Thursday, June 26, 2014

Lewis facing unique challenges at Evergreen’s Summer Showdown


For Immediate Release: Gary Lewis Racing LLC Media Relations Lewis facing unique challenges at Evergreen’s Summer Showdown SNOHOMISH, Wash. (June 25, 2014)-Four-time late model touring champion Gary Lewis brings his stellar resume into the 3rd Annual Summer Showdown presented by Coors Light with one item not checked off; a victory in the prestigious race.
Offering a $20,000 payday to the race winner, Lewis aims to add to his nearly $310,000 career earnings this weekend should everything come together. For that to happen the Snohomish native will have to battle challenges that few in the pits will face-his son’s wedding and nearly 60 pre-registered drivers out to accomplish the same goal of winning the race.
Lewis will juggle practicing his Mike Leary’s Shock Shop Chevrolet, qualifying then getting through the positioning races with his son Zach’s nuptials scheduled in between all of Friday’s activities. The wedding is set for just before the Showdown’s qualifying heats get underway so Lewis will have to race back to the track, jump in his car then head out to compete for a spot in the 36-car field.
“We knew this weekend was going to be a little crazy with all the talent coming to Monroe for the race and the chance to win the big money,” Lewis said. “What we have to deal with in going between the track and where Zach is getting married then back to the track to race is something we’re ready to do. His wedding is a once in a lifetime thing. We keep telling ourselves everything will work out, but you’ll never really know until it all starts to come together on Friday.”
With the unusual circumstances Lewis plans to get the most out of his efforts in time trials, he added.
“The key for our SuperGraphics team is to qualify well. If we’re in the front-half of the field or better that’s a great spot to start for the qualifying heats. Having a good starting position in the heats will give me some more time to see what the car will do during the longer runs while looking to finish strong enough for a spot in the front of the field (for Saturday’s main event).”
Handling the sweeping corners will be the focus for the 200-lap Summer Showdown, according to the four-time champion.
“You carry so much speed through the turns at Evergreen that I tap those AP Brakes just a bit to stick in the groove. When it’s sliding up the track or wants to come around you’re scrubbing speed off which costs positions. Our team has a great suspension package from Mike (Leary) on this Lefthander chassis. It has been great at giving me speed to exit the corner with momentum and set-up for the next turn. I feel very confident in what we’re bringing to the Showdown.”
Having faced some tough days in his two previous attempts to win the Summer Showdown, Lewis is ready for a weekend full of excitement, he said.
“We’ve had some tough racing luck in this race. Last year the car was great but we fell out due to a mechanical gremlin. The year before we lost the car in an incident exiting the corner that ended our night. This year the racing luck is throwing a curveball with Zach’s wedding wrapped into everything so we’ll take that as a good luck sign and make every effort to be there at the end of the night. If we can, the win is something we’ll be gunning for that’s for sure with our AR Bodies Chevy SS.” Keep up with the team’s progress throughout the Summer Showdown by bookmarking and following Gary Lewis Racing, LLC Facebook page. Near Live will also be available on RacingWest.com throughout the weekend.

McDougald headed For A Showdown

 


6/23/2014 – This Friday, June 27th, kicks off the start of the Summer Showdown


at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington. 200 laps of Super Late Model action on
the big 5/8th mile paved oval, and “Terrible” Tim McDougald is set to bring the #68 Mo-


Dane Trucking / Clevenger Associates / Rev-Equip / Ringers Gloves Toyota Camry for

some action.

After a promising run in the Galloway Memorial Shootout came to an early end

when the engine let go, McDougald is now regrouped, refocused and reloaded for a

return to the big “Super Speedway of the West” and try one more time for that solid run

that has eluded him this season. “We’ve really struggled just to finish a race here lately,”

said McDougald. “It’s been tough, watching each race go by without seeing us finish one.

I really don’t know what the issue is. We’ve had some engine problems, which you’re not

supposed to have with these crate motors. But for some reason, we have. I feel like we

just can’t shake the monkey.”

After a long weekend, the team is back on track and ready for competition once more. A

good thing, facing the biggest race of the year in just a few short days. “We’re certainly

excited heading into the Showdown,” said McDougald. “This race is a big deal. Not just

here locally, but on the National level. We’re seeing a lot of interest from all over the

Country. When you put up that kind of money, it tends to draw all the big names. We’re

certainly not on that list of big names. But it’s our house and we feel like we can

compete. The biggest ting will be not beating our self. We haven’t done a very good job

of that lately, so hopefully we’ll turn things around here and get this program headed

back in the right direction.”

McDougald went into the last race with the goal of just finishing. Now, things have

changed slightly. With a new goal and a new focus, this race brings new stress for the

small team from Tacoma, Washington. “We were looking for any checkered flag we

could find before,” joked McDougald. “I would have settled for going to the dollar store

and buying one there, it’s been a tough run. But I’m looking at this race a little different.

We have to make this show. I don’t want to be trying to race my way through the LCQ

(Last Chance Qualifier). I believe we can race our way in through the heat races. I really

believe we have a shot at that, so that’s the main goal. No playing around, no falling back

on this or that. We need to race our way in through that heat race. If I end up in the LCQ

then we’ll deal with that there. But one way or another, we need to make this show.

That’s the current bar, that’s where it’s set, that’s what we need to achieve. It’s pretty

much that simple. Am I stressed about it? You bet I am. But I think we can do it.”

You don’t want to miss the biggest race, on the biggest track in the state, with the biggest

names in Super Late Model racing, this Friday and Saturday at Evergreen Speedway. Be

sure to catch this one, and cheer for home-town hero “Terrible” Tim McDougald in the

#68 Mo-Dane Trucking / Clevenger Associates / Rev-Equip / Ringers Gloves Toyota

Camry as he puts his team up against the toughest competition around in the 2014

Summer Showdown!

For up to date news, information and complete coverage contact:

HayWire Motorsports
1101 124th Street South, Suite B


Tacoma, Wa. 98444
Or visit the HayWire Racing website at - http://www.haywire-racing.com.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Lux Performance, Black Rock Coffee Join with Children's Cancer Association for Portland Tradition at Rose Cup Races

Veteran Oregon Racer Cindi Lux and Region's Hottest Coffee
Bar to Help  prescribe JoyRx to Seriously Ill Kids, Teens and
Their Families via the CCA's 2014 MINI Cooper Raffle

Portland, June 5, 2014 - The Rose City and its residents are
internationally recognized for their adventurous but
giving spirit. This week one of Oregon's most successful
racecar drivers, Cindi Lux, and the Northwest's hottest
coffee franchise, Black Rock Coffee Bar, have personified t
hat in announcing a charitable partnership with
Portland-based Children's Cancer Association (CCA)
at one of Portland's greatest traditions, the Rose Cup Races.
The trio will use the June 13-16 event held at Portland
International Raceway (PIR) to raise awareness and funds t
o help CCA prescribe JoyRx to seriously ill kids, teens and
their families.   
 

Cindi Lux and Black Rock Coffee Bar will use the June 16 Rose Cup to help promote ticket sales to raffle off this 2014 MINI Cooper for the Children's Cancer Association. Image by Jeff Boerio. 

















Chief among the charitable efforts for the combined
endeavor will be the onsite addition of the 2014 MINI Cooper
that CCA will be raffling off. Rose Cup Festival visitors can
purchase tickets from a limited pool of only 3,500 tickets
for $40.00 per ticket at PIR throughout the weekend. The
CCA MINI Cooper will be on display in the Lux Performance
paddock where the No. 5 CCA Fueled by Black Rock Coffee
SRT Viper Competition Coupe is being prepared for S
unday's feature Rose Cup race. The yearlong campaign
by CCA to raise funds with the raffle will culminate in a
final drawing on Friday,  October 3. The selection of the
winner will take place live on AM 860 KPAM.
 
The Rose Cup Races, and Sunday's 45-minute feature
 "Rose Cup Race" that Lux will participate in, has become
 an institution in the Northwest. The Father's Day tradition
 is the region's largest gathering of SCCA and club racers.
The "feature" is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. (Pacific Time),
June 16. 
 
Black Rock Coffee Bar (www.BlackRockCoffeeBar.com)
and Lux Performance are enjoying the fourth year of
their relationship in this event. The Portland-based
franchiser has increased its association with the
Aloha-headquartered Lux Performance Group and
activation of this motorsports marketing platform each
consecutive year. The combination has placed its full
focus in 2014 on supporting the CCA raffle.
 
Lux has 12 road racing championships and 75 victories
throughout her career. She holds the distinction of
being honored with an Oregon Motorsports Museum
Association "Lifetime Achievement Award" and holds
multiple "Driver of the Year" awards in the Northwest.
 
Lux Performance Group, the race and road car prep
shop owned by Cindi and husband Fred Lux, have also
entered a second car for longtime team driver
Steve Streimer. The Sherwood, Ore.-resident will race
a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car during the weekend.

Quotes
Cindi Lux: "Sometimes we really need to stop and
appreciate what we have in life. When I see the challenges
 these kids and families have to go though battling
cancer I want to jump in and help. When I heard about
this Children's Cancer Association raffle for the MINI,
I knew I had to use our racing program to try and help.
Motorsports has been my whole life and I am so happy
that I can use this venue to help kids who have challenges
every day a whole lot more difficult than I face. It's an
opportunity for all of us to give back. When Black Rock
Coffee Bar heard about this, they couldn't wait to return
 to partner with us in this effort. That makes me especially
proud to be representing them in the Rose Cup. I hope my
 fellow racers also step-up to the plate and buy a ticket or
two. I want to make the Rose Cup the single largest event
for raffle ticket sales for CCA."
 
Regina Ellis, Founder and CEO,
Children's Cancer Association: "CCA is excited to be
selected a benefit partner by the Lux Performance
Group/Black Rock Coffee Bar race team for the 2014
Rose Cup Race Weekend! The team is rallying behind
 our 2014 MINI Cooper raffle and hoping to sell 100
tickets over the three-day weekend to support our
programs that deliver joy to thousands of seriously
ill kids, teens and their families each year. We
appreciate their generous hearts!"
 
Daniel Brand, Head of Operations, Black Rock Coffee Bar:
"Working with Cindi Lux and the Lux Performance Group is always unique. We both have been given great opportunity in various aspects of the community around us, and each of us desires to give back. To be a small piece to the bigger puzzle of making our world a better place is critical to our approach at Black Rock Coffee Bar and I know it is the same for Cindi and Fred Lux! As we approach Rose Cup 2014 we are excited to partner with the Children's Cancer Association to engage in the lives of children, teens and families. CCA serves to make an impact for a great cause and we are privileged to be a part of this effort!"




Cindi Lux on track during the 2013 Rose Cup "feature". Image by Jeff Boerio. 

About the Children's Cancer Association -
We prescribe joy. For children diagnosed with serious
 illness and their families, every moment is precious. At
CCA, our goal is to transform as many of those moments
as possible - with joy. Why joy? Because in the fight against 
devastating illness, joy is often forgotten. Because joy
connects us with the power of hope, comfort, and
happiness and helps families and children feel uplifted
when their lives have been turned upside down.
Because joy is something every child deserves.
 
About Black Rock Coffee Bar - Black Rock Coffee Bar roasts
its premium blend of coffee locally ensuring the freshest
espresso possible. Endeavoring to find the perfect balance
of flavors, Black Rock pushes the boundaries of what is
possible with the daily cup of 'Joe', to stir things up a bit
and to throw a little edge on the coffee biz.Black Rock
brewed its first coffee at its first store in Beaverton in
early 2008. Today, they span from Seattle to San Diego
with nine Black Rock stores in the Portland-area
and continued substantial growth planned in the
coming months.

To learn more about, request or offer support for
the Children's Cancer Association,
please visit www.JoyRx.org .

Need more fuel for your day? Stop by
www.Twitter.com/BlackRockCoffee on Twitter, http://instagram.com/blackrockcoffeebar
 
For more on Cindi Lux, please visit www.CindiLux.com.
Learn more about the Rose Cup, go to www.RoseCup.com .
 
Follow Cindi on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/CindiLux,
and http://instagram.com/cindilux on Instagram.