Empire Racing tops speed charts again at Daytona
Daytona ARCA 2015 January test.
(DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – January 16, 2015) – It just wasn’t enough for Empire Racing to top the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards charts in open testing at Daytona Int’l Speedway back in December. One month later, Empire returned and did it again, topping the charts with the No. 48 Hylton-Empire Ford Fusion with Sean Corr at the helm Friday afternoon at the “World Center of Racing”. Corr was fastest overall with a speed of 187.692 mph.
Then, in the final seconds, right before the five o’clock closing bell, his Empire Racing teammates Austin Hill and Patrick Staropoli drafted their way to the front, taking their places in second and third right behind the boss.
“I thought we’d have our hands full with three cars…I can’t believe how amazing this crew was today,” Corr said. “We don’t have a lot of guys. I thought they’d be completely overwhelmed but they had a game plan for everything…they were amazing. We brought that other Ilmor (396 engine) car down. We just measured everything exactly from my car…mimicked every line, everything the exact same way. It was the perfect three-car train. We may have to turn that third car into an Ilmor. All three are planning to come back for the race.”
Newcomer Austin Hill, with a legacy engine, was second overall at 187.165 mph in the No. 8 Ford Fusion, sandwiched in between Corr and Staropoli. Staropoli, whose speed was 187.126 mph in the No. 82 Ford Fusion, made it to the test just in time.
“It was an eventful day,” Staropoli said. “Drove down at the last second. I had an exam in Miami this morning. Drove up right after that…got here about 3:30. Everyone was drafting at that point. That last run…wow…it was the best run all day. We came down with a different car this time…had the Ilmor motor in it. It pulled a little better, but all three of Empire’s cars were great. I want to thank American RF for helping me get here. I learn more every time I go out there…I’m really excited for the race.”=”300″ class=”size-medium wp-image-282″ /> Daytona ARCA 2015 January test.[/caption]
