-
Ruppel
Continues Solid Showing @ Chicagoland
-
Chetek, WI (September, 22, 2011) - The 2011 Crandon World
Championships were a busy time for Eric Ruppel in his #73
Phil’s Inc. McGunegill Peformance BFGoodrich Tires Ford
Ranger. After a solid performance at the Crandon World
Championships, Eric Ruppel and his #73 Phil’s Inc. McGunegill
Peformance BFGoodrich Tires Ford Ranger, were looking to build
on that result. The stadium style track would be a new
experience for the first year PRO-Light competitor, but the
Chetek, Wisconsin native was up to the challenge.
-
Nineteen PRO-Light drivers lined up for qualifying, which was
combined with practice due to rain showers canceling the
afternoon practice sessions. The .7 mile long track was built
on and inside the facility’s half-mile banked dirt oval. TORC
track builder Jeff Nordstrom put together an incredible layout
with a mixture of high speed jumps, two mogul fields, a “go
big or go home” tabletop, and a lengthy rhythm section. The
six lap session saw the #73 Phil’s Inc. McGunegill Performance
BFGoodrich Tire Ford qualify fourteenth fastest.
-
The Wednesday PRO-Light race saw several drivers having
difficulties finding a consistent rhythm during the seventeen
lap affair. Drivers were moving up and down the standings
every lap. Eric avoided almost every incident on the track, as
well as coming in during the competition yellow to change a
tire, to finish in tenth place.
-
The next night was the “Big Show.” The SPEED Channel was on
hand to broadcast the night’s racing on live television. The
excitement and anticipation of the broadcast seemed to keep
all the overaggressive driving to a minimum and put a premium
on driving talent. The night saw Eric in a battle with a group
of racers that included Mark Oberg, Casey Currie, and
motocross superstar James Stewart. When the checkered flag
came out, Eric Ruppel finished in tenth place.
-
“What an intense couple nights of racing,” commented Eric
Ruppel. “We are just beginning to show what this truck and our
team can do. I’m still learning, but we’ve come a long way
since Red Bud. Our main our goal for the year was to finish in
the money every time out and we almost accomplished that feat.
We had little issues all year and most of them were fixed when
we hit the track this week. What we were lacking most is seat
time; extra practice time wasn’t in the budget. I don’t know
if I can make to San Antonio, either way our team can’t wait
for 2012.”
-
Don’t forget to watch the entire TORC season on Discovery
Channel’s HD Theatre every Wednesday night at 6pm EST.
