on Austin Wayne Self, please visit awsracing.com, like his Facebook page (Austin Wayne Self) or follow him on Twitter @AustinWSelf.

For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing) or follow them on Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR. 

Show your GO TEXAN pride: find Texas products, restaurants or enroll your business in GO TEXAN.

For more information on Don’t mess with Texas and how you can become involved in the program, visit dontmesswithtexas.org. 

For more on Flying Circle, please visit flyingcirclegear.com, like them on Facebook (FlyingCircleGear) and follow them on Instagram (@flyingcirclegear) and Twitter (@flyingcircle_). Also, connect with Flying Circle on Pinterest and YouTube.

Visit JB Henderson Construction online at jbhenderson.com.

For additional information on CForce premium artesian water, please visit cforce.com.

For more on Kreuz Market, please visit kreuzmarket.com. like them on Facebook (KreuzMarketLockhart) and follow them on Twitter (@kreuzmarket).

To learn more about Prasek’s and what they offer, please visit praseks.com.

The Henry Ford Health System 200 (100 laps| 200 miles) is the 11^th of 23 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series races on the 2020 schedule. The 38-truck field will take the green flag on Fri., Aug. 7, 2020 shortly after 6:00 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90). All times are local (Eastern).

AM Racing PR