Home Page American Government Reference Desk Shopping Special Collections About Us Contribute



Escort, Inc.






GM Icons
By accessing/using The Crittenden Automotive Library/CarsAndRacingStuff.com, you signify your agreement with the Terms of Use on our Legal Information page. Our Privacy Policy is also available there.

Garcia Sets Sights On Michigan Debut


Stock Car Racing Topics:  ARCA RE/MAX 200

Garcia Sets Sights On Michigan Debut

Chris Knight
Transnet Racing
June 12, 2007

“Transnet Racing Looks For Successful MIS Debut”

BROOKLYN, Michigan (June 12, 2007) - - In his first season of stock car competition, racecar driver Alex Garcia returns to the ARCA RE/MAX Series tour, looking to make his ’07 debut at Michigan International Speedway in Friday’s ARCA 200.

Garcia, a native of Venezuela, has advanced his Transnet Racing team from the open-wheel ranks to move into the most popular form of auto racing, stock car racing.

This season, Garcia has been successfully building his team from his facility in Atlanta , Georgia , running a small number of events the first half of the season before planning more concentrated schedules in both ARCA and the NASCAR Busch Series later this year.

Attempting to make his speedway debut this Friday night, Garcia, aboard his No. 7 Dixien/OmniSource Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, plans to utilize the ARCA race to help propel his NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) program forward.

“I’m looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of a racecar this weekend,” said Garcia. “Michigan International Speedway is a huge step forward for our team and we’re looking forward to it. We’ve attempted to make a few ARCA races this season and fell a little short. We’ve been working hard since April getting prepared for this race; I have a good feeling about it.”

Last month, Garcia participated in the open test session at the two-mile paved oval. The team clocked the 16th fastest lap of the day, battling with a tight condition throughout the duration of the test. The team returned to the shop, stripped the car and began making adjustments based upon what the team learned at the Irish Hills track.

“Testing at Michigan International Speedway was very crucial for us,” offered Garcia. “We came away from the test with some great notes, and we were able to return to the shop and take care of any major issues we encountered on the track. The test has allowed us to prepare a much better racecar and has given us a better feeling about where we stand heading into Friday’s race.”

Knowing that a strong field is expected for the 11th race of the season, Garcia knows that every minute of practice is a priority for his rookie team this week.

“We know that there are going to be a lot of strong teams at Michigan this week, but we’re up for the challenge. If we felt that we didn’t have a chance of making the race, we would not be going. We hope to run the NASCAR Busch Series race here in August, so without a doubt the time we spend on the track on Thursday and Friday is imperative for what we are trying to do.”

Garcia is playing two roles this weekend at Michigan International Speedway. In addition to handling the important duties of being the driver, Garcia also is the team owner. He joins fellow drivers Darrell Basham, Norm Benning, Mark Dimitroff, Mike Harmon, Jim Hollenbeck, Terry Jones and Brad Smith who all carry the same status.

When asked about the pressure of being both car owner and driver, he offered, “It’s a tough job, I’m not going to say it’s not. But I think I’ve surrounded myself with the people that can help my team get the job done, which takes some of the pressure off myself. We’ve brought a new car chief on board for this weekend and I really think that will play a huge difference.”

Dixien LLC and OmniSource Corporation will back the team’s effort this weekend.

Dixien LLC is a full service, tier one supplier of Metal Stampings, Welded Assemblies and Plastic Components based in Georgia . OmniSource Corporation is the largest privately held scrap processor in the United States . OmniSource can provide a variety of services, from vacuum processing of alloy solids to scrap management services for a variety of industry segments.

“We’re looking at giving our sponsors a good showing on Friday,” explained Garcia. “This race is televised live and we want to be in contention for some good exposure time. Our sponsors have been very supportive of this team this season and we hope to thank them by giving them a solid finish at MIS.”

The ARCA 200 is the 11th of 23 events on the 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. Practice begins Thursday, June 14th with a two hour practice (10:00am-12:00pm) session planned. ARCA SIM Factory pole qualifying is set for later in the day at 3:00pm Local Time. The event will take the green flag on Friday at 5:00pm Local Time. The race will be aired live on SPEED with additional race coverage online at arcaracing.com

For more on Alex Garcia and Transnet Racing please visit, Transnetracing.com

Visit Dixien LLC on the web at Dixien.com

ALEX GARCIA MICHIGAN QUICK FACTS:

2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series Stats:

Starts: None

Best Start: N/A

Top-Fives: None

Top-10s: None

Career Best Finish: N/A

Did Not Finish (DNFs): None

Laps Led: None

- Notes of Interest:

Alex Garcia has one ARCA RE/MAX Series start to his credit, which came in September of 2006 at Salem Speedway in Salem , Indiana . After qualifying on time (28), Garcia overcame adversity to finish 20th.

When not preparing or working on their ARS program, Transnet Racing is also fiercely working on their NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) program. Garcia made his NBS debut earlier this year at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez starting 43rd and finishing 34th. The team will run a limited NBS program this season before planning a championship schedule in 2008.

Before making the move to stock cars, Garcia was a successful owner and driver in the TOYOTA Atlantic Championship Series.

Garcia’s crew chief Jason Roche is a former ARCA RE/MAX Series driver.

About Dixien LLC:

Dixien, LLC is a full service, tier one supplier of Metal Stampings, Welded Assemblies and Plastic Components based in Georgia . The Hispanic Minority Business Enterprise has been an automotive OEM supplier since 1982 with a customer base that includes BMW, Ford, Nissan, Electrolux, and others. Business has expanded through the years, and today Dixien is a highly respected supplier to the automotive and outdoor power equipment industries, operating two metal products plants in Atlanta and one plastic products plant in Macon . Dixien's operations in the Southeast all share a tradition of commitment to quality craftsmanship. These beliefs are exemplified in their quality policy: "Zero defects. Excellence in everything we do."

About OmniSource Corporation:

OmniSource Corporation is the largest privately held scrap processor in the United States . OmniSource can provide a variety of services, from vacuum processing of alloy solids to scrap management services for a variety of industry segments. They are also a processor of metal bearing waste streams that would contain residual nickel and/or cobalt. Their singular focus for over 60 years on scrap processing and transportation, marketing and brokerage, management, and consulting has fueled their growth into one of the leading scrap recycling companies in North America, handling over 6 million tons of Ferrous scrap and 700 million pounds of Non-Ferrous metals annually.

###

MEDIA CONTACT:


NAME: Chris Knight, Transnet Racing
PHONE: 239.834.9797
EMAIL: knight849@aol.com




The Crittenden Automotive Library