Jake Crum and Venturini Motorsports Earn First Top-10 in Hard Fought Fashion at Mansfield |
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Topics: Jake Crum, Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA RE/MAX 200
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Nic Moncher
Venturini Motorsports
June 20, 2009
Date: Saturday, June 20, 2009
Event: Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA RE/MAX 200
Track: Mansfield Motorsports Park
Practice Speed: 4th, 16.571 sec, 108.624 MPH
Qualifying Position: 4th, 16.488 sec, 109.170 MPH
Finishing Position: 6th
Jake Crum and Venturini Motorsports Earn First Top-10 in Hard Fought Fashion at Mansfield
MANSFIELD, OH (6/20/09) – Venturini Motorsports Development Driver Jake Crum in his first ever ARCA RE/MAX Series start, proved he belongs in the ultra-competitive series by finishing sixth in a hard fought battle. Crum, the 2008 UARA Stars Champion, piloted the No. 25 Cool It Thermo Tec Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet in Saturday night’s shootout.
“Venturini Motorsports is a top-notch organization, and going into this weekend’s race I knew we had the car to beat,” commented Jake Crum. “Every week they unload at the top of the board and are up there throughout the race, I knew it would be up to the driver to get the job done.”
The No. 25 Cool It Thermo Tec Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS team arrived Saturday morning in preparation for the series first visit to Mansfield Motorsports Park.
As the one and only practice session began, Crum and his crew immediately found themselves going towards the top of the board. Crew Chief Billy Venturini had Crum spend the first laps getting acclimated to the bigger, heavier ARCA cars. Crum showed no learning curve, laying down laps better than many series regulars.
“Jake (Crum) adapted almost instantly to the ARCA cars, and really started to show his true skill,” commented Crew Chief Billy Venturini. “For this being his first ARCA race, he went out in practice and looked like a veteran and laid down laps good enough to be right there at the top.”
As practice for the Tim Richmond Memorial 200 came to a close, the Venturini Motorsports team found themselves fourth on the speed boards, with a lap of 16.571 seconds, at 108.624 MPH. Crum was now set for the afternoons Menards Pole presented by Ansell Qualifying, where he would lay down a lap of 16.488 seconds, at 109.170 MPH, placing him in the fourth position.
“We had a great practice session, and my Venturini Motorsports crew did a phenomenal job,” commented an ecstatic Crum. “I learned a lot in that hour and half session, and Billy got the car tuned in perfect. We finished up (practice) with a rocket ship, and our qualifying run is a testament to how well this car drove.”
As the roar of the ARCA Lincoln Welders trucks passed and the sun began to set above Northwestern Ohio, Crum and 32of his fellow ARCA RE/MAX Series competitors took the green flag, in what was to be an eventful racing night.
Crum quickly took to the track, laying down lap times faster than the leader, while trying to mind his fenders and competitors. On lap twelve, a slower car came up the track into Crum, resulting in both cars spinning, and the No. 25 sustaining rear body damage. Veteran Crew Chief Billy Venturini would bring Crum in for what would be the first of a multiple pit stop night. The crew quickly fixed the damage and gave Crum two fresh Hoosier Tires and packed him full of Sunoco racing fuel.
Crum would restart 26th as racing action once again heated up at the bullring, but he did not stay there long. Passing cars high and low, a determined Crum made his way all the way into the Top 10, laying down the fastest laps on the track. While battling for eight place, a lap down car spun in front, causing everyone to check up, resulting in the No. 25 gaining slight nose damage. The team once again brought the car down pit road, fixed the damage and sent Crum back on his way.
Crum would once again have to restart in the back, but as before did not stay there for long. He once again dropped the hammer and made his way through traffic back into the Top 10, where he started his battle at the leader again. Misfortune would once again plague Crum, passing for the sixth going into turn one; the right front tire blew out. Crum quickly saved the car and took it straight to pit road for four fresh Hoosier tires. The Venturini Motorsports crew laid down a lightning fast 14-second pit stop, keeping Crum on the lead lap. He would however have to restart in the back for pitting before pit road was open.
As the race neared closer and closer to conclusion, Crum and his Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet found themselves once again in the Top 10, banging and beating his way through traffic, with the fastest lap times on track. During a lat race restart, Crum believed he had run over wrecked debris and had both left tires going flat. In a quick witted decision Billy Venturini brought the car down pit road to eliminate any risk of two flat tires. Crum was stuck restarting one final time from the back with only a handful of laps remaining.
Once the green flag dropped, Crum in his No. 25 Cool It Thermo Tec Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS took off, passing, multiple cars each lap on his mad dash back to the front. Just as he broke back into the Top 10, a late race caution waved, causing a green white-checkered situation. Once the race restarted for the final time, Crum gave it everything he had in his pursuit towards the front.
The checkered flag waved over the field and Jake Crum in his first ARCA RE/MAX Series start, coming from the back five times, brought home his No. 25 Cool It Thermo Tech Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS home in an impressive sixth place finish, earning his career first Top 10.
“My Venturini Motorsports crew did such an amazing job today, they deserve a reward. Our car was crazy fast and handled amazing, even after all of the beating and banging. Billy did a great job on the box and provided me one of the best driving racecars I have ever had. I learned a lot from today and I can’t wait to do this again, it was an honor to race for the Venturini’s and to be part of their Driver Development Program. I want to thank them (Venturini Motorsports) as well as Cool It Thermo Tec, my parents and all of my fans for supporting me.” Commented Crum after the conclusion of the Tim Richmond Memorial 200.
“Jake Crum proved why he belongs in the ARCA RE/MAX Series tonight. He drove his tail off and came from the back five times, which is unheard of in short track racing. I am very proud of him and my whole Venturini Motorsports crew tonight. We all worked hard all weekend, and to see the culmination end in a truly hard fought sixth place finish with a first time driver is worth every bit of it. Jake is very talented and I can’t wait to work with him again.” Said a truly ecstatic Billy Venturini.
Make sure to catch the Venturini Motorsports Power Hour exclusively on www.RaceFanRadio.com this Thursday at 9:00PM EST. This weeks special guests include Jake Crum, Billy Venturini and SPEED TV personality Wendy Venturini.
Please be sure to visit our sponsor at www.thermotec.com
For more information on Venturini Motorsports please visit www.venturinimotorsports.com
For more information on Jake Crum please visit www.jakecrumracing.com
MEDIA CONTACT
Nic Moncher
Venturini Motorsports
Nic@venturinimotorsports.com