BRISTOL, Tenn. (August 20, 2008) – James Buescher’s day could have been over on the first lap. Ditto for lap 18 and lap 27.

A few spectacular crashes highlighted the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series’ visit to Thunder Valley, but Buescher’s day ended with a television interview – as a result of a third place finish, his third top-five finish in six Pro Cup Series races this year.

The one-day show was a stout one for Buescher and his No. 84s Turner Motorsports entry. Buescher was the 13th fastest qualifier in time trials, courtesy of a lap of 15.931 seconds and lined up 15th due to USAR rules, moving all Southern Division drivers to the inside row and Northern Division drivers to the outside row.

Buescher’s race would become quickly eventful. He avoided a big multicar accident on the race’s first lap, as well as follow up accidents on laps 18 and 27. After the first caution, he pitted for new tires and prepped for running the duration of the race without a stop.

(BRISTOL, TN) – Wade Day was looking forward to returning to his home track Bristol Motor Speedway. In last year’s USAR Hooters Pro Cup event there, Day had a dominant car, only to hit the wall after a tire was cut by debris. After testing, Day knew he had a strong car heading into this year’s event. Day headed into Bristol in third place behind Mark McFarland and Michael Ritch, but with a good run, combined with trouble for McFarland and Ritch, the regular season championship was still within reach.

The day started off ominously as the Lopez Wealth Management Ford Fusion blew an engine on the first hot lap of practice. As Day brought the car down pit road, the crew pulled the backup car out of the hauler. With some help from Caleb Holman’s crew, the team swapped the engine from the backup car into the primary just in time for the second practice session.

For John Gibson, driver of The Works/Spray Paint & Equipment/Innovative Cooling Equipment Ford Fusion, racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, proved to be a very interesting and challenging event. John, formerly the Technical Editor of Stock Car Racing Magazine and now a Technical Editor at Circle Track Magazine, had named BMS a couple of months ago as one of the “Top 10 Tracks to Watch and Race On” during a racer’s career.

“Bristol definitely lives up to its reputation,” says John. “It’s a track rich with history and is also very physically demanding.”

The Gibson Motorsports team struggled during practice and qualifying, ultimately taking a provisional to get into the event.

“We just could not get the car to handle, but my crew chief told me that the car would get better as the race progressed and he was right,” said John of crew chief, Mardy Lindley. “We got some lucky breaks as well, and really, one of those was starting in the back. We were able to avoid a number of accidents early in the race simply because we were in the back. Combine that with key changes and great pit stops made by my crew, and it all started to come together.”

Pete Knight Racing Driver Holds 44-Point Lead In USAR Regular Season Championship Chase

Mooresville, NC (August 15, 2008) – Mark McFarland is just one step away from winning the 2008 USAR Hooters Pro Cup Southern Division championship, but that step is a big one considering it’s at one of the most difficult racetracks in the country – Bristol Motor Speedway.

“I’ve always enjoyed racing at Bristol despite the fact it’s so tough,” said McFarland of the banked to the sky half-mile concrete Tennessee oval. “Actually, it’s really a fun track to drive. I raced at Bristol in a NASCAR Busch Series car when it was the old configuration and now I’ve raced there since they’ve repaved it. It’s a fast track, especially for these Pro Cup cars. You carry so much speed throughout the entire corner, so you really have to be on top of your game. You and your spotter have to really be dialed in. Bristol’s fun, but you have to really be paying attention or you can get in trouble quick.”

STUART, Florida (August 11, 2008) - - USAR Hooter’s Pro Cup veteran Bryan Silas announced today that he has parted ways with T2 Motorsports operated by Rocky Bayne effective immediately. Silas will form his own USAR Hooter’s Pro Cup team set to launch at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) next week.

“I appreciate everything that T2 Motorsports, Rocky and Trevor Bayne have done for me,” said Silas, who competes full-time in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. Unfortunately, the chemistry wasn’t there and in the best interest of everyone involved, we felt it was best to part ways. I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity to work with T2 Motorsports and I wish them the absolute best in their future endeavors.”

Southern Division Points Leader Earns Third Pole Position Of 2008 USAR Hooters Pro Cup Season

Mooresville, NC (August 11, 2008) – Mark McFarland won his third USAR Hooters Pro Cup pole position this season en route to a solid fourth-place finish in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Northern Division Miller Lite 250 at South Boston (VA) Speedway Saturday night.

“We had a couple of poles at the start of the year and then we didn’t get one for awhile,” said McFarland (right), who now has 12 career USAR pole positions to his credit. “We finally got another one. We had a good car in practice and then we made some adjustments to it before qualifying to make it even better. It didn’t hurt that we were the last ones to go out in qualifying, so that helped a little bit either.”

McFarland was fast right off the truck posting a time of 15.809 seconds to take the top spot in qualifying on the .357-mile South Boston oval. At the drop of the green, however, the Winchester, VA native knew his No. 81s Sears Auto Center/Knight’s Companies Chevrolet Monte Carlo was suffering from the same handling problems that saddled them with a 12th-place USAR finish the week before at Hickory Motor Speedway.

Raleigh, N.C.-For Awesome Awnings and Kirk Leone, driver of the No. 52, Saturday night in Hickory was the best possible scenario for ‘what could have been.’

Starting in 16th position meant a challenging climb to the front; and then the final 40 laps were a thrill ride with the Top-10 leaders, including a strong stint at the front and a fleeting chance at winning the whole event. Ultimately, a seventh place was the final outcome.

"I drove the wheels off," laughed Leone. "We stayed competitive most of the night. I love the Hickory track. It’s an older surface and even with a great car like we had, it’s a ‘driver’s track’ and the challenge is all about driving harder and smarter."

NEWTON, N.C. (August 2, 2008) – Hickory Motor Speedway wasn’t a race track that James Buescher had circled on his calendar. On Saturday night, it sure looked like the Texas teen was in high anticipation of the event; after all, he looked like a veteran at the legendary .363-mile bullring.

Despite intermittent rainstorms, the entire card was completed on Saturday, including time trials which saw Buescher time in with the 14th fastest lap of the session, a circuit of 15.762 seconds, over three tenths of a second off of two-time race winner Clay Rogers’s pole-winning time. The drop in lap times didn’t concern Buescher as his car was dialed in to handle well in the night’s 250-lap contest.

Southern Division Points Leader Looking To Score Victory On Tight .357-Mile ‘SoBo’ Oval

Mooresville, NC (August 5, 2008) – Mark McFarland would like nothing better than to celebrate South Boston Speedway’s 51st-anniversary with a victory for his Pete Knight Racing team.

“I’ve done really well at South Boston in the past,” said McFarland, driver of the No. 81s Sears Auto Center/Knight’s Racing Chevy. “I’ve won quite a few late model stock car races there. I’ve run there a good bit and have good experience there. There’s a lot of history at that track. It would be great to win there this weekend.”

Highland's Motorsports Driver's Career Best Pro Cup Finish

(BRISTOL, TN) – If you ask Wade Day about the 2008 USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series season, he will talk about unfulfilled potential. In the series’ six events leading up to Hickory, Day has qualified in the top five four times, including a pole at Concord. Those top five qualifications had resulted in no top five finishes. The Highlands Motorsports Team was determined to change that trend as they descended upon the Hickory Motor Speedway in Hickory, North Carolina.

“Hickory isn’t one of my best tracks, but I had my best finish of the season there last year,” said Day. The Elizabethton, TN, driver showed that last year’s run was not a fluke when the Lopez Wealth Management Ford Fusion was second quick in the day’s only practice session.