Chuck Barnes, Jr Sends TC Motorsports To Victory Lane In Toledo
Chuck Barnes, Jr Sends TC Motorsports To Victory Lane In Toledo TOLEDO, Ohio (September 05, 2006) - - Last Friday marked Kentucky’s Chuck Barnes Jr’s debut in the ARCA RE/MAX Series and he provided explosive results capturing the victory for Georgia’s TC Motorsports in the Hantz Group 200 presented by Belle Tire and It’s Mighty Ezy from Toledo Speedway. Barnes, Jr, a former champion in the CRA (Champion Racing Association) series rolled into the half-mile short track with plenty of experience around the track which he hoped to use to his advantage. TC Motorsports’ weekend started off well as Barnes, Jr paced the fifth position in the No. 35 Crown Spray Power Chevrolet with a time of 16.939 seconds at 106.264 mph. The results left the team looking forward to qualifying. “The car is working really good,�?? said Barnes, Jr a former candidate in Jack Roush’s “Gong Show�??. “Having the experience at Toledo is helping me a great deal, I think we’re going to be real good tonight, but we have to stay out of trouble and that’s what we plan to do.�?? Barnes, Jr stepped up to the plate in qualifying, putting his multi-colored machine sixth on the starting grid, a season’s best for TC Motorsports. “We have a good car,�?? Barnes, Jr. remarked again. This is going to be a really competitive race, we’ll just have to stay focus and everything should work out.�?? Indeed, the team did stay focused throughout the extended 202-lap event. While Barnes Jr hovered inside the top-five for a majority of the event, it was the last 42 markers which saw the team take spotlight and hang on to win the Hantz Group 200 presented by Belle Tire and It’s Mighty Ezy. The win didn’t come easy, with Frank Kimmel and Blake Bjorklund on the prey, there was no room for error for the 24-year old and he performed flawlessly. A green-white-checkered finish kept the final two laps tight and exciting, but Barnes, Jr used determination and advice from his father Chuck Barnes Sr. to garnish his first ever stock car victory. With his emotional victory, Barnes Jr became the 16th different winner in 18 events in 2006, setting a record for the most different winners in a single season for the 54-year-old ARCA RE/MAX Series sanction. Barnes also became the 11th first-time winner this season, which is also a ARCA RE/MAX Series record. “This is awesome,�?? said the jubilant driver following the race. “I can’t thank everyone on this TC Motorsports team enough for the opportunity to drive this car. We had a good car since we unloaded; I knew we could finish in the top-five, but to bring home the win, man that’s awesome.�?? TC Motorsports, owned by Tammy and C.E. Clower have been competing in the ARCA RE/MAX Series for four years on a limited basis were equally thrilled about the win. “This does a lot for this team,�?? the duo said. “Chuck did a great job behind the wheel and our guys were awesome all day. We are still in shock, but this a great feeling for everyone on this team, a dream come true.�?? Seven time ARCA RE/MAX Series champion Frank Kimmel is a neighbor of Barnes and offered his congratulations to the rookie immediately following the event. “Chucky’s a heck of a kid and a good racer,�?? said Kimmel. “I knew that once he got a good car under him he would be tough to beat.�?? TC Motorsports will look for another victory in their next ARCA RE/MAX Series event from Salem Speedway on September 16th. For more information on TC Motorsports, please visit _http://www.tcmotorsportsracing.com_ (http://www.tcmotorsportsracing.com/) For more on Chuck Barnes Jr, please logon to _http://www.chuckbarnesjr.com_ (http://www.chuckbarnesjr.com/) ### NAME: Chris Knight, TC Motorsports, Inc. PHONE: 734-660-2333 EMAIL: _Knight849@aol.com_ (mailto:Knight849@aol.com)