Following the big win at Daytona International Speedway, the Manufacturer's Cup Series moved on to GoPro Motorplex in Mooresville, NC. This was the site of Austin's first major accident. We were apprehensive about going back, but Austin was determined to conquer his fear of the track. The weekend began with a 3rd place qualifying position on Day 1. A 2nd and 3rd in the heat races allowed Austin to begin the final on the front row. Unfortunately an untimely mechanical failure got in the way of a good finish. Austin only completed 4 laps, but was running up front in the lead pack before he was forced to pull off the track. Day 2 started strong again with another quality qualifying effort of 3rd place. Feeling confident and strong about the track, Austin swept both heat races! By winning both heats, Austin was on the pole position for the Day 2 final. Although we had won both heats, we were still looking to better our lap times for the final. Adjustments were made, but apparently they were the wrong ones! We didn't have the same speed as the final and ended up with a 6th place finish. Overall we didn't have the finishes showing how strong we were throughout the weekend. That being said, we left knowing an overall points championship for the series is still attainable as we head to New Castle Motorsports Park, one of our home tracks, for 2 of the last 3 events.
The month of April also saw the 2016 Route 66 Sprint Series kick off at New Castle Motorsports Park. Going back to a familiar track was just what the doctor ordered, as Austin started strong again. Austin qualified 2nd, but won the Prefinal! It was clear that the weekend was going to be a fantastic battle between Austin, Aryton Grim, and Indy Ragan. The Day 1 final ended up being a 3 kart break away with Indy taking the win, Austin 2nd, and Aryton 3rd. A fantastic race! Unfortunately for Team AOR, a disqualification in technical inspection for a questionable exhaust leak in the muffler turned a great race into a disastrous 0 point dq. Day 2 saw Austin and Indy break away from the pack again in the prefinal, with Austin taking the win. The final began with Austin on the pole position, and Indy on the outside. A great battle ensued with Austin and Indy swapping the lead a couple of times, pushing each other to a 10 second advantage over the pack. In the end, Austin took the win by less than .4s! This time, technical inspection went much better and the win stood. This was Austin's first win at a Route 66 event with his favorite track at Shawano, WI next on the schedule.
New sponsors and a fantastic charity fundraising event also highlighted the last couple of months. AOR is proud to announce 3 new sponsors. Laurel Automotive Group, Designs By CL, and Local Search Masters have all come on board for 2016! Please be sure to check them out in our sponsorship section and look for the logos on the AOR team trailer. The AOR Mafia Fan Club has also started a great fundraiser to raise support for Racing 2 Cure. In honor of our Crew Chief, Papaw Grant, we have started placing names of each $50 donor to Racing 2 Cure on our trailer. This is all being done to raise awareness of cancer patients, their families, and other affected by this terrible disease. Papaw Grant was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme, a very aggressive type of primary brain cancer. We are doing this to help other families that may not get the same type of support we have gotten over the past few months. Please visit our Facebook page to learn more!
The month of April also saw the 2016 Route 66 Sprint Series kick off at New Castle Motorsports Park. Going back to a familiar track was just what the doctor ordered, as Austin started strong again. Austin qualified 2nd, but won the Prefinal! It was clear that the weekend was going to be a fantastic battle between Austin, Aryton Grim, and Indy Ragan. The Day 1 final ended up being a 3 kart break away with Indy taking the win, Austin 2nd, and Aryton 3rd. A fantastic race! Unfortunately for Team AOR, a disqualification in technical inspection for a questionable exhaust leak in the muffler turned a great race into a disastrous 0 point dq. Day 2 saw Austin and Indy break away from the pack again in the prefinal, with Austin taking the win. The final began with Austin on the pole position, and Indy on the outside. A great battle ensued with Austin and Indy swapping the lead a couple of times, pushing each other to a 10 second advantage over the pack. In the end, Austin took the win by less than .4s! This time, technical inspection went much better and the win stood. This was Austin's first win at a Route 66 event with his favorite track at Shawano, WI next on the schedule.
New sponsors and a fantastic charity fundraising event also highlighted the last couple of months. AOR is proud to announce 3 new sponsors. Laurel Automotive Group, Designs By CL, and Local Search Masters have all come on board for 2016! Please be sure to check them out in our sponsorship section and look for the logos on the AOR team trailer. The AOR Mafia Fan Club has also started a great fundraiser to raise support for Racing 2 Cure. In honor of our Crew Chief, Papaw Grant, we have started placing names of each $50 donor to Racing 2 Cure on our trailer. This is all being done to raise awareness of cancer patients, their families, and other affected by this terrible disease. Papaw Grant was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme, a very aggressive type of primary brain cancer. We are doing this to help other families that may not get the same type of support we have gotten over the past few months. Please visit our Facebook page to learn more!