Bryan Silas Returns To USAR Campaign At Lakeland

Topics:  Bryan Silas, Sears Auto Centers 200

Chris Knight
Fast Track Racing
March 11, 2008

LAKELAND, Florida (March 11, 2008) - - A heavy break from ARCA RE/MAX Series competition gives Stuart, Florida native Bryan Silas a chance to return to the United Speed Alliance Racing (USAR) Hooter’s Pro Cup Series in time for the sanction’s season opener at USA International Speedway (Lakeland) on Saturday, March 15.

Silas, looking to make his fifth career USAR start is thrilled about the opportunity to return to the series which is best known for its exciting and breathtaking short track action.

Luckily for the 20-year old driver, Saturday’s event won’t be the first trip to the delicate short track. Silas has conquered many laps at the Central Florida facility. Last year, Silas made his USAR debut at Lakeland and followed it up with a top-10 finish in the ARCA RE/MAX Series Construct Corps-PBG 250 last March.

Silas is ready for a second chance at Lakeland in USAR competition. Silas will be one of the first to tell you his chances of notching his first top-10 finish in USAR competition looks strong.

“I’m just happy to be back in the USAR Hooter’s Pro Cup Series,” Silas noted. “I can hop in a car and go out there without some of the pressure I would feel in the ARCA RE/MAX or NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Everyone is so laid-back and that really allows me to focus on the job at hand.”

Silas also expressed his enthusiasm of teaming up with WJ Plemmons Motorsports for Lakeland .

“The strength that WJ Plemmons Motorsports and car owner Bill Plemmons has shown in the past will easily show in our on track activity this season. We know that when an opportunity arises to compete in the USAR Hooter’s Pro Cup Series, we’ll be here,” Silas remarked.

Returning to USA International Speedway for the third time in his racing career, Silas knows that patience is critical but timing is everything.

“I really enjoy Lakeland ,” noted Silas, who will spend the 2008 season running in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and USAR Hooter’s Pro Cup Series. “It’s a track where finesse is everything. While horsepower isn’t as crucial, handling is critical. I learned that in both races last year. If we can get our No. 17 Ford Fusion to handle well and keep our nose clean it should be a very good night for our organization.”

Another reason why Silas is confident heading into the first USAR event of the season can be contributed to one word, veterans.

Dave McClure, who oversaw Silas’s ARCA RE/MAX Series program in 2007 will call the shots Saturday night while Fast Track Racing and new Rockingham Speedway owner Andy Hillenburg will serve as Silas’s spotter this weekend.

“I can tell you that having people around who’ve been in this sport as long as Dave and Andy have is a real benefit for me as a driver,” Silas explained. “We would not be returning to the series if we did not feel that we had a strong chance of running up front and being in contention. I feel that we’ve taken all the appropriate measures to step up our Hooter’s program even further and I’m sure that will show when we unload this weekend.”

Palm Beach Grading (PBG) and Rockingham Speedway will hold share title sponsorship of Silas’s Ford Fusion in the Sears Auto Centers 200 presented by All Pro U-Pull-It.

WJ Plemmons Motorsports will announce their remaining USAR Hooter's Pro Cup Schedule with Bryan Silas following USA International Speedway.

Exiting Lakeland , Silas will refocus on his ARCA RE/MAX Series (No. 11 Nortrax-Shell Rotella T Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS) program with an open-test at Rockingham Speedway on March 21-22 before sailing ahead to the series second event of the season at Salem Speedway for the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 presented by Federated Auto Parts on Sunday April 13, 2008.

The Sears Auto Centers 200 presented by All Pro U-Pull-It is the first of eight events on the 2008 USAR Hooter’s Pro Cup South Division schedule. Practice begins Friday, March 14 from 5:30-7:00pm. A second round of practice has been etched in for Saturday, March 15 from 10:30am-12:30pm. Qualifying is slated to begin at 4:30pm. The green flag is scheduled to fly shortly after 7:30pm. All times are local. USARprocup.com will provide live timing and scoring for this weekend’s festivities.

For more on Bryan Silas please visit, BryanSilasRacing.com.
Visit Rockingham Speedway on the web at, Rockinghamracewaypark.com.