DGR Crosley ARCA Menards Series Advance: I-44 Speedway

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Hailie Deegan, No. 4 Monster Energy Ford Fusion
 
Hailie Deegan will make her first start at I-44 Speedway in Lebanon, Mo., on Saturday, and she is looking forward to competing at a true short track. Tracks under a mile are her strong suit with a third-place finish at Lucas Oil Raceway in July. She was running second at Iowa Speedway when a mechanical issue took her out of contention. She finished eighth in the first race of a doubleheader at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway and sixth in the rain-shortened second race.
 
So far this season in 13 ARCA Menards Series starts, Deegan has earned two top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. With seven races to go in the season, she is currently fourth in the driver point standings, 51 points out of first place and only two points out of third. This Saturday’s race is also part of the 10-race Sioux Chief Short Track Showdown Series. With three races remaining, Deegan sits sixth in points in that division.
 
The ARCA Menards Series Zinsser SmartCoat 200 from I-44 Speedway will be run on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 9 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast live on MAVTV and streamed live on NBC Gold TrackPass. The 200-lap race will have two race breaks on, or near laps 75 and 150.
 
Deegan on I-44 Speedway: “I’ve never been to I-44, but it looks like a fun track. I really enjoy racing on the short tracks. It will probably be new to almost all of us, since it isn’t usually on the ARCA schedule. It’s not on the Ford Performance simulator, so about the only thing you can do to prepare is watch past late model races from there. We won’t have any notes to go off of from previous races, but my DGR-Crosley team always brings fast Monster Energy Fords to the track, so we should be good.”
 
Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance Fusion
Taylor Gray, the 15-year-old rookie, will be making his first start at I-44 Speedway in Lebanon, Mo., Saturday in the ARCA Menards Series. The 3/8-mile track will be a first for many drivers since it is not usually on the ARCA schedule, but was added mid-season due to Covid-19 restrictions at other tracks.
 
In 10 ARCA Menards Series starts this season (including East and West starts), he has achieved five top-five and eight top-10 finishes. In the two races where he was not in the top 10, he finished 11th. This Saturday’s race is also part of the 10-race Sioux Chief Short Track Showdown Series. With three races remaining, Gray is seventh in points in that division after missing the race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway since he was not old enough to compete prior to his 15th birthday. His older brother, Tanner Gray, ran the Phoenix race in the No. 17 Ford Performance Fusion.
 
The ARCA Menards Series Zinsser SmartCoat 200 from I-44 Speedway will be run on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 9 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast live on MAVTV and streamed live on NBC Gold TrackPass. The 200-lap race will have two race breaks on, or near laps 75 and 150.
 
Gray on I-44 Speedway: “Coming off our strong run at Gateway, I am ready to get back to the track at I-44. I have never raced there, so I think preparing as much as possible this week is going to be important. I hear it’s a really fun track, so I am excited to get out there and see what we can do.”

DGR Crosley PR

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