Team Information:
Crew Chief: Doug George
Manufacturer: Toyota
Engine: Triad Racing Technologies
2016 Driver Point Standings: 13th
2016 Owner Point Standings: 14th
Sounding Off – Rico Abreu:
Bristol is a track you’ve been to in the NASCAR K&N Series. What do you remember about the track that you can apply this weekend?
“I think it’ll be great. I know you can run the top there, which is exciting for me. I’m looking forward to Bristol and having a good run. I just need to put together a good weekend and then I feel like it’ll be a lot easier for me to put together good weekends after that.”
Do you have more confidence as a driver knowing you’ve been to Bristol before?
“Yeah, I think it’s shown in my performance on the race track when I’ve been to a track before. Besides Iowa, we struggled there a little bit, but you know Dover, Eldora, and I’m sure Bristol will be the same. I’m just looking forward to getting back to all those tracks that I’ve been to, so I can improve from the last time I was there.”
We’re halfway through your rookie season. How would you summarize 2016 from your seat?
“Honestly, I figured it’d be a little better, but we’ve had speed, so I’m not too hard on myself. I’m just getting a little impatient with trying to put a good night together, but that’s what I’m looking forward to doing this weekend.”
News & Notes:
- Chassis Chatter… The No. 98 ThorSport Racing team will unload chassis No. 44 for Wednesday night’s UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS). This is the same chassis Abreu raced to a 10th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway and a ninth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this season.
- Thunder Valley Facts… Abreu, who has one career start at BMS in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, will make his track debut in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) on Wednesday night.
- Knoxville Nationals… Abreu competed in the 56th Annual 5-Hour Energy Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway in Iowa August 10-13. The Rutherford, Calif. native won his Heat Race on Night 1, and finished ninth. Abreu did not race on Night 2, and won the feature event on Night 3 – Qualifying Night, earning him a 17th-place starting position for Saturday night’s Knoxville Nationals, where he finished 12th.
- Off-Weekend Success… On August 6, 2016 Abreu competed at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, MO and won in his 410 Winged Sprint Car.
- 2016 Dirt Success… In 69 races this season, Abreu has 10 wins, 23 top-five, and 33 top-10 finishes.
- Rookie Stripe… Abreu, who is competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in 2016, is currently fifth in the standings after 12 races this season.
- Race Rewind – Pocono… Making his track debut at Pocono Raceway, Abreu started 17th, ran as high second, and finished sixth, his fourth top-10 finish in 12 starts this season.
Abreu’s 2016 NCWTS Stats:
- Starts: 12
- Top-5 Finishes: 1
- Top-10 Finishes: 4
- Best Start: 10th (Charlotte)
- Best Finish: 3rd (Eldora)
- Laps Completed: 1860 of 1876 (99.1%)
- Laps Led: 1 (Charlotte)
- Start: 19.3
- Finish: 14.9
Abreu’s Career NCWTS Stats:
- 14 starts since 2015
- Top-five finishes: 1 (3rd, Eldora, 2016)
- Top-10 finishes: 4
- Laps Led: 1 (Charlotte, 2016)
- Best start: 10th (Charlotte, 2016)
- Best finish: 3rd (Eldora, 2016)
- Average Start: 18.6
- Average Finish: 15.7
2016 Dirt Highlights:
- 69 Total races
- 10 Wins
- 23 Top-5 Finishes
- 33 Top-10 Finishes
Wins:
- Jan 13 Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Expo Raceway – Preliminary Qualifier Night, 30th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals – Keith Kunz Motorsports, Midgets.
- Jan 16 Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Expo Raceway – 30th Annual Chili Bowl Feature Event – Keith Kunz Motorsports, Midgets
- April 15 Chico, CA – Silver Dollar Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
- April 15 Placerville, CA – Placerville Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
- May 28 Orrville, OH – Wayne County Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
- June 5 Kokomo, IN – Kokomo Speedway – Keith Kunz Motorsports, Midget
- June 20 Orrville, OH – Wayne County Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
- July 23 Kokomo, IN – Kokomo Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
- August 6, Pevely, MO – Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 – 410 Winged Sprint Car
- August 12, Knoxville, IA – Qualifying Night, 56th Annual Knoxville Nationals – 410 Winged Sprint Car
Abreu’s Career Stats:
- 2011 360 Winged Sprint Car Series Rookie of the Year
- 2012 won the Trophy Cup at Thunderbowl Raceway
- 2012 USAC National Midget Series Rookie of the Year
- 2013 & 2014 Belleville Midget Nationals Winner
- 2013 4 Crown Nationals Winner at Eldora Speedway
- 2013 & 2014 Johnny Key Classic Winner – One of five drivers to win back-to-back titles
- 2013 USAC Gold Crown Midget Nationals
- 2014 USAC Midget National Champion
- 2015 Chili Bowl Nationals Winner
- 2015 Pepsi Nationals Winner
- 2015 NASCAR K&N Series Most Popular Driver
- 2016 Chili Bowl Nationals Winner
Race Information:
Date: Wednesday, August 17
Time: 8:30pm ET on FOX Sports 1, and MRN Radio
Track: .533-mile oval
Distance: 200 laps/106.6 miles
