Career Day Seized For Stott Classic Racing; Billy Tanner At The Milwaukee Mile

Topics:  Billy Tanner, Governor’s Cup 200

Chris Knight
Stott Classic Racing
August 29, 2007

WEST ALLIS, Wisconsin (August 29, 2007) - - Billy Tanner’s bid to score a top-10 finish came up 62 laps short at The Milwaukee Mile Sunday afternoon as the Stott Classic Racing (SCR) team lost a motor during the Governor’s Cup 200.

In an event that was surrounded by hype for the Stott Classic Racing team; the team looked stout on Saturday which easily would have awarded the team with their best finish of the season. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be.

Leaning towards practice, Tanner was looking forward to getting himself comfortable around the track nicknamed “The Magic Mile.” During the one hour and fifteen minute session, Tanner produced the 31st effort with a time of 32.970 seconds at 109.190 MPH.

“We’re tight. I can’t get through the corners like I want. We made some adjustments from practice and we’ll see where we end up. I have to give a lot of credit to my guys on the Stott Classic Racing team, they never give up! This is a big race for us tomorrow and I think with a little luck we can produce the same type of run we did last weekend at Springfield .”

Earlier in the day, the Stott Classic Racing team drew the sixth position for ARCA SIM Factory pole qualifying giving the team an optimistic approach to time trials.

“With the cooler conditions, I’m not sure if the early draw will help us or hurt us,” said Tanner. “Corrie (Stott, crew chief) made some great calls to the car following practice, so I’m looking forward to seeing what we put together.

During his two-lap session around The Milwaukee Mile, Tanner posted a lap of 32.099 seconds at 112.153 MPH, picking up eight-tenths of a second from practice.

“The car is pretty solid. It wasn’t the run that we had hoped for, but we’re in the show and that’s the big picture. We’ll be fine during the race. We always race better than we qualify, so I’m looking forward to the race.”

At the start of the Governor’s Cup 200, Tanner stayed mellow. Hovering in the top-25 when the first caution flag waived on lap nine, Tanner reported the car was pretty good, still a little tight but drivable.

Throughout the first 50 circuits, Tanner would quietly begin working towards the front. Still battling a tight condition on the No. 07 CheapCaribean.com Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Tanner found the extra strength to dig deep and give 150 percent.

The team opted to make a pit stop nearing lap 90, Tanner would bring his machine to the attention of his Stott Classic Racing team where they changed four tires, added Sunoco Racing fuel, while also making a chassis adjustment to loosen up Tanner’s Chevrolet.

On the restart, Tanner surged towards the mid-pack setting his sights on the top-10. Turning times competitive enough to run in the top-10, Tanner’s continued to inch forward. By lap 130, Tanner had locked the 14th position.

Just four laps later, smoke began billowing from Tanner’s No. 07 Chevrolet forcing the Pennsylvania driver to take his automobile to the garage and exit the event early.

“We had a good car, once again,” said Tanner who finished 29th. “Corrie made some great calls before the race and again during the race and it paid off. We were moving towards the top-10 and the motor let go. There was no warning, I just came down the front stretch and off she went. It’s disappointing really. Ramo Stott (father of crew chief and car owner Corrie Stott) was the Grand Marshall for the race and we had planned to give him a good run, I guess it just wasn’t our day.”

Tanner added, “If there’s any good news leaving Milwaukee is that we have a race intact and ready to go to Gateway. I’m excited about the opportunity to go there. We’re in desperate need of a good run. We’ve been so close, but just been struck with a lot of bad luck. Hopefully we’ll shine under the lights at Gateway on Friday night.”

Next up for the ARCA RE/MAX Series is a stop at Gateway International Raceway, a track that oversees the famed Gateway Arch. The Gateway ARCA 150 is a one-day show with practice and qualifying setting the field for the 18th event of the 2007 season. The green flag is scheduled to waive at 8:00pm Local Time with live coverage on SPEED.

For more on Classic Stott Racing and driver Billy Tanner please visit StottClassicRacing.com

About CheapCaribbean.com and COMM Group:

CheapCaribbean.com is owned by COMM Group, Inc (Customer Oriented Marketing and Management Group) which provides wholesale and direct to consumer distribution of vacation packages, resort reservations, and cruises worldwide to Bermuda, the Caribbean, and Mexico , servicing over 250,000 passengers per year.

About Billy Tanner:

A fourth generation driver, Billy Tanner IV, 25, hails from Newtown , PA. A veteran dirt specialist, Tanner won several events in 2006 including at Bridgeport and on his home track of New Egypt Speedway in New Egypt, New Jersey . Tanner finished last year sixth in the Race of Champions (ROC) North series, seventh in ROC South, seventh in ROC combined, seventh at New Egypt Speedway, and eighth at Bridgeport . Tanner will run more than a dozen ARCA races in 2007 in hopes of a full season campaign in 2008.

About Stott Classic Racing:

Stott Classic Racing has over 50 years of racing heritage and success. Started in 1955, Ramo Stott was an ARCA champ in 1970 and 1971 along with USAC champ in 1975. His sons Corrie and Lance carried on the tradition, with Corrie having 20 years of NASCAR experience. Successfully starting and operating various NASCAR teams, Corrie was a Crew member for Jeff Gordon and Terry Labonte and Crew Chief for Sterling Marlin and Jimmy Spencer. Corrie has spent the past 12 years in management positions with Hendrick Motorsports, SABCO, and PPI Motorsports.

MEDIA CONTACT

NAME: Chris Knight, Stott Classic Racing
PHONE: 239.834.9797
EMAIL: knight849@aol.com