Archives 2016

Thad Moffitt, Grandson of Richard Petty, Wins First Stock Car Event

by Empire Racing Group, LLC. Uncategorized
Thad winning Anderson

 

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 15, 2016) – Thad Moffitt, the 15-year-old grandson of “The King” Richard Petty, won his first stock car event Saturday night at the Anderson (S.C.) Motor Speedway.  Moffitt took the pole and then the checkered during Saturday night’s Southeast Limited Late Model Daytona 1 Challenger Series race. In partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), Empire Racing Group (ERG) is entering Moffitt in the Southeast Limited Late Model Challenger Series in 2016.  It is the first year of the partnership and Moffitt is now leading the series championship after Saturday night’s win.  Moffitt is the son of Brian and Rebecca Petty-Moffitt.  He has previous experience racing quarter midgets and in karting at Ace Speedway. Moffitt won the race in the famous family color, Petty Blue.  Moffitt races the No. 46 to continue the Petty family tradition started by his great grandfather Lee racing the No. 42.  The team is supported by Jacob Construction, Design, and Technology, Transportation Impact and Hostetler Ranch.

“I wasn’t there, but I have heard all about it,” said Richard Petty.  “Thad has been doing a good job all year of learning the cars and getting better and better. Everything lined up for him on Saturday and he won.  I enjoy anything my grand kids are doing.  I’m just like anyone else, I’m a proud granddaddy.”

 

IMG_2564

“This has been a lot of hard work, but also a lot of fun, too,” said Moffitt. “I can’t do this without my team and our great supporters that help me.  Nobody has given me any added pressure, it’s been all on myself. Saturday, things just went our way.  I’m getting more experience and this will help my confidence.  I have a great car and crew, so hopefully we can get more wins and a championship.”

Moffitt will next compete on the Southeast Limited Late Model Challenger Series on September 24.

About Richard Petty Motorsports

A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Aric Almirola and Brian Scott. Almirola will return to the iconic No. 43 Ford with partners Smithfield Foods, STP, United States Air Force and the “Fresh From Florida” campaign. Scott will make his debut with the team and drive the Petty Family No. 44 Ford. Albertsons Companies, Shore Lodge, Twisted Tea and GoBowling.com will join Scott as he competes for Rookie of the Year in his first full-time season in the Sprint Cup Series. Richard Petty Motorsports will also field the No. 43 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. The team is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C.

 

About Empire Racing Group Established in 2009, Empire Racing Group is a driver-development team that strives to identify young racing talent and assist them in the advancement of their careers. While ERG originally focused on the ARCA Racing Series with drivers Sean Corr (team owner) and Mason Mitchell, the team has since expanded its reach into other series thanks in part to its alliance with Grumpy’s Performance, Inc. Under the expertise of crew chief Mike ‘Grumpy’ Cheek, ERG now competes in various Late Model series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS). In 2016, the team will compete in multiple racing series including the ARCA Racing Series, NCWTS, and NASCAR Late Model Series at Caraway Speedway. Drivers for the 2016 season include notable rising stars Austin Hill and Dylan Martin, as well as racing veteran Sean Corr. To learn more about ERG, call (704) 664-8882 or visit www.empireracinggroup.com.

 

-30-

Empire Racing Group Ready to Move On from Eldora Disappointment

by Empire Racing Group, LLC. Uncategorized

Truck #43 #82

ROSSBURG, OHIO – The amount of time and effort that goes into preparing for a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race is undeniable. For Empire Racing Group, not making the feature event at Eldora Speedway on Wednesday night left them disappointed, but they understand that’s just racing.With two trucks fielded by the Empire Racing Group/Richard Petty Motorsports Development Team, the team went to the Aspen Dental Eldora Derby at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio with high hopes of placing both trucks into the race. After a tough Tuesday evening in practice sessions, they knew their trucks would not be pretty for Wednesday’s event, but they would still be fast. Their long hours of putting blood, sweat and tears into getting each truck ready for the event had to pay off somehow.The No. 82 NESCO Chevrolet driven by Sean Corr initially qualified in the 35th position on Wednesday after suffering damage on Tuesday night. Corr wasn’t going to give up without a fight. Starting last in the final qualifying race, Corr was able to race up to the sixth position. Unable to move on to the feature race from there, he knew there was still work to be done. Starting fifth in the Last Chance Qualifier race, Corr rallied to the second position, ready to transfer to the feature race. It wasn’t until he spun halfway through his battle and the caution did not come out, that he was relegated to the ninth position. The No. 43 Petty’s Garage/Tilted Kilt Ford F-150 driven by Korbin Forrister unfortunately suffered a similar fate by the end of the day. Qualifying began what looked to be a hopeful evening at the half-mile dirt track, when Forrister qualified in the 17th position. Forrister started fourth in the third qualifying race, but finished the race in the seventh position. In the Last Chance Qualifier race, Forrister rallied from seventh to fifth, needing just a few more spots to lock him into the event. While both trucks showed the speed necessary to make it into the feature event, unfortunate circumstances and a lack of points due to not running full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series barred them from making the event.

 

Neither driver, nor the team, is prepared to give up. Wednesday night proved to be a struggle, but that’s what racing is all about. Stay tuned for updates on where you’ll catch the Empire Racing Group hitting the track next!

 

Dylan Martin To Drive In His Second ARCA Start

by Empire Racing Group, LLC. Uncategorized
 

 

 

image

Moorseville, NC – Dylan Martin heads to Indianapolis. Dylan will be racing on the flat track of Lucas Oil Raceway (formerly known as IRP) in his Blackwater Integration/Empire Racing Group/Grumpy’s Inc Ford Mustang in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Sioux Chief PowerPEX® 200 presented by Jive. This will be Dylan’s second start in the ARCA series.  His first was at the Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville in April.  The caution flags didn’t fly to his advantage in that race and tires proved to be a key.  Dylan is anxious to improve on his finishing spot in Friday’s race at LOR.  Dylan has been racing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Late Model Stock series at various tracks (Hickory Motor Speedway, Caraway Speedway, Greenville-Pickens Speedway) and has gained insight and experience with driving these heavier cars, unlike the Super Late Models he had been driving in Florida.  Dylan said, “I am excited to get back in the driver’s seat of the #48.  Our team has worked hard to get the car ready for Friday night’s race.  I have learned a lot these last few months and I hope I can show that on the racetrack Friday night and bring home a good finish for the team.” There will be an ARCA driver autograph session on Friday at 6:30pm at LOR.  Dylan is anxious to meet the fans, sign autographs and hand out his custom coloring books to the kids.  While driving is a priority for Dylan, so are his fans.  Dylan appreciates their support and knows that without them, the sport of racing wouldn’t exist.  So come out to LOR, meet Dylan and support ARCA racing. As this week of racing starts on Wednesday with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series hitting the dirt at Eldora Speedway where Empire Racing Group/Grumpy’s Inc fields 2 trucks, #82 driven by one of ERG’s owners, Sean Corr and in partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports the #43 truck will be piloted by Korbin Forrister, Dylan Martin finds himself crewing at a track he once raced at as a youngster in his USAC Quarter Midget. In the past we would have to set our VCRs to capture our favorite race when we couldn’t attend them, now we just program our DVRs from our smartphones anywhere. While things have certainly changed around us over the years, other things have remained constant. Dylan may not be racing his USAC quarter midget in the parking lot of IMS in Indianapolis, instead he will be racing in the ERG’s Ford Mustang in the ARCA race at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. Program your DVRs to capture the ARCA race Friday night on Fox Sports 1 at 9pm and don’t miss Dylan’s second ARCA race of the season.