Rico Abreu – 2016 Dover Preview

Team Information:
Crew Chief: Doug George
Manufacturer: Toyota
Engine: Triad Racing Technologies
2016 Driver Point Standings: 17th
2016 Owner Point Standings: 19th

Sounding Off – Rico Abreu:

You finished fifth at Dover last year in the K&N race. What did you take away from that race to help you this weekend in the truck race?

“Well, it rained all day in Dover, and we pretty much fired up our cars and went for it. So, the parade laps were my first laps around the track. It put us out there cold turkey, and no one really knew what they had. I started seventh, and ran right up there to the lead in the first 30 laps. I lead for awhile, and got a little too tight on the second stop, and couldn’t get it freed up from the center of the corners and off, which is why we lost that race. I felt like we had a lot of speed there, and I think these tracks, like Dover, that I’m seeing for the second time will be good for me. It shouldn’t take me as long to get up to speed.”

News & Notes:

• Chassis Chatter… The No. 98 ThorSport Racing team will utilize chassis No. 52 for Friday’s Dover 200 at Dover International Speedway. This is the same chassis Johnny Sauter piloted in 2015 to four top-10 finishes, including two third-place finishes at Gateway Motorsports Park, and New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
• The Down Low on Dover… Rico Abreu has one start at the Monster Mile in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. The ThorSport Racing driver started seventh, led 10 laps, and finished third in 2015.
• You Can’t Take the Dirt Out of the Dirt Racer… Prior to making his NCWTS debut at Dover, Abreu will participate in the Eldora Speedway advance on Tuesday, May 10. The two-time Chili Bowl Nationals Champion spoke to 200 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) students about the importance of engineering in racing, evaluated projects, and raced remote control cars against the students.
• Rookie Stripe… Abreu, who is competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in 2016, is currently fifth in the standings after four races this season.
• Down South… Abreu, a Rutherford, California native has relocated to Huntersville, NC for the summer
• Race Rewind – Kansas… The Safelite AutoGlass driver started 31st, due to a cowl cover being left on his Toyota Tundra in qualifying, and finished 22nd after hitting the Turn 1 wall on lap 3 of 170.

Abreu’s 2016 NCWTS Stats:

• Starts: 4
• Top-5 Finishes: 0
• Top-10 Finishes: 1
• Best Start: 16th (Daytona)
• Best Finish: 10th (Martinsville)
• Laps Completed: 644 of 655 (98.3%)
• Laps Led: 0

Abreu’s Career NCWTS Stats:

• Six starts since 2015
• Best start: 14th (Phoenix and Homestead, 2015)
• Best finish: 10th (Martinsville, 2016)

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: Friday, May 13
Time: 5:30pm ET on FOX Sports 1
Track: 1-mile concrete oval
Distance: 200 laps/200 miles