RACE 101’s founder Tony Blanchard knows what makes a great race car driver. That’s why the veteran crew chief who mentored Joey Logano towards racing’s big league signed Canadian racer Sarah Cornett-Ching to a multi-year contract.
Blanchard will enter Cornett-Ching in numerous ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards events in 2015 and beyond.
“We know we have something special in Sarah,” said Blanchard. “This is a determined young woman with enormous natural talent, great technical knowledge when it comes to fabrication and with enough charisma to take her a long way in this sport.
“Sarah put her head down to make Daytona happen, and her tenacious nature is exactly what we want behind the wheel of our equipment.”
Cornett-Ching is scheduled to qualify today for the Lucas Oil 200 presented by Auto Zone at the World Center of Racing the Daytona International Speedway. Qualifying in the new group format will be stressful for the rookie Cornett-Ching, and mechanical issues this morning have turned the best day of her racing career into a stressful experience.
Engine trouble sidelined the car in Friday’s morning session. Cornett-Ching planned to gain valuable experience drafting with other cars which will be essential during qualifying. Instead she looked to help the team in any way she could as it prepared to swap engines.
The team is trying to replace the engine in time for qualifying, and although the normally light-hearted Cornett-Ching could qualify using an ARCA series provisional spot she is eager to race her way in with a solid driving effort.
“ARCA rewards teams that support the series,” said Blanchard. “We were able to register Sarah in the number 2 car owned by Wayne Hixson, and the car earned enough points last year that we are fairly confident we will be in the race.
“We hope to be able to qualify later today, but if things don’t go our way we could still find ourselves in the big show tomorrow.”
Despite this morning’s setback the wise-cracking racer from Summerland, British Columbia, is thrilled knowing that just last night her future was secured during dinner with her parents and Blanchard.
“Last night I signed a contract with Tony and RACE 101 to compete on a regular basis for the next two years in the ARCA Racing Series,” said the 23-year-old with mixed emotions. “It’s an amazing feeling to know that my racing career is on the move.
“As far as the engine trouble today these things happen. I’m glad the engine broke in practice instead of during tomorrow’s race. It still all seems surreal.
“Just last month I was clawing for funds to come and race at Daytona, Now we’re in a position where we have the means to put in a back-up engine and still go racing.”
Blanchard leveraged marketing connections made through his years in the industry, and he is ready to commit to a significant schedule with Cornett-Ching and ARCA.
“Racing is a hard sport to understand,” said Blanchard. “All drivers
want to race, and all teams want to find funding to keep the doors open. Sure that’s what we want as well, but it’s always been about doing it the right way with RACE 101.
“I’m excited that we have the right combination of timing, people, and opportunities to make this happen. Marketing partnerships are in place to race quite a bit, and I can now focus on the performance of the team. The best part is that Sarah can focus on being Sarah and developing as a racer.”
Cornett-Ching graduated from the RACE 101 program after taking the course in 2011. At that time the wide-eyed short track racer felt she was ready to compete at the top level. Things didn’t materialize.
She is a certified welder by trade, and racing actually took a back seat for a couple of years while she worked in remote areas in Canada to save money and get back behind the wheel. It’s been a wild journey, but she wouldn’t change a thing – except maybe for the freezing temperatures and isolation.
“I felt ready to go racing as a career in 2011,” said Cornett-Ching. “Things didn’t work out, and looking back I’m fine with that. I’ve grown as a person since then, and I feel like everything I have done to make this happen has made me who I am.”
“If I could have had exactly what I wanted three years ago it would have been to go racing at a top level with Tony Blanchard,” said Cornett-Ching. “Today that’s exactly what we’re doing, and it was totally worth the wait.”
For interview opportunities with Cornett-Ching or Blanchard, please contact Tony Blanchard at [email protected], or by phone at 828-855-4114. For more information on RACE 101 visit RACE101.net, and for more information on Cornett-Ching visit SCCRacing.com, or follow her on Twitter @SCornettChing. Sarah will be available for media behind the RACE 101 trailer on Saturday, February 14th, from noon until 12:30 pm.
Race 101 PR
