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LATEMODELRACER >> DRIVER PRESS RELEASES >> Sammy Epling Begins Chase For 2012 I-96 Speedway Championship
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Message started by LMR on 05/03/12 at 8:30pm

Title: Sammy Epling Begins Chase For 2012 I-96 Speedway Championship
Post by LMR on 05/03/12 at 8:30pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2012
_______________________________________

Sammy Epling Begins Chase For 2012 I-96 Speedway Track Championship This Saturday, May 5th

by Matt Prieur
Perry, Michigan (Thursday, May 3rd, 2012): Mother Nature is not normally a friend of any racecar driver. Weather related postponements make for unhappy drivers and teams. But in the case of Perry, Michigan veteran, Sammy Epling, a postponement was what he was desperately needing last Saturday, April 28th and due to the unusually cold temperatures last weekend, Epling got his wish.

The 2012 racing season will begin for the S.J.E. Motorsports crew at on Saturday, May 5th at Epling’s adopted home track, the fast and newly revamped I-96 Speedway, located just 45 west of his Perry, Michigan race shop in Lake Odessa, Michigan for the 7th annual Ice Breaker / Opening Night 2012. With the postponement of this race from April 28th, Epling’s chances to go after the UMP Super Late Models Track Championship were enhanced as he would’ve missed the show had it been ran last Saturday.

“The car just wasn’t ready. We had some motor issues, but they’re fixed now and we’ve got a fast bullet under the hood and we’re ready to go this weekend,” The 42-year-old stated as he and his S.J.E. Motorsports Team makes final preparations for the first race weekend for the team of the 2012 racing season.

“We’re going to shake down the car this Friday either at Mt. Pleasant Speedway, Winston Speedway, Hartford Motor Speedway, or even possibly Limaland Motorsports Park for the Sunoco American Late Model Series race there to make sure we’re good to go. The weather will play a role in which track we head out too, and then we’re going to get after it on Saturday.” He added.

In addition to chasing after the 2012 Track Championship at I-96, Epling also plans on an all-out assault on the Inaugural Michigan Dirt Cup Late Models Tour Championship, which begins at I-96 on Saturday, May 19th. “We’re focused on that Championship for sure. Andy Stebbins and Bill Long have put together a great program with that series and watching how successful the Modifieds deal was last year, I can’t wait for this season to get going. We want that Championship too without a doubt!” Epling continued.

As for his chances at a title at his adopted home track, the veteran driver, originally from Cicero, Illinois likes his chances; “I think we can win that title over there. It’s a good weekly show with the talent that runs there and very competitive. I think we can go over there and get us a Title. Two of the MDC Tour races are there too, so that definitely helps.” Epling ended.

“I really do have to thank Patrick Flanner, Stuart Owens, and Bo Smith for putting in their time on this whole deal, especially Patrick who’s been here just about every day. Brady Smith and Ohlins Shocks have come on board this year as well and I just can’t thank them enough.” He continued. “We believe with these new additions, it’ll just make us stronger and more competitive no matter where we go this year. Hopefully this weekend will be the start of proving that and proving that we’ve got what it takes. I so need to get back in the car, it will be the best stress relief I can think of.” Epling remarked.

Epling’s #28 UMP Super Late Model is now a converted Brady Smith Racecar and he hopes that will provide him and the S.J.E. team with a little extra incentive to do well in support of the new partnership; “He builds Modifieds as well as putting other Late Models together for other drivers, so we are hoping to get some more of these cars here in Michigan, so if interested you can call me and we can hook anyone up. Please go to the website at: www.bradysmithracecars.com” He added.

During the 2011 season, Epling scored two Feature Wins with those coming on back to back nights at Mt. Pleasant Speedway in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, where he was the 2010 Track Champion, and then at Thunderbird Raceway in Muskegon, Michigan over the weekend of July 29-30th. He would go on to finish 14th in the final UMP DIRTcar Racing Series Michigan State Points Standings. Overall in 20 starts, he accumulated two Feature Wins, nine top five finishes and an impressive 16 top 10 showings.

For the 2012 racing season, Epling’s #28 Brady Smith Racecars UMP Super Late Model will carry sponsorship decals from Fusion Graphics & Sign Company as well as Shift Shop Transmissions, Huffy’s Marathon of Perry, Hedrick Precision Engines, Ohlins Shocks, Allstar Performance, M.P.H. Promotions, Imagine Design Now, and S.J.E. Motorsports.

For more information about Sammy Epling and the entire S.J.E. Motorsports Team and to inquire about sponsorship opportunities for the 2012 racing season, log onto the teams’ new website at: www.sammyepling.com You can also follow Epling by becoming a fan on his Facebook Fan Page. Just go to: www.facebook.com/sammyepling and click on “Like”. Finally you can also follow the team on Twitter by going to: www.twitter.com/sjemotorsports and click on the “Follow” button.