Christian Rose Rides ARCA Momentum To Thunder Valley

Things are looking up for ARCA Menards Series rookie Christian Rose and his Cook Racing Technologies (CRT) team.

On the heels of their solid top-15 performance at The Milwaukee (Misc.) Mile late last month, the duo headed to Kansas Speedway this past weekend hunting a top-10 finish.

Mission accomplished.

Rose delivered one of his best performances of the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season behind the wheel of his No. 42 West Virginia Department of Tourism | #AlmostHeaven Toyota Camry.

Building on a solid practice session, Rose qualified inside the top-10 in ninth and throughout the race steadily progressed forward and took advantage of a well-balanced racecar to stay inside the top-10 for a majority of the Kansas Lottery 150.

Rose survived a green-white-checkered finish to earn a career-best ARCA Menards Series finish of seventh in a race that featured overtime and ran five laps over his posted race distance.

Feeling upbeat about his progress, Rose and his Mooresville, N.C.-based team invade Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway hoping for another solid finish in Thursday night’s Bush’s Beans 200.

“I am extremely proud of everyone on this Cook Racing Technologies team,” said Rose. “The team brought me a fast No. 42 West Virginia Department of Tourism | #AlmostHeaven Toyota Camry and we were able to capitalize on that speed throughout the race and earned a satisfying finish.

“We have three races left on our 2022 ARCA schedule and I’m hopeful that we will be able to build on those performances and end the year on an extremely high note.”

During his ARCA Menards Series rookie campaign, Rose has been able to experience all types of venues. From the short track of New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway to the nostalgic Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Nashville (Tenn.) Fairgrounds Speedway, Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and so on – but his debut from “Thunder Valley” may be one of his biggest challenges yet.

“I know Bristol is going to be tough. Even though it is a short track, I’ve heard a lot about it and really have tried to do my due diligence to chat with other drivers trying to get any type of advice I can ahead of practice on Thursday afternoon.

“It’s a monster of a place, but I believe it’s a track that we can conquer with a positive attitude.

“Of course, my team owner Bruce (Cook) has a lot of experience there too, so leaning on him will be extremely valuable. I just want to have a good clean run with our No. 42 West Virginia Department of Tourism | #AlmostHeaven Toyota Camry and see if we can deliver everyone another top-10 run.”

Rose understands earning a top-10 finish will be no easy task this week. Thursday night’s 200-lap anticipated slugfest is a combination race for the premier ARCA Menards Series and its regional ARCA Menards Series East division.

The clash of two series on one race track has delivered a stout entry list.

Knowing the competition will be strong, Rose plans to use patience and a little luck to make his ARCA debut at the “World’s Fastest-Half Mile” memorable.

“I know earning a second straight top-10 finish is not going to be easy, but we’re going to do everything we can to put ourselves there at the end of the race on Thursday night.

“It’s important to just keep our nose clean and not take any unnecessary risk that could wipe us out from the event early and dampen our efforts. If the top-10 isn’t in the cards, then taking the checkered flag is still a huge goal for me.

“If we can do that, we can get ready for Toledo in October and our finale at Phoenix Raceway a month later. I’m just appreciative to everyone at West Virginia Department of Tourism and my Cook Racing Technologies for standing behind me and getting us to the race track.”

This season, Rose who will compete in all three of ARCA’s national platforms, the ARCA Menards Series, the ARCA Menards Series East and the ARCA Menards Series West will continue to strengthen a relationship with the West Virginia Department of Tourism.

The West Virginia Department of Tourism promotes West Virginia as a leading four-season travel destination and a top state to live, work and retire.

Known as the Mountain State, West Virginia is one of the most scenic states in the United States and home to thousands of acres of parks and public lands, including America’s newest national park and 45 state parks and forests.

In addition to its majestic mountains and rolling hills, West Virginia is full of rich historic sites, enchanting art galleries, charming towns and an immense sense of belonging found only in its heaven-like landscapes.

In West Virginia, let country roads lead you far away from everything. And a little closer to heaven.

“My relationship with the West Virginia Department of Tourism is everything to me,” added Rose.

“Without them, I would not be able to race at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is my goal throughout the year to spread the mission of everything the West Virginia Department of Tourism means.

“It goes without saying that we have had a lot of speed with our West Virginia Department of Tourism race cars this year and I’m hopeful we can climb that ladder of consistency into this fall stretch.

“We are seeing a great amount of response from the fans about their experience in West Virginia and that’s part of why we are building this program. On the heels of some appearances in West Virginia over the last month, it’s been wonderful to receive all the positive feedback about our West Virginia

Department of Tourism Racing program.

“I promise you; we are just getting started!”

Following Bristol Motor Speedway, Rose and CRT plan to compete in the premier ARCA Menards Series Shore Lunch 200 season finale at Toledo Speedway on Sat., Oct. 8.

For more on Christian Rose, please like him on Facebook (Christian Rose Racing) or follow him on Instagram (@christianroseracing) and Twitter (@CRoseRacing).

The Bush’s Beans 200 (200 laps | 106.6 miles) is the 18th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Thursday, September 15, 2022, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. A timed General Tire pole session kicks off at 3:30 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire festivities. All times are local (ET).

Christian Rose PR