Team Information:
Crew Chief: Doug George
Manufacturer: Toyota
Engine: Triad Racing Technologies
2016 Driver Point Standings: 14th
2016 Owner Point Standings: 15th
Sounding Off – Rico Abreu:
As a rookie, how do you prepare for a track like the “Tricky Triangle?”“I’ve seen videos of past races, and I’m going to watch on-boards. It would be pretty cool to watch some Dale Jr. on-boards just because he’s always run pretty good there. I’m looking forward to that race with the trucks. It’s a really wide front-stretch, and then it’s three different turns, so we’ll have to figure it out once we get there. We are bringing a brand new chassis for this race, so I think we’ll have a good truck, as well.”
News & Notes:
- Chassis Chatter… The No. 98 ThorSport Racing team will unload chassis No. 55 for Saturday’s Pocono Mountains 150 at Pocono Raceway. This is a brand new chassis, and will make its debut for the 60-lap event.
- Tricky Triangle Debut… Although Abreu will be making his 14th career NCWTS start on Saturday, the ThorSport Racing driver will be making his track debut at the “Tricky Triangle.”
- Off-Weekend Success… On Saturday, July 23, Abreu won at Kokomo Speedway, a quarter-mile clay oval, in Kokomo, IN. Abreu was in his No. 24 410 Winged Sprint car, his fifth win this season in that division.
- 2016 Dirt Success… In 62 races this season, Abreu has eight wins, 20 top-five, and 26 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 11 races this season.
- Race Rewind – Eldora… Making his track debut at Eldora Speedway in the NCWTS, Abreu started 27th, ran as high second, and finished third in the 4th annual event at the “Big E.”
Abreu’s 2016 NCWTS Stats:
- Starts: 11
- Top-5 Finishes: 1
- Top-10 Finishes: 3
- Best Start: 10th (Charlotte)
- Best Finish: 3rd (Eldora)
- Laps Completed: 1800 of 1816 (99.1%)
- Laps Led: 1
- Start: 19.5
- Finish: 15.7
Abreu’s Career NCWTS Stats:
- 13 starts since 2015
- 1 top-five finish
- 3 top-10 finishes
- Best start: 10th (Charlotte)
- Best finish: 3rd (Eldora)
- Average Start: 18.7
- Average Finish: 16.5
2016 Dirt Highlights:
- 62 Total races
- 8 Wins
- 20 Top-5 Finishes
- 26 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
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: Saturday, July 30, 3016
Time: 1:00pm ET on FOX Sports 1, and MRN Radio
Track: 2.5-mile tri-oval
Distance: 60 laps/150 miles