BCR Looking Forward To ARCA Season Opener

Topics:  J.R. Heffner, Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200

Chris Knight
BCR Racing
January 19, 2009

MOORESVILLE, North Carolina (January 19, 2009) - - After a positive test at Daytona International Speedway last month, BCR Racing and driver JR. Heffner look to return to the “World Center of Racing” in less than a month and cap off their successful test with a strong run in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona.

After spending his 2008 season between dirt and asphalt, Heffner made a commitment to make the next step in his career by dropping the dirt and focusing his transition to stock cars. The move seems to be paying off.

BCR approached the weekend optimistic but it didn’t take long for the new team to show their true colors. On Saturday morning, BCR climbed into the second position during the non-drafting session after posting a time of at 49.751 seconds at 180.901 miles per hour. In the draft maneuvers Sunday afternoon, the team continued their top-10 ways after netting a time of 49.934 seconds or 180.238 miles per hour, landing them ninth on the rundown.

“We had a great car, we were consistently in the top ten,” said Heffner, who will run in the ARCA RE/MAX Series this season. “We spent all day Friday at the test to get our car handling well by ourselves and in the draft. This is the best I have ever felt here at Daytona. I’m honored to be signed with BCR Racing and Howard Bixman for 2009. It’s a real confidence booster to have a coach like him in my corner who has worked with some of NASCAR’s top drivers. Bixman will crew chief and coach the entire BCR race team in 2009. We’re looking at a pretty stout field this year, so it’s important for us to stay on top and keep making this car better,” Heffner replied.

Crew chief Howard Bixman was equally pleased with the Daytona-test run and is looking forward to returning to the 2.5-mile superspeedway and leaving their mark. “I’m proud of J.R. and the entire BCR Racing team,” sounded Bixman, who also is an ARCA RE/MAX Series veteran.

“J.R. has been to Daytona before, but we’re working on getting him more comfortable with the track and this car,” added Bixman. “We spent the weekend adjusting the car heavily and we’re not done yet. We’ve been working hard in the past few weeks to acquire some more speed as we head back to Daytona for Speedweeks. J.R. is a champion on the dirt and he’ll be a contender when we go back.”

Heffner has two prior starts at Daytona International Speedway with a career best run of 16th last year, but the 2008 Modified Champion is looking for his first restrictor plate top-10 run next month.

“Restrictor plate racing is a lot of fun, but it can be nerve-racking too,” explained Heffner. “You never know what you can expect. One minute you can be near the top and the next you could be losing the draft. We’re preparing for both of those scenarios for the race next month. We’re looking to start our year off strong and make our sponsors and everyone affiliated with our team proud.”

For Daytona, BCR Racing welcomes Park East Sales, LLC., and A. Colarusso & Son Inc., as their primary marketing partners. Turner Auto Repair, Q Racing Oil, L. Browe Asphalt, Bilstein Shocks, Fiacco Trucking, Claverack Service Center, Millers Automotive, Fuller O’Brien Insurance, Fords Transmission, Americano Beach Resort, Goodermote Excavation, East Coast Drilling & Blasting, Advance Auto Parts, RAO Contracting, John Ray & Sons, Magri’s Autobody, Ken and Dee Schroder, Mike and Marie Heffner, Disposal Express, Gorman Brothers, Williams and Kingsley Auto Repair and Tymark serve as the team’s associate marketing partners on the No. 74 automobile for the Super Bowl event for the ARCA RE/MAX Series.

BCR Racing plans to run a minimum of eight ARCA RE/MAX Series races in 2009. The team will begin their tenure at Daytona International Speedway followed by attempts at Rockingham Speedway, Pocono Raceway , Michigan International Speedway , Pocono Raceway , Kentucky Speedway , Chicagoland Speedway and Kansas Speedway.

For more on J.R. Heffner, please visit the newly re-launched JRHeffner.com.

CONTACT:

Jennifer Tobin / BCR Racing
E: jennifer@jrheffner.com
M: 413.841.6533