Ryan Fischer Earns Career Best Finish And Starting Spot at Kentucky Speedway

Topics:  Ryan Fischer, Drive Smart! Buckle Up Kentucky 150

Nic Moncher
Ryan Fischer Motorsports
May 13, 2008

Date: Saturday, May 10, 2008
Event: Drive Smart! Buckle Up Kentucky 150
Track: Kentucky Speedway
Qualifying Position: 5th, 30.508 Sec., 177.003 MPH
Practice Speed: 4th Fastest, 30.407 Sec., 177.591 MPH
Finishing Position: 3rd

SPARTA, Kentucky (May 13, 2008) – Venturini Motorsports was eager to get Ryan Fischer back behind the wheel of one of their cars after his last outing at Kansas Speedway. Fischer at the time earned his career best finish of 10th place, as well as a best 12th place qualifying effort.

Fischer had never seen the mile and half Kentucky Speedway oval before Saturday, but was determined to back up his previous career best finish at Kansas Speedway. Fischer brought his No. 25 TufTruck Direct Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet home a career best third place after qualifying fifth, also a career best.

Just one month prior to the Drive Smart! Buckle Up Kentucky 150, Fischer and his No. 25 Venturini Motorsports team found themselves at Kentucky Speedway for an ARCA sanctioned test. This would have been Fischer’s first time around the famed speedway, but water weeping out from the track canceled the test.

The Venturini Motorsports team arrived Thursday afternoon to unload the car before the weekends festivities began. Friday saw the team going through technical inspection as well going over final preparations before the busy event day Saturday.

The teams arrived back at the track early Saturday morning for a one day show. The first and only practice session was held first thing and the TufTruck Direct Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet posted the fourth quickest practice time at 30.407 seconds or 177.591 mph. Later that afternoon, Fischer qualified the No. 25 car at 30.508 seconds, 177.003 mph, to earn his career best starting position of fifth.

As the day started to draw to an end, and darkness surrounded the race track, Fischer and 40 other ARCA RE/MAX Series drivers took the green flag for the anticipated 100 lap shootout.

Fischer started the race off strong, maintaining initial track position, and finding the right groove for the No. 25. Shortly after the green flag fell, Fischer was forced up the track by another car where he became loose and spun the car sideways.

He quickly got his TufTruck Direct Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet under control, and took it to the pits for four fresh Hoosier tires. The crew had a fast pit stop and got Fischer back on the track. Once the green flag flew again, Fischer was off, maneuvering his way back to the front.

A quarter of the way through the race, veteran crew chief Billy Venturini used a caution for a chance to pit the car for tires and fuel. Fischer found himself set on fuel for the remainder of the race. Once again Fischer found himself towards the back of the field, but managed to work his way back up to the front.

A caution with less than 10 laps to go, found the No. 25 TufTruck Direct Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet in the seventh position. The determination of Fischer never failed, as he worked his way up to third place.

A string of late cautions and numerous green white checker circumstances found the race going 12 laps over the scheduled distance and most of the field running on fumes. When the race finally ended on lap 112, Fischer and his Venturini Motorsports crew found themselves third, giving Fischer another weekend where he earned his career best finish, along with his first top-five finish in only five RE/MAX Series starts.

“We had a great car all night, and I felt we really one of the fastest cars. I got moved up the track early and spun out, that was my fault and I take responsibility for it, but I had the determination to get back up where we belonged,” Fischer commented after the race. “I want to thank Billy Venturini and the whole Venturini Motorsports team for giving me such a stellar car. We had awesome pit stops all night, and the car was really dialed in. I also want to thank TufTruck Direct for sponsoring us, as well as CJM Racing.”

Crew Chief Billy Venturini’s comments following the Drive Smart! Buckle Up Kentucky 150, “The Venturini Motorsports team as well as Ryan Fischer did a phenomenal job today. Ryan drove his heart out, and showed how mature and calm he can be in a race car after he spun early on and took full blame. But he also kept the team calm and reassured everyone we would make it up. I am pleased that we (Venturini Motorsports) could give Ryan his first top-10 in Kansas , and now his first top-five here at Kentucky Speedway. Ryan truly has talent and will be a force to reckon with down the road. I am excited for Toledo where we can showcase his short track skills.”

Next up for the ARCA RE/MAX Series is a stop in the sanction’s backyard at Toledo Speedway for the running of the Hantz Group 200 by Federated Car Care set for Sunday, May 18. The first of two trips this year to the half-mile oval concludes a stretch of six consecutive races for the series 21-race schedule. The green flag is scheduled to waive shortly after 2:00pm EST.

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Nic Moncher
Ryan Fischer Motorsports
419-271-2623
Nicdmoncher@lycos.com