Pre-Race Notes and Quotes
Kansas Speedway
O’Reilly Auto Parts 250
Saturday, April 25, 2009
ROUND FIVE WITH ONE EIGHTY: For the fifth consecutive race, Tayler Malsam and the No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota Tundra will sport the colors of One Eighty. One Eighty Racing has sponsored the Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender in the four races that have taken place so far in the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where Malsam has recorded one top-10 and three top-15 finishes. For more information about One Eighty, please visit www.oneeightytwist.com.
MALSAM AT KANSAS: Malsam will be returning this week to a track where he has seen and raced on before. Last year in the ARCA Re/Max Series, Malsam drove the No. 4 Dodge Driver Development Dodge for Cunningham Motorsports at the 1.5-mile track and was running consistently throughout the race. Starting from the ninth position, Malsam was running sixth at the halfway point, until he received contact from another competitor. The contact resulted in a cut tire and Malsam lost a lap due to coming to pit road. After regaining his lap back, the Seattle, Washington native finished the race in the 14th position.
CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend, crew chief Doug Wolcott and the No. 81 team will unload Randy Moss Motorsports chassis, No. 126. This Toyota Tundra has already been raced twice this season at Auto Club Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Malsam collected a 24th-place and 13th-place finishes respectively.
CATCHING UP BACK HOME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS: As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series had a few off-weeks, Malsam headed home to Washington to reconnect with family and friends. On April 15th, One Eighty Racing held an Open House in Bellevue, Washington to support Malsam and Randy Moss Motorsports. This event was held at One Eighty’s Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, Toscano, and drew more than 500 friends, family, potential sponsors, and Northwest NASCAR fans. Malsam, crew chief Doug Wolcott, and Randy Moss, NFL All-Pro Wide Receiver and co-owner of RMM, were on hand to discuss the 20-year-old’s progress so far, share plans for the future, and sign a few autographs. Local media captured the event and Malsam and Moss were special guests on KCPQ-TV’s Q it Up Sports.
RACING OUT WEST: While on the West Coast for the One Eighty Open House, Malsam took the opportunity to race the No. 26 Rudeen Racing 410 and 360 Sprint Car at the opening night of Skagit Speedway, located in Burlington, Washington. Malsam captured two top-five finishes, as he finished fourth in the 410s and third in the 360s after starting from the rear of the field. Malsam will continue to race the No. 26 Sprint Car throughout the year.
RAYBESTOS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR UPDATE: Malsam currently sits second in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings, tied with James Buescher and only four points behind leader J.R. Fitzpatrick. Malsam has captured Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors once at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In addition, Malsam is currently 15th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings, leading all rookie contenders.
CATCH THE ACTION: The O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 from Kansas Speedway will take the green flag Saturday, April 25th at 6 P.M. Eastern. Race coverage will be televised live on SPEED, beginning at 5:30 P.M. Eastern, and heard live on select affiliates of MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
MALSAM (On racing at Kansas): “Definitely going to Kansas where I’ve raced before, I feel more comfortable than I did going to Martinsville. We had a good run going in the ARCA car last year until we got wrecked, but we still finished in the top-15. Kansas is a really good track that I’m excited about going back to. Anytime you can go back to a track that you have raced on before, it gives you more confidence and you’re not spending most of the practice getting used to the track.”
MALSAM (On veteran teammate, Mike Skinner and overall performance so far): “Having Mike as a teammate helps because I can ask him any rookie question and he’ll know the answer since he has been doing it for so long. He has been a help on and off the track and then helping me know what do at this point on the track and what to do at that part of the track. So far, our season has gone very well. I think we could have been better in places but we are up to par in the direction that we are going.”
ABOUT ONE EIGHTY: One Eighty, founded in 1976, encompasses hospitality, senior housing, and international brands, all of which require their customers to “Twist Your Thinking.” One Eighty’s hospitality brand has three divisions – Edibility, PrimeFit, and Twist Travel, which offer a bold take on their individual specialties. Edibility includes retirement community food services, corporate and social event catering, restaurant development and management, culinary classes, and signature food items. Also, PrimeFit and Twist Travel take a similar cover-the-all bases approach. For more information about One Eighty, please visit www.oneeightytwist.com.
ABOUT RANDY MOSS MOTORSPORTS: Randy Moss Motorsports ownership consists of Randy Moss, New England Patriots All-Pro Wide Receiver; and David Dollar, a long-time participant in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team fields the No. 81 Toyota Tundra and the No. 5 Toyota Tundra full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. For more information about Randy Moss Motorsports, please visit www.randymossmotorsports.com.
-RMM-