Maryeve Dufault Returns To ARCA Competition Vowing To Prove

Topics:  Maryeve Dufault, Kansas Lottery 98.9

Chris Knight
Knight Motorsports Management/Tony Marks Racing
October 5, 2011

KANSAS CITY, Kansas (October 5, 2011) - - Maryeve Dufault, driver of the No. 12 Race Engines Plus / Dodge Motorsports / Tony Marks Racing Dodge Charger will make her first ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards start in nearly two months when the green flag waives for Friday night’s Kansas Lottery 98.9 at Kansas Speedway.

Dufault, the Sorel, Quebec Canada native last competed at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in the Pennsylvania ARCA 125 where she bolted from her 27th place starting position to finish a commendable 13th earning her the Hard Charger Award. Dufault returns to the cockpit for the final two races at Kansas Speedway and Toledo Speedway respectively where she intends to provide her team with another finish inside the top-10.

And if there is a track that offers the most probable circumstance for that goal to become a reality, Kansas Speedway might just be the place. Carrying a similar outline to Chicagoland Speedway, the site of Dufault’s 10th place finish in June, the Tony Marks Racing (TMR) skips to the “Land of Oz” hoping to deliver their second straight top-10 finish on Friday night.

“I’m ready for Kansas,” said Dufault, who has since made her NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. “We had a good thing going at Pocono and despite the break in-between, I am really excited about climbing back behind the wheel of our No. 12 Race Engines Plus / Dodge Motorsports / Tony Marks Racing Dodge Charger and fight towards another top-10 finish.”

“We’re bringing fast racecars to the track,” Dufault said. “As a team, we skipped the dirt races all together and Jared did a great job at Madison and Salem. Both of us tested this past weekend at Toledo Speedway to prepare for the season finale and I feel like we’re both are going to have really strong racecars. We’re all looking forward to the remaining two races and beyond.”

As far as Kansas Speedway is concerned, it will be business as usual when she puts on her helmet and takes to the mile-and-a-half-track for the first time in her ARCA career.

Dufault, in her off time has also packed her belongings and made the long trek from California to North Carolina where she now calls “home” in an effort to be closer to her team and marketing partners.

“I’m enjoying living in North Carolina,” Dufault sounded. “It’s a lot different than California, but I like the change. I’m able to spend a lot of time at the shop and hang with my team and racing friends even more now that I’m here near them. It’s been another step in the right direction.”

“Ryan (Chism, crew chief) and the entire team have been working hard on the car for the past couple of weeks. It looks sweet. It’s a one-day show at a big track and a quick turn-around between qualifying and the race, so keeping ourselves on our agenda will be critical to having a good night. For me, I have to use patience, not get anxious and stay focused. Hopefully when it’s all said and done, we can find ourselves in the same scenario as we did at Chicagoland.”

Tony Marks, a former racer and Ohio entrepreneur offered his thoughts on Friday night’s stakes. “Everyone at TMR is looking forward to having Maryeve back in her seat again this week,” Marks offered. “We have our cars ready to go and the team is still riding high from our finish at Salem Speedway. There isn’t a question in my mind that with a little bit of luck and some patience too, Maryeve can keep the team headed in the right direction on Friday night.”

In addition to Race Engines Plus and Dodge Motorsports, Dufault will carry the signage of Cool Off Icy Towelettes, Terry Henricks Chrysler / Dodge / Jeep / Ram and the University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) as associate marketing partners for the team’s inaugural debut at Kansas Speedway.

TMR development driver Jared Marks after finishing a career-best fifth at Salem (Ind.) Speedway last month will be on-hand at Kansas Speedway but due to ARCA’s age restrictions will be unable to participate in Friday night’s shootout. Instead, Marks will return to form in a second TMR entry at Toledo Speedway on Sunday, October 16.

The Kansas Lottery 98.9 (99 laps / 148.5 miles) is the 18th of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 11th ARCA event held at Kansas Speedway is a one-day show. Practice begins Friday, October 7 with a two hour and 15 minute practice session planned from 9:00 a.m. -11:15 a.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin later in the day at 5:35 p.m. The field will take the green flag approximately two hours later at 7:30 p.m. The event will be televised live on SPEED with additional race coverage including live timing and scoring throughout the 1,330th race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards since it was formed in 1953 will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com presented by ARCANation.com. All times are local.

To learn more about Tony Marks Racing, please click over to Tmr-racing.com

For more on Maryeve Dufault, please log onto Maryeveracing.com

For additional information on TMT, Inc. please visit; tmtcompanies.net.

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TEAM COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT:
NAME: Chris Knight, Knight Motorsports Management
PHONE: 239.834.9797
EMAIL: chris@chrisknightpr.com