CARS Pro Cup Set For Return To Orange County
Wednesday, May 02 2012 @ 03:22 PM EDT
Strutmasters 250 Marks First Pro Cup Event Held At Orange County Since 1997
By Adam Fenwick – adam@carsprocup.com, CARS Pro Cup Series Public Relations Director
Rougemont, N.C. — A lot has changed since the last time the CARS Pro Cup Series raced at North Carolina’s Orange County Speedway in 1997.In 1997, Bill Clinton was the President of the United States, Facebook and Twitter didn’t yet exist and 2012 CARS Pro Cup Series Rookie Gus Dean wasn’t even three years old.
Ironically, Dean may head into Saturday’s Strutmasters 250 with an advantage over series veterans like J.P. Morgan, A.J. Frank and Tyler Young. At young age of 17, Dean has raced at Orange County several times and knows the track very well.
“[Orange County] is a little rough in the corners and there are certain lines that’ll work and there are certain lines that you’ll have to work through,” Dean said. “It just really depends on the track temperature as to which of those lines might work.”
Dean believes his experience at the three-eighths-mile asphalt oval, which includes a victory in the Allison Legacy Series, will give him a leg-up over his competitors this Saturday.
“I know where the bumps and the ruts are on the track,” Dean said. “We do have a feature win in the Allison Legacy Series at Orange County. We’re no stranger to it and I feel very confident heading into this weekend.”
Morgan, who leads the CARS Pro Cup Series standings after two races, took the time to test at Orange County during the off-season. He believes that test time will go a long way towards preparing for his first race at Orange County.
“We did test there before the season started. That’s the best way to do it, at least get some laps around the race track,” Morgan said. “I’ve watched a lot of videos of the racing that goes on there, seeing what lines guys run.“You just kind of have to take it as a whole new situation for you. But, its still only got four turns and two straightaways. I always just work my way into it. I try to pick up getting into the corners first and make the car feel good that way. Then everything mostly comes along after that,” Morgan said.
Gates for Saturday’s Strutmasters 250 open at 5 p.m. with qualifying scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. An on-track driver autograph session is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. The Strutmasters 250, featuring 250 laps of intense racing action, will go green at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Tickets for the Strutmasters 250 can be purchased online for $12 through Thursday by visiting www.carsprocup.com. Tickets can be purchased for $15 at the track on the day of the event. Kids under the age of 12 are free.
For more information, please contact Public Relations Director Adam Fenwick at adam@carsprocup.com or 828-329-6050.
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