Motorsports Venues - Thunderhill Raceway Gears Up For Season Opener On Saturday

KYLE, February 29, 2012: Thunderhill Raceway (THR) in Kyle, TX, will kick of its 2012 racing season on Saturday (March 3), and Team Teague Racing will be out in full force in several of the 11 divisions that are slated for action this year.

The founder and patriarch of this dedicated team of racers is Jim Teague (Buda, TX). This 43-year-old driver began his racing career in 1984 and has raced in almost every class of racecar on both dirt and asphalt tracks all over Texas. His best finish was a third-place position in the 2003 Super Stock points’ race.

In 2008, Jim stepped out of his racecar so that he could focus on the racing endeavors by his son, Mason. Jim jumped back into his racecar in 2010 and will continue to compete in the NASCAR A-Line Super Stocks in 2012.

“I plan to run with the Super Stocks all year,” said (Jim) Teague. “But my real goal in racing is to get Mason noticed. I know he has a lot of talent. Heck, the kid’s better than I am, without a doubt.”

“Our future plans for him are to win another championship and then move on,” added (Jim) Teague.

Twenty-year-old Mason has certainly fulfilled his father’s dreams so far – capturing championship titles along the way and advancing quickly through the racing ranks.

Known as “The Hurricane,” Mason is from Buda, TX, and will compete as a rookie in the #16 NASCAR Truck in 2012. He’s looking for another Rookie of the Year title, and he’s also hoping for a championship. Mason’s truck is sponsored by “Dad’s Checkbook,” LYF Decals and Graphics, Mark G’s Machine Shop, A and E Towing and BMF Shocks and Chassis and Chucks Graphics. He will be competing in his NASCAR Truck at both Thunderhill Raceway and Houston Motorsports Park.

“Although my team has been very supportive of me these past few years, the focus on me puts me under a lot of pressure,” commented Mason. “I’d really just like to see the whole team do well this year.”

“I know it will be a big challenge to keep the truck together with so many races scheduled at both tracks, and I really hope I can grab the Rookie of the Year title,” added Mason.

Mason began racing in 2007 as a 16-year-old rookie in the Thunder Stock class at THR. He earned the Rookie of the Year title that year and finished tenth in points. In 2008, Mason ended the season with a fourth place finish in the points’ race. He won the Thunder Stock championship in 2009.

The team made a decision to advance Mason to the Super Stocks in 2010. Mason put up a tough battle all year with veteran driver Clint LaFont and finished the season in the second position by a mere four-point difference. He walked away from the season with a Rookie of the Year title and claimed the ASA (national race sanctioning organization) points’ lead.

The 2011 season proved to be a challenging one, with several motor changes and a hard-fought battle with several veteran drivers. Mason would once again prove that he has what it takes to win and walked away with the 2011 NASCAR A-Line Super Stock championship title.

Several other Team Teague Racing members will also be competing at THR this year, including Richard Fitch in the #73 Thunder Stock, Calvin Fitch in the #07 Grand Stock, Jay (Christopher) Johnson in the #73 Grand Stock and Felicia “Lisha” Teague (Jim’s wife) in the #00 Mini Stock.

The full racing agenda for Saturday night will include the NASCAR A-Line Modifieds (featured NASCAR division), the NASCAR TSRS Late Models, NASCAR Trucks, NASCAR A-Line Super Stocks, SportMods, Thunder Stocks, Grand Stocks, Mini Stocks and NasKart Pro Racing Series.

Grandstand gates will open on Saturday at 5 p.m. A Meet the Drivers autograph session is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., followed by opening ceremony and feature races immediately afterwards.

Admission for the grandstands is $12 for adults (including tax), with a $2 discount for seniors, military, police and EMS personnel (with ID). Children 12 and under are free. Parking is $2.

An exciting change at THR this year will be the introduction of “Bring Your Own Booze.” Fans will be allowed to bring alcoholic (only) beverages into the grandstands in their own coolers (standard convenience store size) by paying a $5 charge (no large coolers) at the grandstand admission gates. No glass bottles will be allowed, and setups will be available at Bailey’s Burgers. Various vendors will also offer food for purchase at the track.

Thunderhill Raceway is a 3/8-mile, D-shaped asphalt oval track that’s located at 24801-B IH-35, Kyle (TX), just north of San Marcos and south of Austin, at Exit #210 (Yarrington Road), just behind the Roger Beasley Hyundai dealer (formerly ThunderZone).

Additional information on Thunderhill Raceway may be found on the track website at www.thunderhillraceway.com or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TxTHR.