(BRASSTOWN, NORTH CAROLINA) Ray Cook Racing opened up the 2014 racing season in winning fashion over the weekend, as they dominated the Crate Late Model portion of ‘Ice Bowl XXIII’ at the Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, Alabama! Ray Cook, who is a multi-time Super Late Model winner in the prestigious event, clicked off the fastest lap overall of the 60+ Crate competitors during the qualifying session on Saturday, January 4 and later scored the win in heat race action. After starting Sunday’s 40-lapper from the outside of the front row, Ray grabbed the point at the drop of the green flag and never looked back en route to the $3,000 triumph. The Brasstown, North Carolina star claimed his first win of 2014 over Logan Yates, Jeff Smith, Jamie Oliver, and Larry Timms!
In Super Late Model competition at TST, Ray piloted a Bloomquist racecar for car owner Tommy Pope, whose business – Pope Construction – will be a sponsor on Ray’s personal racecar in 2014, as well as the MasterSbilt House Car. On Saturday, Ray timed in third quickest in his group during qualifying and later grabbed the fourth and final transfer spot through his heat race. With passing at a premium during the $6,000 to win main event on Sunday, the popular driver known as the “Tarheel Tiger” was able to work his way past seven competitors during the 50-lap affair to record a solid seventh place effort. You can view complete results from the ‘Ice Bowl XXIII’ at Talladega Short Track by pointing your web browser to www.talladegashorttrack.com.
“Any time you can get a win early in the year, that takes a little pressure off knowing that you aren’t going to get skunked and wind up with zero victories,” joked Cook via telephone following the completion of the festivities yesterday. “Our MasterSbilt crate car was phenomenal all weekend and it actually ran laps faster than the Super Late Models on both Saturday and Sunday. Then that Bloomquist car, we just never could get that thing going until the feature and by then it was too late. Track position is usually everything at the Ice Bowl and we just couldn’t overcome starting fourteenth. But overall, it was a great weekend and I look forward to the rest of the 2014 season!”
Next up for Ray Cook Racing will be a trip to the Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, Georgia on Saturday, February 1. The annual running of the ‘Cabin Fever 40’ will be held at the Chattanooga area facility and a $3,000 top prize will be on the line in the Super Late Model special. Ray is scheduled to drive his own #53 MasterSbilt racecar in the unsanctioned event that utilizes SRRS rules. Additional information on the ‘Cabin Fever 40′ can be accessed online at www.boydsspeedway.net.
Ray Cook would like to thank all of his supporters including: MasterSbilt Race Cars, Race Engine Design, Jay D1ckens Racing Engines, A+ Moving and Storage Company, Pope Construction, K&N Filters, PRC Racing, Real Racing Wheels, Keyser Manufacturing Co., Bill Elliott Racing, James Cook Construction, Bert Transmissions, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Chizmark & Larson Insurance Agency, DBR Starters, Delph Communications, Demon Carburetors, Eibach Springs, FK Rod Ends, Frankland Racing Supply, GW Performance, Hoosier Racing Tires, Integra Shocks, ISC Racers Tape, JB Performance, Mason Racin’, MSD Ignition, Peterson Fluid Systems, PPM Racing Products, Schaeffer’s Racing Oil, Scott Performance Wire, Stealth Carburetors, Sweet Mfg., T&D Machine, TurboStart Batteries, VP Racing Fuels, Wiles Driveshafts, and Wilwood.
For the latest news and schedule information concerning the #53 team, feel free to visit their official Internet home at www.RayCook53.com.
Media Contact: Ryan Delph – Delph Communications
www.DelphCommunications.com