BOISE, Idaho — Enjoying an unprecedented wave of popularity, the CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series embarks on an ambitious campaign of eleven races in 2009. This season will feature a staple of events at long-time series charter tracks, a return trip to the north, along with an old venue returning to the schedule after a three-year hiatus.
The RMCS will kick off its sixth season of competition at Rocky Mountain Raceway located outside Salt Lake City, Utah on Saturday, May 2. The 100-lap event will reunite old foes and friends of the series including two-time series champions Dave Minegar (06, 08) and Zan Sharp (04, 05) along with 2007 champion John Newhouse. The series will make three more stops at the marquee 3/8-mile paved oval on Monday, May 25, Saturday, July 18, and Saturday, August 22 for the annual NAPA 125.
The series will return to Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, Idaho for three events with first stop being the annual Pepsi 125 on June 6. A new wrinkle this season will be an event on Friday, July 3, and the always exciting season finale NAPA 150 on Saturday, September 12.
For the second year in a row, the RMCS will travel north and participate in the Idaho 200 weekend at Stateline Stadium Speedway located in Post Falls, Idaho Friday, July 31 through Sunday, August 2. The RMCS will headline night two of the weekend in the second NAPA Dual for the 200 race on Saturday then again fill the starting grid for the Idaho 200 on Sunday.
Tentatively returning to the series schedule after an absence of three years is the to be re-named Idaho Raceway (Formerly Chaparral Speedway), the high-banked 3/8-mile paved oval located just north of Boise. The facility is under new ownership and is in lease negotiations with the potential 2009 operations team. The Idaho Raceway team is thrilled with the plan to bring touring Late Model racing back to the area. The RMCS is scheduled to make stops on Saturday, June 20 and again on Saturday, August 29. IR has hosted six previous RMCS races with Craig Bell and Bryan Warf claiming two victories apiece. John Dillon and John Nesmith won the other two races.
A familiar face from the northwest will make his series debut in 2009. Three-time NASCAR Northwest Tour champion Jeff Jefferson will take the reins of Tom Hill’s ESI sponsored Chevrolet for the year. Hill will vacate the seat after five years where he has started every RMCS race (49) since the series inception. Hill has scored three wins and 31 top ten finishes in his career.
“I am thrilled to finally compete in the RMCS,” Jefferson said. “I can’t wait to get to the track and race Dave (Minegar), John Dillon, John Newhouse, Thane Alderman, and Zan Sharp. The series is a real driver’s series and with the invert it just makes for exciting racing not only for the fans be the drivers as well. Mike Minegar has the best series around and I am just thankful we were able to put a deal together with Tom (Hill) to run this season.”
For his part, Tom Hill has his eye on a bigger prize. “I just want to win a championship and with Jeff in the car I know we can get it done,” Hill stated.
Two-time series champion Dave Minegar looks forward to battling for a third title in 2009. “It is going to be great to have Jeff run the series this year,” Minegar said. He has obviously been successful in these types of cars and going fender to fender with him all season will be a lot of fun.”
CarbonX, the industry leader in fire resistant underwear and clothing, returns as title sponsor of the six-year old tour. Joining CarbonX this season are returning sponsors Thompson Motorsports, Performance Solutions, Kidd Performance, and Joe’s Racing Products. Long-time sponsors ESI, A-1 Heating and Air Conditioning, Sharp Powder Coating, Five Star Racing Bodies, Frank’s Radios, PPG, and Hoosier return as well.
The RMCS utilizes a racing format not found in ANY other regional touring series around the country. The top 20 qualifiers are inverted for every race putting fast time in the 20th starting position. This format ensures race fans see what they paid for and that is passing. Each driver is awarded three points per position gained in the event. Through the history of the series, the winning driver has averaged a 14th place starting position. To ensure competition, the RMCS pays it purse based on total point accumulation for the event and provides several special performance awards for the event including: The ESI Hotshoe Award paying $400 to the driver who sets fast time and goes on to win the race. The CarbonX Lap Leader Bonus paying $5 for every lap led while Sharp Powder Coating pays $100 for fast time at each event. The Thompson Motorsports Halfway Challenge will pay $100 to the driver leading at halfway of each event; and the Thompson Motorsports Performance Improvement Award pays the driver $200 who improves the most positions over the previous event.
“2008 was a great year and I know we will top that in 2009,” stated Mike Minegar, president of the RMCS. “The series continues to grow beyond our wildest imagination. We have interest from all over the west in our series and we look forward to seeing a lot of new faces this season.”
“We are very excited about our schedule this year with a return of Idaho Raceway and a second trip to Stateline,” continued Minegar. “Magic Valley Speedway and Rocky Mountain raceway has been with us since the beginning and we have a lot of fans in both those cities. We have found that our fans are not afraid to travel which really makes our series an important marketing vehicle for the tracks.”
About CarbonX
CarbonX is the brand name behind the products produced by Chapman Thermal Products. CarbonX, in its raw form, is a yarn created by spinning O-PAN (oxidized polyacrylonitrile) fiber with an Aramid strengthening fiber. This formula, results in a yarn with amazing fire resistant characteristics that serves as the precursor to a wide array of products and applications requiring heat and flame resistance.
Products manufactured with CarbonX® are in the hundreds and are present in all the major industry segments - Fire and Safety Apparel, Industrial Safety Apparel, Motor Sports, Police / Military and Industrial Non-Apparel. From fire fighting turnout gear to head socks, complete underwear, socks and shoelaces. Airline cargo holds, to crew ship and hotel fire escape blankets. CarbonX is also used in High performance turbo and exhaust insulation for increased horsepower. Complete auto racing suits and helmet interior lining and insulation. The applications where CarbonX® will improve and enhance many performance and safety properties are endless. For additional information about CarbonX®, please log onto www.chapmaninnovations.com.
About the CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series
The CarbonX® Parts Rocky Mountain Challenge Series is a regional touring series that allows competitors to gain experience on different types of asphalt oval tracks up to 3/8-mile in length. It is a high-quality, professional racing series that offers maximum opportunity at an affordable price serving the Intermountain West. The motto of the series is to "Race Hard and Have Fun!" For additional series information please contact Mike Minegar at 208/375-6328 or mikeminegar@cableone.net or our website at www.rmcsracing.com.
~CarbonX® Rocky Mountain Challenge Series Public Relations
2009 CARBONX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series Schedule
May 2nd Rocky Mountain Raceway (SLC, Utah) TBD 100
May 25th Rocky Mountain Raceway TBD 100
June 6th Magic Valley Speedway (Twin Falls, Idaho) Pepsi 125
June 20th Idaho Raceway (Boise, Idaho) TBD 100
July 3rd Magic Valley Speedway Firecracker 100
July 18th Rocky Mountain Raceway TBD 100
Aug 1st Stateline Speedway (Post Falls, Idaho) NAPA Dual for the 200
Aug 2nd Stateline Speedway NAPA Idaho 200
Aug 22nd Rocky Mountain Raceway NAPA 125
Aug 29th Idaho Raceway TBD 100
Sept 12th Magic Valley Speedway NAPA 150
