Concord, N.C. (March 12, 2010) – The USARacing Pro Cup Series will kick off its second season of competition March 27 at Gresham (Jefferson, Ga.) Motorsports Park with a 250-lap race.
Jimmy Wilson, Vice President and Series Director for the USARacing Pro Cup Series, said the series is strong, proven and ready to compete on the track. ”Twelve months ago you still had all the questions as far as is the series going to be around, are they going to make it through the year,” Wilson said. “We got through our 14-race schedule last year and going into 2010 we’ve got a 16-race schedule. We’re solid. We’re still trying to finalize that elusive series sponsor but we will get it. As far as I’m concerned we’re strong, we’re here, we’re ready to race, we’ve proven ourselves and we’re ready to hit the racetrack. If we could average 30 cars at every event this year, improve upon our attendance from last year and have a safe season. That would be a successful season in my opinion.”
The race marks the return of the series to the Jefferson, Ga., half-mile oval for the first time since Clay Rogers captured the Aaron’s 199 in 2007. Since that event the track has undergone a major renovation. An all new racing surface has been added along with upgraded grandstand, concession and lighting amenities. Participant safety has also received a big boost with the refurbishment of the track’s retaining walls and all new catch fencing. Even the start-finish line has relocated, moving from the Northeast side of the facility to the Southwest side.
Rogers, the 2009 USARacing Pro Cup Series champion, recently visited the track and was impressed by the improvements.
“They’ve got a beautiful facility down there and have a lot of new asphalt and a really smooth racing surface,” Rogers said. “I’d say we’re going to be a second to a second and half faster than we were there in the past. It’s going to be a little different ballgame but we’re still going to put on a heck of a show I’m sure.
“Before, with the racing surface and the way the races played out you would attack Gresham more like a Myrtle Beach Speedway with that type of setup for really being able to get up off the corner and having forward bite,” Rogers added. Now we’ll probably go there with more of setup like we’d run at Iowa, somewhere that’s big and has a lot of grip and try to get the car freed up where it’ll keep turning on long runs where used to be it’d get loose on long runs. It‘s going to be fun and I think with the BFGoodrich tire that we’re on it’s going to open up and be a multi-groove racetrack. It’s going to be a little bit faster.”
For a complete schedule or ticket information, please visit www.usarprocup.com or www.greshammotorsportpark.com.
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