[SinglePic not found]Bristolville, OH – The King Bros Racing #56 late model team just returned from three weeks of intense racing in Georgia and Florida. The primary goals of the trip were met and there is a positive outlook for a productive 2009 season.

Russell and the team encountered several obstacles but worked their way through them. With the decision to follow the World of Outlaw’s Late Model Tour and compete for the Rookie of the Year in 2009, getting seat time and set- up experience was the main focus of this trip. Racing with 60-75 of the top drivers from the top late model series in the country was going to be a formidable task.

The Plan:
While very successful racing his big-block modified, Russell had only a combined 21 races behind the wheel of the late model, all of those coming last year. The new 2009 Rocket chassis is different than previous versions and set-up information was sketchy at best. The goal was to get valuable seat time, obtain a better understanding of the new chassis all the while avoiding accidents and the destruction of equipment.

Stage 1:
The first stop was at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, GA. The first night of racing was rained out before qualifying was complete. GIS would prove to be a struggle for the team as they just could not seem to find the right set-up for this track. They were not alone as most of the teams running the new Rocket chassis were struggling as well. Russell and crew chief, Bobby Bachman, persevered and found a few answers by Saturday night, the third and final evening of racing.  Russell’s best finish was a ninth in his Consi event but gaining seat time would prove to be the real bonus at GIS.

Stage 2:
East Bay Raceway Park was not on the original schedule but Russell decided to fill in the nine day break before racing started at Volusia with a couple of nights at the Gibsonton, FL facility. They elected to pull out the 2007 car to see how it would handle. Performance was off as they missed the Feature on Thursday. A brush with the wall on Friday during qualifying led to a decision to pack up and head back to the east coast and get ready for the World of Outlaw’s opener at Volusia.

Stage 3:
There were six straight nights of racing scheduled at Volusia Raceway Park. Thursday and Saturday were World of Outlaws sanctioned events at the Barberville, FL speed plant. These two races were going to be what the trip was all about. Russell was determined to find the answers with the 2009 Rocket chassis. He and Bobby modified their set-ups until they found something that worked. On Saturday night Russell missed the transfer spot by one position as he finished fourth in his heat race. As had been the case for the past three weeks, the competition this night was 56 of the best teams from around the country. Russell started on the pole for his Consi race with former World 100 winners, Jimmy Owens and Dale McDowell, on his tail. Despite three re-starts for accidents, Owens and McDowell could not catch the Bristolville, OH #56. They had found some of the answers! Unfortunately Russell’s luck was short lived as the engine expired when he came off of Turn 4 to take the flag with one lap to go.

Summary:
Although they had a Consi win and Feature transfer snatched from his grasp, the team had a reason to be excited. The last race was what the entire trip was about. This team had competed with the best and proved their potential. Seat time was certainly valuable and the set-up notes are beginning to take shape.

Racing with the best drivers and teams from around the country was expected to be tough and it was. However the progress made over three weeks was worthwhile. Other than the engine, there was very little damage to any of the equipment. Many teams were not that fortunate or successful.

The engine was dropped off at Custom Race Engines in Knoxville, TN on the trip home where disassembly should reveal the cause of the failure. Both race cars have already been torn down and completely cleaned. A thorough inspection will take place with repairs being done as needed.

Up Next:
The rest from racing will be brief as the meat of the World of Outlaw’s Late Model Tour season approaches quickly. The team will soon begin a three week road trip beginning at Deep South Speedway in Loxley, AL on March 13 and 14. They will then head west to Battleground Speedway in Highlands, TX on March 20 and 21 followed by the Colossal 100 at the Dirt Track at Lowes Motor Speedway in Concord, NC on March 27 and 28.

King Bros Racing #56 team would like to thank their 2009 marketing partners Keizer Aluminum Wheels, A-1 Racing Products, King Bros Ready-Mix, and Motul.

“King Bros. Racing takes their relationships with their sponsors very seriously. Not only are they an integral part of the race team that gives us the ability to go out and perform well every week, they are an absolute asset to the entire Mahoning Valley. We are tickled to death just to be associated with each of them.” – Rex King

For additional information or to inquire about motorsport’s marketing opportunities with King Bros Racing, please contact Sis King (330)727-0565. http://www.kingbrosracing.com/

Prepared by Joe Secka – JMS ProPhoto – www.jmsprophoto.com