ARCA Pioneer Andy Hillenburg Prepared To Come Out Of Retirement For Protégé Bryan Silas

Topics:  Andy Hillenburg, Bryan Silas

Chris Knight
Fast Track Racing
July 1, 2010

CONCORD, North Carolina (July 1, 2010) - - Andy Hillenburg, owner of Fast Track Racing (FTR) and Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway promoter, is preparing himself to possibly come out of retirement and take the reins of the No. 11 Rockingham Speedway / Palm Beach Grading Ford Fusion in next weekend’s Prairie Meadows 200 events at Iowa Speedway.

Stuart, Florida native Bryan Silas, a four year ARCA veteran driver and wife Misty Silas are expecting the birth of their first child any day now and with the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards tour set to resume action next weekend, the team is taking preliminary precautions to ensure a smooth transition should Silas need to depart the .875-mile paved oval and race back to the Sunshine State.

The move to possibly put the 1995 ARCA Racing Series champion behind the wheel of the No. 11 blue oval has been well received among the Fast Track Racing brigade.

“Obviously, I am hoping that everything will work out and that Bryan will be able to compete in the race and witness the birth of his first child,” sounded Hillenburg. “However, we need to be realistic and know that Misty could deliver at any time. For Bryan and Billy (Silas, father and owner of Palm Beach Grading) to come to me and tell me that they want me to drive really means a lot. We’ll be prepared for whatever circumstance may fall into our hands but next weekend is bound to have some excitement nonetheless.”

Hillenburg, an Indianapolis, Indiana native has competed in all three of NASCAR sanctioning bodies (NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series) which included a start in the 1998 Daytona 500. He completed his racing “bucket list” with a start in the IZOD IndyCar Series in the prestigious Indianapolis 500 in 2000. The long-time racing icon has 60 ARCA Racing Series starts to his resume including three wins with two occurring in the season-opening events at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in 1995 and 1997.

It wasn’t a hard decision for Silas, who currently ranks 12th in the ARCA Racing Series championship standings entering the ninth race of the season next Saturday night as he calls Hillenburg, his mentor, “the perfect choice.”

“I really don’t think I would want to have anyone else behind the wheel of my race car other than Andy (Hillenburg), said the 23-year old Silas. “He has molded me into the driver I am today. I don’t want to turn over the wheel but family comes first and my wife and child are the two most important people in my life. If I have to leave Iowa, I know Andy will do the team and our sponsors proud!”

The team will have private air transportation on standby for the likeable ARCA driver next weekend. Should Silas be called away from the weekend's activities, Hillenburg will step in and substitute with Silas expected to return for the Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA 200 at Mansfield Motorsports Park being held the following weekend.

The Prairie Meadows 200 (200 laps / 175 miles) is the ninth of 20 events on the 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards schedule. The fifth ever ARCA race at Iowa Speedway is a one-day show. Practice begins Saturday, July 10 with an hour and thirty five minute practice session planned from 10:00 a.m. – 11:35 a.m. A final fifty minute session has been etched in from 1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin at 5:15 p.m. The event will take the green flag shortly after 8:00 p.m. The event will air live on SPEED. Additional race coverage including live timing and scoring throughout the day will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local (Central).

For more on Bryan Silas please visit, BryanSilasRacing.com.
Visit Fast Track Racing on the web at, FastTrackRacing.com.

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